Police Build Strong Conspiracy Case on Tammi Smith & Baby Gabriel Johnson Mom

Tammi Smith stated on Monday January 25 2010 that Elizabeth Johnson called from jail on Friday and tried to a confession from her of some kind. Logan McQueary, the father of missing Gabriel Johnson, age eight months, has said police are building a strong case of 'conspiracy to commit custodial interference' on Johnson, who has already been charged, and also on Tammi Smith, who has not.

On December 18 2009, with a GPS in her grandfather's Oldsmobile and a wad of cash, jobless single mother Johnson fled with Baby Gabriel from Tempe Arizona to San Antonio Texas where she either killed him and dumped his body into a dumpster- as she told McQueary- or she gave or sold him to strangers. Investigators don't know which statement is true. Johnson maintained verbal contact with Tammi Smith through December 27 and sent text messages thereafter, up until her arrest on December 30. Baby Gabriel was last seen, with his mother, on the day after Christmas in San Antonio.

Tammi Smith and Johnson argue on the phone.In a Monday interview with KPHO, Tammi Smith said of the Friday phone argument with Johnson, "Basically, she just started yelling at me. She said, 'You're the one who set this up' and I said 'What? What are you talking about?' And I was really freaked out by that because I didn't think she would just tell a lie like that." Smith said she responded to Johnson. "I said then, 'OK, tell me how I did this. How did I do it?' And she couldn't do it," said Smith. Yet, a source close to the investigation has told me that the Tempe police badgered Johnson into accusing Smith of a setup. Johnson at first refused to do so, saying the Smiths are good people- but she eventually caved in.

Smith said she warned Johnson that 'she will take the rap for anything that has happened or will happen to Gabriel'. Smith said Johnson then slammed down the phone. She stated, "If I were her, I would really, really think twice about holding her tongue. I would tell the truth now and God will give grace for that." The police may or may not have monitored and recorded the conversation. According to the KPHO news report, Smith claims Johnson is 'trying to spread the blame'. KPHO also reports that police are building a strong case of 'conspiracy to commit custodial interference' against both Johnson and Tammi Smith.

Logan McQueary joins search for Baby Gabriel. The Tempe police analyzed the GPS found in Johnson's abandoned vehicle. Using the GPS data, McQueary will take the exact route that Johnson took with his son, Baby Gabriel, and search out anyone who may have seen them and can give any information that may help find missing Baby Gabriel.

Tempe police Lt. Mike Horn speaks. In a CBS interview posted on January 19, Lt. Mike Horn said it is 'critical for the public to give information'. If someone thinks that what he knows is unimportant or that someone else has called it in, he should still inform the police. Lt. Horn said that it 'could be the missing piece that police need.' When asked about Jack and Tammi Smith, Lt. Horn said the Smiths were still 'persons of interest'. He said 'there may have been some sort of plan in place to adopt him [Baby Gabriel] out'. He also said, "It's on them [Jack and Tammi Smith] if they want to become completely truthful about everything that they know."

If you have seen Gabriel Johnson or know where he may be, please immediately call 1-800-THE-LOST.
Sources: CBS News Video Leads in Baby Gabriel Search.

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