TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #1

[believe09]

The timeline in this is confusing and I don't know how accurate the news reports are, but your post made me wonder: Normally you might not get a notification if someone changed their pin on a bank account, but since she is missing, that could be the reason for the notification. Even the change of address could have been brought to his attention because she is missing. I think there is a lot going on here behind the scenes that no one is talking about.

I think that is a fair statement. Now when I have changed my addy online, I have only received the COA notification at my new address. As for the PIN change information, well anyone can change that provided they knew the first one.

Again, I am not married to any theories and am certain that her DH is participating fully and cooperating with the investigation in order not to waste valuable resources. Perhaps confused could weigh in on this?

 

[confused]

Thanks JBean, that's what I thought as well, but then someone posted that, so I didn't get it. Why IS it taking so long to get 'picked up'??

Just a thought here, but let's say that Matt is correct and she is having problems with paranoia. Being searched for and hunted (for lack of a better word) nationally could really throw her over the edge. Maybe, just maybe, Matt and the LE and all the people in the know are trying to get her home with doing further damage. I know that if it was me, and I had run away and become missing...I would be horribly embarrassed to see myself on the national news. Remember the run-away bride thing a few years ago?

Just thinking out of the box.

 

[JBean]

Just a thought here, but let's say that Matt is correct and she is having problems with paranoia. Being searched for and hunted (for lack of a better word) nationally could really throw her over the edge. Maybe, just maybe, Matt and the LE and all the people in the know are trying to get her home with doing further damage. I know that if it was me, and I had run away and become missing...I would be horribly embarrassed to see myself on the national news. Remember the run-away bride thing a few years ago?

Just thinking out of the box.

But filing for separation and custody of her children will help to nicely coax her out without doing further damage? Making statements to the media that she has a psychiatric disorder and is unstable will encourage her to come home? Not buying that. JMHO of course.

 

[kikidee]

Maybe, just maybe, Matt and the LE and all the people in the know are trying to get her home with doing further damage.

That would be a fair assessment, except I'm not sure who the people in the know are! I just pray that she comes home from this safely, and will do what I can to try to help that if possible. this is just crazy.

 

[TxLady2]

Here it is. I got some weird Google message but I just clicked out of it and the story appeared. I would take the comments with a grain of salt.

http://www.tfponline.com/news/2011/may/12/missing-womans-husband-seeks-custody-children/



I think I see where you're going with this. The person talking about the cards is actually the one who changed the pins, and not the missing woman.

I know that when my wallet was stolen once I had to get a new card, but my pin number stayed the same. It's been the same for 20 years, and I would never change it without an agreement from my husband (all we have is a joint account).

But, let's look at another scenario. Suppose this woman's cards were not stolen, but "misplaced" . . . by someone else who didn't want her to have access, or to just buy time so she wouldn't withdraw money. Maybe she was paranoid because she had a good reason to be paranoid. The husband probably didn't expect her to not only get the card replaced, but to change the pin numbers - that's a drastic measure but might show that she was definitely afraid that access to her own money might be cut off.

I just keep wondering if she ever had a chance to use the new pin numbers and get some cash out. Usually the police will announce if a missing person stopped at a bank, along with a video because all bank machines have cameras. I hope she is alive and they find such a video. The fact that we have nothing yet may not be a good sign. Why would she leave without cash?

Also the stuff removed from the house. Where is it? Pawn shop maybe? He never said where he thought she took the stuff.

Did they each have separate accounts? Or was this a joint account? Most banks don't issue two separate debit cards with identical account numbers and they strongly advise that you use different PIN numbers. If that is the case, she could not change the PIN on his card, only on her own. If it's a joint account, then his PIN should still work on his card.
We have a joint account but I also have a separate account which I started with my inheritance. My husband does not have access to it, but he is the beneficiary of any balance should I die.

 

[TxLady2]

The timeline in this is confusing and I don't know how accurate the news reports are, but your post made me wonder: Normally you might not get a notification if someone changed their pin on a bank account, but since she is missing, that could be the reason for the notification. Even the change of address could have been brought to his attention because she is missing. I think there is a lot going on here behind the scenes that no one is talking about.

