The case for murder

[bourne]

According to Dr. Maurice Godwin:

'"...The investigative value that the shoe ridges and footprint evidence has in this case, is compelling. The findings indicate that Rebecca was not alone on the balcony the night she died."

"For example, no left footprints from Ms. Zahau were found on the balcony - not one.It is highly unlikely that Ms. Zahau maneuvered from the balcony door to the balcony railing on one foot. The absence of left footprints suggests that Ms. Zahau was likely lifted from behind and carried onto the balcony. This finding is supported by the partial unknown shoe ridges found on top and behind Rebecca's footprints..."

..."The likely sequence of events involved the perpetrator carrying Rebecca from inside the room to the balcony door. The perpetrator then needed to get a better grip on the victim so he/she placed her down allowing only the right foot to make contact with the dusty floor - just at the entrance."

"The perpetrator then lifted her up again and stepped forward towards the railing again setting the victim down for a second time allowing her right foot to make contact with the balcony floor. Rebecca was not alone that night on the balcony; the unidentified shoe ridge pattern is likely her killer's."'


http://www.examiner.com/article/doctor-maurice-godwin-says-rebecca-zahau-was-murdered

Dr. Godwin's analysis makes a lot of sense. What I'm puzzled about is why did Bremner exclude Dr. Godwin from her team of experts?

 

[bourne]

I agree Mrs. Holmes. I don't think most police forces have the resources to spend or don't want to on some cases because they are a big hot mess. As a second factor in this case, the DA may not want to try and prosecute someone because of $$ they would spend on their defense and/or because they would need a lot more investigating to get someone convicted.

Having said all that, I believe it is often private attorneys and investigators who end up putting the necessary pieces together. If the attorneys in Rebecca's case can do that, which I think they can, I have high hopes someone(s) WILL be eventually convicted.

Also, sometimes someone eventually talks or comes forward. I have to wonder if someone were afraid they'd be thrown under the bus if that would happen here whether that is an LE investigator, a coroner or someone related to the perp(s) in some way.

We can be pretty sure there were things in the original LE files that we have never heard of too. It always boggles my mind when I hear about some of the things that were never made public in some criminal trials....

I hope the CA AG reopens Rebecca's case. That way Bremner can subpoena phone records for the prime suspects: Dina, Nina, Jonah, Adam, and according to some, Dr. Luber and Jonah's older children.

I thought Bremner had said she was expecting the AG decision in Sept. 2012. It's now Oct. What happened?

 

[Inparadise]

I hope the CA AG reopens Rebecca's case. That way Bremner can subpoena phone records for the prime suspects: Dina, Nina, Jonah, Adam, and according to some, Dr. Luber and Jonah's older children.

I thought Bremner had said she was expecting the AG decision in Sept. 2012. It's now Oct. What happened?

I would not expect the AG to announce a decision until after the elections.

 

[freespeech]

I hope the CA AG reopens Rebecca's case. That way Bremner can subpoena phone records for the prime suspects: Dina, Nina, Jonah, Adam, and according to some, Dr. Luber and Jonah's older children.

I thought Bremner had said she was expecting the AG decision in Sept. 2012. It's now Oct. What happened?

I also think that all the people who were at Dina's house the night Rebecca died should also be questioned (eg. the man and woman who were at Dina's house and Nina's grown son).

 

[freespeech]

I would not expect the AG to announce a decision until after the elections.

Ita and do not think that bodes well to get a case opened. If she waits till after the election she can then reject opening a case without having to suffer the immediate consequences.

However, what goes around comes around and if she she does reject the case afterwards I don't believe she will get away with it unscathed in the long run. People aren't stupid. They have memories. If she wants a long career it will not bode well in future elections.

 

[freespeech]

Dr. Godwin's analysis makes a lot of sense. What I'm puzzled about is why did Bremner exclude Dr. Godwin from her team of experts?

Dr. Godwin appears to be an excellent forensic investigator. I would guess that he wasn't included because of that reason. Show biz type people don't like to share the limelight or be upstaged by some one smarter than them imo.

