Found Deceased MT - Rita Maze, 47, Wolf Creek, 6 Sept 2016 #2

[Inthedetails]

I can't get my head around Rita's case. Why on earth would someone fake an abduction with a distraught phonecall and then commit suicide? Why put your family through that? Unless she really hated her family and was trying to punish them for something?

I don't think she hated her family at all. It's hard to make sense out of what suicidal people think or do, but I honestly don't think she hated her family. If anything, she might have felt like she disappointed them, not the other way around.

jmo

 

[Tssiemer]

Yeah I don't think she hated them either. I think she thought she was protecting them.


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[Satchie]

Suicide is usually a source of deep shame and social stigma, for the victim contemplating it and for the family afterwards. I can imagine someone wishing a bad man would take her away and kill her, because there's no shame in that, you'd be seen as the innocent victim, people would feel sorry for you and rush to comfort your family. A person deeply upset and suicidal might be lead to act it out. Particularly the goodbye phone call showed she loved her family deeply.

I personally think there is almost a demon who takes over a suicidal person, hijacking them and destroying their hope, and finally pulling the trigger. It's not multiple personalities or anything, but we all know completely different parts of our personalities emerge when in the grip of anger, jealousy, etc.

 

[eucalyptuz]

Longest lab tests ever...poor family.

FBI still waiting for lab results 6 months after Rita Maze's death

It has been six months since a Montana woman was found dead in the trunk of her car by the Spokane airport.

Before her death, Rita Maze called her family and told them she had been kidnapped at a rest stop. FBI officials said they are not searching for suspects but the case is still open. They said they are still waiting on lab results, which they estimated would take about six months, but those lab analysis still have not been completed.

Maze died from a single gunshot wound to the torso back in September. A law enforcement officials said investigators found no reason to suspect foul play. In December the FBI issued a release saying, "Based on the evidence gathered thus far – we are not actively seeking any suspects in this case. However, it should be noted that the investigation remains ongoing, pending the results of laboratory analysis."

http://www.krem.com/news/local/spok...lts-6-months-after-rita-mazes-death/421279148

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

This is ridiculous.......

 

[bluesneakers]

I apologize in advance for bumping this and making it look like there might be news, but I have to get it out: What is taking so long?!!!

Did a report come out and I missed it? I google this case regularly and have seen nothing since early March.

 

[LadyL]

so I read most of the posts in this thread and scanned a few in the first thread and didnèt find what I was looking for ...

can anyone tell me why so many people thought suicide and very early on from what I can tell

seems strange that so many people agree on that without any witnesses stating that she had that intention

also, how does someone shoot themselves and then close the trunk

 

[DatelineFan]

so I read most of the posts in this thread and scanned a few in the first thread and didnèt find what I was looking for ...

can anyone tell me why so many people thought suicide and very early on from what I can tell

seems strange that so many people agree on that without any witnesses stating that she had that intention

also, how does someone shoot themselves and then close the trunk

I can't answer all of your questions, but from following different cases in websleuths, as well as some personal stories, people don't always seem suicidal. Search Cheryl DeBoer for example. I still have to force myself to concede that the ME and law enforcement are correct. I could not believe Cheryl committed suicide. It's really sad, but it happens as a complete surprise sometimes.

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[bluesneakers]

so I read most of the posts in this thread and scanned a few in the first thread and didnèt find what I was looking for ...

can anyone tell me why so many people thought suicide and very early on from what I can tell

seems strange that so many people agree on that without any witnesses stating that she had that intention

also, how does someone shoot themselves and then close the trunk

Her timeline and story weren't adding up and I think the stops she'd made had something to do with it? Why did she stop at that little rest stop instead of a bigger one, or the gas station stop that was just up the road? Also I read about an earlier carjacking in the same area and had a hunch she must have read it too. Why would he drive her all the way to Spokane to kill her? Nothing made sense. Why would he let her call her family?

I can't remember - but I believe she was in the trunk first. Maybe that's the report we're waiting on. Geez, it was so long ago but I think someone googled people committing suicide using the same method.

Suicide is more common than a carjacking and murder.

