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

[PommyMommy]

Upthread I read it was a mile back to the camper from where she left Robert. That's not really such a short distance in the heat of the desert. I'd like to know whether Barbara could see the camper from where she "turned a corner".
I remember once in Joshua Tree we parked on the side of a road and walked a bit from it. The flat rocks landscape was really disorienting, the same in all directions. I can well imagine getting lost if we could no longer see the car.

I read that too but after hearing his interviews, I think it was less than a mile. MOO

 

[oviedo]

JMHO, I wouldn't rule out anyone going voluntarily missing. However, if I ever go voluntarily missing, it will be in Hawaii, not in the Mojave desert in July. Barb may have been a bigger fan of 100+ degree heat than I am. I want to know: if she is there, why haven't they found her? Where did her cell phone ping last? Did she have it with her? Did anyone else actually see her there?

We only have husband's word that she was there, was wearing a bikini and hiking boots, had a beer and walked ahead while he stopped to take a picture and that she wasn't carrying her cell phone. No other witnesses so far have said they saw her, their RV, etc. No idea if her cell is in the RV or left at home. No idea if they have a warrant to check her records either. That is about it IMO. We know nothing. except she is gone according to him. JMO

 

[wary]

You know I've thought of that. Somewhere in time I followed a case where they did do that. Lied to the man taking the test and told him he failed when he passed.
Sorry I don't have a link.

Also, lie detector tests don’t test for lies—they test for physical reactions related to stress. An innocent person may well feel more stress than a sociopathic guilty person.

MOO

(I remember a time when I was part of a large group of employees, not singled-out in any way. They lectured us about workplace crime, and even though I had never done what they were talking about, I began to blush—a hot vivid embarrassing blush. I bet I’d have flunked a lie detector test.)

 

[MassGuy]

Great info.

And what this info does is exponentially increase my suspicions of the husband.

RT does not at all strike me as the type of guy who would possess a vast fund of knowledge about the reliability of polygraphs and/or how lack of sleep potentially affects their results.

The fact that he was able to glibly supply his purported sleeplessness as the ostensible reason for him having shown deception on his own poly is actually quite concerning to me.

To me, it looks like somebody's done his research in order to explain the results.

JMO.

Haaaaa. Exactly.

“Google, what are excuses for failing a polygraph?”

Very concerning.

 

[NervousNellie]

IMO, he expected her to be outside the RV because they are outdoorsy people, who like to be outdoors. I agree with @PaulR in that it's a lot nicer outside in the shade than it is inside a tin can. Even if they had A/C with unlimited generator/gas/whatever, their preference is to be outside.

 

[PaulR]

Great info.

And what this info does is exponentially increase my suspicions of the husband.

RT does not at all strike me as the type of guy who would possess a vast fund of knowledge about the reliability of polygraphs and/or how lack of sleep potentially affects their results.

The fact that he was able to glibly supply his purported sleeplessness as the ostensible reason for him having shown deception on his own poly is actually quite concerning to me.

To me, it looks like somebody's done his research in order to explain the results.

JMO.

Understand where you are coming from, but people intuitively understand that when they don't sleep, they don't function as well in general. You aren't as productive at work, you may be grumpy, you're definitely more likely to be in a traffic accident while driving. You don't need to know anything about science to know lack of sleep causes all sorts of problems.

My impression is that he was speculating, based on the average person knows - lack of sleep means a lousy day.

For what it's worth, I didn't find any study linking lack of sleep to poor polygraph performance. I just happened to know what cortisol is and what the effects are in general.

Haaaaa. Exactly.

“Google, what are excuses for failing a polygraph?”

Very concerning.

Google doesn't say this at all.

Here are the top results:
Why You Failed the Lie-Detector Test
https://news.clearancejobs.com/2014/03/16/fail-polygraph-examination-guilt-grabber/
https://www.quora.com/Besides-lying-what-are-the-reasons-someone-would-fail-a-polygraph-test
I Failed a Polygraph. Why?

None mention sleep. At all.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

Under the scenario some posts are wondering about where BT arranged her disappearance (voluntarily went missing), how would she have accomplished that without her cell phone, water, food, supplies in 90 degree desert wilderness on a deserted road with no vehicle, miles from civilization? Just seems like a real stretch to me under these circumstances. IMO.

 

[Knox]

BBM:

I had no idea you played Little League baseball as a kid, El!

But, yes, that's a perfect analogy.

It's like we're playing a night game, and the lights are out in the stadium.

Or something.

Loving the masculine exchanges, it brings a bit of humor to an otherwise grave discussion, thank you

Hoping we get some new information from LE today. I think the silence from LE and the remote location is playing a part, moo.

 

[slowpoke]

We know they were hiking to the east of Kelbaker Road but we don't know where the camper was parked. AFAIK. MOO

Thank you, PommyMommy! I guess that was kind of a dumb question, since looking back, that info was in the earliest reports.

So, we are thinking the rv must have been parked near the Hidden Hill Road and Kelbaker Road intersection, based on current google traffic reports (due to the SAR), correct?

