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

[Kemug]

Do they really believe that a 65 YO, wearing a bikini, with a beer in her hand, in the middle of the Mojave desert is just what someone was looking for and their day was made when she crossed their path on a highway.

It has always seemed unlikely, I agree. But not 100% impossible I suppose.

 

[trujac]

I came across an interesting article from National Geographic that talks about people who are lost walk in circles. A good read. The article is too large to upload. Here's the link but to view the article you have to provide your email. I did because I find their articles super interesting. Regardless, the bottom line is that lost people walk in circles!

Do lost people really go round in circles?

Amateur opinion and speculation

Thanks for posting this interesting article... without a spatially visible object, sun, moon, etc...the human sense of direction might default to walking in circles and/or random left, right movements for the benefit of survival--keeping them in proximity to where they originally started out walking.

 

[artsy1]

I just sent a message to Z107.7 FM, who first reported the story of the remains found, asking if they can follow up. I also suggested that they might look into BT's disappearance as POSSIBLY being related.

We shall see....

Just got an email back this morning. They are still waiting to get any information from the coroner regarding the remains.

 

[SeattleStew]

Just got an email back this morning. They are still waiting to get any information from the coroner regarding the remains.

Thank you so much for following up and letting us know.

 

[NoSI]

Just got an email back this morning. They are still waiting to get any information from the coroner regarding the remains.

Thank you so much @artsy1 for inquiring with media and keeping us posted. It is very much appreciated!

 

[Ravenmoon]

If you are talking about the remains from Wonder Valley, I was wondering the same?

Just a note from a local.
Wonder Valley is insanely far from the area that Barbara went missing from.
She never could have made it out there on her own , especially not during the time of year that she disappeared.
I am anxious to hear what the coroner's report will say.
We have been looking for another woman that was a teacher who disappeared from the high desert a couple (or more?) years back.
That woman's vehicle was recovered in Morongo Valley.

 

[Hatfield]

Thanks for posting this interesting article... without a spatially visible object, sun, moon, etc...the human sense of direction might default to walking in circles and/or random left, right movements for the benefit of survival--keeping them in proximity to where they originally started out walking.

Walking in circles when lost?
The way it was described to me that made a little sense is that a person's right or left foot is usually the dominant foot and so if randomly walking to try to find a way out, a person will have a tendency to walk in a large circle because one foot will overpower the other foot in the long run causing a gradual long turn.
JMO

I could not read the other article about this because it was behind a pay wall for me.

 

[trujac]

I always check in for updates on the cases I find Bazaar. The case of BT and RT is that.
A year has passed and nothing new, searches have stopped and it seems LE is waiting for something to happen. I believe they have the answers but need the proof.
Do they really believe that a 65 YO, wearing a bikini, with a beer in her hand, in the middle of the Mojave desert is just what someone was looking for and their day was made when she crossed their path on a highway. Sincerely doubt it. Put a body can be dropped anywhere when you have a plane.
Furthermore the destination of Las Vegas is a curious one, but I hope they have looked there.
Keep Looking ! They may just find that bikini clad skeleton with a beer in its hand. We know its not where it was supposed to be.
Perhaps that's because BT never made it there but she was wearing a Bikini and drinking a beer when someone disposed of her.
LE has no other choice. I believe they have a very good idea BT was gone before that day hike, but need the piece of evidence to tie it all together. We can only hope.
RIP Barbara--the truth will come out!

Not to nit pick---but ANY woman of ANY age...that is well kept/with a reasonably nice figure in a bikini might appear attractive to a lot of people. Barbara was elderly but nicely put together with an engaging smile. She would have been easy to abduct, imo...since she was slim and without any defenses other than her alleged beer can and a well aimed punch or kick. I can see very easily an event taking place, based on bad timing for Barbara, where a driver of a vehicle showed up out of nowhere...stopped and quickly snatched Barbara before her husband made it back to the roadside. Conversely, it also seems possible to me that Barbara willing got into a vehicle and left the area without her husband because she was upset with him. The idea that RT drove somewhere in the desert with Barbara and dumped her (with or without the fifth wheel attached to his truck) seems unlikely to me. IMO, investigators should have been able to estimate fairly accurately the amount of driving RT did on the day BT went missing--through vehicle GPS analysis, gas purchases, etc. It would seem to me that if there was any glaring inconsistencies in RT's account of what happened, LE would have made an attempt to hold him accountable by continuing to pursue leads in this case centered around RT. As it stands now, there does not appear to be any ongoing search for Barbara...and it seems like "a wait until she is found" ending...very sad, as BT has touched the hearts of many people here on WS.

