Atlantic City
Atlantic City
In 2006, the New Year brought in a new lead in the disappearance of Brianna Maitland.
On the evening of January 17th, a Vermont business owner saw
a familiar face at a blackjack table at Caesars Casino in Atlantic City, New
Jersey. The young woman’s wavy brown hair was parted in the middle. She was
slim with a light complexion and high cheekbones. She wore blue jeans and a
dark long-sleeved top. She smiled easily. She would drum her fingers against
the table and rest her chin in her hand as she waited between hands. The woman appeared
at ease and socialized with others at the table, including her companion, a bald middle-aged Caucasian man. He wore a black jacket with
upside-down white eagle wings.
The
Vermonter recognized the woman at the blackjack table. He thought he might be
looking at Brianna Maitland, who had been missing for nearly two years.
The man did not ask the woman if she was Brianna. He later reported the sighting to law enforcement, who then traveled to the casino to retrieve surveillance footage. Images of the woman playing blackjack were released to the press in March of 2006. To this day, this woman has not been definitively identified.
Brianna’s
brother Waylon watched the footage, and within five minutes he opined the
Atlantic City woman was not his little sister. Brianna’s grandmother disagreed.
Her parents Bruce and Kellie struggled when reviewing the footage, understanding
that wishful thinking might bias them. In March of 2006, New Jersey State
Police investigator John Donegan was quoted as saying “Mom and Dad are telling
me they’re pretty certain it’s her”. However, after media later enhanced the
footage and Kellie saw the woman at a certain angle, she knew for sure it was
not Brianna.
This
lead brought Brianna’s loved ones, and the public, newfound hope. Before, or
since, there was no sighting with surveillance footage to analyze. In 2009,
Vermont State Police Captain Glenn Hall stated that the casino sighting could
not be substantiated, adding that alleged sightings of Brianna have been called
in as far as California, Texas, and Las Vegas.
The
footage is grainy and at an odd angle. Personally, I see several differences
between Brianna and the Atlantic City woman. While their complexions, face
shapes, hands, hairline and hairstyles, smiles, and (per her mother) mannerisms
are quite similar, and both women smoked cigarettes, the Atlantic City woman
appears to have a different mouth, nose, chin, and a slightly heavier build
than Brianna. The woman did not sport a nose ring, as Brianna did. In my
opinion, she also looks older than 19, Brianna’s age in 2006.
I
think it would be good for the investigation for this lead to be definitively
ruled out. Many people, including some who knew Brianna well, cannot say for
sure whether it’s her. Unfortunately, I am doubtful that this woman will ever
be formally identified, given that Atlantic City attracts tourists throughout
the Eastern seaboard, and that the sighting was nearly 13 years ago.
I agree 100%. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Charles!
ReplyDeleteMy thinking after I was told by the Maitland Family that it wasn't Brianna was to find this girl in the video..Then I remembered a girl that was connected to the Moulton Brothers that looked a lot like Miss Maitland & her name was Sky..My mind set was to interview Sky but every time I tried too I was told she wasn't home..It has even been said that Sky was the one driving Miss Murrays car when she had the so-called accident..That Sky was posing to be Miss Murray..Then I ask myself why would she do that & if she did that would lead her to be the number one suspect in the Murray Case..It just didn't make sense to me--but I am still open minded enough that if another lead would come in about Sky & the Moulton Brothers I would still try to follow up on that lead..Even though at this time we have a real good idea where Miss Murray is located & who is involved but yet the NHSP hasn't followed up on the recent events that has taken place..
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis looks just like Brianna, from the facial structure to the hair to the skin color, and everything. Is there a more lengthy video of this scene? Anything else from this exact moment. I'm wondering why does the public only have 2-3 second animated gif's that just seems so weird and off. Can you help me out ? Please email at insanetechnyc@gmail.com
ReplyDelete(To Chloe)
"He wore a black jacket with upside-down white eagle wings." One of the few details given, and I wonder what the significance of that can be. I'm looking for this particular jacket, it may be a symbol of something important.
ReplyDeleteIt was very popular to see that on men's and woman's clothing in 2006. Ed Hardy, Christian Audigier and many other copycat designers jumped on this trend and it could be seen along with the tattoo themed clothing.
DeleteI'd say that she'd need to be 100% ruled out, but, to me, it isn't her...hair looks wavier, and something about her cheeks and nose don't seem right.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is, there will be thousands of women (and probably some men) in the USA who will bear a resemblance to Brianna...walk down a street in almost any area with a large White population and you'll see a "Brianna" I believe.
Plus, this is the only 'evidence' of her since the disappearance...not conclusive.
That said, in my contention that we can see a "Brianna" in every street, shouldn't there be MORE sightings of Brianna?