Doesn’t it seem that there’s more notable rock formations on the western side of Kelbaker than the east side, where they are reported to have been hiking?

 

[Didi777]

I remember it as well. Which means if she did make it back and he found the key under the rock then she had to have been taken before she entered the RV and could give credence to her interrupting someone looking at their truck/camper. What if she surprised someone and they incapacitated her and took her away. Makes me wonder how far behind her he really was for him to not see or hear another car. On another note, he said he went back and checked some caves they knew about. Did anyone go back there and check again? Are there lava tubes along the way? MOO.

These are the two scenarios I'm thinking:

That she fell down a hole in a rocky crevice or cave while exploring it or going to the restroom, but not likely as the dogs would've found her by now.

Or, she might have accepted a ride from someone nearby, for whatever reason, ( perhaps with a lure to have a cold drink with, just down the road), who seemed okay, but really wasn't.

These both hinge on exactly how long she and her husband were really out of sight of each other. Maybe longer than we think?

 

[GordianKnot]

Haaaaa. Exactly.

“Google, what are excuses for failing a polygraph?”

Very concerning.

Haaaaa.

"Hey, Siri: I just flunked my poly. Can you give me one good reason why?"

Siri: "Uh, DUH...because you lied, maybe?"

 

[zecats]

FWIW currently there are three sections of traffic delays on that stretch of Kelbaker Rd. One at Hidden Hills Rd, one at Granite Pass and one at the curve in the road.

Either there's a lot more traffic in this area than was assumed, or the investigation is still going on in that area....Or...volunteers or curiosity seekers are passing through.

 

[wary]

These are the two scenarios I'm thinking:

That she fell down a hole in a rocky crevice or cave while exploring it or going to the restroom, but not likely as the dogs would've found her by now.

Or, she might have accepted a ride from someone nearby, for whatever reason, ( perhaps with a lure to have a cold drink with just ,downt road?), who seemed okay, but really wasn't.

These both hinge on exactly how long she and her husband were really out of sight of each other. Maybe longer than we think?

Well, there’s plenty of cases where dogs “should’ve” found someone and didn’t. Isn’t hot dry weather one of the common explanations for their not finding someone?

 

[GordianKnot]

Loving the masculine exchanges, it brings a bit of humor to an otherwise grave discussion, thank you

Hoping we get some new information from LE today. I think the silence from LE and the remote location is playing a part, moo.

Well, I gotta' be honest here: IANAG ( I Am Not A Guy).

But regardless, thank you for the compliment!

 

[PaulR]

Well, there’s plenty of cases where dogs “should’ve” found someone and didn’t. Isn’t hot dry weather one of the common explanations for their not finding someone?

Did the dogs brought out to the trail where Paul Miller was last seen find anything?

 

[PommyMommy]

JUL 19, 2019
Video: Husband of missing 69-year-old hiker says police consider him a suspect

• SBCSO says they are not releasing any information about the missing person investigation and interviews with family members.
• Authorities also say they have no evidence the woman was abducted nor have they found any trace of her.
• Rescuers resumed the search at daybreak using off-road vehicles, K9 units, hikers, and aerial support.
• Authorities are unaware of how long RT and BT were separated before she disappeared nor do they know how far she was from the RV at the time.
• Officials also say that they are unaware of any medical conditions that may have caused BT to become disoriented or lost.

 

[zecats]

Haaaaa.

"Hey, Siri: I just flunked my poly. Can you give me one good reason why?"

Siri: "Uh...maybe because you lied?"

That Siri is such a know-it-all. Alexa and Google too.

 

[Kapua]

Either there's a lot more traffic in this area than was assumed, or the investigation is still going on in that area....Or...volunteers or curiosity seekers are passing through.

There were a BUNCH of people flocking to take pictures of the wildflowers (particularly California poppies) in that neck of the woods a while back.

My friend, a photographer, went to capture some photos. ETA link:

I'm a lot farther north and west, and don't know if there's any bloom left, but if so, it might explain the heavier than usual traffic. Also it's Friday. Traffic everywhere is heavier. MOO

 

[lonetraveler]

Right!

I'd looked it up the day of the IE interview with him standing beside it! Thanks for the backup!

I was trying to be polite. I've definitely made goofs in the past!

Just to add that the Keystone Cougar is also a fifth wheel RV. I had a Keystone Sprinter a few years ago.

 

[oviedo]

Video: Husband of missing 69-year-old hiker says police consider him a suspect

• SBCSO says they are not releasing any information about the missing person investigation and interviews with family members.
• Authorities also say they have no evidence the woman was abducted nor have they found any trace of her.
• Rescuers resumed the search at daybreak using off-road vehicles, K9 units, hikers, and aerial support.
• Authorities are unaware of how long RT and BT were separated before she disappeared nor do they know how far she was from the RV at the time.
• Officials also say that they are unaware of any medical conditions that may have caused BT to become disoriented or lost.

well this answers several questions we have had. Thanks