CA CA - Bob Harrod, 81, Orange County, 27 July 2009 - #16

[believe09]

I always hate to say I don't believe someone, but I don't see how you can reconcile the not-so-subtle hints/suggestions/unkind words that have flown around about Fontelle marrying Bob for his money, and daughters having 'no idea' Bob had any money.

How did they think he paid for the houses some of the family lived in? He obtained mortgages at 70-something years old? Why were they so worried about the barber lady and 'financial abuse', if they didn't know Bob had any money? Why were there accusations of Bob being too 'mean' to pay for this or that, if they didn't know he had the money to do so?

Maybe I'm just missing something here. I am no financial expert. But it is my opinion that, if Bob's children, son-in-law and grandson did not know exactly what Bob was worth, they at least had a very good idea.

Whether they 'had the right' to inherit all those assets, or Bob had the right to spend, give them away or share them with Fontelle, is another matter.

My first concern on chancing upon Bob's case was that he was not buried in his own backyard. That gave me nightmares. I thought he might be there and Mrs Harrod might stumble across him one day. My second, now I'm sure he isn't, is to get him home, wherever he is. My third, will be to see his murderer in a place where they cannot murder anyone else. Wherever that is. Join my uncle, for all I care. They'll get on well.

My fourth is the money. I hope Mrs Harrod never ends her days in poverty, worrying about how to pay the utility or hospital or food bills, that's all. Bob would never have wanted that, I'm sure.

This is it in a nutshell. This dog dont hunt.

He paid their bills, gave them homes and cars and homes and loans and homes.

He didnt do this from his Social Security.

So where is Bob? Given the frenzy of activity I am seeing, he must be somewhere we have mentioned perhaps? Or close by.

 

[believe09]

My vote is Atty or financial planner.

 

[Grainne Dhu]

:twocents:

I don't know exactly how much money my parents have...or my inlaws...or my friends...but I do know what lifestyle they have, what type of cars they buy and whether they have loans for things or not. More importantly, I know their professions and even if I don't see a paycheck, I can guess how much a lawyer makes, how much a teacher makes, etc.

Of course, we can never tell what goes on behind closed doors and whether or not someone is living beyond their means but usually once you know a person well enough you know whether they are a spendthrift, frugal or whatever.

Basically his daughters had to have a general idea how much money Bob had. Heck, although I haven't seen numbers I have a general idea of how much money Bob had!

I agree. So why did at least one of his daughters try to make it appear that they had no idea, no idea at all, how much money dear old Dad had?

 

[Grainne Dhu]

ya know that Monday morning phone that LE hasn't elaborated on?? Like around 10 a.m. Has anyone else wondered if maybe it was to (or even from) Mr. H's attorney? Considering the previous days event...

I've wondered if that were the case. It had to be a person that the PPD considered a reliable source and not in any way a suspect. It would also explain why the PPD was so quick to leap to a financial motive for the crime.

I've also wondered if the mystery 10 am call was to whoever handled Bob's affairs at his bank.

In either case, it makes me wonder if JeM used the spare key from AH to enter the house and walked in on Bob in the middle of a phone conversation that made it clear Bob was taking action to protect Fontelle's interests. Just as a good, old fashioned sort of gentleman would, of course.

 

[zwiebel]

Never having been to Missouri myself, I'm just going by Mrs Harrod and what I see on another thread for a missing Missouri person here, about how Missourians?? are made.

I'd say they are straight talking. I think Bob might well have told his son-in-law on Monday morning exactly what he was going to do with his finances and his life, and what he thought of any attempts to interfere with that. I wonder how easy that would have been to take, if you weren't from Missouri yourself and were more used to smiling to someone's face, and letting loose behind their back?

 

[believe09]

Never having been to Missouri myself, I'm just going by Mrs Harrod and what I see on another thread for a missing Missouri person here, about how Missourians?? are made.

I'd say they are straight talking. I think Bob might well have told his son-in-law on Monday morning exactly what he was going to do with his finances and his life, and what he thought of any attempts to interfere with that. I wonder how easy that would have been to take, if you weren't from Missouri yourself and were more used to smiling to someone's face, and letting loose behind their back?

