Police confirm they have missing woman's cell phone
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GRESHAM, Ore. – Children playing in an apartment complex discovered a cell phone they say they are sure belongs to the 21-year-old woman who has been missing since Tuesday.
The apartment complex is about four miles from Whitney Heichel's Gresham home.
Gresham police later confirmed the phone was indeed Whitney's.
"Obviously that's a very favorable find for us," police spokesman Lt. Claudio Grandjean said at a Friday morning media briefing.
The phone is a smart phone and detectives will analyze location and other data stored in the phone. They will also try to get fingerprint or DNA evidence from the phone.
The phone was discovered by two girls in the blackberry bushes at the Troutdale Terrace Apartments. One of their families told KATU News the phone had a screensaver of Whitney on it as well as texts asking if she was OK.
Still, it may be another clue about what happened to Heichel, who left for work Tuesday morning and hasn't been seen since.
Now three days later, Heichel is still missing. On Friday, Grandjean said missing person reports come in frequently to police and those missing people are usually found in a couple of hours. Obviously, Heichel's case is an anamoly.
"There isn't a logical explanation for being gone this long," Grandjean said.
Elizabeth Spencer said she saw Heichel struggling to park her SUV the night before she disappeared.
"She just said she hadn't been feeling good and was tired," Spencer said. "She actually had asked me, she goes, 'Can you come over here for a minute?' She asked if she had bumped the car in front of her. I said, 'No. You're about two inches away from it, actually. I was like, 'Do you want me to just re-park it for you?' She said, 'Yeah,' kind of embarrassed to ask."
But Spencer said nothing seemed unusual about Heichel or her SUV.
"I got in and put my purse in the passenger seat. So I looked over that way and then re-parked her car. I obviously had to look out the window to be able to get in the spot – no, nothing weird," she said.
Hours later Heichel disappeared, and that same SUV Spencer helped park was discovered at the Wood Village Walmart with the passenger window smashed.
Investigators have declined to talk more about the condition of Heichel's SUV when it was found in the Walmart parking lot. But Heichel's husband, Clint, explained what he saw to Good Morning America.
"I noticed that the front passenger side window had been broken out," he said. "She had a little dangling bead thing from the rear view mirror that had been ripped off; the back seats were down, which was odd; there was a rubber mat and the carpet that was in the back and those were on top of the seats. So stuff had been moved."
He said he also noticed mud and grass on the tires.
Investigators were back searching at Larch Mountain on Thursday, but "didn't complete that to our satisfaction," Grandjean said. Investigators resumed searching Larch Mountain on Friday.
They also combed Dodge Park near Sandy on Wednesday.
At Friday morning's news conference, Grandjean, who said this case is continuing to be treated as a criminal investigation until otherwise indicated, went on to say that there is no person of interest investigators are focusing on. However, at this point, no one has been "totally cleared," Grandjean said. Heichel's husband Clint is not a suspect, Grandjean said.
A good sign for the investigation is that 50 new tips that came into the tipline Thursday night.
"It's been very active," Grandjean said. " ... There is no tip that is useless. We don't know it until you give it to us."
Police will hold another briefing at 4 p.m. Friday.
Anyone with information on Heichel should call the Gresham police tip line 503-618-2719.
The Heichel family has set up a website in which all proceeds will go toward the family, who "deeply appreciate all the help from the ones that do feel the need to donate," Clint Heichel wrote to KATU News.
It'svery sad people are spending valuable time and energy with dumb comments, Perhaps it will be more productive if these commentators study tyhe Bible and  get closer to Jehovah before He brings Armaggedon and desroys the wicked.
Oh dear. Â This is frightening and does not sound likely to have a happy ending.
Here's something to ponder how do we know she was missing in the morning? and Not the night before after the neighbor parked her car?? They both had cars her and her husband... Just saying... little fishy that someone would drive around for 2 hours then do something to her then ditch the vehicle... seems like it was already done, and they ditched the vehicle next morning, and reason why they went to all those locations is because they had a hard time figuring out the best place to hide the vehicle or ditch it, then finally ditched it at Walmart, a place that is populated and they knew had no cameras where they parked it...
you are forgetting she was seen by the gas station attendant in the passenger seat that morning.
 @Lucky38 Except that a gas station attendant saw her sitting in the passenger seat of her car with a male driver the morning she disappeared. I'm going to assume the man he saw was not her husband, since the police say the husband is not a suspect. I don't understand why so many people are trying to convince themselves her husband is guilty.
