CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, Bullhead City, hiking wearing bikini in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019

[GordianKnot]

Search continues for missing Bullhead City woman

SABBM:

The sheriff’s department said that search efforts have included the use of a helicopter, search dogs and personnel on foot and on all-terrain vehicles.

Thomas reportedly did not have a cell phone with her nor did she have any supplies, such as water. Daytime temperatures in the area have exceeded 100 degrees each of the last four days.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Search continues for missing Bullhead City woman

SABBM:

The sheriff’s department said that search efforts have included the use of a helicopter, search dogs and personnel on foot and on all-terrain vehicles.

Thomas reportedly did not have a cell phone with her nor did she have any supplies, such as water. Daytime temperatures in the area have exceeded 100 degrees each of the last four days.

This certainly sounds suspicious, doesn't it...

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Rosegold68]

I’m thinking she was never even there

When was she last seen?

 

[j_in_c]

[

The husband's oddly specific statement that he thinks BT was picked up and taken to the Vegas area is perplexing.

Is there some reason Vegas is being baked into his stated theory?

It looks like Vegas is a couple of hours away from where she went missing, is that about right?
JMO.

In fairness, Las Vegas is the nearest "destination". The time I drove thru the Mojave was returning to SoCal from Vegas and the i-15 traffic was brutal so we took the "scenic" route home.

It also sounds like he was hoping someone would drop her back off . Sadly, as most of us on here know, if you are abducted, the odds that you haven't also been killed are very low.

Still hoping she's beating the odds no matter where she is.

 

[modesty blaise]

i was hiking one summer in death valley, left my truck on the hwy and headed out.
I was weaving through the scrub, thinking, sight seeing when luckily I happened to be looking forward. A mine shaft blocked by brush appeared right in front of me, it went straight down like a well. I thanked whatever power there is to let me see it in time. I mention this story because if I had fallen in i don't think I would have been found, even with my truck relatively nearby.

I think this is the most likely scenario.....for now.

 

[PommyMommy]

Sorry if I missed this but what road was the trailer by? What road would she have crossed? They were 20 miles from I-40 so not I-40 right? If he thinks Las Vegas was it I-15 or US 95?

I’m thinking she was never even there

When was she last seen?

Unfortunately, we don't know...

• Where the camper was parked
• What highway BT would have crossed
• If BT crossed the highway
• Where RT stopped to take the picture
• Where BT "rounded the bend"
• What time she was last seen

I would like to know the precise route of their hike, walk, or whatever it was. Did they make it to the Hidden Hill mine? Has that been searched? MOO

 

[GordianKnot]

Has a Silver Alert been issued for BT?

If not, why not?

It sure looks to me like this meets the criteria:

Silver Alert

 

[mrstfs]

Is there any official missing person Facebook page for her that we’re allowed to reference here?

 

[PommyMommy]

I’m thinking she was never even there

When was she last seen?

According to her husband, while he was taking a photo, he last saw her "rounding a bend." We don't know where, exactly.

I don't know if it has been explicitly stated that this photo was taken on the day she disappeared or not, but it was reported that she was last seen wearing a black bikini, red baseball cap, brown hiking boots, and black socks. It appears that this photo was taken in the desert.

 

[PommyMommy]

Has a Silver Alert been issued for BT?

If not, why not?

It sure looks to me like this meets the criteria:

Silver Alert

My guess is that they didn't/don't consider her disappearance suspicious and/or distributing a missing alert to the public wouldn't assist in her recovery. MOO

 

[GordianKnot]

My guess is that they didn't/don't consider her disappearance suspicious and/or distributing a missing alert to the public wouldn't assist in her recovery. MOO

BBM:

I'm definitely not on the same page as LE if the reasoning behind them not issuing a Silver Alert here is that they don't consider her disappearance suspicious.

I absolutely do consider her disappearance suspicious.

The second possible reason you suggested makes more sense to me.

Unfortunately, I can see how LE might conclude that an alert wouldn't assist in her recovery.

I'm thinking that's most likely the reason why they haven't issued one.

 

[happyday]

Ugh. I’ve been following and I am not sure what to think. My first thought is that this is suspicious, but the husband seems genuinely distraught and weird things do happen. With the little we know I think she either fell into a mine shaft and is hidden, she was abducted on the road or she was never there. Not in that order though! I have no idea. I do think while an abduction is possible, it would have to have happened SUPER fast since he was right behind her. Just seems unlikely...
I do NOT think she took off on her own. In a bikini in the desert with nothing but a beer? Nope. No way. MOO

 

[Curiousobserver]

Unfortunately, we don't know...

