CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #4

[Gigi3]

This may be nothing - but it's something that's been niggling with me - it's the picture of BT in a red cap & a black bikini top. It's established this was NOT from the day she went missing

How convenient - seems too much so, perhaps?

Is it possible RT was inspired, got his narrative of events (since it seems he thinks her mode of dress contributed to her disappearance) & what she was wearing by this picture - ?

Maybe she regularly wore the black bikini & red cap on jaunts, & camping. Possible

It's just there in the back of my mind that seems a little too pat to have that picture perfectly describing what she was wearing even though it wasn't taken that day...

Eh. Maybe it's nothing....(& maybe it is!)

JMO

That’s a great thought! But has it been confirmed that the picture was not taken that day? If so, I think that’s a good scenario you’ve described! MOO

 

[Reasonable & Just]

This may be nothing - but it's something that's been niggling with me - it's the picture of BT in a red cap & a black bikini top. It's established this was NOT from the day she went missing

How convenient - seems too much so, perhaps?

Is it possible RT was inspired, got his narrative of events (since it seems he thinks her mode of dress contributed to her disappearance) & what she was wearing by this picture - ?

Maybe she regularly wore the black bikini & red cap on jaunts, & camping. Possible

It's just there in the back of my mind that seems a little too pat to have that picture perfectly describing what she was wearing even though it wasn't taken that day...

Eh. Maybe it's nothing....(& maybe it is!)

JMO

You aren't alone in this nagging thought, and I appreciate you putting into words why it nagged me so. As you said, it really may be nothing, and probably is nothing. ETA - for me, it's another tickle in the brain in an increasingly sad and frustrating mystery.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Maybe she regularly wore the black bikini & red cap on jaunts, & camping. Possible
JMO

Respectfully snipped.
I can only speak for myself and say I have special clothing that I wear in hiking/outdoor pursuits, including a special bathing suit. I don't want to destroy my "good" clothes in the rough outdoors. So your suggestion makes sense to me.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[PommyMommy]

I thought same. Did they physically SEE her, or just RT in and out to van on that morning, and assumed that BT was around as they were preparing to take off?

From what I understand, the neighbor's surveillance cam captured RT and BT leaving the home that morning about 8:15 a.m. MOO

 

[happyday]

Do we know where this info came from?

From our VI.

 

[castilloisno1]

From what I understand, the neighbor's surveillance cam captured RT and BT leaving the home that morning about 8:15 a.m. MOO

Pommy, I appreciate you so much! Always finding us MSM and making threads for us. May I ask...is it clear on that cam what she was wearing that day? Sounds like a dumb ? as I know everyone has stated over and over what she was wearing,but I wonder if that was just RT stating that or the camera.

 

[MsBetsy]

This may be nothing - but it's something that's been niggling with me - it's the picture of BT in a red cap & a black bikini top. It's established this was NOT from the day she went missing

How convenient - seems too much so, perhaps?

Is it possible RT was inspired, got his narrative of events (since it seems he thinks her mode of dress contributed to her disappearance) & what she was wearing by this picture - ?

Maybe she regularly wore the black bikini & red cap on jaunts, & camping. Possible

It's just there in the back of my mind that seems a little too pat to have that picture perfectly describing what she was wearing even though it wasn't taken that day...

Eh. Maybe it's nothing....(& maybe it is!)

JMO

Yes, according to the VI it was what she typically wore.
Although the picture may not have been from that particular day, it may have been the closest likeness of what she was wearing that RT could find, and that's why he used that picture.
After all, he had said they stopped to take pictures of the rock formations so maybe he didn't take any pictures of her that day. Imo

 

[10ofRods]

wow that terrain is thicker than i thought....i was imagining bare stretches sandy with few rocks

she was wearing black? she could be lying so well camouflaged that she would be easy to miss.....if she was on top of her red cap then she would be blending in perfectly with her surroundings, completely hidden

shes tiny as well.

Yes, yes, yes! And if you read much about desert searches (I just finished the excellent blog by the man who found the Death Valley Germans, after years of looking), the time of year is key. While it looks really thick with foliage right now, things shrivel up and some plants go dormant in winter. Until the rains come. In October and November, searchers can also go much further without needing more water, so if she's out there (and crawled up under some bushes for shade, with most of her being black and beige/tan colored, she would be hard to see - she is very tiny in that one fairly recent photo).

 

[Fukiyama]

Did Barbara say why she did not have a cell phone?? Was it because she didn't want one or because RT didn't want her to have one?! Everyone nowadays has one. I'm older than Barbara and would never be without my cell phone. Haven't had a landline in many years. I don't understand this at all.

I'm 38 years old and don't carry one on a daily basis. The one I do have is over fifteen years old and is obsolete. Not everyone cares about being connected 24/7/365.

 

[10ofRods]

Not even footprints?

