ARUBA - Robyn Gardner, 35, Maryland woman missing in Aruba, 2 Aug 2011 - # 1

[GingBreade]

This is EXACTLY what I think happened. She's 35, not 18 - I would never take a trip with a man and not expect him to try and sleep with me. she probably thought she could lead him on and get things from him. I think he tried something, he was paying for everything there, got mad and violent when she rebuffed him.

Not blaming the victim at all, but I'm a few years younger than her and I wouldn't play these games with men anymore - maybe I would have tried it at 18 or 19 but at 35 you have to know what the deal is and I would expect her to have been around the block enough to know a guy's motives when he buys an incredibly beautiful woman a trip - no man does that just to "be nice" - there is always an angle.

I'd be interested to know what their sleeping situation was - were they sharing a room? a bed?

Not sure why everyone here is being this way about this woman..like 'she probably thought she could lead him on and get things from him'. Talking about her 'playing games' with this guy. WTF?? Who cares if she did play games, or go on trips for 'profit' or cheat on her boyfriend. Who the heck are YOU to judge her life. You don't know her life. I can't understand the righteous posts going on here. I was taken on a trip to New York at age 23 by a 'rich guy' who promised nothing but a trip. His brother, secretary, and another friend came along. I can assure you he did not make me 'pay' for the trip. So you know what, ppl do give trips without expecting something in return. Stop with the judging of this woman. Even if she did cheat on her boyfriend...she deserves to be killed????

 

[otto]

This is just what I think may have happened:

1. RG divorces and is lonely, not used to being alone. Goes onto dating sites, starts dating, gets more tattoos, drinking, partying, and it makes her feel better from the trauma of the divorce.
2. Meets RF. They get sexual, but are not exclusive. She is dating other people, enjoying that freedom. Is not sure RF is "the one."
3. Meets GG. They get sexual, but she decides in Jan 2011 to agree to RF's demands to be exclusive, stops dating GG.
4. GG stalks and obsesses over her, keeps calling and emailing.
5. RG does not cut off all communication from GG and allows him to pursue her. Ignores roommate and friend concerns. RG wonders if GG could change, sees a rich lifestyle she has wanted since she was little.
6. She at this point is now not sure she wants to be exclusive with RF, they fight and it's not as great as she had hoped it would be, especially on these terms. She can't go back on the exclusivity point with RF as she knows he would be hurt and might end it completely. RG does have feelings for RF but she doesn't know if they are strong enough and she doesn't want to rush into another marriage, plus has alimony payments being sought from ex.
7. Agrees to meet GG for drinks from time to time, after fights with RF and feeling justified in cheating on him. She doesn't sleep with him though, she feels that would be taking it too far with the agreements she has made with RG.
8. Coming up to July now, RG and RF have a big fight on the beach and police are called by onlookers. Relationship on rocks.
9. GG is at right place, right time, woos RG into going to Aruba with him. All expense paid, etc. RG wants to go, is pissed at RF and doesn't feel guilty about the idea. She tells GG that she will go.
10. RG lies about trip to RF and says it is with family, etc. Also tells others similar lies about reason for trip. Does tell roommate.
11. RG gets to Aruba with GG and they check in, eat, etc. In the process sees his controlling ways and his anger. Is turned off.
12. RG will not have sex with him in Aruba. GG gets very angry over this, feels like he is getting played and used to get a free trip to Aruba. "This sucks" sent by RG to RF FB at 2 a.m. RG has decided she is going to try to make it work with RF and is certain she doesn't want a relationship with GG. GG is angry and vindictive.
13. GG decides there is enough justification to rape and kill her. He feels used and wants to get even. He plots it out that night.
14. GG takes her to lunch. GG talks about their relationship some more to be sure that she really feels this way. She tells GG that she just wants to be friends. She sends message to RF saying she loves him and wants to work it out when she gets back.
15. Last seen by beach at 4 p.m.
16. GG takes her by car to the other side of island by cliff, supposedly to sight see. He arrives at around 4:30 p.m. He parks car and proceeds to rape her violently and ultimately strangles her to death.
17. GG throws body over cliff by 5:30 p.m.
18. GG puts on swimming trunks and tennis shoes, drives back to beach. Asks for cell phone of someone on beach, calls 911 and reports that she was swept out to sea.
19. GG refuses to give DNA because he knows there is his sperm DNA in car, and doesn't want those dots connected. Has told the police they are just friends and this will not match his story.
20. FBI will get DNA from house, match it with DNA found in car, and we should see charges for murder and rape.

