Missing and Murdered Children

June 17, 2008 - 9:30 a.m. PST

Police are following several leads in the case. Dogs were brought onto the scene but did not pick up a scent. Ms. St. Cyr is making comments to the media expressing her dissatisfaction that an Amber Alert was not activated to aid in the search for her missing children. She is of the belief that if an Amber Alert had been activated her children would now be home.

What Ms. St. Cyr does not realize is that her children have received considerable media coverage considering there has been no Amber Alert activation. There are many parents of missing children who would be grateful for the coverage her children have received from the mainstream media.

She is also upset with the focus of the investigation being on her and the baby's childrens' father instead of on the search. She claims to have submitted to a lie detector test, as well as submitting personal property, her home and vehicle for search. All of this has been without the advise of an attorney because she said they have nothing to hide.⁴

2:50p.m. PST

Randy Sylvester, the father of the two missing children has been booked on suspicion of two counts of capital murder relating to Denim and Randy, Jr.'s disappearance. According to authorities the tracking dogs picked up Denim's scent from the tennis courts, to her father's apartment and then to his car. Also, Jerilynn St. Cyr has indicated her boyfriend has told her on several occasions that the children are dead.

Authorities initially tried to arrest Randy Sylvester on outstanding traffic warrants on Tuesday but he resisted arrest. He was then arrested for resisting arrest.

Randy Sylvester was escorted to police headquarters this afternoon after agreeing to submit to a lie detector test. However, once at the police station he refused to comply with the request. While being escorted to the police station he became enraged with reporter's questions. He told them basically if they really cared about his children they would be out searching for them and not bothering him.

Authorities at this point do not know for sure if the children are in fact deceased. Jerilynn St. Cyr is not a suspect at this time. Randy Sylvester also faces possible domestic violence charges for an incident that occurred Monday night with Ms. St. Cyr.⁵

I had a funny feeling about this story from the beginning. Unfortunately I don't believe the mother is entirely clueless. Just my gut feeling - only time will tell. I will pray that the children are still alive.

June 18, 2008 - 1a.m. PST

An earlier report indicated that Randy Sylvester had been charged with capital murder relating to the disappearance of his two children. That information has revised. He is considered to be the lone suspect at this point in his children's disappearance. He has not been charged with capital murder at this point. He currently jailed for outstanding traffic tickets and resisting arrest.

Police are still searching for the children. Their search has taken them to a wooded area a few miles away from the home.

Randy Sylvester, Sr.'s mother, and paternal grandmother to the children is very confused about the whole situation. At this point she has indicated she does not know who's story to believe - her son's or his girlfriend's wife's.⁶

1:30p.m. PST

Texas Equusearch has been brought in to aid in the search for Denim and Randy. The children's paternal grandmother, Alondra Sylvester, called Texas EquuSearch on Tuesday for assistance. They had to wait for authorization from the Pasadena Police Department before agreeing to help - they received that authorization this morning. The search may expand to include a Waste Management dump site.

The police still say the mother, Jerilynn St. Cyr is not considered a suspect. According to her, Randy Sylvester has made statements to her indicating the children are deceased and it is 'time to move on'.⁷

June 19, 2008 - 11:30a.m. PST

Searchers are focusing on a large wooded area off of Red Bluff Road in addition to other locations. Authorities believe Randy Sylvester, Sr. may have driven off road with his vehicle the day the children disappeared. The children's mother, Jerilynn St. Cyr, was in for questioning Wednesday evening and then again this morning.⁸

So far there are 50 searchers braving the heat to help find these two children. At this point one I am afraid one of those searchers is going to be unlucky enough to find the bodies of these two children.

1:45p.m. PST

According to a story published this afternoon on the website khou.com, police are saying a suitcase and wooden trunk are missing from Randy Sylvester's apartment. The wooden trunk was last seen a few hours before the children were last seen. Also, a witness claims to have seen Randy Sylvester placing a suitcase in the trunk of his car shortly after the children were last seen.

The trunk has a red sticker on the lid and is scratched up, according to police. It is 18 inches long, 13 inches wide and 16 inches deep.
The large suitcase is dark blue canvas with black trim.⁹

Police also say that Jerilynn St. Cyr is cooperating with them and is not considered a suspect.

Another witness walking their dog places Randy Sylvester with the children in the area of the tennis courts at approximately 1:30p.m. Sunday.

4p.m. PST

Activist Quanell X is at the Pasadena apartment complex of the missing children with police officers and Randy Sylvester, Sr. Quannell is trying to get Randy Sylvester to open up about what he knows regarding his children.¹⁰

8:40p.m. PST

Pasadena police have taken Randy Sylvester, Sr. to the area of Burke Crenshaw Park in Pasadena and they have officially named the area a crime scene. They have asked all media to leave the area.

Police and Randy Sylvester are expected to be at the crime scene throughout the night.

