CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #3

[LietKynes]

One more:

It gives an insight in "she went around the corner" and of the specific area.
Sorry if already posted.

Wow. Thanks. Looks different than I'd imagined.
Easy to become lost.

Eta: What has not been shown is where RT took the photos and the actual path back to the RV.
Was it different-looking than this photo ?
Was it easier to navigate and flatter ?
I want to know where RT was standing and doing the photo-taking and the path in the sand/dirt she'd be walking on.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Imo this case will hinge on cell phone data. Like many on here, I believe poor Barbara is elsewhere in the Mojave.

And GPS from the Truck.

 

[dbdb11]

Usually search/arrest warrants are conducted at that hour.

any word on search or arrest?

 

[PaulR]

If hitched a ride voluntarily, she has not contacted friends, family, or LE to let them know she is safe.

She can hitch a ride voluntarily, a ride that can become unvoluntary: Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders - Wikipedia

 

[Cherwell]

You can choose to believe the story as told. If you do, you believe that BT vanished off the face of the Earth, walking a clear trail back to the RV no more than half a mile away from where RT allegedly last saw her. You believe that he stopped to take a picture and was no more than a few minutes behind her.(How long does it take to take a few pictures?) To me, there is no way this makes sense.

I'm with you. I don't think BT was there. If she was, then she would have been abducted or hitched a ride in the few minutes that she was out of RT's sight. If abducted, the nefarious individual or individuals did not seem at all interested in rummaging through the RV. If hitched a ride voluntarily, she has not contacted friends, family, or LE to let them know she is safe. Again, this makes no sense to me.

What makes sense to me is that she is not there and something else happened. JMHO

There's a half-way explanation too, which is that he has edited the truth. Say they had a row and she stormed off. He might be reluctant to admit that there was a falling-out, for obvious reasons. If it's something like that, I hope that he has come clean to the police about it by now.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

You can choose to believe the story as told. If you do, you believe that BT vanished off the face of the Earth, walking a clear trail back to the RV no more than half a mile away from where RT allegedly last saw her. You believe that he stopped to take a picture and was no more than a few minutes behind her.(How long does it take to take a few pictures?) To me, there is no way this makes sense.

I'm with you. I don't think BT was there. If she was, then she would have been abducted or hitched a ride in the few minutes that she was out of RT's sight. If abducted, the nefarious individual or individuals did not seem at all interested in rummaging through the RV. If hitched a ride voluntarily, she has not contacted friends, family, or LE to let them know she is safe. Again, this makes no sense to me.

What makes sense to me is that she is not there and something else happened. JMHO

It always seems like people “vanish off the face of the Earth” when they go missing, then a lot of times they are found weeks later right in the area that had already been searched.

I also think RT’s Kidnapped theory could happen there.
It sounds like a dangerous place to hike.

 

[dbdb11]

Well I think it was their duty to search, and they have. Perhaps they should extend that search to a different location...

Do you think there is even the slightest chance they quarreled and she took off for China? If so, it’s. Or inconceivable she isn’t keeping up with news here. Although I would hope there has been contact with her family there? I would think that was one of the boxes checked?

Amateur speculation and opinion

I pray she turns up here. Assume since police know about upcoming trip they could make quick call to immigration dept and rule that out.

 

[dbdb11]

I pray she turns up here. Assume since police know about upcoming trip they could make quick call to immigration dept and rule that out.

Worth noting Rob and his family both mentioned they had cancelled the flights (?!?!) and Rob informed my family we should cancel the hotel reservations (?!?!?!?!?!).

 

[lolafaith]

It always seems like people “vanish off the face of the Earth” when they go missing, then a lot of times they are found weeks later right in the area that had already been searched.

I also think RT’s Kidnapped theory could happen there.
It sounds like a dangerous place to hike.

Kidnapped without a sound, struggle, dropping her beer? Footprints? A mad man, maniac animal waiting around the corner of the rock formation, silently grabbing her, running at the speed of light and disappearing in a puff of smoke?

I like others on this thread think she was not there. I think something happened, and it didn't happen there, he drove there and hiked and created this story. It's just too weird and too many holes.

 

[dbdb11]

So, hypothetically, they left at 8:15, dropped their dog off somewhere, grabbed a bite to eat and pulled over at Kelbaker or thereabouts around 11:00.
I suspect someone else was there right about that time.

