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

[GordianKnot]

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.

BBM:

This update gives lie to the old saying, "No News is Good News."

In this instance, "No News is Bad News."

• SBCSO continuing to remain tight-lipped.
• No evidence that BT was abducted.
• Not a single trace of BT having been found .
• LE is "unaware" of how long RT and BT were separated before she disappeared.
• LE "doesn't know" how far BT was from the RV at the time they became separated.

One logical explanation for the first 3 bullet points would be that BT was never at that location.

Unless RT has significant memory issues, there is NO logical explanation for the last 2 bolded bullet points.

Those are totally inexplicable.
Totally.

JMO.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

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.

Thank you for this update!

The fourth bullet (BBM) says it all to me in terms of: LE can not assume and act on RT's version of what happened (that they were only separated for a few minutes close to where their camper was parked, early afternoon, which, as an aside, IMO, is the worst time of day to go for a hike in the desert), since they can't confirm anything he has said / it's just his word with no witnesses. JMO. Hoping today is the day she is found.

 

[FunkyMonkey]

I keep forgetting her husband failed the lie detector test. What was his excuse again? That he hadn't slept?

ETA: I apologize as it may have been mentioned previously in the thread, but, how long have they been married?

Until the police come out and make that statement, I am keeping an open mind. They can and do lie to suspects or POI, but not the public. MOO

 

[oviedo]

They went for a 2 mile walk (i.e. 1 mile there and 1 mile back). RT said they were 'almost back' which meant that they were likely at least 2/3 of the way back, or only 1/3 of a mile away. BT went ahead, and after taking his photo he turned around and saw her ahead when she went around a curve. That means that BT was likely well closer to the RV than 1/4 mile.

So I wonder how this went - they are on their way to somewhere I guess? not just out random driving around? they pull over and park the RV. She gets a beer, he gets his water and camera? they hide the key under a rock and go off walking together - 1 mile out - turn around and start back and are almost back when he stops to take a picture, she walks ahead, rounds the bend crosses the road and in 5-10 minutes is gone. He gets to the RV and the key is there - and she isn't. Is there any sign of her, the beer/travel cup, anything at all? I wonder how many cars travel that road? I remember when we were all puzzling out about JC in Wisconsin and someone discovered how many cars a day used the road in front of her house - is that information available? We still don't have a timeframe for sure - just the 911 log. Where can she be? Do you think they have used luminol on the RV? JMO

 

[PaulR]

The fourth bullet (BBM) says it all to me in terms of: LE can not assume and act on RT's version of what happened (that they were only separated for a few minutes close to where their camper was parked, early afternoon, which, as an aside, IMO, is the worst time of day to go for a hike in the desert)

I think you mean late afternoon since that is when it's hottest.

 

[whoizzit]

It's been mentioned she may have left her husband alone to take pictures because she had to urinate. Maybe she forgot about the location of the key and because she was in dire straits, took off to find a public restroom or a place where she could do her business in private and got lost somewhere quite unexpected.

If she were in such dire straights that she forgot the location of the key (ain't buying that at all), considering that they were in the middle of a secluded and very private desert, why on earth would she just not drop and go right there?

Next to the truck wheel.

Next to the far side of the camper.

She's not going looking for a public restroom or a special rock in order to urinate, imho.

 

[whitelilac]

They went for a 2 mile walk (i.e. 1 mile there and 1 mile back). RT said they were 'almost back' which meant that they were likely at least 2/3 of the way back, or only 1/3 of a mile away. BT went ahead, and after taking his photo he turned around and saw her ahead when she went around a curve. That means that BT was likely well closer to the RV than 1/4 mile.

Thanks. 1/4 of a mile, not very far. She would have been able to spot the camper I'd think.
Thinking that if Robert is making up a story, due to Barbara never having been present, I'd think he'd concoct a better scenario than that. For example, that they were much further out, or that Barbara went off to explore some boulders in an opposite direction while he took some pictures. I don't know, I still lean to Barbara having been there, and is still there....somewhere.... possibly after she decided to take a look at somewhere on the other side, for whatever reason.
Such a mystery....

 

[Knox]

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

But regardless, thank you for the compliment!

You know what they say when you assume? It makes ME an azz ... Of course you aren't and how rude of me to assume you are. I tried to personally
apologize, but your profile is locked down

 

[fridaybaker]

Logic may be faulty here, but this is what I'm thinking right now. It's been a week. Sans "supplies", clothed only minimally, I really don't think she could have gotten far, if she'd become lost. How long can a person without water last in the heat of the July desert?

Since we aren't looking at a vast area, I would think vultures would be noticeable fairly soon now, wouldn't they? Awful to think of, but isn't this a reality? We're not talking about a 50 mile radius from the camper. I'd think we're talking about a 10 mile radius, max.

Any thoughts?

 

[Curiousobserver]

Logic may be faulty here, but this is what I'm thinking right now. It's been a week. Sans "supplies", clothed only minimally, I really don't think she could have gotten far, if she'd become lost. How long can a person without water last in the heat of the July desert?

Since we aren't looking at a vast area, I would think vultures would be noticeable fairly soon now, wouldn't they? Awful to think of, but isn't this a reality? We're not talking about a 50 mile radius from the camper. I'd think we're talking about a 10 mile radius, max.

Any thoughts?

Assuming he is telling the truth and she is lost in that location-

She is most likely 1-3 miles away and in those boulders/hills area hidden in a place that gave her shade.