 

[Satchie]

I believed it until the medical examiner's report on COD was inconclusive. I do really trust coroners and the forensic evidence they rely on. I think the way the gun was held, where it landed, evidence about the trunk and how she got into it, all point away from homicide. I think there might also be camera evidence showing she was driving the car, fueling up, etc, alone.

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[Satchie]

I apologize in advance for bumping this and making it look like there might be news, but I have to get it out: What is taking so long?!!!

Did a report come out and I missed it? I google this case regularly and have seen nothing since early March.

I think it's hard to prove a negative circumstance, ie that it couldn't possibily have been kidnapping/homicide. While there may be no apparent evidence, or leads to pursue, obviously homocide was the scenario that was presented by the victim, and to completely, legally, rule it out, would possibly be seen as reckless and premature on the part of law enforcement. It can take years for evidence to emerge that solves a crime: if they declare there was no crime, they close off the possibility of fresh eyes looking at fresh evidence, regardless of what their current theory is about the circumstances of Rita's death.



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[Satchie]

Just to add another thought, a key piece of forensic evidence could be whether the trunk was open or closed when the fatal shot was fired. The testing on this might be sent to several experts, who might take a long time to run tests.

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[TTF14]

Just to add another thought, a key piece of forensic evidence could be whether the trunk was open or closed when the fatal shot was fired. The testing on this might be sent to several experts, who might take a long time to run tests.

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Good point. I hadn't even thought about that.

 

[bluesneakers]

I went back through the thread trying to see why I started thinking suicide. Anyway, just a few posts ago (up there^) I said:

Geez, it was so long ago but I think someone googled people committing suicide using the same method.

And for some reason I forgot it was me. Shocking how often it happens.

There are eight car trunk suicides mentioned in this post:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...f-Creek-6-Sept-2016-1&p=12794893#post12794893

And that earlier carjacking/abduction. it just struck me as something she would have known and thought about. I don't have a link to that story anymore.

I think they know this was a suicide and are just waiting for a few more tests to get back. I wish it wasn't taking so long. What hell her family must be going through.

 

[ninij9]

Just to add another thought, a key piece of forensic evidence could be whether the trunk was open or closed when the fatal shot was fired. The testing on this might be sent to several experts, who might take a long time to run tests.

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The significance of what you wrote here just hit me...days later. The blood splatter could definitely help with that. I'm sure there are also other things that could show whether the trunk was up or down. Very good thought Satchie. Brilliant.

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[Blondie in Spokane]

I decided to ask a local reporter from the Spokesman Review, for an update on this case. I guess it's what we were all expecting:


My Email:

"Hi XXXX,

I followed the Rita Maze mysterious death investigation in 2016 quite closely. It's been so long since I've seen any news on it and was wondering if you have heard whether it was ruled as suicide or homicide? Or has the whole investigation been quietly sidelined? If so, I wonder why?

Thanks for any info you might have."

XXXX's response:

Hi, XXXXXXX, Last we heard, the FBI had stopped looking for a suspect in the case although it was still "under investigation." The implication is that Maze killed herself.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/dec/28/fbi-not-looking-for-suspects-in-death-of-rita-maze/

Thanks for reminding me about this, though. I'll ask our medical examiner's office whether it has ruled Maze's death a suicide or homicide, although we have reason to doubt that office's credibility ...

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/apr/30/state-opens-investigation-into-spokane-county-medi/#/0

Regards,

XXXX
Staff reporter
The Spokesman-Review"


ETA: I edited this email to remove the reporter's name - after I posted this I saw that the last line is questionable: "we have reason to doubt that office's credibility"......I emailed this reporter to verify that is what this reporter meant to say. I am not sure but don't want to create a firestorm for this person, regardless of the second link provided. Just trying to cove all the bases!

 

[FL Wannabe]

Thanks, Blondie....we'll wait to hear more!

 

[bluesneakers]

Thanks Blondie. I check for news on this case regularly.

 

[1MTIrish]

http://mtstandard.com/news/state-an...cle_321270be-ca49-52c1-b695-13544c22ef88.html

The FBI concluded it was suicide. So sad for her and her family.

 

[1MTIrish]

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2017/aug/31/fbi-rules-montana-woman-found-shot-dead-in-trunk-i/

More information at this link.