Rush fan still missing after 10 years

[GeddyRulz]

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/Lyall3.jpghttp://www.crimejunkies.com/Site/SUZANNE_LYALL_files/droppedImage.jpghttp://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/lyall.jpg

 

I'd like to add this thread in a couple of our forums here. The family of the missing young woman have ammended their search by distributing leaflets at Rush concerts; I've now seen them at both the S&A 2007 Saratoga show and the S&A 2008 Saratoga show.

 

Suzanne Lyall is a Rush fan. (Note the Counterparts t-shirt in the middle picture.) She was a sophomore at the State University of New York at Albany, and she worked part-time at Babbage's (a software store) in the nearby Crossgates Mall.

 

On the evening of March 2, 1998, Suzanne - then 19 years-old, but just two months away from turning 20 - left the Crossgates Mall on a public bus and was seen disembarking at the uptown Albany campus at approximately 9:45 PM. She hasn't been seen since, and is now 30 years-old. Her family is desperate.

 

One further clue: on the following day, March 3, at approximately 4 PM, Suzanne's mother made a call to Suzanne's bank, to check for activity on her ATM card. At the close of a 20-minute conversation with a bank representative, Suzanne's mother was told there was activity on the card at that very minute - at the Stewart's convenient store on the corner of Central Avenue and Manning Boulevard! This is 2.7 miles east of where she was last seen.

 

In addition to being an avid Rush fan, "Suzy" was also an avid computer user and enjoyed conversing online... making my appeal to everyone here all the more appropriate. If I do nothing noble in my lifetime, I'd at least like to help this family find out what happened to their girl. I don't know her; she's ten years younger than I am. But she's from my area and she's a Rush fan... therefore a unique breed and a kindred spirit.

 

Anyone with information about Suzanne Lyall can call:

New York State Police at 1-800-920-4150

Campus Police at 518-442 9819.

 

DESCRIPTION

Date of Birth: April 6, 1978

Place of Birth: Saratoga, NY

Hair: Light brown with highlights

Height: 5'3"

Eyes: Blue (wears contacts or glasses)

Weight: 175 pounds

 

REMARKS

Suzy has a birthmark on her left calf, a mole on her left cheek beneath her ear lobe, and a surgical scar on her left foot.

 

LINKS

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Suzan...all&btnG=Search

[DiscipleofLerxst]

Total bummer.

[rnrgal]

She looked familiar to me in the formal portraits then I realized she looks a bit like a girl I knew in college. But, wrong place, wrong age.

 

Sad to say, the prospects seem pretty grim after so long. How awful for her loved ones. Will definitely keep them in thoughts and prayers.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (rnrgal @ Jul 7 2008, 12:56 AM)

Sad to say, the prospects seem pretty grim after so long.

We all (sensibly) know that, but I wonder whether her family thinks the same.

 

From the flier I was handed on Saturday evening, it seems the family is acting as though Suzy is still alive... and not just that, but also able to freely enjoy Rush concerts and communicate online. Perhaps that's a necessary "trick of the mind" you play on yourself when your loved one is missing, to keep your sanity and keep you from thinking the worst. (The flier addresses Suzy directly at one point: "If you are reading this message, know that your family has not forgotten you. We are doing everything possible to bring you home safely. We love you.")

 

On the other hand, perhaps the family has prepared themselves for the more likely scenario - that Suzanne was abducted, suffered, and is now dead somewhere. Her mother made a statement about "wanting closure." You usually don't use such words unless you're thinking of a still missing murder victim and/or an unpunished murderer.

 

 

 

[GeddyRulz]

This isn't over for me. I've added Suzy to my signature, and I'm thinking of contacting the family to enlighten them about the online Rush community.

 

Suzy was both a Rush fan AND an avid computer user who liked conversing online. Add those two together, and it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she posted at some time or another on a Rush bulletin board.

 

In 1998, the time of her disappearance, the two biggest Rush BBs were the now-defunct Tri-Net and the still-operating Counterparts sites; I could give the family the URLs to those sites and the names of their owners.

