CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #2

[swedeheart]

Still nothing

Did our insider ever become verified? And did we ever pick up a new insider who is posting theories on FB?

is there a fb group for this case? can i get a link, if so? i can't seem to find one. tia!

 

[ClaireNC]

I’ve hiked in that area although not that exact place.

Has anyone reported seeing the couple walking on the trail? Or along the road, like when they were getting out of the car?

I would think someone would remember seeing a 69 year old woman hiking in a bikini, as that would be rather unusual. Most desert hikers would wear loosely-fitting light colored clothing that covered most of their skin. I usually wear short sleeves and loose, light hiking pants but I have hiked with people in my group who wear loose, long-sleeved shirts

I don’t think there are many people around that area in the summer and during the hottest part of the day. They weren’t really hiking, just taking a walk. 1 mile in, 1 mile out. Probably took them about an hour with stops to take pics and collect rocks, etc.

 

[Steelslady]

I want to go back to the travel cup of beer or beer can or bottle that Barbara was last seen carrying.

If Barbara made it back to the RV I would expect the travel cup to be accounted for. Maybe on the step outside, in the vehicle etc. If she made it that far but didn't go inside I would think the travel cup would be around somewhere.

If she were abducted, I'm thinking the travel cup would have dropped near the road and it would have been found by now. This is the least likeliest scenario IMO.

If Barbara, fell off a rock and into a crevice, that mug should be somewhere. I don't think she'd be climbing rocks with a mug in her hand. I'd put it down, climb up and then come back down. If she fell between rocks or something, that mug should be somewhere visible unless, of course, it fell in along with her.

This travel mug should have been found by now if Barbara was anywhere in the vicinity carrying the travel mug. As each day passes, we keep hearing that "no sign of Barbara was found".

Where is that damn travel mug?

I'm having a hard time believing how this all went down, and the details, when that Travel Mug is nowhere to be seen. It's a small thing, but it bothers me. I feel like Columbo. I'm scratching my head and I'm focused on one small detail that isn't making sense.

MOO

Boy do I love this post right here and agree 100%. Where is that travel mug, where is her hat, her sunglasses if she wore them? So nice to see another person questioning this!

I can't speak for every woman out there, just myself, but if I finally make it back to the RV, especially in that heat, off would come the hat and boots and I'd be running that AC, haha. Then again, I have a high sensitivity to heat and cold and I recognize not every one is like me.

But yeah, where is that travel mug, at the very least!

 

[dbdb11]

Told this by family who are in the know. We have two numbers. one cell and one landline. If she had another number her brother, who she has always been close with, has never known about it.

This is important: Was this information provided to you by law enforcement? Or were you told this by someone else who may not necessarily have factual information?

 

[wary]

I want to go back to the travel cup of beer or beer can or bottle that Barbara was last seen carrying.

If Barbara made it back to the RV I would expect the travel cup to be accounted for. Maybe on the step outside, in the vehicle etc. If she made it that far but didn't go inside I would think the travel cup would be around somewhere.

If she were abducted, I'm thinking the travel cup would have dropped near the road and it would have been found by now. This is the least likeliest scenario IMO.

If Barbara, fell off a rock and into a crevice, that mug should be somewhere. I don't think she'd be climbing rocks with a mug in her hand. I'd put it down, climb up and then come back down. If she fell between rocks or something, that mug should be somewhere visible unless, of course, it fell in along with her.

This travel mug should have been found by now if Barbara was anywhere in the vicinity carrying the travel mug. As each day passes, we keep hearing that "no sign of Barbara was found".

Where is that damn travel mug?

I'm having a hard time believing how this all went down, and the details, when that Travel Mug is nowhere to be seen. It's a small thing, but it bothers me. I feel like Columbo. I'm scratching my head and I'm focused on one small detail that isn't making sense.

MOO

On the other hand, if it had been found, LE might not say so—they’re in the business of getting info, not giving it. But, that might be why they continued to search so diligently in a given area.

MOO

 

[bradfordsleuth]

JMO
I just can't get past LE spending the time, resources and taking the risks (heatstroke, injury to search personnel, dogs, etc.) with such a huge and lengthy (by some standards) search in this area if they didn't have some indication that she had been there.

I am wondering if metal detectors would be helpful in trying to locate the infamous beer can (if it was in a can?)

 

[Steelslady]

Also... and I am sure this has come up many times.. the rattle snake population is plentiful. One of our most gorgeous , but deadly natives is the Mojave Green Rattler. These snakes deliver a painful bite that will kill within 30 minutes if not treated. We encounter them often in the Summer time. Our experience with them is this: They leave you alone if you respect them. Most are bitten because they accidentally are bitten when placing their hands in rock formations to climb, or if they accidentally step on one. It is RARE that a Mojave green alerts anyone by rattling. They are the ONLY species of rattlesnake here that tend to NOT alert. One must always be aware that this is their home. And they will protect it and themselves fiercely. If Barbara was disoriented and trying to get herself to higher ground, and in the process was bitten..her end would be quick.