I think you are right-it wasnt until our sleuthers brought it up that I even ever considered the possibility that Bob had much to say about the family meeting to JeM that day

JeM was from Ohio IIRC. He graduated from High School there.

 

[sreshowtime]

yeah I been wondering if maybe there was a fly on the wall during that phone conversation, mighta been buzzing around all busy like, landing here, landing there, buzz buzz
you know flies can be kinda pesky

 

[deca]

I agree. So why did at least one of his daughters try to make it appear that they had no idea, no idea at all, how much money dear old Dad had?

I don't know. But an innocent person wouldn't try to lie or deceive in such a way IMHO.
But she may be innocent regarding Bob's disappearance/murder...but guilty in a cover-up or embezzlement or protecting a loved one.

 

[DC18]

I for one am not buying the sisters did not know of Bob's plans to add his wife to his trust especially since the detective on Disappeared stated Bob has written this down on several notes I believe this was discussed in the meeting and also may have angered the sisters and it painfully clear in the episode there is very bad blood between the sisters and wife all over money I could be wrong as I have been before but I believe the family is in on this somehow As always JMHO

 

[zwiebel]

I agree it is obvious there is no love lost between the daughters and Fontelle. That is not unusual - we have plenty of posters here who witnessed families falling apart when a member dies and a legacy comes into play. We've probably all seen examples of it at some time in our own lives, amongst friends or family.

They don't usually pretend everything is hunky dory though, and they only want to help the family member they have fallen out with. That just jars with me. I find it very hard to accept daughters' public statements that they moved to take control of Bob's estate simply to 'help out' Fontelle. I've never seen any follow up from them about exactly how that help panned out. We have Fontelle's statements, but what she describes doesn't sound much like help to me.

But if they were presenting a false front in public, just so people wouldn't think badly of them, that makes me wonder. Why would daughters with a dad who'd just gone missing be so concerned about making a good impression with the public? Like other families of the missing, wouldn't they have been too busy trying to make their dad look good, and well worth finding?

The only examples of that, in my opinion, are a few words from daughter JuM, very early on. But even then, her words are addressed to Bob, and they somehow suggest he has taken off on his own. That would hardly have inspired people to go out looking for him.

"Dad, if you're watching, come home..."

If you compare her words to Fontelle's; "He was happy. He was content. He missed me and I missed him.....He would not have left on his own'.

JuM spoke to him as though he was out there listening. Fontelle spoke about Bob as though he was in trouble and somebody needed to go find him pretty dang quick, in my opinion.

 

[zwiebel]

From what I've read about the OC Cold Case Unit, they are very tenacious and determined once they get their teeth into a case. Especially Larry Montgomery. Also fine, upstanding citizens, I'm sure. But I'll tell you this - If I'd done something wrong and I thought I had them on my trail, I think I'd have a nervous breakdown.

I'm not just saying that - I really wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I'd have to sort it out somehow because I couldn't stand the tension and worry. If it was Mr Z meanwhile, who had done something wrong and he was faced with Larry Montgomery, this is how it would go;

Larry: Hi
Mr Z: I've done something wrong but I'm not going to tell you about it because it's a secret.
Larry: Did you park in that no parking zone?
Mr Z: Yes, yes I did. But it's a secret. But I shouldn't have done it and I did do it, yes, I did. I'm very sorry.

Apart from Larry Montgomery, that's not a made-up conversation. I've had roughly the same conversation with Mr Z about a thousand times, over subjects ranging from who spilt the coffee or broke the glass, to who asked the builders to call in at 7am on a Sunday morning (this was one of those Sundays).

I guess some people can live with tension of living a lie, and some people just can't. I wouldn't want to be the person who disappeared Bob for all the tea in China right now.

 

[Cherry]

So why doesn't anyone suspect the sons story, all if it, and mainly him? I'm sorry but to me he had the means motive and opt. That's not good. He was the last to see him alive that day.