 

If they believe Suzy may be alive and has perhaps posted to a Rush board since her disappearance, there is also the now-defunct Geddy Lee MFH board (begun in Nov 2000, and run by the same man who ran Tri-Net), and the now-defunct "official" Rush board (begun in the spring of 2002; also run by the same man as Tri-Net). Maybe Rudy Terrez, and Ken and Julie at CP, could step up, do a little detective work, and look for any posts originating from the Albany area. If they find posts from Suzy, this would at least give the family an indication of her mindset at the time of her posts (as well as providing them with possible "messages from the grave"); at best, perhaps Suzy had made contact with other Rush fans and maybe arranged to meet with one or more of them. Another lead to follow.

 

Thoughts?

[sundog]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 7 2008, 09:29 AM)

This isn't over for me. I've added Suzy to my signature, and I'm thinking of contacting the family to enlighten them about the online Rush community. Suzy was both a Rush fan AND an avid computer user who liked conversing online. Add those two together, and it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she posted at some time or another on a Rush bulletin board. In 1998, the time of her disappearance, the two biggest Rush BBs were the now-defunct Tri-Net and the still-operating Counterparts sites; I could give the family the URLs to those sites and the names of their owners. If they believe Suzy may be alive and has perhaps posted to a Rush board since her disappearance, there is also the now-defunct Geddy Lee MFH board (begun in Nov 2000, and run by the same man who ran Tri-Net), and the now-defunct "official" Rush board (begun in the spring of 2002; also run by the same man as Tri-Net). Maybe Rudy Terrez, and Ken and Julie at CP, could step up, do a little detective work, and look for any posts originating from the Albany area. If they find posts from Suzy, this would at least give the family an indication of her mindset at the time of her posts (as well as providing them with possible "messages from the grave"); at best, perhaps Suzy had made contact with other Rush fans and maybe arranged to meet with one or more of them. Another lead to follow. Thoughts?

Added to my signature.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (sundog @ Jul 7 2008, 08:32 AM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 7 2008, 09:29 AM) This isn't over for me.  I've added Suzy to my signature, and I'm thinking of contacting the family to enlighten them about the online Rush community.  Suzy was both a Rush fan AND an avid computer user who liked conversing online.  Add those two together, and it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she posted at some time or another on a Rush bulletin board.  In 1998, the time of her disappearance, the two biggest Rush BBs were the now-defunct Tri-Net and the still-operating Counterparts sites; I could give the family the URLs to those sites and the names of their owners.  If they believe Suzy may be alive and has perhaps posted to a Rush board since her disappearance, there is also the now-defunct Geddy Lee MFH board (begun in Nov 2000, and run by the same man who ran Tri-Net), and the now-defunct "official" Rush board (begun in the spring of 2002; also run by the same man as Tri-Net).  Maybe Rudy Terrez, and Ken and Julie at CP, could step up, do a little detective work, and look for any posts originating from the Albany area.  If they find posts from Suzy, this would at least give the family an indication of her mindset at the time of her posts (as well as providing them with possible "messages from the grave"); at best, perhaps Suzy had made contact with other Rush fans and maybe arranged to meet with one or more of them.  Another lead to follow. Thoughts? Added to my signature. God bless you.

[Arleen2112]

I hope she can be found.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 7 2008, 08:29 AM)

This isn't over for me.  I've added Suzy to my signature, and I'm thinking of contacting the family to enlighten them about the online Rush community.  Suzy was both a Rush fan AND an avid computer user who liked conversing online.  Add those two together, and it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she posted at some time or another on a Rush bulletin board.  In 1998, the time of her disappearance, the two biggest Rush BBs were the now-defunct Tri-Net and the still-operating Counterparts sites; I could give the family the URLs to those sites and the names of their owners.  If they believe Suzy may be alive and has perhaps posted to a Rush board since her disappearance, there is also the now-defunct Geddy Lee MFH board (begun in Nov 2000, and run by the same man who ran Tri-Net), and the now-defunct "official" Rush board (begun in the spring of 2002; also run by the same man as Tri-Net).  Maybe Rudy Terrez, and Ken and Julie at CP, could step up, do a little detective work, and look for any posts originating from the Albany area.  If they find posts from Suzy, this would at least give the family an indication of her mindset at the time of her posts (as well as providing them with possible "messages from the grave"); at best, perhaps Suzy had made contact with other Rush fans and maybe arranged to meet with one or more of them.  Another lead to follow.

