ARUBA - Robyn Gardner, 35, Maryland woman missing in Aruba, 2 Aug 2011 - # 6

[deoneta]

I haven't been following this case closely, but I did catch the GMA appearance with JB. To me GG came across as arrogant and uncaring. Lambchop's point in her above post about swimming in supposedly rough waters and miraculously ending up just where he started is a valid point, imo. So she was swept away in rough seas or else grabbed by underwater coked out human traffickers while being coincidentally covered for a million and a half? Talk about covering your bases. All about as believable as his rug. All MOO

 

[katydid23]

Giordano said he believed Gardner's disappearance may have had something to do with what he called Aruba's two biggest illegal income sources: cocaine and human trafficking.

"It's a half-hour boat ride to Venezuela, and it turns out that where we were, the beach, that's where they drop off illegals to swim to shore," Giordano said.



This statement sends cold chills up my spine. This is what Robyn's b/f has been investigating and some others. To see this statement made by GG himself ... it doesn't make sense for him to be saying this at this time unless he has some kind of knowledge about it of some sort.

Wow.

Ummm if someone was waiting on the shore to steal her he would have seen it. He is not making sense!

I think I know why he is suddenly bringing up cocaine dealers and human traffickers----Jose Baez is on board now. The Human trafficker story is equivalent to " my father is molesting me. " imoo

 

[JeannaT]

thank you for your explanation and it does make sense, BUT GG is not a stupid guy and why was he searching hi and low for someone to go on this trip with him? That alone sounds fishy! Who wants to go on vacation with a stranger? Robyn finally relented to go after being begged. GG probably already knew about the insurance glitch and it's working in his favor already. Where is Robyn? Why hasn't her body washed to shore. I'm sorry, but I think this guy is quilty as sin. He was having money problems and figured he could get out of debt in one quick and enjoying vacation. He is sick in the head. Who wears a "deer mask" and looks through peoples windows. Ughh

It does sound fishy to search high and low for someone to take with him, and to settle on someone who was just a sort of distant friend. On again off again dating type relationship.

But I do think single men do that. They want to go on vacation, and they want a pretty woman with them, so they just ask all their friends who are pretty women if they want a free paradise vacation.

I see your concerns, but for me, so many of the OBVIOUS red flags in this case were cleared up for me today, and I'm led to believe that Aruba LE has purposely misled the public about this case.

It certainly seems they have it out for Americans there. First with the way they treated the Holloway family with utter disdain, and now they've tossed this guy's butt in jail for 4 months with much less to go on than it appeared they were saying they had on him.

If I was disinclined to visit Aruba after Natalee's disappearance, I'm absolutely sure I won't go there now. One of your traveling party goes missing and you just pray you get out of there alive.

 

[BiancaS]

The insurance thing was what made me so convinced early on that he was guilty. BUT.

Did you listen to his explanation? I thought it was really interesting, and certainly verifiable by LE if they want to check it.

Basically, what he said was he took out "trip insurance" for both of them, meaning, as you say, he could get his money back if they cancelled the trip. Then, he went on to add additional insurance for himself in case something happened to him, his boys would be taken care of. Makes sense so far.

He went on to say that you can't "uncheck" the box for both of them. Whatever insurance one has, the other has also. So while it wasn't his intent to insure her, he says, he had to in order to insure himself. Both or nothing.

If that's truly the case, it makes absolute sense to me, and thoroughly explains why he had insurance on her.

I suspect that is a lie, but obviously one that is easily verified. I think the insurance company investigators will probably contribute the most to the case, otherwise they will have to pay out the death benefit!!

This is disturbing on so many levels, just seeing Jose Baez involved makes me nauseous. Watching the GMA interview, my first thought was that GG should be kept in jail for that bad toupee, never mind anything else.

I pray that he will not get away with this, enough of that going on lately.

 

[JeannaT]

I think I know why he is suddenly bringing up cocaine dealers and human traffickers----Jose Baez is on board now. The Human trafficker story is equivalent to " my father is molesting me. " imoo

Well right, but I was interested in his statistics. Is it really true that Aruba's economy is not run mostly off tourism, but rather, drugs and human trafficking?

I'd be really interested to know the numbers there.