 

[Cubby]

:twocents:

I don't know exactly how much money my parents have...or my inlaws...or my friends...but I do know what lifestyle they have, what type of cars they buy and whether they have loans for things or not. More importantly, I know their professions and even if I don't see a paycheck, I can guess how much a lawyer makes, how much a teacher makes, etc.

Of course, we can never tell what goes on behind closed doors and whether or not someone is living beyond their means but usually once you know a person well enough you know whether they are a spendthrift, frugal or whatever.

Basically his daughters had to have a general idea how much money Bob had. Heck, although I haven't seen numbers I have a general idea of how much money Bob had!

If Bob was able to finance a 700,000 mortage for his grandson, his oldest daughter would have had to claim the interest income on Bob's taxes. Along with his other investments, there is not a chance in hades they did not know Bob's worth.

 

[believe09]

So why doesn't anyone suspect the sons story, all if it, and mainly him? I'm sorry but to me he had the means motive and opt. That's not good. He was the last to see him alive that day.

I am totally in your corner, Cherry. The case is a suspicious homicide that didnt involve and outsider or a stranger. The crime scene may have been the upstairs bathroom.

JeM's statements put him alone in the house with Bob. JuM's statements in public put him in the house either alone with Bob or with the CL and Bob.

There is a theme here for sure.

Additionally, he apparently did not complete the work and never came back to finish it. He was in and out of that home for hours. That honey do list from Bob must have been something.

As an aside, Bob was clearly a list maker. I assume LE has that honey do list.

 

[Cubby]

I think you are right-it wasnt until our sleuthers brought it up that I even ever considered the possibility that Bob had much to say about the family meeting to JeM that day

JeM was from Ohio IIRC. He graduated from High School there.

Jeff is listed with the Monrovia High class of 1969, along with Paula's husband who shares her current surname Brady.

http://www.pattnicol.com/MonroviaHighSchool_California_1969_StrayCats.html


Either Bob had a lot to say that day, or Bob and Jeff continued a conversation Monday which began at the family meeting Sunday.

 

[Cubby]

I am totally in your corner, Cherry. The case is a suspicious homicide that didnt involve and outsider or a stranger. The crime scene may have been the upstairs bathroom.

JeM's statements put him alone in the house with Bob. JuM's statements in public put him in the house either alone with Bob or with the CL and Bob.

There is a theme here for sure.

Additionally, he apparently did not complete the work and never came back to finish it. He was in and out of that home for hours. That honey do list from Bob must have been something.

As an aside, Bob was clearly a list maker. I assume LE has that honey do list.

Using this post as a spring board. JeM is Bob's youngest daughters husband, Cherry. He is Bob's son-in-law.

I believe he is LE's top suspect but not named so publicly. And I believe his handy man, odd jobs were to repair damage from an altercation between he and Bob.

Thank you for your interest in Bob's case.

 

[believe09]

Jeff is listed with the Monrovia High class of 1969, along with Paula's husband who shares her current surname Brady.

http://www.pattnicol.com/MonroviaHighSchool_California_1969_StrayCats.html


Either Bob had a lot to say that day, or Bob and Jeff continued a conversation Monday which began at the family meeting Sunday.

I could have sworn he was Jeff Fink from Ohio before he moved to CA. I will take this post down if I am incorrect.

 

[Cubby]

I could have sworn he was Jeff Fink from Ohio before he moved to CA. I will take this post down if I am incorrect.

I'm missing your point, believe. He was Jeff Fink from Ohio before he moved to CA. He is listed as Jeffrey (Fink) Michaels on the Monrovia High School reunion website. I don't know when he moved from Ohio to CA, but according to the link it appears the move and using the surname Michaels occured prior to graduating HS.

I was simply pointing out he graduated in CA, rather than OH.

Hope that clarifies any confusion.

 

[believe09]

Oh my GOSH-my bad. I thought he graduated from High School in Ohio, but he didnt. He attended school in Ohio and CA.

At least I got the Fink part right.

 

[sreshowtime]

oh great, now y'all did it....darn tangent
hmm