I called Mrs. Mary Lyall this evening. I was nervous making the call - I didn't know how grief-stricken the family might still be, and I didn't exactly have Earth-shattering news to give to this poor family. But I'm glad I spoke with her; we talked for about 40 minutes.

 

Mrs. Lyall seemed appreciative of the "leads" I gave, and told me it was exactly the sort of thing they were hoping for when they handed out fliers at the Rush show(s). No lead is too small... as Mrs. Lyall told me, "Somebody out there knows something." She was very open with me about her family's personal matters, and I appreciate that. It was an interesting conversation.

 

We exchanged information, and I'll continue to search for Suzy on the Net. Any person going to a RushCon at any time in the future should keep their eyes peeled there, too. The Lyall family still clings to hope. Thanks for your help.

[rnrgal]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 7 2008, 08:24 AM)

QUOTE (rnrgal @ Jul 7 2008, 12:56 AM) Sad to say, the prospects seem pretty grim after so long. We all (sensibly) know that, but I wonder whether her family thinks the same.   From the flier I was handed on Saturday evening, it seems the family is acting as though Suzy is still alive... and not just that, but also able to freely enjoy Rush concerts and communicate online. Perhaps that's a necessary "trick of the mind" you play on yourself when your loved one is missing, to keep your sanity and keep you from thinking the worst. (The flier addresses Suzy directly at one point: "If you are reading this message, know that your family has not forgotten you. We are doing everything possible to bring you home safely. We love you.")   On the other hand, perhaps the family has prepared themselves for the more likely scenario - that Suzanne was abducted, suffered, and is now dead somewhere. Her mother made a statement about "wanting closure." You usually don't use such words unless you're thinking of a still missing murder victim and/or an unpunished murderer. GR, I don't want you to think I'm putting you or anyone down for wanting to hope. I never said I wouldn't keep a lookout either, just in case. But it's a shame the family couldn't have done something like the fliers at Rush shows sooner. Any clues out there would have been fresher and easier to track down. OK, again I suppose I state the obvious but I wanted to clarify my first post a bit in that I didn't mean (only) that she's most likely a victim of something awful.   I understand the family hoping for the best outcome and how they'd be trying to keep from going insane thinking the worst, and their saying they want closure, but I can't imagine how tough it will be if they get that closure and it is not what they hope it will be, since they do seem to have their hopes so high. Just pain and insanity no matter what unless they find her. So, I hope they do, but I fear they won't.

[LightbulbSun]

I'm not sure if this person posts on the forum or not, but at the SPAC show someone on the lawn had one of these flyers.

[Ancient Ways]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 7 2008, 10:40 PM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 7 2008, 08:29 AM) This isn't over for me.  I've added Suzy to my signature, and I'm thinking of contacting the family to enlighten them about the online Rush community.  Suzy was both a Rush fan AND an avid computer user who liked conversing online.  Add those two together, and it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that she posted at some time or another on a Rush bulletin board.  In 1998, the time of her disappearance, the two biggest Rush BBs were the now-defunct Tri-Net and the still-operating Counterparts sites; I could give the family the URLs to those sites and the names of their owners.  If they believe Suzy may be alive and has perhaps posted to a Rush board since her disappearance, there is also the now-defunct Geddy Lee MFH board (begun in Nov 2000, and run by the same man who ran Tri-Net), and the now-defunct "official" Rush board (begun in the spring of 2002; also run by the same man as Tri-Net).  Maybe Rudy Terrez, and Ken and Julie at CP, could step up, do a little detective work, and look for any posts originating from the Albany area.  If they find posts from Suzy, this would at least give the family an indication of her mindset at the time of her posts (as well as providing them with possible "messages from the grave"); at best, perhaps Suzy had made contact with other Rush fans and maybe arranged to meet with one or more of them.  Another lead to follow. I called Mrs. Mary Lyall this evening. I was nervous making the call - I didn't know how grief-stricken the family might still be, and I didn't exactly have Earth-shattering news to give to this poor family. But I'm glad I spoke with her; we talked for about 40 minutes.   Mrs. Lyall seemed appreciative of the "leads" I gave, and told me it was exactly the sort of thing they were hoping for when they handed out fliers at the Rush show(s). No lead is too small... as Mrs. Lyall told me, "Somebody out there knows something." She was very open with me about her family's personal matters, and I appreciate that. It was an interesting conversation.   We exchanged information, and I'll continue to search for Suzy on the Net. Any person going to a RushCon at any time in the future should keep their eyes peeled there, too. The Lyall family still clings to hope. Thanks for your help. What came of the ATM card being used at the convenience store? They should have had video of it. Was it her or someone else?