 @QuandoQuandoQuando  @Lucky38 Plus he just seems so damn calm in his interviews.
 @QuandoQuandoQuando  @Lucky38 Well I agree with your statement, I think I have an answer to your last sentence. So many times in the past when similar incidents like this have happened, it turned out the be the Husband behind it all. Justifiable or not, that is why so many are suspicious of him.
no disrespect is intended here.. but the LEO's need to look at family and friends. One would hope for the best her safe return, sadly I don't think that will happen.
The children who found the phone heard it ringing ? That puts a new twist on this story. Also the detective who spoke at press conference seems overly calm. And he wanted to reiterate that Clint had sent her text messages. It seems he wants to make sure Clint heard him say that. Not a hint of whom we might be looking for , he also said again "stranger to stranger abductions are rare.It seems L.E are waiting for Clint to make a mistake or paint himself into a corner he can not get out of.So much up in the air.Still praying Whitney.
I have not read anywhere that the children heard the phone ringing. That would put a new twist but I don't believe that is accurate.
Most smartphone batteries don't last 4 days without a charge, let alone in cool temperatures like we've had. Seems to me like that phone would have had to have placed it there since then.
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I assume though that it's possible that somebody found it on the ground somewhere after whatever happened to here happened. Then when they later saw the news and realized whose phone they had, they ditched it in the brush so that they wouldn't be found with it and labeled as a suspect in her disappearance.
Likely the children who found the phone turned it on. The first thing a person would do if they found a phone would be to see if it would work and push the power button.. Therefore the battery may not have been dead completely.Â
 @HuskyKMA I'm sure if the phone had a dead battery someone from the police department or a member of her family can find the phone cord or a compatible phone cord to charge it up....
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@nerdbyrd @HuskyKMA The people who found it said they went through it and saw her face on the background and that's how they knew to call the police immediately. However, most chargers are pretty universal so one of the people who found it could have charged it to try and see who it belonged to.
 @CTWU  @CRB  @nerdbyrd  @HuskyKMA Noticed that too. KATU mentioned the discrepancy in another story, I believe.
@CTWU @nerdbyrd @HuskyKMA Oh, now that it IS wierd. I don't know a phone that would last that long even from fully charged. Ugggg, I just wish she could be found.
 @CRB  @nerdbyrd  @HuskyKMA FWIW, the story on the news now says that one of the girls who found the phone heard it actually ringing. All of this, despite time and wet weather...
From FB Â "I talked to Whitney's husband Clint a little bit ago and he wanted to thank everyone for your continued support. He also wanted to clarify that the link posted below for donations is NOT a fake sight. All money will go to the family during this difficult time. Thanks everyone!"
This is a direct quote. Don't shoot the messenger.
@JustMe why do they need money??
The husband is likely not the one asking for money. Likely he is too distraught to even think about it. But loved ones know that such help would be extremely needed and can certainly help in finding Whitney or to aid the family through a difficult time so tamily and friends likely made the donation arragement. Anyone wishing to donate can do so out of their heart.
 @Pazzo1 Nobody says they need it.
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From the web site- "Many have expressed interest in helping the family financially. Your donations so far have been greatly appreciated by the entire Heichel family. "
 @Pazzo1 With that logic, you could say oh there is a wreck and a man lying on the ground bleeding! I'm not going to stop and help because he might have been drinking. You have no evidence to believe he was drinking except that he looks like he could be a drinker. Would that make sense? Or would you want to help? You say all I did was ask a question, well all he did was answer one. People were asking how they could help. Whitney's mom is up serving food to searchers, because she wants to be a part of the investigation and that's a way she can help and because she has a good heart. Other people want to help the family and the way they can do that is to donate money if they can and want to. They belong to a very loving and tight knit spiritual community and a huge part of that belief is to love one another. He isn't asking for money but it is being offered out of love. Is that really that hard to understand?
@pdxd the difference is that money didn't go to Terri Horman...like I said..what if the husband did the unthinkable would you want to give him money?? All I did was ask a question..but I guess I'm not allowed to
@Playanekes @deejm2112 and what if it turns out to be the husband that did the unthinkable ..would you want to give him money???? And you're right no one is forcing me to give money..I would like to...I would like to help since it's the only way that I can..oh, and by the way thanks for calling me a "jackass" real nice of you...it's real nice to call someone a name when all I did was ask a question....
 @Pazzo1  @deejm2112 Don't donate then, jackass. Nobody's asking you to. The couple isn't working right now. Maybe they don't need the money now but if they don't resolve this in a week, they will. Maybe they're still making payments on the truck and don't want fees to blow through the roof. Nobody's forcing you to donate money and nobody gives a s--t who you trust.
