I have been visiting this site for years because it seems to be the quickest way to get updates but I never have anything to add so .... don't. But I can't hold back any longer!
There are A LOT of people that get really stuck on the idea that "I would never do that" and so everything/one seems to be more suspicious or nefarious. I cannot count the times I've looked at how a person went missing and have done the EXACT same thing they were doing when they disappeared. I felt it was time to speak up on this case because nothing (to me) sounds as weird as ppl are making it out to be.
If you love the desert, as do I and apparently this couple, none of their actions are odd. I have done everything they have done countless times, even being someone who is usually "ms. safety." My husband and I love driving around the desert (in the summer) and stopping random places to get out and wander around ("hike") to take pictures or look at something cool we saw from the road, with no supplies, in whatever clothing we're wearing (many times a swimsuit), and especially with a cold beer in hand (you're on vacation). If you don't think ppl are going to be hanging on every detail of your activities and you don't have children or pets with you, it's surprising how "chill" you get about basic safety like keys/lots of water/sun cover/etc. And yeah, it's uncommon to be snatched without noise or some signs of struggle, but people suck and sometimes you cross paths with those sucky people. I might not pack water (or even a cell phone if there is limited service and I'm not going far) but I usually always carry pepper spray or a knife because I am often reminded of how bad some people are. I could totally see someone checking out their truck or trailer (because it'd be obvious nobody was around if it was that hot and nothing was running) and she wasn't paying attention when walking back to the truck. Him bringing up what she was wearing over and over when being interviewed? Because he probably knows that men can be nasty and I'm sure he's had to deal with her getting unwanted attention for a long time. And him covering his mouth? He looked like he just had dry mouth... maybe he took something to help calm his nerves. It happens.
As for the husband not calling her family? I totally understand why - given the limited info I have. If my best friend or husband or whoever went missing while we were out in the middle of nowhere, I'd freak out. I would call the police and probably call my family to cry and vent and scream, but I would have a REALLY hard time calling their family until I knew something was wrong for sure. Once you make that call to someone that their mother is missing, or their child disappeared, or whatever.... their life is CHANGED. It would be a difficult call to make if he thought she'd be found quickly, and probably wanted to wait until he was sure she wasn't anywhere near that area. By the time he was sure she wasn't there, he probably wasn't able to call. Regardless of the relationship he has with her son, he knows her son would turn his life upside down to help find his mom. It might look like denial, but hindsight is always 20/20 and people never want to consider that the worst-case scenario is their reality when things happen to those they love.
Anyways - long rant and this situation could end up a million different ways, but a lot of these ppl aren't doing anything wrong, even if it isn't something you guys would normally do.