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Jul 18 2008, 08:00 PM)

What came of the ATM card being used at the convenience store? They should have had video of it. Was it her or someone else?

A good question, and one I wondered about, too. It seemed to me that if Suzy's card was being used at the convenience store at the exact moment Mrs. Lyall was on the phone, they could've immediately sent a police car there to learn the identity of the user.

 

I asked Mrs. Lyall about this. Alas, the technology was a little different in 1998 than it is today. It took them an extra day to learn the exact location of the ATM which was used, and of course the user would've been long gone by then. (I think today they'd be able to find the source of the transaction immediately.) The only help they got in this direction was the description of a customer who was in the store at the time of the ATM transaction; he's not a suspect, but a potential witness who could perhaps describe the ATM user. He was a black man wearing a black Nike cap, and - to my knowledge - has not come forward.

 

This whole line of investigation may be moot, anyway. For some reason, Mrs. Lyall suspects that the banking transaction was made by a hacker with a PC - somebody who never set foot in the Stewart's.

[Cowtothesky]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 20 2008, 11:45 AM)

QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Jul 18 2008, 08:00 PM) What came of the ATM card being used at the convenience store? They should have had video of it.  Was it her or someone else? A good question, and one I wondered about, too. It seemed to me that if Suzy's card was being used at the convenience store at the exact moment Mrs. Lyall was on the phone, they could've immediately sent a police car there to learn the identity of the user.   I asked Mrs. Lyall about this. Alas, the technology was a little different in 1998 than it is today. It took them an extra day to learn the exact location of the ATM which was used, and of course the user would've been long gone by then. (I think today they'd be able to find the source of the transaction immediately.) The only help they got in this direction was the description of a customer who was in the store at the time of the ATM transaction; he's not a suspect, but a potential witness who could perhaps describe the ATM user. He was a black man wearing a black Nike cap, and - to my knowledge - has not come forward.   This whole line of investigation may be moot, anyway. For some reason, Mrs. Lyall suspects that the banking transaction was made by a hacker with a PC - somebody who never set foot in the Stewart's. I would doubt that it is a hacker. Sounds to me that this would be their best lead and the person using the ATM is probably directly related to her disapearance. This is truly sad and I hope she is found. But, after this much time... Well, we can hope. In my opinion, giving out flyers at Rush concerts is barking up the wrong tree. I would be focusing on the ATM and what was purchased as well as any other ATM purchases. I'd be willing to bet that the person involved lives within a 5 mile radius of that store.