 

[Dushi]

WOW. That interview was incredible. I have done a 180 degree turn around - I found his answers completely believable, his explanations sound, and his mannerisms sincere.

He needs to lose the rug, though. Man.

I would love to hear all of your thoughts on this interview
I really want to hear more

 

[katydid23]

It does sound fishy to search high and low for someone to take with him, and to settle on someone who was just a sort of distant friend. On again off again dating type relationship.

But I do think single men do that. They want to go on vacation, and they want a pretty woman with them, so they just ask all their friends who are pretty women if they want a free paradise vacation.

I see your concerns, but for me, so many of the OBVIOUS red flags in this case were cleared up for me today, and I'm led to believe that Aruba LE has purposely misled the public about this case.

It certainly seems they have it out for Americans there. First with the way they treated the Holloway family with utter disdain, and now they've tossed this guy's butt in jail for 4 months with much less to go on than it appeared they were saying they had on him.

If I was disinclined to visit Aruba after Natalee's disappearance, I'm absolutely sure I won't go there now. One of your traveling party goes missing and you just pray you get out of there alive.

She had a 1200 dollar weave in her hair. Shy would she go snorkeling? her friends say she would never do that, ever. And she was seen by the waiters as being high and/or pretty drunk right before they supposedly went snorkeling. Does that make sense?

 

[katydid23]

Well right, but I was interested in his statistics. Is it really true that Aruba's economy is not run mostly off tourism, but rather, drugs and human trafficking?

I'd be really interested to know the numbers there.

But what difference does it make? GG has already sworn that she went missing while snorkeling. he cannot have it both ways. The cocaine cartel did not kidnap her from underwater in the heavy current. She either drowned while snorkeling or she didn't. But since he has sworn on a stack of bibles that she did, then it is strange that he is suddenly throwing out the other senario/

 

[JeannaT]

She had a 1200 dollar weave in her hair. Shy would she go snorkeling? her friends say she would never do that, ever. And she was seen by the waiters as being high and/or pretty drunk right before they supposedly went snorkeling. Does that make sense?

I think people behave differently on vacation than they do in their ordinary life. She obviously has to wash her hair, so it's not like she can't get it wet.

And yes, it does make sense to me that she was drunk or high before going snorkeling. Since her friends seem to think she's way too cautious to go snorkeling, being drunk or high adds to the credibility that she in fact did that.

For your other question, it appears he doesn't know what happened to her, so she could have come ashore and been kidnapped, could have drowned, almost anything.

Sorry, after today I just believe him.

I'm interested in where the information came from about the 12 hundred dollar hair weave. I've looked on the net, and it's consistent that hair weaves are between 150-300 bucks, lasting about 2 months. Who in the world would pay 12 hundred bucks for something that lasted 2 months, when the going market rate is < $300?

 

[JeannaT]

I would love to hear all of your thoughts on this interview
I really want to hear more

What a sweet thing to say, but I feel like I've totally monopolized the conversation here today. ;D I don't think I have any more thoughts on the interview than I've already expressed.

I've just done a complete about face on this case today. Thanksgiving weekend I was in a hotel visiting extended family, and in the breakfast room of the hotel CNN was playing news bits that GG was about to be released. So I said to my son, that's an OUTRAGE that this murdering scum is about to be released with no charges whatsoever, (I was kind of being obnoxiously loud actually haha) and other hotel patrons shot me looks like Um hm what a shame.

What a revelation that interview was. I know people felt he was arrogant and cold, but I guess I like arrogant businessmen. I like people who say it like it is, with total confidence and don't allow the media to twist the story. I like powerful people who speak forcefully. I really liked Gary Christian, Channon Christian's dad for the same personality traits. He's in charge.

IMHO, this case is NOT what Aruban authorities and the media tried to make it appear to be. The way this case was reported was not reality, at all. IMHO.

 

[Sapphire]

The insurance thing was what made me so convinced early on that he was guilty. BUT.

Did you listen to his explanation? I thought it was really interesting, and certainly verifiable by LE if they want to check it.

Basically, what he said was he took out "trip insurance" for both of them, meaning, as you say, he could get his money back if they cancelled the trip. Then, he went on to add additional insurance for himself in case something happened to him, his boys would be taken care of. Makes sense so far.