Police and searchers will return at daybreak to search the park. They will also bring sonar equipment and divers as they are planning to search a pond located within the park.¹¹

It is not known at this time if Randy Sylvester has confessed to a crime.¹²

Pasadena Police Department Public Information Officer, Vance Mitchell, would not say much. "We do have a great lead at this time," he said.¹³

June 20, 2008 - 2:30p.m. PST

Search crews and dive teams are searching two bodies of water to try and find Randy and Denim Sylvester. One body of water is within Burke Crenshaw Park and is being referred to as a pond. During the search this morning sonar hit on something that was thought to be a large box. However, when divers went to investigate the object found was a large piece of lumber. The other body of water being searched is being referred to as a retention pond. The search began at 9a.m. today. The park is located 3 blocks from the parent's apartment complex.¹⁴

5p.m. PST

Searchers have brought in two water pumps to lower the water level of the ponds so they can search for the children. Police have indicated this afternoon that Randy Sylvester, Sr. says the children are indeed dead, he has also said he can't recall in which pond he placed the children's bodies. It is believed the children are inside of the trunk and the suitcase that have been reported missing from the father's apartment.¹⁵

June 21, 2008 - 1:45a.m. PST

Authorities believe they have found the bodies of 3-year-old Denim and 7-year-old Randy Sylvester. Their charred remains were found just before midnight Friday 7 miles south of the retention pond authorities had been led to my Randy Sylvester, Sr. Apparently Quanell-X finally convinced Sylvester to come clean and he led authorities to the area.

The pair was found in a wooded area off Old Galveston Road near Allendale in southeast Houston.¹⁶

I don't understand. Did he have to burn their little bodies? Well at least the search is over and they can at least have a decent burial.

As for that poor excuse for a father, I hope the prosecutor seeks the death penalty.

4:30p.m. PST

I finally was able to view the video interview with Quanell-X. The man was very emotional and considers the suspect 'cold-blooded.' He came to the conclusion that the 'brother is not innocent' when he visited the apartment for the first time. He described a filthy home with pornographic movies strewn throughout the apartment. What bothered Quanell and what he mentioned to Randy was how he could justify exposing his children to such filth. He really did not see what the problem was with the situation.

Quanell is holding back on some information because of the on-going investigation and is being careful about what he said during the interview. He kept referring to 'how twisted' the story is. He also stated that he believed Randy to be more worried about himself than about his children's best interest.

I am wondering if it will come out later that some of the porn was child pornography and maybe he had his children involved. Maybe the boy was going to talk and that is why he allegedly killed them. I am just speculating here, trying to come up with a reason for killing two innocent children.

Also, when Jerilynn St. Cyr was told the news about her children she became quite ill and was taken to a hospital where she remains under observation.

June 22, 2008 - 8:30p.m. PST

A memorial service was held this evening in the area where the bodies of Denim and Randy Sylvester were found. According to news accounts hundreds of persons attended the memorial services that was organized by Texas EquuSearch volunteers and Quanell X.¹⁷

Other information released today included a positive identification was made of the children and Officer Corbett indicated that Randy Sylvester, Sr. will most likely be charged with murder within the next few days.

June 23, 2008 - 6:30p.m. PST

Randy Sylvester, Sr. was charged today with Capital Murder for the deaths of his two children. His attorney-of-record at this point is Jimmy Ortiz.¹⁸

Sylvester gave a jailhouse interview yesterday to the Houston Chronicle. He claims he did not murder the children, that they were murdered by someone else because he owed money. He just disposed of the bodies. He claims the death of his children has been hard on him.

I don't know, but during an interview I saw or read somewhere online with Quannel X he claims those babies were murdered in Sylvester's apartment. Police do not have evidence of a murder taking place in the apartment, or rather I should say, they have not made that information public.

I keep thinking of the time line of events.

Another witness walking their dog places Randy Sylvester with the children in the area of the tennis courts at approximately 1:30p.m. Sunday.

The last time they were seen at their apartment complex was at around 3p.m.

From www.chron.com:

Corbett said witnesses told police they saw Sylvester carrying the suitcase from the area of his apartment to his car Sunday afternoon at the Sandridge Apartment Homes, 4025 Burke. They said the wooden trunk that was in his apartment as late as noon Sunday was not there about 4:30 p.m.

I am curious who the witnesses are that saw the trunk in Sylvester's apartment up until noon on Father's Day.

7:45p.m. PST

I read the following information earlier and it still makes me mad.

According to Harris County court records, Sylvester was in violation of his probation requirements after pleading guilty for possession of cocaine in November of 2007. According to the terms of his probation, Sylvester had not acquired a job, he had not paid his probation fees since February, his community service requirements had not been completed and the required drug dealers awareness program had not been completed. This information makes me sick because Denim and Randy might still be alive but for people in the probation department dropping the ball and not violating Randy Sylvester on his probation.

