Officials Question Time Conflict

Officials question time conflict
Evidence indicates Bolanos arrived home earlier than first thought
Marjorie Smith/Daily Staff Writer
Issue date: 4/6/07 Section: News


An illustrated map of the events, as reconstructed so far. Click for a larger version.
Media Credit: Katy Summerlot/Iowa State Daily
An illustrated map of the events, as reconstructed so far. Click for a larger version.

A change in the time sequence has officials questioning the events between the time Abel Bolanos, whose body was found in Lake LaVerne on Tuesday, left a party where he was last seen early Saturday morning, and the time he attempted access at a residence hall near his.

"People are in error about what time he left the Hyland address," said Gene Deisinger, commander for ISU Police.

Friends from the party initially told officials Bolanos left the 208 S. Hyland apartment between 4 and 4:30 a.m. Saturday. However, Bolanos' access card was used to attempt access twice before 4 a.m. into the unoccupied Wilson Hall, which is located west of his dorm building, Wallace Hall.

The two attempts to access Wilson Hall occurred at 3:22:57 a.m. and 3:23:12 a.m. Saturday.

"[Bolanos] had access to Wallace, but not Wilson," said Mona Wilson, clerk in facilities planning and management. "He used it on Wilson Hall those two times, but he didn't try it at all at Wallace."

A card belonging to a different student, whose name was not released, was also used at Wilson Hall shortly after Bolanos. This attempt was made at 3:26:34 a.m. Saturday.

According to activity records on the access pad outside the door of Wilson Hall, this was the only other attempt beside Bolanos' that was made after 3 a.m., Wilson said.

None of the attempts resulted in successful entry.

Records of activity on the access pad outside Wallace Hall indicated plenty of activity after 3 a.m. Saturday, which suggests people were around.

"There were several [entries] around that time," Wilson said.

Deisinger also confirmed that Bolanos' access card was found with the body.

Police are investigating the time discrepancies and have ruled out any confusion of delayed time stamps because of the change in daylight-saving time that occurred March 12.

"[We are] pretty confident that the time stamp is 3:23 [and] that is the correct time," Deisinger said.

Bolanos' room showed no signs of entry; however, everything is still being held in place until the investigation ends.

"Right now we've asked for the family's cooperation holding his vehicle [and] his room largely as it is right now as we await further information from the medical examiner's office for an investigative follow up," Deisinger said.

"It is a precautionary measure."

Bolanos' room was searched Sunday after Bolanos was reported missing.

"We found nothing that caused us any concern," Deisinger said.

The last time Bolanos was sighted in Campustown early Saturday morning has not changed to accommodate the shifts in time sequence.

"There is at least one [person] that has a very good description of Abel at about 4:30 a.m. [in Campustown]," Deisinger said.

Friday, March 30

* 11 p.m. Bolanos got off work at Red Lobster

Saturday, March 31

* 12:30 a.m. Bolanos drove and parked on Lincoln Way, and walked to the party on Hyland
* 3:23 a.m. Bolanos used access card to attempt entry into Wilson Hall
* About 4:30 a.m. Bolanos was spotted in Campustown
* 4:30 a.m. It is believed Bolanos accidentally drown shortly after
* 5:15 p.m. The annual Polar Bear Plunge took place in Lake LaVerne.

Sunday, April 1

* 11:53 a.m. Officials were notified that Bolanos was missing
* 12:12 p.m. Bolanos' car was found on Lincoln Way
* The Ames Police and the Story County Sheriff became involved.
* 11 p.m. The Iowa State Patrol put up an aircraft with heat-seeking capabilities and searched farmlands near Towers

Monday, April 2

* 10:30 a.m. Bolanos' credit cards were turned into Ames bank
* A formal request was put out during the afternoon for an organized search group
* Volunteers started a door-to-door canvas in Ames

Tuesday, April 3

* Search of Lake LaVerne began
* 3:39 p.m. An unidentified body matching the description of Abel Bolanos was removed from Lake LaVerne
* 4:45 p.m. Officials blocked off area around Lincoln Way
* 6:05 p.m. The body was positively identified as Abel M. Bolanos

Wednesday, April 4

* 8 p.m. A candlelight vigil was held on Central Campus in memory of Abel M. Bolanos.