Unfortunately, there isn’t much evidence, timeline and other general things in order to fully make an assumption, but I personally believe this was an act of either racist or personal hatred. Considering how it said she had been beaten; it sounds as if she was to be beaten by anger, to get a beating, it usually isn’t AS severe as this sounds. If she was to be beaten by multiple people, it would explain it more so as a hatred issue, but if it was one person with rage towards her, then naturally it would be due to racist intent or an issue happened between the two people. The fire seems to be intentional and could have been used to dispose of her body, the culprit would have seen her die from the beating, out of fear, they tried to set her body on fire, to dispose of it and even if she was seen, they likely assumed it would burn her injuries, hiding them so her cause of death would be unknown. Of course, this is merely a theory, but I do have a request, if there have been more random acts on specifically darker skinned people, please state so, if that is the case, it seems to be a group of racists.
They usually do a great job at finding good information on cases.
Did she have a boyfriend or was known to hang out with older males? The crime seems personal and the burning to rid of DNA? Any evidence of sexual assult?
She was found in crawling position, off the side the road… could she have been dumped, beaten from vehicle? Were there any tire impressions?
Based off information I can find:
-She would run off and come back hours later. She was also friendly and maybe at times too trusting of strangers or people she kind of knew from the neighborhood
-Brenda did state that Silene started wearing a lot of red and black (colors of a local street gang)
-No friends that did know her could report her having a boyfriend or crush on someone
-They have DNA evidence but haven’t said more about it
-Some reports mention she might have had smoke inhalation so she might have been alive when set on fire but wasn’t confirmed
-They said the way to get to the crime scene was through a semi hidden access road that mainly only locals or someone familiar with the area could find
-Attached is a photo of where she was found
Was she burned with gasoline or lighter fluid? It takes alot to burn a person. Were they able to tell what she was burned with? How would the person have gotten it to the location/ purchasing?
If she was involved in any possible gang activities this could have been planned attack. Maybe for talking to much?
Were any items found around the body? Lighter, drink containers, cigarette butts?
Did she have any drugs or alcohol in her system?
If they have found any possible DNA are they planning on running it?
They can drive to the location but mainly only locals know about it. Tire tracks were found.
She did hitchhiking and accepting rides from men in there 20’s apparently. She was also expelled from school for cussing another student.
There was very little evidence at the scene. She had belongs on her. A necklace with a charm and dental records was used to ID her.
They spoke to several people but no one could say they saw/talked to her before she was found.
There isn’t information I have found yet on how she was burned and with what. Police do believe that she was burned to cover up evidence.
this is just a theory but maybe since from the information given and place where her body was found Im just guessing since she started wearing lots of red and black I’m taking that some SA was involved so this is my theory too I’m also guessing that after school she ran off to a hike since it says she sometimes would randomly run off and hitchhike into random man’s car’s which is a quite high chance of getting abducted and I’m guessing too that she got kidnapped and the spot that her body was found as evidence said mainly only locals know it I’m guessing that local gangs around that area know it too. And since she was wearing red and black during that time I’m guessing she was a target to them maybe but this is just my assumption and burned her to hide the evidence.
A neighbor called her mother the day she went missing because they saw her sneaking outside from the home roughly around 7:30pm. Her mother ran outside and tried to talk to her and ask where she was going but she refused to tell her where she was going and walked away and that is the last time her mother or the neighbor saw her
Since we know she was seen in gang affiliated colors I am curious on how much information the local P.D. was able to get about that and it’s members. It is known that young females trying to join a gang are usually given the the choice of being beaten or SA’d by each member in the gang( some cases both). There have been many cases where young girls and women are found dead from these initiations, especially if they fight back.
So many of these young woman looking to seek out companionship and family put themselves in harms way. They end up being trafficed by gang members as well.
People around her know what happened.
Maybe since it’s been awhile people might be willing to come forward with information.
Also if she was beaten, especially by more than one perpetrator, they could have injured themselves and left DNA.
I think the burning was part of the gang ritual.
I’ve been researching the local gangs for that area in the 1990’s. With the colors she was described wearing it seems to have been a splinter group from a New York crips gang. They dealt with a lot of trafficking, robbery, and prostitution. Not many women were gang members. All members had to go through "rituals " such as beatings and a type of hazing to learn the rules. There were consequences for not paying dues, snitching, stealing for the gang( drugs, money, etc), not attending meetings, and so on.
I understand she was only 15 but if she was trying to join or was already in and got in trouble this sounds very plausible. Unfortunately.
People who were involved back then may be willing to come forward now since so much time has gone by and they likely no longer under that influence.
Unfortunately that is a possibility. I hope they are looking into that and going back over possible suspects or witnesses. Someone has to know or have to have seen her.
I agree.
I feel if they could also get testing done they might be able to come up with positive evidence to help give some direction.
I’m really hoping since they reopened the case with all that is available now her family will find out what happened and get some answers.