She is not lying out in the open amongst the scrubby bushes and squat trees.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

So I wonder how this went - they are on their way to somewhere I guess? not just out random driving around? they pull over and park the RV. She gets a beer, he gets his water and camera? they hide the key under a rock and go off walking together - 1 mile out - turn around and start back and are almost back when he stops to take a picture, she walks ahead, rounds the bend crosses the road and in 5-10 minutes is gone. He gets to the RV and the key is there - and she isn't. Is there any sign of her, the beer/travel cup, anything at all? I wonder how many cars travel that road? I remember when we were all puzzling out about JC in Wisconsin and someone discovered how many cars a day used the road in front of her house - is that information available? We still don't have a timeframe for sure - just the 911 log. Where can she be? Do you think they have used luminol on the RV? JMO

Good questions. As far as random driving around, IMO it's possible, as Google maps shows it's less than 2 hours from home (Bullhead City Az) to the center of the Mojave (Kelso, CA is nearby where they parked), which would allow for this to have been a day trip, one of many they take according to RT:



Seems like a pretty perfect spot, IMO literally in the middle of nowhere for cripes' sakes', and the perfect terrible to survive conditions IMO, for someone to go missing, never to be seen again.

 

[GordianKnot]

You know what they say when you assume? It makes ME an azz ... Of course you aren't and how rude of me to assume you are. I tried to personally
apologize, but your profile is locked down

Oh, no worries, whatsoever!
Absolutely, positively no need to apologize, Knox.
I was actually a little flattered, on account of I'm partial to men, myself.
In fact, I think they're pretty great!

 

[wary]

Logic may be faulty here, but this is what I'm thinking right now. It's been a week. Sans "supplies", clothed only minimally, I really don't think she could have gotten far, if she'd become lost. How long can a person without water last in the heat of the July desert?

Since we aren't looking at a vast area, I would think vultures would be noticeable fairly soon now, wouldn't they? Awful to think of, but isn't this a reality? We're not talking about a 50 mile radius from the camper. I'd think we're talking about a 10 mile radius, max.

Any thoughts?

Like dogs, vultures are another thing that doesn’t seem to be as useful as we’d think. The only case I can think of where they were actually noticed was Hannah Graham, and even there, people only mentioned it after she’d been found by other means.

 

[allboys]

The similarities between this case and the Powell case are pretty interesting. Short distance away from each other, experienced outdoorsy-types, husband is gone mere minutes and wife disappears. Both families claiming abduction from near the beginning, both husbands originally under suspicion. We've got one story of a knife-wielding crazy man in the other story and another story (admittedly coming from the husband and not Barbara) with a possible random man choosing BT because she was wearing a bikini and crossing a road. It's amazing to read the same back and forth in this case, as is happening in the other case. Thankfully in the Powell case, she was found. While I wish that would be the case here, already 7 days in for BT is not looking good. I do hope for the family's sake, it's just her having been lost though and not something more nefarious.

It almost makes you wonder if the Powell case sparked an “idea.” Then the question would be, who did it give an idea to? Robert or Barbara?

I need to go back and look at the time lines between the 2 cases in terms of media attention.

 

[NervousNellie]

It almost makes you wonder if the Powell case sparked an “idea.” Then the question would be, who did it give an idea to? Robert or Barbara?

I need to go back and look at the time lines between the 2 cases in terms of media attention.

I believe they both went missing on the same day, and even around the same time of day.

 

[allboys]

I believe they both went missing on the same day, and even around the same time of day.

Wow- weird. Thank you... and there goes the “sparked an idea” theory...

 

[oviedo]

I believe they both went missing on the same day, and even around the same time of day.

Huntington Beach Woman and Dog Reported Missing Near Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

yes - this says 2pm reported by husband and I believe BT's husband is around 2:30 - but we do have the 911 call log so the exact time is known.

 

[Snoopster]

BBM:

This update gives lie to the old saying, "No News is Good News."

In this instance, "No News is Bad News."

• SBCSO continuing to remain tight-lipped.
• No evidence that BT was abducted.
• Not a single trace of BT having been found .
• LE is "unaware" of how long RT and BT were separated before she disappeared.
• LE "doesn't know" how far BT was from the RV at the time they became separated.

One logical explanation for the first 3 bullet points would be that BT was never at that location.

Unless RT has significant memory issues, there is NO logical explanation for the last 2 bolded bullet points.

Those are totally inexplicable. And by totally here, I mean, totally.

JMO.

Biting my tongue!

 

[Kapua]

They went for a 2 mile walk (i.e. 1 mile there and 1 mile back). RT said they were 'almost back' which meant that they were likely at least 2/3 of the way back, or only 1/3 of a mile away. BT went ahead, and after taking his photo he turned around and saw her ahead when she went around a curve. That means that BT was likely well closer to the RV than 1/4 mile.

ETA: this is based on what RT said.

That's not a very long walk, IMHO, and according to RT, she would not have been far from the camper. They had people, dogs, and helicopters searching. So why haven't they found her?

 

[GordianKnot]

Cops insist they're examining 'all possibilities' after missing hiker's husband claimed he's suspect | Daily Mail Online

SABBM:

'At this time, our search efforts are directed on locating Mrs. Thomas in the area last witnessed by Mr. Thomas,' San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer, Jodi Miller told DailyMail.com Thursday when asked about his claim he was a 'prime suspect'.

Miller did not provide further details about the polygraph result which Mr. Thomas put down to being tired.

Miller added to DailyMail.com: 'As with all of missing person cases we examine all possibilities with the desired outcome of locating the missing person.'