June 25, 2008 - 2:30a.m. PST

The emergency call made to police on Father's Day by Jerilynn St. Cyr reporting the disappearance of her children was made public today. After listening to the recording it is clear why police were suspecting early on the truthfulness of the claims.

During the search for the children Jerilynn told reporters she did not worry the children had not returned home at a decent hour because she thought they were with their father.

Also today, the childrens' paternal grandmother claims that before police arrived Jerilynn wanted her to lie to police and tell them that Randy lived with her. I am sure she was referring to Randy, Sr. and not Randy, Jr.

I have been pondering how Randy Sylvester, Sr. was able to have a second apartment. He did not work and had not worked for quite awhile. So far the media has not stated whether Jerilynn worked so I have to assume that she was a stay-at-home mother.

Randy had a 1-bedroom apartment and I will assume at the least St. Cyr had a 2-bedroom apartment.

A check of the zip code 77504 where St. Cyr and Sylvester reside indicates that rental rates shown to the left vary from $540 to $935 per month depending on the size of the unit occupied.

I recall thinking how beautiful the grounds looked and how well-maintained the exterior of the buildings looked on the web casts. The amenities are awesome including a tennis court, pool, gym, playground, laundry facilities, package reception, on-site manager and in close proximity to schools and a mall. Other amenities are listed as well on the site.¹⁹

I live in a studio apartment in California, there is a pool and laundry facilities. I pay $625 per month. I have to admit I am a bit envious.

What baffles me is how did Sylvester and St. Cyr pay for rent on two apartments and clothe and feed their children with no visible means of support?

I am guessing that the reason St. Cyr wanted Randy, Sr.'s mother to lie to police about his living situation was because she collected welfare and other public assistance benefits. She did not want to risk losing those benefits if authorities found Randy Sr. still lived in the home.

Jerilynn St. Cyr either has or is going to be served with a subpoena to appear before the Harris County Grand Jury regarding the case against Randy Sylvester. Supposedly she is still not considered a suspect.

Denim and Randy's autopsy results will take longer to obtain due to the decomposition of the bodies. All that is left is mostly skeletal remains and a few of the bones are missing. The bodies will need to be examined by a forensic anthropologist to determine the manner and cause of death. Preliminary findings are that they both died from a 'violent episode'.²⁰

Those poor kids never had a chance. Randy Sylvester is expected in court today or tomorrow morning.

June 26, 2008 - 1:30 a.m. PST

Randy Sylvester, Sr. made his first of what will probably be many court appearances yesterday. The prosecutor proved to the judge's satisfaction that there is enough evidence to bind the accused over for the Grand Jury to consider the matter.

The prosecutor said evidence shows that Randy Sylvester used cleaning supplies to clean up his apartment after the death of the two children.

Randy Sylvester sublet the apartment to two friends. However, on the day of the alleged murder, he told the two tenants they would have to leave the apartment for a couple of hours. Hmm, that almost sounds like pre-meditated murder to me.²¹

Earlier in this blog I speculated who could have been the witness to the wooden chest missing. What better witnesses to the missing wooden chest - the tenants of the apartment. They would have been able to tell exactly the last time that chest was seen in the apartment - Noon and what time they came back and noted it was missing - 4:30p.m.

They also noted that upon their return there was a strong odor of cleaning chemicals and the windows were open. I suppose a defense attorney could make an argument that Randy just cleaned the apartment that day. However, why would he clean an apartment he did not live in? Quanell X already said even after the apartment had been cleaned it was still a sty.

Randy Sylvester already has another attorney. I don't know what happened to his other appointed attorney but this one does not seem to be understanding the gravity of the charges against his client.

Suggesting that his client is depressed he gave the following reasoning for that depression:

"I think anybody would be if they had the media outside the courtroom and everybody was looking at him," defense attorney Jerome Godinich said.

How about anybody might be depressed if he/she was facing a possible death sentence for the murder of his/her own flesh a blood. Or, as Randy Sylvester has suggested, he is responsible for the murder of his children by other people because he was a drug dealer and placed his children in harms way by living that lifestyle.

Also, another memorial service was held for Denim and Randy yesterday. That memorial service was hosted by Texas EquuSearch.

June 27, 2008 - 7:45p.m. PST

Jerilynn St. Cyr appeared before the grand jury today to answer questions about her conflicting statements to police after her children were reported missing.

It is not clear from the story if Quanell X was also called to testify but there is a quote from him that makes me think he was testifying. He hinted that St. Cyr should share some of the responsibility for her childrens' deaths:²²

There are many occasions in this case that maybe some of those who should care about the children being the primary focus have lost that. Does that include their mother? Next question, he said.²³

When and if this case goes to trial I will be covering it on my other blog, The End of the Story.

I am going to guess that because of the brutality of the crime the DA will be seeking the death penalty. Given that Texas is pretty swift with their appeals process, I am also going to guess that this case will end in a plea deal of life without parole.

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