The article states that 3 accounts are in her name, but the husband says they are marital property. And why would the bank notify him that she had changed PIN numbers on her accounts? This does not sound right.
I don't know how the banks there work, but I am pretty sure that the bank considers those accounts her property if they are in her name, and the only reason they would notify him is if they received notice that she was dead and he is named beneficiary.

 

[confused]

Again, I am not married to any theories and am certain that her DH is participating fully and cooperating with the investigation in order not to waste valuable resources. Perhaps confused could weigh in on this?

I don't really know what I can say other than to reiterate what I said yesterday. It is in everyone's (Matt, Gail, the kids, the family and friends and even the LE's) best interest that Gail be found. There is no doubt that Matt is doing anything he can to assist the LE. The fact that we do not see him on the news, walking around the Walmart parking lot, doesn't mean that he is heartless and not involved.

To play devils advocate for a moment, if Matt were involved, I would think he would be making more of a spectacle of it, to throw off the investigation and "waste valuable resources". That just seems to be how it goes; I can still see the picture in my mind of that lady who drowned her 2 little boys, crying to the camera and talking to the press about the man who stole her car and took the kids.

 

[believe09]

I think to JBean's point, the custody/RO thing is not an even slightly common tactic for flushing her out...especially a woman he alone seems to characterize as unstable. Sugar...kindness...all is forgiven honey we are worried type appeals would be far more common. And productive I would think.

See, NONE of this is irreversible. Even if he wins custody on 5/20/11. It can be reversed the minute she comes home. Very few judges would separate mother and child for something like this. They might appoint a GAL at the most to oversee the reconciliation, but at this stage of the game she has not even legally abandoned her children. In most states you have to have been gone a year.

We are no where close to that, and this is an ACTIVE missing person's investigation.

 

[JBean]

Do we know if these were physical ATM type PIN's or online access type PIN's? My bank acct is set up to notify me of any changes made to my account online by way of email.
perhaps, if she changed them, she was sent an email notification and he found the change when looking through her emails for a clue as to her location.
I would go through my dh's email if he went missing to see if he had made any plans or arrangements.

 

[believe09]

Confused, I am relieved and energized by this statement:

There is no doubt that Matt is doing anything he can to assist the LE.

We so oftern see a spouse under these circumstances who lawyers up, thereby preventing LE from moving forward with any investigation.

Thank you for this welcome news!!

 

[perico]

Thanks JBean, that's what I thought as well, but then someone posted that, so I didn't get it. Why IS it taking so long to get 'picked up'??

This is the way Signal Mtn. works. There's going to have to be outside pressure to get them off their butts because some parts of the area are concerned about unwanted outside attention that this may bring.

 

[JBean]

I don't really know what I can say other than to reiterate what I said yesterday. It is in everyone's (Matt, Gail, the kids, the family and friends and even the LE's) best interest that Gail be found. There is no doubt that Matt is doing anything he can to assist the LE. The fact that we do not see him on the news, walking around the Walmart parking lot, doesn't mean that he is heartless and not involved.

To play devils advocate for a moment, if Matt were involved, I would think he would be making more of a spectacle of it, to throw off the investigation and "waste valuable resources". That just seems to be how it goes; I can still see the picture in my mind of that lady who drowned her 2 little boys, crying to the camera and talking to the press about the man who stole her car and took the kids.

I understand what you mean and everyone handles a crisis in there own way. He could be making calls and working behind the scene to locate Gail.

Do you know if Matt has given them access to the beach house or anything else that LE may need to assist in locating Gail?

 

[believe09]

The article states that 3 accounts are in her name, but the husband says they are marital property. And why would the bank notify him that she had changed PIN numbers on her accounts? This does not sound right.
I don't know how the banks there work, but I am pretty sure that the bank considers those accounts her property if they are in her name, and the only reason they would notify him is if they received notice that she was dead and he is named beneficiary.