:twocents:

There's a text of Robyn contacting GVG and telling him along the lines of: get me outta here. He got online and booked a trip to Aruba, where he had never been before. They left July 31.

She asked GVG to take her on a trip, then lied to her boyfriend about what she was doing ... but they had split and, per his remarks, he delivered her cats and clothes to her mother ... was that from Maryland to Florida and when did he deliver this stuff?

12. Suppose Robyn has decided that she is completely grossed out by the guy because he is controling, she tries to keep her distance. He wants to get even, but he doesn't do anything without thinking it through. By 2 AM she has kept him away for the evening and morning, but he feels like he's being taken and he begins to hatch a payback plan.

Agree ... within the scenario, he clarifies his intentions over late lunch the following day, August 2, she stands her ground that she is not interested in him and ... that's not a good place to be, perhaps not an option.

I also wondered if the other side of the Island would be where he would go ... lure her with a nice drive and then shove her over the cliff. There's no question that she would drift to the wide open ociean from that side of the Island.

I like point 18 or which ever where you have him driving back to the Baby Beach area in swim shorts and white runners ... bouncing onto the beach and asking to borrow a phone ... I'd really like to know how he looked when he borrowed the phone because at this time, it doesn't sound like he was running barefoot from the beach frantically calling for help.

DNA in the car means nothing ... they were potentially an item. Even if the overall story is that they were not a couple, it's still possible that they had sex in the car ... two consenting adults, aged 35 and 50, vacationing on the beach for four-six days ... can't be ruled out.

 

[HatesSociopaths]

The returning the cats is news to me - where did you find that?

This is all I can find:

At Forester's home, where she often stayed, she took care of two cats, Kobe and Toonsy, and relaxed by watching travel and food shows on TV, he said.

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/08/11/1929975/missing-md-woman-had-mild-side.html#ixzz1V5czG7wg

 

[HatesSociopaths]

<snip>
DNA in the car means nothing ... they were potentially an item. Even if the overall story is that they were not a couple, it's still possible that they had sex in the car ... two consenting adults, aged 35 and 50, vacationing on the beach for four-six days ... can't be ruled out.

If the DNA means nothing why did he refuse to give any? My speculation is that he has something to hide. His attorney calls RG "his female friend" and so I conclude his story is possibly that they were just friends. He may have even been asked if they had sex and he said no. I don't know but the fact he refused to give DNA is peculiar.

Lopez said last week that his client came to Aruba on vacation with a female friend he had met on a dating site and has known for years.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/08/14/aruba.missing.woman/

 

[otto]

Not sure why everyone here is being this way about this woman..like 'she probably thought she could lead him on and get things from him'. Talking about her 'playing games' with this guy. WTF?? Who cares if she did play games, or go on trips for 'profit' or cheat on her boyfriend. Who the heck are YOU to judge her life. You don't know her life. I can't understand the righteous posts going on here. I was taken on a trip to New York at age 23 by a 'rich guy' who promised nothing but a trip. His brother, secretary, and another friend came along. I can assure you he did not make me 'pay' for the trip. So you know what, ppl do give trips without expecting something in return. Stop with the judging of this woman. Even if she did cheat on her boyfriend...she deserves to be killed????