Let's just say, I don't think I will be traveling to the Mojave Desert in my lifetime, LOL. I don't mind garden or water snakes, but those rattlers would scare me off. Great point, though, about the possibility that she might have been a victim of a rattler somewhere. Again, it's nice to have locals giving us heads up on that area. Thank you.

 

[Steelslady]

JMO
I just can't get past LE spending the time, resources and taking the risks (heatstroke, injury to search personnel, dogs, etc.) with such a huge and lengthy (by some standards) search in this area if they didn't have some indication that she had been there.

I am wondering if metal detectors would be helpful in trying to locate the infamous beer if it was in a can?

@PommyMommy posted an article earlier saying LE has found no evidence of Barbara there in the desert. I think before LE can do a further investigation in a different manner, they have to make absolutely sure she is not in that area.

 

[Dion]

I want to believe the husband, but given the circumstances, it's difficult to believe that an elderly bikini clad female carrying a beer disappeared into thin air, and that these are the possible scenarios.

- They quickly lost sight of each other in an uninhabited/isolated area covered mostly in scrub.
- neither of them called out to each other to ascertain where their partner was located
- the possibility that Barbara's appearance caused an abduction by some random driver that happened to pass by during the short time they lost track of each other
- The husband didn't hear a vehicle come to a stop or hear voices/screams while a possible abduction took place
- Barbara clung onto her beer and her hat/glasses stayed on, while she was being abducted, as no sign of these were found.
- She threw caution to the wind, and willingly got into/waved down a passing strangers car because all of a sudden, she decided rather than going back to the camper, she wanted to go somewhere else (Vegas??) despite having no clothes, money or possessions with her. The stranger didn't think this was an odd request, and complied with her wishes.
- Some kind of "animal of the desert" grabbed Barbara (and she didn't scream loudly enough to be heard) and dragged her way into the desert, far beyond where the search took place. But we haven't heard of any track marks found in the area, and how likely is this?

I have to say that the strangest thing to me, is that they somehow lost track of each other in the first place. Everything else is trying to make sense of the unexplainable.

 

[Micheline]

I want to go back to the travel cup of beer or beer can or bottle that Barbara was last seen carrying.

If Barbara made it back to the RV I would expect the travel cup to be accounted for. Maybe on the step outside, in the vehicle etc. If she made it that far but didn't go inside I would think the travel cup would be around somewhere.

If she were abducted, I'm thinking the travel cup would have dropped near the road and it would have been found by now. This is the least likeliest scenario IMO.

If Barbara, fell off a rock and into a crevice, that mug should be somewhere. I don't think she'd be climbing rocks with a mug in her hand. I'd put it down, climb up and then come back down. If she fell between rocks or something, that mug should be somewhere visible unless, of course, it fell in along with her.

This travel mug should have been found by now if Barbara was anywhere in the vicinity carrying the travel mug. As each day passes, we keep hearing that "no sign of Barbara was found".

Where is that damn travel mug?

I'm having a hard time believing how this all went down, and the details, when that Travel Mug is nowhere to be seen. It's a small thing, but it bothers me. I feel like Columbo. I'm scratching my head and I'm focused on one small detail that isn't making sense.

MOO

Perhaps there never was a beer bottle/mug.
It then not being found makes sense.

 

[Snoopster]

Told this by family who are in the know. We have two numbers. one cell and one landline. If she had another number her brother, who she has always been close with, has never known about it.

does that mean one cell the BT and RT shared?

 

[bradfordsleuth]

@PommyMommy posted an article earlier saying LE has found no evidence of Barbara there in the desert. I think before LE can do a further investigation in a different manner, they have to make absolutely sure she is not in that area.

Thank you for the reply.

So aside from her footprints, the elusive beer (bottle, can, travel cup?) her red hat or her body....what other evidence is there that they can search for?

Without trying to be too gross, I am wondering if the trailer toilet would have any 'recent' evidence (urine, feces) that they can attribute to her (via DNA) being there.
(Sorry for typing that, I am just trying to cross off any ideas I can think of!)

 

[ClaireNC]

Also... and I am sure this has come up many times.. the rattle snake population is plentiful. One of our most gorgeous , but deadly natives is the Mojave Green Rattler. These snakes deliver a painful bite that will kill within 30 minutes if not treated. We encounter them often in the Summer time. Our experience with them is this: They leave you alone if you respect them. Most are bitten because they accidentally are bitten when placing their hands in rock formations to climb, or if they accidentally step on one. It is RARE that a Mojave green alerts anyone by rattling. They are the ONLY species of rattlesnake here that tend to NOT alert. One must always be aware that this is their home. And they will protect it and themselves fiercely. If Barbara was disoriented and trying to get herself to higher ground, and in the process was bitten..her end would be quick.

