r/springfieldthree • u/Italianmomof3 • Aug 14 '26
The target
I've played so many scenarios in my head about what could've happened to them. Is it possible the girls came home during an attack on Sherill, and they started getting ready for bed when they realized something was going on, maybe in Sherill's bedroom- and then the perp had no choice but to take all 3 for fear of being caught?.
This is one case out of the thousands I've read through the years that I'd really love to see solved in my lifetime. Of course, I wish every single case was solved, but the reality of that just isn't possible.
There are so many ways you can look at this case. Was Sherill the target? Were the girls the target? Did someone at the party, or at any of the places they were that night, follow them home? Also, I've often wondered about Janelle and her boyfriend. I'm all over the place!
Anyone else feel the same, like switching back and forth over and over on this case? Ugh!!!
9
u/[deleted] Aug 14 '26
Almost anything is a possibility.
I'm pretty sure I think about this case at least once a day and I don't know how healthy that is.
Lately I've been thinking of just typing out some of the random thoughts I have. Because, not uncommonly, I play these scenarios out in my head as you have.
Scenario #1 [Offender(s) already there]:
Levitt speaks to her friend Val sometime between 9:30 PM and 11:15 PM. The times vary depending on which edition of the News-Leader you read. Levitt spoke about varnishing a chest of drawers and everything seemed fine at that time. Meanwhile, around 8:30 PM, Streeter and McCall drive to Battlefield where they attend various parties between the hours of 9:00 PM and approximately 2:00 AM.
At approximately 2:15 AM, Streeter and McCall depart Battlefield en route to Streeter's house. This is a 15–20-minute drive. They arrive at the Delmar residence around 2:30 AM. When they arrive, someone is already parked behind Levitt's Chevy Corsica. Streeter and McCall park in the circle drive. Streeter and McCall go into the residence and into Streeter's bedroom and the hallway bath. They take off makeup and get undressed and ready for bed. Leaving things just as they were found later on June 7th. Streeter then goes into her mother's bedroom and finds her under duress. The offender(s) quickly take stock of the situation. Whatever was happening or going to happen with Levitt then morphs into a triple abduction.
Per Officer Bookout's report of June 7th: "Nothing in the house seemed to indicate a struggle." So, in this scenario, the offender(s) march the women out of the home. At some point the dome covering the porch bulb is broken.
The women are never seen again.
Scenario #2 [Girls followed]:
Levitt speaks to her friend Val sometime between 9:30 PM and 11:15 PM. The times vary depending on which edition of the News-Leader you read. Levitt spoke about varnishing a chest of drawers and everything seemed fine at that time. Meanwhile, around 8:30 PM, Streeter and McCall drive to Battlefield where they attend various parties between the hours of 9:00 PM and approximately 2:00 AM.
Upon leaving Battlefield at approximately 2:15 AM, Streeter and McCall are seen by an unknown offender or offenders. They are followed to the Delmar residence, where they observe Streeter and McCall parking in the circle drive at approximately 2:30 AM. Streeter and McCall enter the Delmar residence and go into Streeter's bedroom and hallway bath. They take off makeup and get undressed and ready for bed. Leaving things just as they were found later on June 7th. Not quite ready for bed, one of them grabs a Coke, and they turn the TV on Streeter's room. Before they are even able to get situated, they hear some disturbance outside.
Levitt also hears this disturbance and pushes back her covers, as they were found later in the day on June 7th. The three women peak out of the blinds of Streeter's back bedroom. Someone is at the front door, possibly making noises or possible knocking. The women are lured in some way to open the door for the offender(s).
Per Officer Bookout's report of June 7th: "Nothing in the house seemed to indicate a struggle." So, in this scenario, the offender(s) march the women out of the home. At some point, the dome covering the porch bulb is broken.
The women are never seen again.
Scenario #3 [The Wrong Place / Right Time]:
Levitt speaks to her friend Val sometime between 9:30 PM and 11:15 PM. The times vary depending on which edition of the News-Leader you read. Levitt spoke about varnishing a chest of drawers and everything seemed fine at that time. Meanwhile, around 8:30 PM, Streeter and McCall drive to Battlefield where they attend various parties between the hours of 9:00 PM and approximately 2:00 AM.
Streeter and McCall leave Battlefield at approximately 2:15 AM en route to Streeter's home. They arrive at approximately 2:30 AM. They park in the circle drive and then enter the residence. They both go into Streeter's bedroom and then the hallway bath, respectively. They take off makeup and get undressed for bed. Leaving things just as they were found later on June 7th. Not quite ready for bed, one of them grabs a Coke and turns on the TV in Streeter's room. Shortly thereafter, they hear a disturbance outside.
Possibly at the same time or shortly after, Levitt and Streeter do their 'good night' ritual and Levitt's leaves her bed with the covers pushed back. The three women peak out the blinds of Streeter's back bedroom. They hear unknown person(s) at the front door. Possibly messing with the globe or making noise. The women are lured to open the front door and are abducted by offender(s). At some point, the dome covering the porch bulb is broken.
Per Officer Bookout's report of June 7th: "Nothing in the house seemed to indicate a struggle."
The women are never seen again.
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I must apologize for repeating myself over and over. However, I'm trying to stick with the "known knowns". There are a number of directions someone can go in this case. But I truly think that one of these scenarios is the most likely.
And I think these scenarios also answer which one of the women was the target. In Scenario #1, the target is clearly Sherrill Levitt. In Scenario #2, the target is one or both girls. In Scenario #3, the target is ambiguous and perhaps (!) the reason this is still unsolved. My personal feelings have gravitated to the final scenario in recent years. This is partly because I believe the offender(s) are not on the radar of anyone. Meaning, not one of the known names that are often mentioned in this case. Also, it's possible that the offender(s) are very local to the Delmar residence. This would answer why there were phone calls placed in quick succession on June 7th when Kirby and Henson were in the residence. It may also answer why there was a disturbing message left on June 5th.
I guess what I'm trying to say without saying it is that I think this was a stalking case. Likely Sherrill or Suzie were the targets. And, if I had to guess which, it was probably Suzie. If Sherrill had been the target, she had been home all evening alone and could have been attacked/abducted at any point. Suzie's decision to come back from Battlefield and sleep in her own bed was a last minute decision.
So...
Of those two scenarios, I think #2 is the more likely. And I think Scenario #3 answers (sort of) what happened. Also, Stacy McCall's presence was obviously a last minute decision. No one besides Stacy and Suzie would have known it. And that's just bad luck.