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"Quick to ask for a buck,"  Did you also forget that there's evidence of foul play and that a young woman is missing? Is that what you call "quick to ask for a buck?"Â
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@Pazzo1 And yet, I think the Kyron Hormon search ended had cost over $700K, probably over $1million by now. So, with that logic, would you say that Kyron's disappearance was all staged to get the donations?
@deejm2112 After the donations the girl that "got acid thrown in her face" I just don't trust people when they're quick to ask for a buck...remember that girl went on a shopping spree with the money
@Pazzo1 Search teams cost money, fliers cost money. It doesn't come free.
 @Pazzo1  @pdxd Because the family bills aren't getting paid when she's not working and he's out looking for her. For starters. FFS.
@Pazzo1 I'm not a family spokesman, I'm not the one handling that link, so I don't know that for a fact, just like you don't know for a fact that the money would be misused. I'd rather see the good in people, contrast that to your need to see the opposite apparently.
@pdxd it says "All money will go to the family during this difficult time" it says nothing about search teams, and fliers....is it going for search teams and fliers? If so I'll donate...do you know for a fact that's what it's for or are you just assuming?...some clarity might help and people might be more willing to open their wallets
I feel like it's someone who knew her and someone who knew back roads. If she is out in the woods somewhere (Larch Mt.), at least it's hunting season and people are constantly walking through there. I'm not going to straight up accuse the husband, but his behavior is bothering me...
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Oh, and Larch Mt. is a large area....So many logging roads, so much space. I'd search every crevice up there, including in the clear cuts underneath the burn piles. So many places to hide bodies unfortunately. I wonder if they have dogs involved?Â
@backwoodsgirl Clints behavior is bothering you? I'm guessing he's just trying to hold himself together. I'm looking at the picture of him and Whitneys mom in the Oregonian today, and he is sobbing. I don't find anything with regards to his behavior to be "bothersome" to me.
@pdxd That briefing was the first sign of emotion he has shown during Whitney's entire disappearance. And wasn't it convenient that he was entirely unemotional the entire time, all up until it was his turn to speak and suddenly he's so hysterical he can't talk? What you see as innocent, i'm seeing as even more suspicious behavior.
@k2reeder i hope you feel really stupid right now.
He obviously was trying to stay calm so he could give an interview that may help bring britney home..so for his wife he was trying to stay strong. But once he reached the podium it was too unbearable and he could not help but give in to his sorrow and he was overwhelmed. His behavior is certainly testament to the fact that he had nothing to do with it. Any professional law enforcement officer or health official is surely agree. But i agree with lawenforcement that no one is completely ruled out.
 @Lucky38  @k2reeder Have you ever heard of the term shock? Go around asking people who have gotten married if they remember their ceremony. Most will say no! They were so nervous that they were sort of shell shocked and don't remember a lot and just go through the motions. It is quite realistic to think he might be experiencing that. Is it so hard to believe this precious lady was loved by her husband? Why choose to believe he murdered her when you have NO FREAKING clue what happened?
 @k2reeder I agree with you- it is rather annoying to see he didn't care the whole time she was missing until someone asked him a question and when he went up to the stage he cried, that is staged... Then not even 5 minutes later he was back to his calm self... The father and mother were crying more then him, and he is her husband?
 @backwoodsgirl I said earlier they had were not looking at the husband as a suspect, but they also said, "no one has been cleared" double speak for a purpose?Â
 @JustMe Double speak? He said nobody had been completely ruled out. How would they do that? They would have to find the person who did it, that way everyone else could be ruled out? Is he a suspect? NO. For him to be they would need evidence that supported that position. What has he done to make him a suspect?
 @JustMe I just think they do not have enough evidence to accuse him, or clear him. Until then, I'm either going to suspect a potential client/stalker, or husband. In most murder cases, spouses are always questioned first. Maybe he was seeing someone else? Who knows. I'll maintain my thought until more evidence is collected and gives me a reason to change my opinion.
 @JustMe Seriously, how can you say that? You think you would but you DON'T know unless you have gone through it!!!!!!!
 @JustMe But like I said, his behavior is bothersome. I personally would be a little more hysterical if my loved one disappeared.