• Where the camper was parked
• What highway BT would have crossed
• If BT crossed the highway
• Where RT stopped to take the picture
• Where BT "rounded the bend"
• What time she was last seen

I would like to know the precise route of their hike, walk, or whatever it was. Did they make it to the Hidden Hill mine? Has that been searched? MOO

That comment about rounding the bend makes me think they were walking on the far side of the road from Hidden Hills. That looks like the only spot where there is a corner to go around, a highway, and where you could be close to the camper. Somewhere near here:

 

[happyday]

I get that Las Vegas is the closest destination, but it’s so odd to me that the husband said he thinks she was abducted and maybe taken to Las Vegas. WHY? There’s either a reason he would suspect this or it’s just flat out strange. It doesn’t sound right to me even if he’s using the logic that she’s not HERE so she must be somewhere else. Why Las Vegas? If my loved one disappeared from here right now I don’t think I’d automatically assume they were abducted and taken to San Antonio just because it’s the closest city. It’s odd to me.

 

[PommyMommy]

BBM:

I'm definitely not on the same page as LE if the reasoning behind them not issuing a Silver Alert here is that they don't consider her disappearance suspicious. I absolutely do consider her disappearance suspicious.

The second possible reason makes more sense to me.
Unfortunately, I can see how LE might conclude that an alert wouldn't assist in her recovery.

I'm thinking that's most likely the reason why they haven't issued one.

Yep, and I wish they would have issued one. We don't know who else may have been out there and possibly seen her - whether in the desert, along the road, near the camper, etc. I'm for issuing ALL THE ALERTS every time! MOO

 

[Razz]

According to her husband, while he was taking a photo, he last saw her "rounding a bend." We don't know where, exactly.

I don't know if it has been explicitly stated that this photo was taken on the day she disappeared or not, but it was reported that she was last seen wearing a black bikini, red baseball cap, brown hiking boots, and black socks. It appears that this photo was taken in the desert.

I agree. If they have determined that the above picture was taken on the day she disappeared, that certainly defines the timeline. And if not....and this was a picture at another place and time, it makes me uneasy.

Can't recall if the dogs picked up a scent? If not, well........

 

[MimosaMornings]

Perhaps Barb was distracted, thinking about her brother’s health, her upcoming flight to HK, hot, thirsty, etc - lost her way back to the camper? Went towards the highway instead? I’m just trying to envision different scenarios.
Have posters been put up at the info centers in the area? Any truck stops nearby?

 

[PommyMommy]

That comment about rounding the bend makes me think they were walking on the far side of the road from Hidden Hills. That looks like the only spot where there is a corner to go around, a highway, and where you could be close to the camper. Somewhere near here: View attachment 193777

I'm looking further north on the other side of the road (closer to Hidden Hills Rd) but there's really no telling. I was surprised to learn that you can take yellow man down on Kelbaker Rd.

Jeepers, creepers, they must really love the desert. If so, I understand but personally, I can't imagine hiking anywhere out there in that kind of heat. MOO

 

[K9Enzo]

At this point, based on the information released, I also believe she got turned around. It really is easy to do sometimes, even in familiar locations. People also get separated while outdoors, common is one person is going to take a breather and catch up, now they're lost and both looking for each other and getting further and further away.

I tend to, with adults, put abduction theories on the backburner. Not always, but often.

Although I did think what if she did make it to the road, was still lost and was offered a ride or asked for one back to her starting point. That concerns me a little.

Again, at this point, I believe she got lost. When people are lost, they often panic (understandable) and exert a lot of energy moving and trying to find where they think they should be. This of course can be very dangerous, especially if you consider the environment and what they have on them or better yet, don't have.

 

[fridaybaker]

Wondering how likely people here think it is for a 70-ish old woman to be abducted (by a stranger). What is the purpose? It sounds like the entire area is fairly unpopulated, and that an attack at the location would be more likely, if an attack would be the purpose. Kidnapping, at least without a ransom?

I'm tending to think more along the lines of the poster a while back who mentioned mine shafts. Something like could easily happen.

And: It's a little frustrating that there has been no update -did the dogs find ANY scent of her? Have they found that beer can/bottle, etc.

 

[kkdj]

dbm