If being smart and able to do a coherent and competent investigation were valued then this murder would have been solved by now. Unfortunately,
a desire for truth and justice is not valued but instead, money, power, notoriety and ego are played out in all their gory rivalry.

 

[i.b.nora]

Examiner articles are not generally accepted as main stream media except for those written by some friend of Tricia's whose name escapes me at the moment.

In the case of the Joel Siegfried, Dr. Godwin article, to me it reads more like an advertisement for Godwin. I just don't trust it and I think it's all about generating $clicks$ for both Siegfried and Godwin.

 

[freespeech]

Examiner articles are not generally accepted as main stream media except for those written by some friend of Tricia's whose name escapes me at the moment.

In the case of the Joel Siegfried, Dr. Godwin article, to me it reads more like an advertisement for Godwin. I just don't trust it and I think it's all about generating $clicks$ for both Siegfried and Godwin.

Thanks for your opinion but I think Dr. Godwin is brilliant, period.

 

[Gilgamesh]

I, too, think Dr. Godwin is brilliant. He should never have been kicked off this case. Big mistake.

 

[freespeech]

Besides the extra set of footprints SDSO did not have evidence for the suicide determination. I hope Bremner does a discovery on Jonah's personal and past relationships with Gore and Dumanis. That would show just how biased Gore's was in his actions sweep Rebecca's murder under the rug.

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

Perhaps Godwin found the suicide decision to be credible? That would get him kicked off the case for sure.

 

[freespeech]

Perhaps Godwin found the suicide decision to be credible? That would get him kicked off the case for sure.

There is no indication that that happened because he stated that he believed she was murdered. He showed how the extra footprints proved someone threw her off the balcony. Do you have link? I'd be interested in reading the article that stated he reversed his initial determination. He also doesn't seem like the kind of guy that can be bought, imo.

 

[Gilgamesh]

There's no link. Dr. Godwin believes she was murdered. We were in contact.

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

I did not state that as fact. Note the "perhaps".

 

[freespeech]

The "adrenaline theory also works for Rebecca hanging herself. The problem with the murder theory is,

"And detectives found no evidence of another person in the room or on the balcony. No hint that Zahau was dragged, drugged, sexually assaulted, or strangled before she went over the balcony."

Thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/09/18/what-really-happened-in-the-coronado-mansion.html

The Daily Beast is not an authority. It is just one version of spin put on the matter. There are many more factual articles posted here and in the Websleuth's reference library, imo.

 

[elfie]

I think it would have been very easy for Rebecca to get over that balcony railing. She was extremely athletic.

I also think the evidence proves that she killed herself and that the SDSO got it right.

And again, we will continue to point out, that even if she were athletically capable, the footprints and the dust disturbance on the railing do NOT support her going over on her own. Again, these facts about the dust disturbances, along with entire manor in which she was tied up do not support the Rebecca alone scenario.

If anything, the dust disturbance on the railing would point to her going over feet first because of the punctuated displacement, with no large patch of dust completely disturbed. IOW, her feet may have touched the railing.

 

[Sharyne]

Good point, MyBelle. I also can see Rebecca doing just a little "hop", like she was going to sit on the railing. She would have gone over easily, with her left thigh/hip making that 11" disturbance in the dust.

JMO

I'm curious. Why would Rebecca go over with her left thigh/hip and not the right side? Was she left handed?

 

[Sharyne]

Dr. Godwin's analysis makes a lot of sense. What I'm puzzled about is why did Bremner exclude Dr. Godwin from her team of experts?

Was there ever an article stating he was removed from the case, and if so was there no explanation for it?

 

[CuriousGeorgia]

I'm curious. Why would Rebecca go over with her left thigh/hip and not the right side? Was she left handed?

Right handed or left handed does not mean one is right hipped or left-hipped.

 

[elfie]

Good point, MyBelle. I also can see Rebecca doing just a little "hop", like she was going to sit on the railing. She would have gone over easily, with her left thigh/hip making that 11" disturbance in the dust.

JMO

As you can see from the evidence photos the entire area of smudges on the railing totaled approximately 11". The largest is 4" - 5" at most although it looks closer to 3" to me. Not enough of a swiped area to be made by her torso or hip.