Given the fact at when he realized that she may have drowned, so he answered questions, packed his bags and tried to go home ... get on with business, it doesn't look like a loving relationship. If she was playing head games with him, it goes to motive. There's really no reason for him to murder her unless she was toying with him and he became angry ... and he is known for having a temper or becoming angry. Something like Robyn thinking she had a free trip for nothing could trigger someone like GVG to think that he was always being taken advantage of and wasn't going to put up with it anymore.

This was a trip where she said to him "get me outta here" and he did exactly that ... perhaps with some expectations. It's not unrealistic to think that this went south really fast after they landed ... but that doesn't negate the fact that there may have been expectations during the trip. Are there any happy pictures of Robyn with GVG in Aruba?

 

[otto]

The returning the cats is news to me - where did you find that?

This is all I can find:

He said that to one of the talking heads ... not going to look for it right now, but will keep my eyes open. I understood him to say that he returned her cat or cats and clothes to her mother.

 

[HatesSociopaths]

It would be interesting to know what kind of room they stayed in - did it have separate beds? I think there was only one bed.

 

[HatesSociopaths]

He said that to one of the talking heads ... not going to look for it right now, but will keep my eyes open. I understood him to say that he returned her cat or cats and clothes to her mother.

Is it possible he said that he returned them after she went missing?

 

[otto]

If the DNA means nothing why did he refuse to give any? My speculation is that he has something to hide. His attorney calls RG "his female friend" and so I conclude his story is possibly that they were just friends. He may have even been asked if they had sex and he said no. I don't know but the fact he refused to give DNA is peculiar.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/08/14/aruba.missing.woman/

If I were him, I wouldn't give any DNA if someone asked me. Why should he? A woman he traveled with drowned, he reported it, he answered questions and there's nothing he can do about it. His DNA will be around her and her things because they traveled together but it proves nothing one way or the other.

There's no body and they were traveling together after dating for a year. What more can DNA prove?

 

[HatesSociopaths]

If I were him, I wouldn't give any DNA if someone asked me. Why should he? A woman he traveled with drowned, he reported it, he answered questions and there's nothing he can do about it. His DNA will be around her and her things because they traveled together but it proves nothing one way or the other.

There's no body and they were traveling together after dating for a year. What more can DNA prove?

If it was me, I would cooperate 100% and not give any impression I had something to hide. I would submit to a lie detector, DNA, blood, urine, you name it to clear my *advertiser censored* and get back home.

 

[otto]

It would be interesting to know what kind of room they stayed in - did it have separate beds? I think there was only one bed.

I read upthread that it was "their" room. Sometimes there are two double beds pushed together to make one big bed, but they can be pulled apart. Often, the sheets are made as though it is one bed.

 

[otto]

If it was me, I would cooperate 100% and not give any impression I had something to hide. I would submit to a lie detector, DNA, blood, urine, you name it to clear my *advertiser censored* and get back home.

I don't know ... if I was casually traveling with someone but staying in the same room in the same bed, I would question what DNA would prove.

What would DNA prove in this case?

 

[HatesSociopaths]

I don't know ... if I was casually traveling with someone but staying in the same room in the same bed, I would question what DNA would prove.

What would DNA prove in this case?

I think it could possibly catch him in a lie - that they were platonic friends. MOO. And I think he raped her in the car before killing her.

 

[Money Girl]

I think it could possibly catch him in a lie - that they were platonic friends. MOO. And I think he raped her in the car before killing her.

I thought the other boyfriend, Forester, was the one who said GG and Robyn were "platonic" friends.

 

[Money Girl]

He said that to one of the talking heads ... not going to look for it right now, but will keep my eyes open. I understood him to say that he returned her cat or cats and clothes to her mother.

Forester did say he returned the cats/clothing.

 

[HatesSociopaths]

I thought the other boyfriend, Forester, was the one who said GG and Robyn were "platonic" friends.