He went on to say that you can't "uncheck" the box for both of them. Whatever insurance one has, the other has also. So while it wasn't his intent to insure her, he says, he had to in order to insure himself. Both or nothing.

If that's truly the case, it makes absolute sense to me, and thoroughly explains why he had insurance on her.

And that was my biggest sticking point. He was drinking enough to maybe perceive approaching dark clouds were a storm, whatever, and she could have drowned without any kind of water turbulence. The way people drown in a swimming pool. It seems very clear she wasn't an experienced swimmer because her friends all say she would never have put her head in the water, so it appears she never swam. But I believe someone who "never swims" might be so moved by the beauty of that place, and the thrill of a vacation, to do something they didn't usually do.

I do wish the reporter had asked the question of where did her snorkeling gear come from. That's the final question I have.

Regarding the insurance policy, Giordano said he took additional insurance to make sure his boys would be taken care of in the event something happened to him. If that was the case, were his sons the beneficiaries on this policy? I don't recall they were.

 

[Micheline]

How rediculous to mention human trafficking when you have been telling LE for four months that she disappeared under the water in your presense

Its highly unlikely that she disappeared while snorkelling and was snatched up by human traffickers

Which is it gary???

JMO

-respectfully snipped by me-

Dushi imo he did not suggest Robyn's disappearance was due to human trafficking.
Giordano was obviously very upset both with Aruban law enforcement aswell as with the media, and if he did not harm Robyn, then him feeling that way is understandable. He spent 4 months in jail and his life has been ruined.

At the end of the interview he lashes out at Aruba, but imo not to suggest cocaine or human trafficking caused Robyn to disappear, he clearly said she disappeared on his watch. He was being fed up, look at the way he talked to the host, his anger was clear.

I did find his explanation about the insurance very reasonable.IMO

 

[JeannaT]

Regarding the insurance policy, Giordano said he took additional insurance to make sure his boys would be taken care of in the event something happened to him. If that was the case, were his sons the beneficiaries on this policy? I don't recall they were.

Who do you recall was the beneficiary? I don't remember hearing anything about his insurance.

 

[katydid23]

I think people behave differently on vacation than they do in their ordinary life. She obviously has to wash her hair, so it's not like she can't get it wet.

And yes, it does make sense to me that she was drunk or high before going snorkeling. Since her friends seem to think she's way too cautious to go snorkeling, being drunk or high adds to the credibility that she in fact did that.

For your other question, it appears he doesn't know what happened to her, so she could have come ashore and been kidnapped, could have drowned, almost anything.

Sorry, after today I just believe him.

I'm interested in where the information came from about the 12 hundred dollar hair weave. I've looked on the net, and it's consistent that hair weaves are between 150-300 bucks, lasting about 2 months. Who in the world would pay 12 hundred bucks for something that lasted 2 months?

My daughter pays about 1000 to 1300 for her extensions. They last for 6 months and look real. She is an actress and a model so she needs top quality extensions but she can write it off on her taxes. I have never seen a quality weave go for 150 or 300 dollars.

eta: you CAN get your hi quality extensions wet in the shower with a good shampoo. But you are not supposed to expose it to much chlorine like in a hotel pool or to sea water. that ruins it pretty quickly. I remember her friend saying that she got it done right before the trip because GG told her she was going to have some modeling pix taken while on the trip. I will try and find the links.

 

[katydid23]

The latest People magazine quotes Gardner's roommate, a hairdresser who put in the hair extensions that she said Gardner was careful about getting wet, as saying the 35-year-old is not one to snorkel as Giordano says she did.


"Women that spend $1,000 (per treatment) on hair extensions don't go in the ocean, because it destroys them," roommate Christina Jones told the magazine.

"I've been on vacation with her. She wouldn't go in water above the waist because she didn't want to mess up her hair," boyfriend Richard Forester told People. Gardner told him she was on a family trip to Florida after being laid off in a dental office, according to multiple reports.

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinat...obyn-gardner-on-aruba-comes-up-empty/416348/1

 

[katydid23]

Gary Giordano, the only suspect in the disappearance of Robyn Gardner in Aruba, tried to redeem an insurance policy on Gardner that could be worth up to $1.5 million, according to a report.

