Where is Trisha?
[A FaceBook mystery]
1. Poooffff! And suddenly, like thin, white powder accidentally blown from a glass countertop, all traces of my ex-lover disappeared from FaceBook. Shall I call the media police and charge her with abandonment? Who's going to feed my addiction now?
2. THE PLOT THICKENS: Where is Trisha Wood? She's left no trace on FaceBook! Is she a victim? Or has she committed cybercide? Many California "missing persons" cases turn out to be homicides! Will C.W. be held as a "person of interest"? Exciting chapters to follow!
3. The clues of her disappearance (from FB) begin to mount. Her favorite pet, Trixie, a tiny, white Pekinese was found wandering its San Diego neighborhood bedraggled and missing its collar. Could Trixie lead us to the scene of the crime? Stay tuned!
4. Trixie led us to Trisha's empty apartment. Signs of an angry, hasty departure were everywhere. On the soiled, tiled floor were torn up model job rejection notices and ripped fashion design drawings. In a large, crystal ashtray we found remnants of an attempted burning of love letters. We bagged everything for clues. We listened to a three-days-old inquiring phone message from one of her sisters.
Luminol did not detect human blood—a good sign. But there was no sign of twenty-six year old Trisha and her daughter. Were they together? We had to find out—and soon!
5. "I'm driving to LA," were the last words Trisha spoke to anyone. That was three weeks ago. An APB is out for her red Corvette, a graduation gift from her doting father. Posters show Trisha and 5-year old daughter, Jane. Search teams cover a three-mile area. This is no longer a “missing persons” case. This is now a criminal case. Trisha mentioned in a letter "a ton of family harassment" over her choice of new lover, Perry. She was angry at her four sisters for their interference in her romance. What is Perry’s role in this disappearance? Is he with them in LA? Is he the last person to see Trisha? We rush to Perry’s last known address. Are we too late?
6. A sleepy-eyed Perry opened the door. We were surprised. He was a gray-haired, 52-year old! Is this the guy Trisha texted, “of course u know i love u but you have to cool it til this blows over."? A lie detector exam later cleared him. He had been dating her for only eight months. But he knew a lot about Trisha. The youngest of five beautiful sisters, she was the first to fall into a bad marriage, leaving her a young, single mother. In the beginning, Perry and Trisha had exchanged love poems--in French! One of hers ended, "Je suis juene et jolie...but if I were to fall in love...it would be to you! " What Perry told us next was a shocker!
7. What Perry told us threw our case wide open. He showed us Trisha's last MySpace entry: "I'm chatting with the hottest French dude in California!" Neither her sisters nor Perry recognized her reference. A new love interest? A potential employer? Did she drive to LA to meet this "French dude"? We had to find out...and quick! But before we could act on this new intriguing lead, Trisha's burned out auto was found!
8. Police list the following “Persons of Interest” in the FB missing case of Trisha Wood, 26, of San Diego, CA. A homicide victim?: Carlos Wood [estranged husband—divorce, child custody issues?]; Perry King [52-year-old current e-beau, passed a lie test, jealousy issues?]; “French Dude” [mysterious new love interest? Last to see Trisha alive?, APB issued!]; four older sisters [they think Perry “too old”, sibling rivalry?]. Awaiting new developments. Not yet a cold case.