 @backwoodsgirl And I am just repeating what  heard on the news, before you jump all over me, you defenders of Clinton.Â
I've chosen to remain optomistic until any real truth is revealed and have not condemed the husband. However, I don't understand the website for financial donations at this point in time. It's been 3 days, there are no funeral costs or other out of pocket costs to the family. Honestly, knowing how much scrutiny I was under as the husband there would be no WAY I could accept money from anyone at a time like this. How does cash help? I have to admit when I read that sentence I got the 'uh oh' feeling in my gut. I'm trying not to 'go there' with accusing the husband but making a statement for donations is just tacky at this point in time. I really hope they find some answers SOON.
And if my wife ever went missing I would appreciate the immediate financial support so I can quit my job and spend all my time and resources on finding her. If i had enough money I would hire my own full time detective and private investigators to work 24/7 until she was found. That my friend costs a lot of money.
It is never too soon to start putting things in order and preparing for the worst. Surely the husband is not going to be able to work until she is found. His wife worked at Starbucks likely they are not wealthy. So loved ones and friends arranging for donations and financial support is very wise.
 @CRB He did get an attorney maybe that's why he needs funds...
 @CRB When did that happen? Where did you get that information? I haven't heard that at all.
 @CRB The donation was set up because so many were asking to help. It is a way people who feel helpless in the situation can help. He isn't asking for money, he was responding to a question people were asking! Why does everything have to be negative?
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@Fostermom Like I've said, I've tried to stay positive. The wording just gave me a feeling so I stated it in an open forum. I've said nothing but positive things regarding this. Honestly, I don't think the husband had anything to do with it and I didn't get a 'feeling' about him as many of the 'angry mob' have. I just didn't like the way it was presented. That's all. I'm sorry for stating my feeling. I just wish it had been worded about Whitney. My heart truly breaks for this family. I watched Taken 2 last night and I couldn't help but think of Whitney and what she must have been/be going through. Just the terror. It's heart wrenching.
@CRB It pays for additional search parties, private search companies, etc.
@pdxd Yes, I just wish they had stated that. Like all the proceeds will go to helping bring Whitney home or something to that affect. Like I said about to D, I don't want to jump on the blame the spouse band wagon, it just didn't set right with me. I really hope its all good intentions. I just didn't like how it seemed to be all about the poor husband and not the search for Whitney. No one really matters right now accept her, looking for her and bringing her home. Which I hope is VERY soon.
@pdxd Like I said above, I didn't go to the website or see the website name. I was just reacting to the last sentence of the article. "The Heichel family has set up a website in which all proceeds will go toward the family, who "deeply appreciate all the help from the ones that do feel the need to donate," Clint Heichel".
It stated all proceeds will go to the family. It didn't say it was for finding Whitney. I just stated my reaction to that sentence, I apologize for the way it may have come accross. I have nothing but compassion for this family right now. I can't even imagine what they are going through.
@CRB I'd like to think that people would figure out that a website about finding Whitney and collecting donations in her search would realize that it's probably to pay for the search and rescue and fliers, etc.
 @CRB sigh.....
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You know hubby will go right back to work! /sarcasm. People do need need to pay rent, utilities and stuff.
@deejm2112 Yes, I understand this. I'm still trying to remain positive of the family, I was just stating that it gave me an ick feeling. I don't think I'd be worried about getting donations and making sure everyone knew the link was real. I'm sure any employer would give you paid time off in a situation like this. After 3 days of not getting paid I wouldn't be worried about money, I would be worried about finding my spouse. BUT everyone reacts/acts differently and like I said I'm not trying to jump on the blame the spouse band wagon. I wish they would have said something like all of the donations will go to helping bring Whitney home or something. She's not mentioned in it, it makes it more about the poor husband when the focus should be on Whitney. I truly hope and pray for it to be all good intentions and for Whitney to be found very soon.
 @CRB  @deejm2112 No issues CRB, understand.
@deejm2112 I apologize for stating my feeling, I didn't realize how offensive it's come off to people. I've stated that I'm staying positive for the family and I can't imagine what they are going through. I didn't see the name of the site or the printing flyers section or anything. I was making a statement soley based on the last sentence of the article "The Heichel family has set up a website in which all proceeds will go toward the family, who "deeply appreciate all the help from the ones that do feel the need to donate," Clint Heichel wrote to KATU News."
I'm not one of the 'angry mob' that is ready to string this poor guy up. I just didn't like how I took it and I shared that on an open forum.
 @CRB  @deejm2112 So a web site called findwhitneyheichel.com is not about finding her? The "How you can help" section about printing flyers is not about finding her? You want more puppies and kittens there?
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Minimalistic yes, but I think you're being overly critical.