Giordano moved to collect on the policy, which named him as beneficiary, within two days of reporting Gardner missing, the Associated Press reported.

http://abcnews.go.com/International...urance-policy-robyn-gardner/story?id=14331550

 

[JeannaT]

Gary Giordano, the only suspect in the disappearance of Robyn Gardner in Aruba, tried to redeem an insurance policy on Gardner that could be worth up to $1.5 million, according to a report.

Giordano moved to collect on the policy, which named him as beneficiary, within two days of reporting Gardner missing, the Associated Press reported.

http://abcnews.go.com/International...urance-policy-robyn-gardner/story?id=14331550

He says - and this may be provable - that a Holland Tourist Brochure AND his attorney from Aruba told him to immediately contact his insurance because he may be liable for the search effort.

So yes. He did contact them. On the advice of the Aruban tourist brochure and his lawyer.

What had at first seemed sinister, now seems like typical procedure.

 

[vlpate]

Gary Giordano, the only suspect in the disappearance of Robyn Gardner in Aruba, tried to redeem an insurance policy on Gardner that could be worth up to $1.5 million, according to a report.

Giordano moved to collect on the policy, which named him as beneficiary, within two days of reporting Gardner missing, the Associated Press reported.

http://abcnews.go.com/International...urance-policy-robyn-gardner/story?id=14331550

No doubt JB is all over that policy. A real live paying customer!

 

[LambChop]

It does sound fishy to search high and low for someone to take with him, and to settle on someone who was just a sort of distant friend. On again off again dating type relationship.

But I do think single men do that. They want to go on vacation, and they want a pretty woman with them, so they just ask all their friends who are pretty women if they want a free paradise vacation.

I see your concerns, but for me, so many of the OBVIOUS red flags in this case were cleared up for me today, and I'm led to believe that Aruba LE has purposely misled the public about this case.

It certainly seems they have it out for Americans there. First with the way they treated the Holloway family with utter disdain, and now they've tossed this guy's butt in jail for 4 months with much less to go on than it appeared they were saying they had on him.

If I was disinclined to visit Aruba after Natalee's disappearance, I'm absolutely sure I won't go there now. One of your traveling party goes missing and you just pray you get out of there alive.

You are trying to compare Aruba's justice system with ours. They require more definite proof a crime has been committed than we do in the US. LE is not hiding anything they are not permitted to release information to the media in the middle of an investigation. It's how it works....even in this country it is suppose to work that way although the media often manages to get ahold of information they probably should not have in the US. Aruba has very strict laws about releasing info. Nothing shady about it.

With NH they had no concrete evidence again Joran and the other two men would not talk. Without the evidence they could not go any further and I don't think they were disrespectful to NH's family they just could not release much of their investigative information. That case is not closed.

You are blaming Aruba for an American being responsible for the death of another American in their country. Why would that stop you from going there? It has nothing to do with Aruba and I bet they are all breathing a sigh of relief now that JB and GG are gone from the island so they can get back to normal.

Tourism is Aruba's number one income maker. It use to be 90% of their income came from tourists. Those numbers may have changed a little but not much. All Arubans have jobs (no unemployment) and they also bring in workers from other SA countries to work in their tourist industry.

GG's statement was incorrect and it is easily proven. About the insurance, it did sound reasonable but I would wait to hear what the insurance company has to say about it before passing any judgment on that one. His children were not beneficiaries on his policy, his mother was. He made himself beneficiary on her policy when he could have easily put down her mother's name. I mean, afterall, why should his children benefit from RG's death should something happen to her. That made no sense and does not go along with his story.

But Aruba is safe as long as you lock up your money and cards before leaving your room....same as any other vacation resort. jmo

 

[katydid23]

He says - and this may be provable - that a Holland Tourist Brochure AND his attorney from Aruba told him to immediately contact his insurance because he may be liable for the search effort.

So yes. He did contact them. On the advice of the Aruban tourist brochure and his lawyer.

What had at first seemed sinister, now seems like typical procedure.

But WHY is he the beneficiary. I thought he said the only reason he took out the policy was for his son's security/