Found Deceased CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #13

[PaulaDC]

If anyone wants an example of an "innocent husband" in a case of a missing partner, I'd watch Shane Carey's interviews in the case of Heidi Broussard. His responses were thought to be very suspicious, until evidence showed he had nothing to do with it.

Personally speaking I totally related to his demeanor. I felt he was telling the truth. moo

 

[MsBetsy]

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I think any husband or wife would want their spouse back at home if they went missing. It might sound strange to some people if he said, "I just want you to come home so we can go camping and hiking again."

He didn't say his wife must have been abducted just because she was wearing a bikini. At that point there was speculation that Barbara may have willingly gone off on her own. He said she was wearing a bikini, carrying a beer, and she had to cross the road. In his mind he might have been thinking a perp spotted a woman walking on the road in a bikini and abducted her.

Also he made that statement very early on. He may have changed his mind after police convinced him they had ruled out an abduction. He must not have been that committed to the theory since he apparently told his nephew he went back and searched under every rock, or something like that.

He only did one interview where he showed the reporter pictures and love letters from Barbara. By then there were all kinds of accusations that he was responsible for her disappearance. We don't even know if it was his idea to show the letters. For all we know the reporter asked if he had any pictures or memorabilia he would like to share.

Some people get nervous when sitting down with a reporter, knowing what they say will be heard by so many. His words alone are hardly evidence that he had something to do with his wife's disappearance.

Imo

 

[Kittybunny]

Here we go again with the accusations. I cannot fathom why some people seem to want poor Barbara to have met a violent end at the hands of someone she loved.
It's a great pity that Robert's niece stopped posting here. Perhaps people would have been kinder if she had continued. She could certainly confirm exactly where Barbara was found.

No. We don't want Barb to have met with a violent end. HOWEVER, IF there was foul play, "some people" want to be sure that Barbara and her family receive justice.

Robert himself said he was a suspect and did not pass a lie detector test. We are not making up accusations (which most people are not doing), but rather raising questions and discussions on what we perceive as anomalies, having followed many many similar cases here. We are well within our rights to do so.

I don't believe LE has closed this case, so I will continue to wait for official word before I believe this was an unfortunate accident. And I would be more inclined to believe the exact location of where Barbara was found if it came from her side of the family. I doubt that Robert's niece was privy to the information directly if and when LE notified Robert, so it's likely to be secondhand info directly from Robert.

 

[Seattle1]

I'm not sure if I would. If I was satisfied that the people who mattered knew, I probably wouldn't give a fig what a bunch of strangers on the internet thought.

Really? BT's thread is 13 pages where numerous members have followed her plight since the first public missing report. Although we hoped BT was alive, still we rejoiced when her remains recovered.

I disagree that anybody with credible information would not take the time to become verified to share the details with so many caring members still holding vigil for Barb-- both then and now.

To my knowledge, her case is still under investigation. There's been no cause or manner of death released. Not even the exact location her body recovered has been made public.

 

[RANCH]

She could. She could also do so elsewhere on the post that she created to inform of Barbara's body being found, but she didn't. Its understandable IMO that people are still suspicious. It can't be nice for family members to read that their Uncle is still under suspicion of foul play and it seems to me the easiest way to put the rumour to bed would be to confirm the location of the remains and cause of death if known. Thats what I would do and it makes me wonder why they haven't.

I doubt that information would stop the rumors. Are rumors even allowed on this thread?

 

[al66pine]

Putting Rumors to Bed?

....It can't be nice for family members to read that their Uncle is still under suspicion of foul play and it seems to me the easiest way to put the rumour to bed would be to confirm the location of the remains and cause of death if known. Thats what I would do and it makes me wonder why they haven't.

@Kiranerys bbm sbm Not sure how disclosure would clear RT's name.
1. If remains were found -
a) close to RV, say 100 feet, 1/4, 1/2, or 1 mile away, does that confirm RT's non-involvement in death? Or rule out suicide, or a third person causing death?
b) remote from RV, a non-walkable distance in heat, say 20, 30, 40 miles, does that confirm RT's non-involvement in death? Or rule out a third person causing death?
If remains were found far from RV, perp could have killed her close to RV, then moved & disposed of remains there. Or could have transported her alive to that site and killed & left her there.
2. Cause of death? May or may not be determined yet. As @rosesfromangels posted, unless CoD is blatantly conspicuous (e.g., bullet fractures, ax marks in bone in what is likely to be skeletonized remains), and once results are finalized, Med Examiner may rule CoD & MoD = undetermined.

Regardless of location of remains and the CoD & or MoD, some ppl may still think RT is under a dark cloud and may continue thinking so -
- until LE arrests someone, who is eventually convicted, or
- unless LE releases stmt that there was no foul play and file is closed.
my2ct.

 

[Andreee]

I doubt that information would stop the rumors. Are rumors even allowed on this thread?

I don't believe so. Anyone who has not been named an official suspect, should not be described that way here as far as I know. But ask the mods.

 

[Lilibet]

I don't believe so. Anyone who has not been named an official suspect, should not be described that way here as far as I know. But ask the mods.

Not a mod, but it’s made clear in the link in post #3 on this thread.

 

[muddlehead]

"My feeling is she was picked up because she had to cross the highway."

Not. "My feeling is she maybe became disoriented due to age and heat and beer and wandered off ... "

 

[katydid23]

I really wish we knew exactly where she was found. If she was just disoriented and wandered off and died, wouldn't she have been discovered in the early searches? That is what I can't understand.

I know that it is hard to find a missing hiker in the desert. But usually that is because the searchers don't have a 'last known' location. But in this case, we knew she was very close to the highway and on the trail towards her RV. How far did she travel before she fell and passed out?

