Falcon Lake Murder: New Blood Evidence Found (Video)

Pajamas Media ^ | October 8, 2010 | Bryan Preston

[jazusamo]

A witness and blood evidence seem to corroborate Tiffany Hartley's story. But competing interests are driving competing views of what really happened on Falcon Lake.

Over the past couple of days there have been several developments in the alleged Falcon Lake piracy attack and murder. First,  Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez says that he has a witness who corroborates Tiffany Hartley’s story.  That witness, whose identity is being concealed out of safety concerns, claims that when Hartley came off the lake on her jet ski, she was being chased by men in a boat and that she was sobbing and frantic.  This eyewitness account of seeing the boat giving chase is key.  If the witness saw the chase, Hartley is at least telling the truth about that aspect of the incident.  Fox has also reported that the Hartleys were briefly stopped by police on their way to the lake, because they were driving a truck with Mexican plates but their jet ski trailer had Texas plates.  The couple did live in Reynosa, Mexico, until a few months ago, but the violence there led them to move back across the border to McAllen, TX.  So their license plate situation doesn’t suggest much, in my opinion.  They were let go after the brief stop and went on their way.

Sheriff Gonzalez also says that he has retrieved blood evidence from Tiffany Hartley’s life vest.  Put that evidence together with the witness corroborating her story of the chase, and her story overall looks more solid.

Zapata County’s sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez has told CBS News he has blood evidence from the lifevest of Tiffany Hartley, the wife of David Hartley, that supports her account of a pirate attack on a lake that straddles the Texas-Mexico border.

Those who already doubt Hartley may see this as evidence that she murdered David.  The blood could have gotten onto her vest whether she shot him or he was close to her when pirates shot him. Its presence on her vest is not dispositive either way, but does point to violence having occurred.  Sheriff Gonzalez is treating Hartley’s story as truth, and has throughout the week since it happened.

On Fox News Channel Thursday, another victim of Falcon Lake piracy came forward and said that Hartley’s story fits what happened to him on the lake a few months ago.  He’s Dr. Richard Drake, and he was fishing on Falcon Lake when pirates ambushed him.  Here’s his interview with Megyn Kelly.  Again, he wasn’t on the Mexican side of the lake.  He was out in the center, on the Texas side of the border, when he was ambushed.

Continued w/video

[AuntB]

“I’m not sure I understand why this woman’s story is not being taken as truthful. I heard Mike Gallagher on his show today and he was really taking a strong position that this story “smells,” with questions being raised about why the wife was not injured/attacked. Meanwhile, trying to explain in any logical manner why criminals do what they do and how they do it is often futile, especially where drugs are involved.”

It’s because we have a segment of society, even here on FR, who will blame anyone but Mexico for anything. It’s usually about money....somehow they profit from this invasion and don’t want to face the destruction they’re promoting.

[AuntB]

“I didn’t see it but I just heard on Fox that she was interviewed last night on TV and when asked if she’d be willing to take a poly, her answer was hesitant.”

You didn’t see it, but you’re going to tell us how she answered. Doesn’t fit this!

“but she told CNN recently she would take a lie detector test if people continue to doubt her account of the attack.””

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2604004/posts

[WAW]

Gun boat diplomacy needs to be resurrected when dealing with these narco-anarcho-thugs.

[AuntB]

“The Mexicans are trying to say it didn’t happen as well as a few people here, Wendy Murphy on Fox News for one. Heard her this morning and she never brought up any of this, I don’t know why some are trying to make this woman a liar.”

Squatter support squad. Discredit anyone and everyone who might make anyone think less of the dump that is Mexico.

[Minn]

Falcon Dam

Maybe a man made lake that borders Mexico isn't such a good idea anymore and should be drained.

[AuntB]

"As far as those who are trashing her are concerned, including those on FR, let's remember there are powerful interests that wish her nothing but ill for their own illicit reasons. The Mexican government doesn't want her story to be true because it would show how helpless they are in controlling their own border and how complicit they are in the drug and other cross-border crimes. Same for the Illegal and his regime and most DemonRats, because this incident will retard their scheme to subvert our elections with a flood of illegals. Finally, some of the people at Falcon Lake want the tourists to keep coming, a thing that will not be helped if Mrs. Hartley is telling the truth."

Good summation!

[arthurus]

My impression from the first was that it had to have involved drugs. My most charitable thought was that it could have been a case of mistaken identity but I didn’t believe that much and even murderous thugs don’t normally kill a stranger out of hand in a location where that stranger was not dangerous to them by being a witness to something going on. And could she have killed him? It was a seemingly perfect venue for that. There had already been incidents on the lake. I wonder if they even thought to check her hands for powder residue. Then again hiring someone to do such a deed from south of the border is probably not difficult.