Marital property is not the same as saying jointly held. For example, and let's just jump out on a limb-if one or both were in the process of divorce, the marital property is typically possessions accumulated during the length of the marriage. So let's say this were her investments and salary and earnings-he could claim it as "marital property."

I would think if they were joint accounts, he would have stated that.

 

[JBean]

Marital property is not the same as saying jointly held. For example, and let's just jump out on a limb-if one or both were in the process of divorce, the marital property is typically possessions accumulated during the length of the marriage. So let's say this were her investments and salary and earnings-he could claim it as "marital property."

I would think if they were joint accounts, he would have stated that.

Is TN a community property state? I know here in CA my personal account is my dh's marital property.

 

[believe09]

Is TN a community property state? I know here in CA my personal account is my dh's marital property.

Yes.

http://divorcesupport.about.com/od/statedivorcelaws/a/Tenn_Laws.htm

The willful desertion he is asserting is only valid if she has been gone a year. :waitasec:

 

[confused]

But filing for separation and custody of her children will help to nicely coax her out without doing further damage? Making statements to the media that she has a psychiatric disorder and is unstable will encourage her to come home? Not buying that. JMHO of course.

As mentioned before, something has to be done to protect the kids and block assests if she does have mental issues going on or even if she just decided to go to Spain with the pool boy. He didn't get on TV and announce this, he filed a court document and made a police statement. The media just dug it up and threw it out there like they always do, with no concern to what it might do to those involved (Gail included)

And yes, it could encourage her to come out. If I were hiding, and I knew that there would be a court date to determine my kids custody...you better believe I would be walking into that courtroom.

BTW, they are his children too!

 

[confused]

That would be a fair assessment, except I'm not sure who the people in the know are! I just pray that she comes home from this safely, and will do what I can to try to help that if possible. this is just crazy.

I agree. The main concern is that all of our friends in this family are ok. My prayers are with them all.

 

[believe09]

As mentioned before, something has to be done to protect the kids and block assests if she does have mental issues going on or even if she just decided to go to Spain with the pool boy. He didn't get on TV and announce this, he filed a court document and made a police statement. The media just dug it up and threw it out there like they always do, with no concern to what it might do to those involved (Gail included)

And yes, it could encourage her to come out. If I were hiding, and I knew that there would be a court date to determine my kids custody...you better believe I would be walking into that courtroom.

BTW, they are his children too!

I applaud him for protecting his dear children! I am still puzzled at this strong arm tactic to get her to come out of hiding...if she is frightened and confused, why drop a load of bricks on her head and force her out?

He undoubtedly consulted with her physician who was treating her for the depression prior to determining this course.

 

[JBean]

As mentioned before, something has to be done to protect the kids and block assests if she does have mental issues going on or even if she just decided to go to Spain with the pool boy. He didn't get on TV and announce this, he filed a court document and made a police statement. The media just dug it up and threw it out there like they always do, with no concern to what it might do to those involved (Gail included)

And yes, it could encourage her to come out. If I were hiding, and I knew that there would be a court date to determine my kids custody...you better believe I would be walking into that courtroom.

BTW, they are his children too!

Actually he said it in a phone interview with the media.

You could be right, but it sure seems like an odd way to plea for the mother of their children to come home to me. I would think something more along the lines of we can work this out, the kids need you, come home..something like that if he was trying to keep from doing any damage to this woman. Especially if she is in a fragile state.

But you raise some excellent points.

 

[whimdriven]

I applaud him for protecting his dear children! I am still puzzled at this strong arm tactic to get her to come out of hiding...if she is frightened and confused, why drop a load of bricks on her head and force her out?

He undoubtedly consulted with her physician who was treating her for the depression prior to determining this course.

Only if she signed some of her default rights under HIPAA away ... and most people just cruise right through those disclosures, sign on the dotted line, and go on their way. And HIPAA doesn't allow a physician to talk to anyone about your condition(s) without express authorization - which most people (in my experience from insurance / health care) don't seem to provide.