Forester was told that by Robyn. I am speculating that GG told the Aruba police the same story, and now he is concerned about giving DNA which would show he was lying if they found DNA from sperm in the car (or room.) I am not sure this is the reason he refused to give a DNA sample, maybe he was angry and just dug his feet in with the police.

 

[~n/t~]

Not sure why everyone here is being this way about this woman..like 'she probably thought she could lead him on and get things from him'. Talking about her 'playing games' with this guy. WTF?? Who cares if she did play games, or go on trips for 'profit' or cheat on her boyfriend. Who the heck are YOU to judge her life. You don't know her life. I can't understand the righteous posts going on here. I was taken on a trip to New York at age 23 by a 'rich guy' who promised nothing but a trip. His brother, secretary, and another friend came along. I can assure you he did not make me 'pay' for the trip. So you know what, ppl do give trips without expecting something in return. Stop with the judging of this woman. Even if she did cheat on her boyfriend...she deserves to be killed????

If you play with fire you risk getting burnt. Unfortunately, I think that's what happened in this case. Nobody deserves to be murdered but when someone takes the risk of taking a trip and/or having a relationship with someone who she knew had a criminal record (according to her friend and room mate), then chances are it won't end well.

Personally, I don't see it as bashing the victim. I see it as an eye opener for all women especially single women who frequent dating sites or even meeting someone at a bar or club. Be very careful. That's the message I'm getting from this terrible and horrific tragedy.

We advise our young ones never to go with a stranger or we tell our teenagers to always bring a friend along, it shouldn't be any different regardless of age.

 

[belimom]

Just had a thought. I'm sure (or I hope?) that LE has asked GG to show him the snorkeling equipment. He probably said we rented it from so-and-so. Only when LE checks, the store doesn't have a record of them renting. There really would be no other way for this to happen b/c if you have your own snorkeling gear, you're not going to just throw it away and no longer possess it.

This isn't really that big of a deal but for some reason it was like a huge revelation to me after reading HatesSociopaths scenario --- that if he claims they were snorkeling, where is his snorkeling gear?

I do believe she is close to 180 degrees opposite of where he is saying they were.

All JMHO.

 

[NJGuy]

Someone posted that it was his first time in Aruba, which brings up several questions to e:

1. How did he know how to get to Baby Beach for snorkeling? If he asked someone near his hotel, they would simply tell them to go the beach near their hotel.
2. At almost all of these resorts, you can just rent gear directly from the hotel, they have everything on site to rent and show you how to do it.
3. I wonder what kind of car they rented? Reason being, if he in fact took her to the cliffs and natural bridge, gold ruins area and dumped, he would need a jeep or some all terrain vehicle. It's not easy to get back there without a 4x4 vehicle.
4. How would he know how to get to that spot, if he in fact went there? It is a difficult place to find, you must wind and weave your way through neighborhoods and back dirt roads. While signs are posted occasionally, a first timer to the island would struggle to find it.

 

[sunsetbeach]

Someone posted that it was his first time in Aruba, which brings up several questions to e:

1. How did he know how to get to Baby Beach for snorkeling? If he asked someone near his hotel, they would simply tell them to go the beach near their hotel.
2. At almost all of these resorts, you can just rent gear directly from the hotel, they have everything on site to rent and show you how to do it.
3. I wonder what kind of car they rented? Reason being, if he in fact took her to the cliffs and natural bridge, gold ruins area and dumped, he would need a jeep or some all terrain vehicle. It's not easy to get back there without a 4x4 vehicle.
4. How would he know how to get to that spot, if he in fact went there? It is a difficult place to find, you must wind and weave your way through neighborhoods and back dirt roads. While signs are posted occasionally, a first timer to the island would struggle to find it.

HS found this picture of GVG over the weekend ... where was it taken??
I don't know of any waters in the US that look like this. Is the water in the Keys this pale turquoise?

http://fubar.com/ggior/photo-3377664-0-1834397092

To me, this looks like the Caribbean Sea.