Alice Russell

[kwest919]

I find it quite morbid that Alice Russell offered to stay with Emma and lizzie in the house the night of the murders instead of offering to Emma and Lizzie to come and stay at her place and get them out of the house for the night.

I can see staying in a house where someone had just passed from an illness or natural death. But this is not the case here. These people were brutally murdered.
Maybe it's just my mind over working here. But I can't fathom volunteering to stay in a house where there were bodies laid out earlier on the dining room table.
I wonder why she did so? What was she actually up to? Could it be... that while she was in the house during all the commotion with the police and the doctors in and out that someone might have pulled her aside and suggested that she offer to stay? Figuring that maybe the sisters would at some point talk about the events of the day and she could eavesdrop on said conversation and might gleam some insight that she could relate to the authorities later?

sorry about all the post tonight.. but my mind is just spinning with questions today.

[Shani1968]

It's definitely creepy that they stayed in the house with the murdered bodies. The bodies remained in the house until the funeral several days after the murders and during a heat wave..... that would have been awful! I would think they would have suggested the sister's stay somewhere else. I would not have wanted to enter let alone stay in that house. Emma remained there during Lizzie's trial, by herself. No way! I couldn't do it.

[kwest919]

Exactly Shani. Creepy and really quite morbid. I couldn't imagine staying in a house where there is blood and body innards spewed about the walls and floors and dead brutally murdered bodies laid out in the dining room. Not only the smell of decay but having to walk past that room even with the doors closed. No thank you. I was really surprised that the girls stayed. Well they weren't girls were they now.. they were full grown women. I think we seem to forget that sometimes. But still. you would think they would reach out to family... they had cousins in the area.. or go to a hotel or boarding house to stay until the house was cleaned and the bodies removed. You would think either they would have insisted upon leaving or the police would have insisted on it. Considering the house and yard were still considered a crime scene.

Times were so different back though. While wakes were usually held within the house back then, What I don't understand was, there were a funeral home in town. You would have thought that the bodies would have either been taken there or directly to the coroner's specially if you didn't want the evidence tampered with. Considering the police went back several times to search the house.
Several things that happened during the investigation are nagging at me and the more I read the more I have questions about or I'm asking .. "Are You Kidding ME? Come on.. how could you not see , ask or notice that? Why was certain things that went on permitted? Drives me nuts. By the way. welcome to the forum.

[LABRhush]

Fun thread! Well, they didn't leave the house the week following the murders because they were essentially under house arrest. They couldn't. Partial autopsies were done right there at the house, I suppose, to gather evidence asap. The rest, as far as the bodies being tended to at the home in prep for the funeral, I assume, was customary of the time. The funeral was held there that Saturday.

[kwest919]

Hi LAB.... Under house arrest. Was it official? Or were they just being watched? I now they suspected Lizzie right off the bat and that's understandable. But Emma was out of town and Uncle John claims he was visiting a cousin to see his niece and nephew. If it was official.. then I can see them having to stay.. but it's still gruesome. ewwww.
So.. then my question is. Why in the heck would Alice Russell volunteer to stay in the house also? What was her reasoning behind her stay? I think she had an ulterior motive. I don't think it was just because she was being supportive of her friends.
I still can't help but think Emma had a huge hand in all of this. I don't know how.. but it's my suspicion. For someone who hasn't left the house to travel in years she all of a sudden decides to leave the area for several weeks. hmmmm…..