Thanks so much for your local insights! How does the sound travel in that part of the desert? My daughter lives in Tuscan and we’ve hiked a lot, especially in the Saguaro. I’ve noticed that there is something strange about the way sound travels. You can see a vehicle when it’s miles away, but you don’t hear it until it’s right on top of you. Then the sounds seems amplified. IMO

 

[Gardener1850]

There was a woman who disappeared out there in 2003 and a big search ensued. She showed up in Kingman, AZ 4 days later, having accepted a ride to get her out of that desert.

But...Barbara Thomas would surely have contacted her son by now. It's a very strange case. She was so close to the road (according to him) that it's unlikely she got lost trying to get back to the RV.

*Snipped for focus

That makes me wonder about if she really could have gotten into a car and left the area. Have there been any statements made about Barbara's mental health? They seem like a very free-spirited, independent couple. As we age things like Alzheimer's or dementia can become issues. It is sometimes very difficult for spouses to admit their loved one is having memory issues. And really hard for older adults to give up their independence. What if the thing RT is holding back is his suspicion she could have forgotten where she was and flagged down a car to get her out of the desert? This would also fit with the idea she could have gone to Vegas since she used to live there. People with Alzheimer's will sometimes try to get back to places they used to live. Unfortunately if this is the case then she could be among the homeless population (and difficult to find). But it's the only way I can think of that Barbara could still be alive. MOO.

 

[Joe Friday]

There aren’t any security cameras on those trails, correct?

I used Google Streetview to look around the area. I didn't see any buildings that would have security cameras. The only thing I did notice is that bug that is on the camera lens of the truck is very annoying to look at.

Without some source of power it's unlikely there would be any camera's along a trail. A recording device would need to be stationed somewhere also or internet service to connect the camera to a server. From the Google satellite views it looks like there are some dirt roads maybe used by off road vehicles, but I didn't see anything I would consider a developed hiking trail. Surely nothing that would have a camera. There are no trailheads to park your car, restrooms or buildings. Just a dirt pull off area where they must have parked, which I think is the same areas where the command center trailer was shown to be parked.

JMO

 

[Micheline]

IMO, the key under the rock makes sense to me and here's why...

In most cases, you are probably only carrying one set of keys. If they were both venturing out, they had to of thought about one (possibly) making it back to the camper before the other, this would allow that person to get into the camper, if they were the one without the key. The other thought, people are often terrified of losing a key to their only transportation if they adventure/hike outdoors, so they hide it somewhere. I personally don't do this but unless someone watched them hide the key, you can hide a key outdoors in a fairly secure site. You just better remember where you hid it!

I believe he said he was hoping to see her sitting outside the camper waiting. That also makes sense to me. If I arrived first, I would probably go inside, do whatever, then wait outside to watch for my spouse to return.

IMO they would be frantic people stealing their car and trailer. Better stay together then leaving the key under a rock.

Thing is, if the key wasn't under a rock, Robert then knew Barbara could not get into the trailer and Barbara knew too.
If she was upset with Robert, maybe she signaled a car to stop and got in.

 

[Eli9]

Did someone here find information that the truck and camper were new purchases? I thought I read that somewhere. TIA

 

[lonetraveler]

I love that the search and rescue dogs have shoes on to protect their feet.

Yes. I saw a help dog downtown wearing boots to protect his feet on the hot sidewalks. Great idea.

 

[Tealgrove]

And here's the thing....

1. She gets bitten by a rattle snake. She isn't going to get very far before the venom takes hold and death occurs. A body should have been found within the search perimeter if something like that occurred.

2. Mountain Lion/Bear/Wild Animal Attack - I don't see it. Blood, tissue, struggle, animal scat would have been seen - again within the search area. Evidence of an animal attack would have been seen.

With my limited knowledge of these things, I just don't see an animal attack having occurred here.

An abduction just doesn't seem to fit either and I put this at the bottom of the list.

So, what's left? Animal attack and abduction are off the list.

-Falling into a mine shaft
- getting caught in a crevice
-disorientation and moving outside of the search perimeter

I can't see anyone surviving in this heat with no water after this period of time.

Or, she was never there to begin with.

MOO

 

[dbdb11]

If i ever go on any hike with anyone-- i never let them walk ahead so i can take a photo. The idea is to be safe and stick together. However its different with this couple as they knew the area well. Thats what i understand.. Both are experienced hikers..

It is not a hike. They went on a walk. This was emphasised to me.