[AuntB]

“Falcon Dam

Maybe a man made lake that borders Mexico isn’t such a good idea anymore and should be drained. “

After all the misery Mexico and it’s citizens cause us, THAT is your solution? Hell, let’s just drain the freakin’ river so none of them have to swim it, they can just ALL walk over, armed and ready to kill you, me, anyone they can.

WOW. No wonder we’re in this mess!

[jazusamo]

Thanks AuntB, with what the cartels are doing down there nothing would surprise me. Also, this dam thing plus the previous pirate type incidents only tells me the Mexican Govt wants as little bad publicity as possible because they don’t have control of their country.

[AuntB]

“Thanks AuntB, with what the cartels are doing down there nothing would surprise me. Also, this dam thing plus the previous pirate type incidents only tells me the Mexican Govt wants as little bad publicity as possible because they don’t have control of their country.”

From the silly speculations I’m seeing on this thread, we’re screwed from ever doing anything about the mess that is Mexico. I can’t believe people, despite the EVIDENCE, would rather blame the WIDOW than the cause!

MEXICO

I give up.

[r9etb]

Not saying that the lady's lying, but I note that the article is shy of a few crucial facts.

Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez says that he has a witness who corroborates Tiffany Hartley’s story. That witness, whose identity is being concealed out of safety concerns, claims that when Hartley came off the lake on her jet ski, she was being chased by men in a boat and that she was sobbing and frantic.

When did this witness come forward? Right away, or after the news coverage started?

Zapata County’s sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez has told CBS News he has blood evidence from the lifevest of Tiffany Hartley

Is this new, or have they had the vest and been working the blood angle all along?

Heck, maybe she's telling the truth. But if she's not ... well, it's just such a convenient story....

[AuntB]

If and when this WIDOW is proven innocent, what do you think should be the US response?

Do you also doubt the death of Rob Krentz?
How about the USA college student murdered in Mexico yesterday?

[Ditter]

I agree, I don't see any reason to think she isn't telling the truth. They were acting stupidly to do what they did but if she wanted to shoot him she didn't have to go there to do it. If I hear one more person say something does smell right (about anything), I am going to scream. It was a cute saying 20 years ago but enough ya’ll!

[r9etb]

As usual, you're all twisty-knickered.

I think the US should take the story at face value right now, because it could be true, and there are obvious difficulties inherent in the situation. Heck, there may be a body to be found and her story will be that much more corroborated.

That said, I will not be surprised if this "WIDOW" ends up having done a Scott Peterson instead -- there have been a lot of convenient "so and so was killed by bad guys" stories lately.

[Minn]

My point is that, given all the border lawlessness, it may be easier to patrol a narrow river in its natural state than a wide, man made lake with an easy to cross border somewhere in the middle.

Just how would one drain a river anyway? Go off on half cocked on rants much?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

The big major question here is how much was his life insurance worth.

Nothing can move forward until that issue is answered.

[r9etb]

They were acting stupidly to do what they did but if she wanted to shoot him she didn't have to go there to do it.

You assume that, if she actually did kill him, she did it there. But, OTOH, if she instead went there as a cover story.... One can explain the blood on the life vest by the simple expedient of putting his body in the back of the truck.

I'm not ready to call her a liar, but there really are things that sound strange about her story ... e.g., she describes him flipping forward over the handlebars after being shot in the front of the head. And I seem to recall her saying that she had to turn him over to notice that he had been shot in the head, as if the bullet had not gone all the way through (as one might expect it to do). Those sorts of errors could be explained by stress ... but they do sound like errors.

[Dianer0839]

Some kids broke into my business and in court I testified that they were not given permission to be there. I couldn’t remember the names of long time employees..not sure I could have told them my name since I was so scared. I did nothing wrong but sitting on that witness stand emotions were rapidly changing. The Lawyer made one mistake though he said something that peed me off..fear was gone and I became a model witness. My Husband (a policeman) smiled when he saw the change in my demeanor and knew the reason for it and the boys were convicted of breaking and entering.

[Spike Knotts]

Someone should set up a VPN for you into every prosecutors office in the nation.

Instead of having local officials deal with it, you could just read news stories and determine guilt or innocence. We’ll even set you up a phony message board complete with government stooges who can applaud your Perry Mason’esque brain.

Everything we need to know about your thought process was contained in this sentence.

“Heck, maybe she’s telling the truth. But if she’s not ... well, it’s just such a convenient story....”

Yes, jetskis, a witness, Mexicans, pirates, automatic weapons, appeals to the president, and TV cameras are just so...convenient.

[Spike Knotts]

“. e.g., she describes him flipping forward over the handlebars after being shot in the front of the head.”

Say, Mr. Mason...what happens when you let off of the throttle of a boat?

It decelerates rapidly, and assumes a nose down attitude. Jetskis especially so.

So now that you know that, what happens when you get shot in the head?

You probably let off of the throttle.