# What do you make of this creepy photograph? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753 "2007-06-28T12:27:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Hildo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@Johnny\_Hildo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Hildo)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/1 "2007-06-28T12:27:24Z")
From a news story found [here.](http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/0607/433606.html) A photograph found at a gas station is Oklahoma has police concerned that the woman pictured may be seriously injured or dead. The picture in the link above gave me the heebie-jeebies. While at first glance it may look like a woman who’s simply falling asleep, the fact that the image had to be photoshopped by a forensic artist for public release makes me think we’re looking at something far more sinister. The whole area from her mouth to her chin looks like it’s been hastily retouched. The fact that the picture was found at a gas station reminds me of the Tara Calico kidnapping, where her apparent abductor seemed to delight in leaving Polaroids of his bound victim in public places. I think we’re looking at a murder victim here and that the photo was intentionally dropped in public view so the sick fuck who took it could get some jollies. What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/2 "2007-06-28T12:37:34Z")
I can’t tell. For all we know the guy wrote obscenities on her face with a magic marker, or maybe a phone number or some inflammatory phrase, which the photo retouching removed, because all the authorities want is to identify her. There is a lifelessness to her face that suggests death, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/3 "2007-06-28T12:49:23Z")
Her eyes were touched up as well, but I don’t think the woman in the photo is deceased. Just a hunch, but wither way it’s creepy as all get out. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/4 "2007-06-28T12:54:23Z")
For “touched up” they might just mean cropped and levels adjusted to improve contrast, so it shows up better when printed on inkjets / newspapers. Might not necessarily mean it’s had anything added / removed. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/5 "2007-06-28T12:58:55Z")
Hoo boy. I always let my curiosity get the better of me and click on links to stuff that I know is going to freak me out. I should know better by now… ---
**Author:** ![Staggerlee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/staggerlee/32/3134_2.png) [@Staggerlee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Staggerlee)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/6 "2007-06-28T13:16:27Z")
I think she just looks really _bored_, eyes a bit glazed, face slack and listless. Maybe the bloke they’re looking for is just amazingly tiresome. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/7 "2007-06-28T13:19:26Z")
It makes me think serial killer chamber of horrors. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/8 "2007-06-28T14:05:02Z")
I agree that it is very creepy and I’d be worried that she might be dead. Hopefully the gas station attendant saw something that will help them track the person down who left it there. ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/9 "2007-06-28T14:07:54Z")
Here’s a similar case that’s almost 30 years old: [http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/calico\_tara.html](http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/calico_tara.html) ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/10 "2007-06-28T14:13:37Z")
If I didn’t know the story behind the photograph, and why the police are looking for information, I’d just think it were some akward candid snapshot taken by someone either doing a lot of shots, or just learning how to use a camera. As it is… I don’t think she looks dead, but I certainly see why the police are interested. And wondering what had to be doctored up makes it worse. It might be as innocent as **e-logic** suggests, or as dreadful as some others have suggested. We just don’t know… ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/11 "2007-06-28T14:19:42Z")
[QUOTE=A.R. Cane] Here’s a similar case that’s almost 30 years old: [http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/calico\_tara.html](http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/c/calico_tara.html) [/QUOTE] Gaaah! The photos in that link REALLY creeped me out, especially the look of distress in the boy’s eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/12 "2007-06-28T14:28:50Z")
Meh, I have a picture of my fiancee when she fell asleep on a road trip. I use it to threaten her with blackmail occasionally. Same type of thing. Since I pulled over to take the picture, she was awakened by the lack of car movement. In the photo her hair is _hilarious_, her eyes are only half-open, and there’s drool. Oh, yes, the flash got the drool! Sadly, the camera did not also manage to capture, the dent her jacket’s zipper left along her cheek like little, wee, train tracks. I suppose if someone found a really bad print of it and had an inclination towards the macabre, she would have looked like a corpse. I’m inclined to think that someone was trying to take one of those bed-head photos from hell with a cellphone camera. Looks like she has a Mexican blanket and is waking up on someone’s couch or in a car. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/13 "2007-06-28T14:31:27Z")
This whole thing sounds like the plot to a movie. Now it’s up to the world-weary but sharp gas station owner who is also a retired cop (played, of course, by Nicolas Cage) to solve the case. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/14 "2007-06-28T14:34:43Z")
She looks like she’s watching an episode of _Grey’s Anatomy_. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/15 "2007-06-28T14:36:51Z")
I’m with **Swallowed My Cellphone** (except for the first part, I don’t have any pictures of **SMC** ’s girlfriend). Maybe the cops removed something particularly gruesome, but as it stands it looks like most other amateur photos. Not creepy, just … amateur. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/16 "2007-06-28T14:53:28Z")
That photo doesn’t bother me at all. Maybe the un-retouched version has something distressing in it but I don’t see the need for a search. ---
**Author:** ![Wee\_Bairn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/90db22/32.png) [@Wee\_Bairn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wee_Bairn)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/17 "2007-06-28T15:02:57Z")
Unless the retouching involved removing a bullet hole in her cheek, I think she just looks bored. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/18 "2007-06-28T15:08:59Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Unless the retouching involved removing a bullet hole in her cheek, I think she just looks bored. [/QUOTE] Or drunk. I’m pretty sure there are a few photos from my college days that look like that (although there’s also usually shaved-off eyebrows and/or magic marker invovled). ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/19 "2007-06-28T15:34:49Z")
Man, I wish I hadn’t started browsing the Charley Project. Thanks, Cane. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753/20 "2007-06-28T15:50:58Z")
I don’t find it particularly creepy. I’m sure that if we didn’t know the story behind it, we would think that she was asleep or bored, and not ascribe feelings of lifelessness to the image. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-make-of-this-creepy-photograph/409753.md?page=2)