They must have had time to stroll a bit and take a 360 photo from a hill. A hill visible to other cars. Perhaps their appearance on the hill was a signal of some kind?

 

[PaulR]

Worth noting Rob and his family both mentioned they had cancelled the flights (?!?!) and Rob informed my family we should cancel the hotel reservations (?!?!?!?!?!).

When did you hear this? When were the plane/hotel reservations cancelled?

Also what is the source of 8:15am being the last time someone else saw RT/BT together?

 

[AliceInPain]

Worth noting Rob and his family both mentioned they had cancelled the flights (?!?!) and Rob informed my family we should cancel the hotel reservations (?!?!?!?!?!).

What? When?

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

.

 

[kay74]

Worth noting Rob and his family both mentioned they had cancelled the flights (?!?!) and Rob informed my family we should cancel the hotel reservations (?!?!?!?!?!).

I assume it was after she was missing.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Worth noting Rob and his family both mentioned they had cancelled the flights (?!?!) and Rob informed my family we should cancel the hotel reservations (?!?!?!?!?!).

When did he inform your family the flights were canceled?

 

[iscaremyself]

I assume it was after she was missing.

and if it wasn't?
opens up a new avenue of ponderance

 

[rosesfromangels]

and if it wasn't?
opens up a new avenue of ponderance

Yes, the timing of that should be carefully checked. Sorry to be so cynical.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Knox]

BT, as described so beautifully by her relative on WS, sounds like a very creative, artistic and vibrant woman. I do hope and pray she will be found alive. Everyone on this thread putting forth their ideas should be commended, as the family has already said, it is a great support for them.

Some believe,…..that BT might never have been in the Mojave ....and it is totally understandable where Tara83 is coming from.

But before I get to that point, I need to entertain the notion that her husband might be telling the truth.

If that is the case. Then, she WAS in the desert, and she is STILL in the desert, as others, like Kay74 have posted. I’m agreeing with them too.

It could be that BT’s rock-hunting hobby got her into trouble.

From personal experience, as a collector of earth-artifacts for various purposes, ….I can attest to the rude surprises one can receive, when one is pulling a piece of wood, a large rock, or any other natural element ….out, from underneath brush.

My concern is that BT met up with a lethal animal, or a venomous insect, or harmful reptile which either bit, scratched or otherwise immobilized her quickly. Although unlikely in this case, a cornered creature, no matter how “low risk” they are described in the nature guide books, can become violent killers.

She could have been attacked, if an animal perceived her to have been a threat to their young, or invading their shaded, cool burrow, while she was foraging for objects intended for her artistic endeavors, in those moments while her husband was finishing his photos.

Even though it pains me to write this, BT could have survived the initial injury, and just been in shock. Or paralyzed. Nearby. Unable to yell for her husband. And then she might have been dragged under the brush by a larger animal, later. It is also possible another species of creature continued the process after dark, when it was cooler.

Mountain Lion?

Diamond Back RattleSnake? Or Gila Monster?

Scorpion? Bee hive? Wasp Nest?

Big horn sheep?

Bird of Prey?

Or some combination thereof?
​

Dangerous Animals in the Mojave

open incognito: Nevada's deadliest animals will surprise you

You've got some great theories!

No large animals in that area, but let's say she was bit by a snake and wondered off. I'll try to delicately say this; the odor in that kind of heat is going to come quick. It probably wouldn't even take a dog to pick that up.

I would put this type of scenario in the same probability category as a random (unassisted) abduction on Kelbaker Road.

IMO, she was either disappeared by her husband or she left on her own.

 

[dbdb11]

When did you hear this? When were the plane/hotel reservations cancelled?

Also what is the source of 8:15am being the last time someone else saw RT/BT together?

My family was informed of her disappearance on July 16th. In informing my family Rob mentioned he had cancelled the flights. His family members later repeated that her flights had been cancelled when I tried to reach Robbie by phone.

In the first conversation he had with my family Robbie also said they should cancel the hotel reservations because "she's not gonna make it." endquote.

The source for last sighting is a neighbour's surveillance cam. I'm still waiting to see this footage, but I am trusting the source.

 

[kay74]

and if it wasn't?
opens up a new avenue of ponderance

Well yeah. I don't think he would be that stupid...