 

[Kemug]

Yes, silly me - of course LE would know how much fuel he used that day, etc. RIP Barbara.

 

[Kemug]

And still nothing. I am thinking that we will just have to wait for years, for someone to stumble across her .

 

[rosesfromangels]

And still nothing. I am thinking that we will just have to wait for years, for someone to stumble across her .

Drones are becoming more and more sophisticated; new advances every couple months it seems. I would like to see them deployed more in this case.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Knox]

Just a note from a local.
Wonder Valley is insanely far from the area that Barbara went missing from.
She never could have made it out there on her own , especially not during the time of year that she disappeared.
I am anxious to hear what the coroner's report will say.
We have been looking for another woman that was a teacher who disappeared from the high desert a couple (or more?) years back.
That woman's vehicle was recovered in Morongo Valley.

Thank you for the local perspective!!

I would never imagine Barbara could make it that far on her own. Rather, she was disposed there by the last known person to see her. MOO.

 

[trujac]

Drones are becoming more and more sophisticated; new advances every couple months it seems. I would like to see them deployed more in this case.

Amateur opinion and speculation

yes, I agree...one can only hope that LE used the best search/rescue drones when Barbara first went missing. The Arizona Mesa Fire and Medical Department Special Operations would have fit the bill. As you point out, drone technology keeps expanding quickly, and a new search for Barbara using improved drones is hopefully in the works.
Saving lives in the desert: How drones made Mesa Fire and Medical Department's search and rescue efforts more effective

 

[Curiousobserver]

yes, I agree...one can only hope that LE used the best search/rescue drones when Barbara first went missing. The Arizona Mesa Fire and Medical Department Special Operations would have fit the bill. As you point out, drone technology keeps expanding quickly, and a new search for Barbara using improved drones is hopefully in the works.
Saving lives in the desert: How drones made Mesa Fire and Medical Department's search and rescue efforts more effective

Many drones can automatically recognize people and follow you without remote control intervention. I wonder if it's possible to program a swarm of drones to find all the people in several sq miles of desert and just let a dozen of them go?

 

[rosesfromangels]

Many drones can automatically recognize people and follow you without remote control intervention. I wonder if it's possible to program a swarm of drones to find all the people in several sq miles of desert and just let a dozen of them go?

For the drones that would be commercially available to search teams, maybe not (yet). Drones that are used at the government level are another story. This being said, additional capabilities are being added constantly it seems. I think the regulators are having fits trying to keep up with the advances.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[trujac]

For the drones that would be commercially available to search teams, maybe not (yet). Drones that are used at the government level are another story. This being said, additional capabilities are being added constantly it seems. I think the regulators are having fits trying to keep up with the advances.

Amateur opinion and speculation

Yes, and the nightmare of drone hacking is on the rise with the problem of drones being used to hack other electronic devices.
Security and drones — what you need to know

 

[K9Enzo]

Probably an unpopular opinion but in some of these wilderness and protected areas (especially parks) I'm not a fan of drone use that does, IMO, upset the wildlife. I think there use in certain areas must be considered and controlled. IMO

 

[rosesfromangels]

Probably an unpopular opinion but in some of these wilderness and protected areas (especially parks) I'm not a fan of drone use that does, IMO, upset the wildlife. I think there use in certain areas must be considered and controlled. IMO

I'm a vegan, so that tells you how I feel about animals. However, in the case of a missing person and a ticking time clock, I will risk disturbing the animals to recover the human. Similar in situational awareness situations with firefighters and LE; drones save their lives.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[K9Enzo]

I'm a vegan, so that tells you how I feel about animals. However, in the case of a missing person and a ticking time clock, I will risk disturbing the animals to recover the human. Similar in situational awareness situations with firefighters and LE; drones save their lives.

Amateur opinion and speculation

I didn’t clarify but I was thinking more hobby drone operators. For official searches, absolutely. Drones have been extremely useful in missing person searches. I just care about the wildlife. I’m also the person who avoids muddy hiking season so I’m not stepping off a path and disturbing ground cover. I research fragile plant life while climbing mountains so I don’t step on it. lol I just have a feeling about the creatures & the environment. But, anyway.... IMO

 

[rosesfromangels]

I didn’t clarify but I was thinking more hobby drone operators. For official searches, absolutely. Drones have been extremely useful in missing person searches. I just care about the wildlife. I’m also the person who avoids muddy hiking season so I’m not stepping off a path and disturbing ground cover. I research fragile plant life while climbing mountains so I don’t step on it. lol I just have a feeling about the creatures & the environment. But, anyway.... IMO

okay - I can agree with that position 100%