 

[Seattle1]

"My feeling is she was picked up because she had to cross the highway."

Not. "My feeling is she maybe became disoriented due to age and heat and beer and wandered off ... "

I dunno.

The rock formation area where RT described last seeing Barbara is very near the Kelbaker & Hidden Hills Rd -- which is also the same area where the trailer was allegedly parked in the turn-out.

Viewing google map (linked below) of the roadway here, I don't think this a highway requiring vehicle assistance to cross. It's not exactly an interstate or high-traffic area. *And In the event BT was disoriented due to age, heat, or beer, I don't think she'd seek help by motorist here either.

I'm not saying BT could not have been abducted here-- but wanted to make it clear about being picked up because she had to cross the highway.

ETA: *

Google aerial view of Kelbaker & Hidden Hills Rds.

Google Maps

ETA: scrolling around you can view the reported rock formations near the intersecting roads. Also, scroll up to view Kelso and down for US-40. IMO, change in terrain is evident between points.

 

[Seattle1]

I really wish we knew exactly where she was found. If she was just disoriented and wandered off and died, wouldn't she have been discovered in the early searches? That is what I can't understand.

I know that it is hard to find a missing hiker in the desert. But usually that is because the searchers don't have a 'last known' location. But in this case, we knew she was very close to the highway and on the trail towards her RV. How far did she travel before she fell and passed out?

Given the info that we have thus far (i.e., hikers located human remains determined to belong to BT near Kelbaker & Hidden Hills Rds) which is very near BT's last known sighting, I can't put this aside until authorities release BT's manner of death -- regardless of whether or not cause of death is undetermined.

Until then, I can't help wonder if BT's remains were perhaps returned to the area after searches for her BT concluded.

It appears her remains were located on a hiking path -- certainly accessible to searchers, right?

I'd also be satisfied to read that BT's remains were located in an area previously searched by SAR's, etc.

We simply haven't seen these statements released -- typical for the missing.

Most important is that BT was recovered.

I don't care how long the wait for the facts, and investigation closed.

http://nixle.us/CE3JA

 

[RANCH]

I dunno.

The rock formation area where RT described last seeing Barbara is very near the Kelbaker & Hidden Hills Rd -- which is also the same area where the trailer was allegedly parked in the turn-out.

Viewing google map (linked below) of the roadway here, I don't think this a highway requiring vehicle assistance to cross. It's not exactly an interstate or high-traffic area.

I'm not saying BT could not have been abducted here-- but wanted to make it clear about being picked up because she had to cross the highway.

I'm not understanding the "requiring vehicle assistance to cross" comment.

I think crossing the highway was mentioned to let people know that someone driving by could have picked BT up. JMO

 

[MsBetsy]

I'm not understanding the "requiring vehicle assistance to cross" comment.

I think crossing the highway was mentioned to let people know that someone driving by could have picked BT up. JMO

Yeah, I don't think he meant someone picked her up because she wanted to cross to the other side.

 

[LadyL]

I'm not sure if I would. If I was satisfied that the people who mattered knew, I probably wouldn't give a fig what a bunch of strangers on the internet thought.

this.

 

[LadyL]

RIP Barbara.

 

[RANCH]

. *And In the event BT was disoriented due to age, heat, or beer, I don't think she'd seek help by motorist here either.
ETA: *

SBM

I would think its possible and a reasonable assumption that a person who was disoriented due to their age, the affects of heat plus alcohol consumption may have asked for help from anyone, including a stranger driving by on the road. And that stranger could have taken BT either willingly or unwilling.


The fact that Barbara's skeletal remains were found in the area were she was last seen tends to lead to a conclusion that she got lost and died there from natural causes and was not picked up at the highway near the trailer. JMO

 

[kkdj]

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I'm willing to follow this thru, but the fact that BT called her in as missing and then she was found nearby that location causes me to think BT was being real.

 

[Andreee]

SBM

I would think its possible and a reasonable assumption that a person who was disoriented due to their age, the affects of heat plus alcohol consumption may have asked for help from anyone, including a stranger driving by on the road. And that stranger could have taken BT either willingly or unwilling.


The fact that Barbara's skeletal remains were found in the area were she was last seen tends to lead to a conclusion that she got lost and died there from natural causes and was not picked up at the highway near the trailer. JMO

Yes, of course!

 

[Curiousobserver]

Putting Rumors to Bed?
@Kiranerys bbm sbm Not sure how disclosure would clear RT's name.
1. If remains were found -
a) close to RV, say 100 feet, 1/4, 1/2, or 1 mile away, does that confirm RT's non-involvement in death? Or rule out suicide, or a third person causing death?
b) remote from RV, a non-walkable distance in heat, say 20, 30, 40 miles, does that confirm RT's non-involvement in death? Or rule out a third person causing death?
If remains were found far from RV, perp could have killed her close to RV, then moved & disposed of remains there. Or could have transported her alive to that site and killed & left her there.
2. Cause of death? May or may not be determined yet. As @rosesfromangels posted, unless CoD is blatantly conspicuous (e.g., bullet fractures, ax marks in bone in what is likely to be skeletonized remains), and once results are finalized, Med Examiner may rule CoD & MoD = undetermined.

Regardless of location of remains and the CoD & or MoD, some ppl may still think RT is under a dark cloud and may continue thinking so -
- until LE arrests someone, who is eventually convicted, or
- unless LE releases stmt that there was no foul play and file is closed.
my2ct.

People will believe what they wish of him. We may never have affirmative evidence that he did not and could not be guilty, but to this point we absolutely no evidence that he is guilty and a very plausible reason why she would be deceased with no foul play.