Does Jill Meagher Evidence Point to Foul Play?

A handbag belonging to Jill Meagher was found today during the searches for the missing ABC employee. What could this discovery mean in regards to the potential outcome of this case? Could it mean that the missing woman met some kind of foul play while allegedly "walking home" after being in a bar with her coworkers? It should be pointed out that homicide detectives are working this case as the search continues, so that should indicate something foul is afoot.

Today police found the handbag belonging to the missing woman containing her belongings. The discovery was made around Hope Street. Detectives, as a result of the latest find, have publicly declared that they have fears that she met with foul play.

It's also distressing that there is no surveillance footage of the bar she was last at with friends the night she vanished. So detectives with the homicide squad are left without what would be key pieces of timeline evidence in this search. Instead, they are appealing to the public -- anyone who was at Bar Etiquette -- to come forward if they know anything or saw anything pertaining to the missing woman.

Could Jill Meagher have been harmed in some way? In an earlier Gather News post it was speculated that she could have wandered off somewhere and harmed herself on accident due to being inebriated. Losing her bag containing her belongings could be another sign of this speculation. However, if detectives are leaning toward foul play there must be other evidence they are not sharing. Were there signs of a struggle anywhere near her handbag? Was there obvious signs of DNA on her belongings? (i.e., blood, semen, etc.) Were there tire marks nearby or is this a heavily trafficked area so as to not cause alarm with this kind of detail?

The search for this missing woman is heating up, and so far it doesn't look like it will end on a positive note. Hopefully the handbag belonging to Meagher isn't a sign of something foul, but it most likely is.

Photo source: The Age

Crime analyst and profiler Chelsea Hoffman can be found on The Huffington Post, Chelsea Hoffman: Case to Case and many other outlets. Follow @TheRealChelseaH on Twitter or click here to contact Chelsea directly.

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