[GeddyRulz]

QUOTE (Cowtothesky @ Jul 20 2008, 12:25 PM)

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 20 2008, 11:45 AM) QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Jul 18 2008, 08:00 PM) What came of the ATM card being used at the convenience store? They should have had video of it.  Was it her or someone else? A good question, and one I wondered about, too. It seemed to me that if Suzy's card was being used at the convenience store at the exact moment Mrs. Lyall was on the phone, they could've immediately sent a police car there to learn the identity of the user.   I asked Mrs. Lyall about this. Alas, the technology was a little different in 1998 than it is today. It took them an extra day to learn the exact location of the ATM which was used, and of course the user would've been long gone by then. (I think today they'd be able to find the source of the transaction immediately.) The only help they got in this direction was the description of a customer who was in the store at the time of the ATM transaction; he's not a suspect, but a potential witness who could perhaps describe the ATM user. He was a black man wearing a black Nike cap, and - to my knowledge - has not come forward.   This whole line of investigation may be moot, anyway. For some reason, Mrs. Lyall suspects that the banking transaction was made by a hacker with a PC - somebody who never set foot in the Stewart's. I would doubt that it is a hacker. Sounds to me that this would be their best lead and the person using the ATM is probably directly related to her disapearance. This is truly sad and I hope she is found. But, after this much time... Well, we can hope. I don't mean to be enigmatic, but I was told details of the case by Mrs. Lyall which I can't get into here. There are reasons for Mrs. Lyall's "hacker" suspicion and her small hope that Suzy could still be alive, ten years later. I'm sorry I can't say more.   QUOTE In my opinion, giving out flyers at Rush concerts is barking up the wrong tree. I would be focusing on the ATM and what was purchased as well as any other ATM purchases. I'd be willing to bet that the person involved lives within a 5 mile radius of that store.   I'm sure the State Police followed those kinds of leads. As for the Lyalls handing out flyers at Rush concerts, this is something they've only done the past two tours; meanwhile, they've also pursued every avenue they could think of to keep the search alive and keep Suzy's name out there. "No lead is too small," Mrs. Lyall told me. "Somebody out there knows something." She was appreciative of even the pathetic little I could offer.

[Cowtothesky]

QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 20 2008, 12:39 PM)

QUOTE (Cowtothesky @ Jul 20 2008, 12:25 PM) QUOTE (GeddyRulz @ Jul 20 2008, 11:45 AM) QUOTE (Ancient Ways @ Jul 18 2008, 08:00 PM) What came of the ATM card being used at the convenience store? They should have had video of it.  Was it her or someone else? A good question, and one I wondered about, too. It seemed to me that if Suzy's card was being used at the convenience store at the exact moment Mrs. Lyall was on the phone, they could've immediately sent a police car there to learn the identity of the user.   I asked Mrs. Lyall about this. Alas, the technology was a little different in 1998 than it is today. It took them an extra day to learn the exact location of the ATM which was used, and of course the user would've been long gone by then. (I think today they'd be able to find the source of the transaction immediately.) The only help they got in this direction was the description of a customer who was in the store at the time of the ATM transaction; he's not a suspect, but a potential witness who could perhaps describe the ATM user. He was a black man wearing a black Nike cap, and - to my knowledge - has not come forward.   This whole line of investigation may be moot, anyway. For some reason, Mrs. Lyall suspects that the banking transaction was made by a hacker with a PC - somebody who never set foot in the Stewart's. I would doubt that it is a hacker. Sounds to me that this would be their best lead and the person using the ATM is probably directly related to her disapearance. This is truly sad and I hope she is found. But, after this much time... Well, we can hope. I don't mean to be enigmatic, but I was told details of the case by Mrs. Lyall which I can't get into here. There are reasons for Mrs. Lyall's "hacker" suspicion and her small hope that Suzy could still be alive, ten years later. I'm sorry I can't say more.   QUOTE In my opinion, giving out flyers at Rush concerts is barking up the wrong tree. I would be focusing on the ATM and what was purchased as well as any other ATM purchases. I'd be willing to bet that the person involved lives within a 5 mile radius of that store.   I'm sure the State Police followed those kinds of leads. As for the Lyalls handing out flyers at Rush concerts, this is something they've only done the past two tours; meanwhile, they've also pursued every avenue they could think of to keep the search alive and keep Suzy's name out there. "No lead is too small," Mrs. Lyall told me. "Somebody out there knows something." She was appreciative of even the pathetic little I could offer. Oh I see. Didn't realize there was more to the hacker thing.   I really admire their family doing everything possible and keeping hope alive. Most would probably give up after so much time. I sure hope they find her and find her well.