Probably not even footprints. The ground is so hard and dry. Moving/blowing sand all the time. I'm no tracker, but I've always been astonished how quickly my own prints disappear out there. I don't know if they know the brand of her shoes, hopefully they do. There should be a stray print here and there, I'd think. OTOH, no one knows exactly where she went once RT lost sight of her. The actual main trail would have had many shoe impressions, but perhaps not identifying prints.

100% agree Cherwell. LE in the uk would always check a missing persons immediate environment. Assuming their family would agree. If they didnt alarm bells would ring!

Well, RT was asked to leave the area and polygraphed. A polygraph is a serious clue that alarm bells were ringing in LE's heads.

 

[Gigi3]

sigh... chinese whispers.

So sorry! I wasn’t trying to play the Chinese whispers game. I didn’t remember if it was the cats or dogs that Barbara had given up over the years. It just stuck with me because I would hate to give up any of my animals that I love, and then it made me wonder what else Barbara May have given up or changed during her marriage. MOO

I am so sorry your family is having to endure this, and I really appreciate your time and dedication in providing valuable information to WS. Your aunt and family are in my thoughts daily!

 

[MsBetsy]

Did Barbara say why she did not have a cell phone?? Was it because she didn't want one or because RT didn't want her to have one?! Everyone nowadays has one. I'm older than Barbara and would never be without my cell phone. Haven't had a landline in many years. I don't understand this at all.

There are still people around that don't have cell phones.
I only got one two years ago, because my daughter is old enough to go out with friends by herself now and I need to be able to keep in touch with her.
Otherwise I would have had no use for one.
My dad was given one for Christmas and has never opened it. He doesn't have the patience to figure out how to use it.
Also, some people don't want to be bothered with phone calls when they go out.
Maybe sharing the one they had was good enough for her. Imo

 

[AnnesCuthberts]

Did Barbara say why she did not have a cell phone?? Was it because she didn't want one or because RT didn't want her to have one?! Everyone nowadays has one. I'm older than Barbara and would never be without my cell phone. Haven't had a landline in many years. I don't understand this at all.

Chiming in here: it easily could be she just didn’t want one. My father loathes having a phone. Also still has a landline. He’s just not interested them and when he has one he ends up never remembering to lift it. Also post above is reminding me if he ever does need to use a mobile/cell, he just borrows my mums.

 

[wary]

This may be nothing - but it's something that's been niggling with me - it's the picture of BT in a red cap & a black bikini top. It's established this was NOT from the day she went missing

How convenient - seems too much so, perhaps?

Is it possible RT was inspired, got his narrative of events (since it seems he thinks her mode of dress contributed to her disappearance) & what she was wearing by this picture - ?

Maybe she regularly wore the black bikini & red cap on jaunts, & camping. Possible

It's just there in the back of my mind that seems a little too pat to have that picture perfectly describing what she was wearing even though it wasn't taken that day...

Eh. Maybe it's nothing....(& maybe it is!)

JMO

. This may be nothing - but it's something that's been niggling with me - it's the picture of BT in a red cap & a black bikini top. It's established this was NOT from the day she went missing

I don’t believe that it has been established at all that the red cap/black bikini photo was not from the day she went missing.

Does anyone remember that being published by an authoritative source?

P.S. I was wrong. Question answered by PommyMommy, below. Leaving my question just for continuity.

 

[PommyMommy]

Pommy, I appreciate you so much! Always finding us MSM and making threads for us. May I ask...is it clear on that cam what she was wearing that day? Sounds like a dumb ? as I know everyone has stated over and over what she was wearing,but I wonder if that was just RT stating that or the camera.

That's sweet of you to say. Thank you.

I thought they were able to observe what BT was wearing but I can't find it now. We need @dbdb11 to weigh in on that. MOO

 

[PommyMommy]

I don’t believe that it has been established at all that the red cap/black bikini photo was not from the day she went missing.

Does anyone remember that being published by an authoritative source?

It is the VI's opinion that the photo was NOT taken the day she disappeared.

EDIT: answers in bold in quote

-Did Barbara in fact take a 360 photo? With what, her phone? His phone? A camera? iPad?
Don't know conclusively. My information says Barb has no phone.
-Did they stop anywhere before the spot where she went missing?
I was informed they'd been here many times by Rob's family, then I was told it was their first time here, by Robbie. All accounts from Robbie, first and second hand, cite a nearby cave which Robbie 'returned' to, to look for Barb after not finding her at camper.
-Was the photo of her in news stories taken the same day she went missing?
MOO The photo of her in bikini with hat and glasses was not taken the day of her disappearance, but is the closest photo Rob could get hold of that looked how she looked the day she went missing. As I mentioned this fits with what I know of her 'stroll through desert' style as well. Photos from the day are likely still in law enforcements hands, assuming he had an actual camera on him, and was not just snapping photos with his cellphone.
-Did they always get along?
In my experience no one always gets along. They're both very human, had arguments and were able to get through them. My father and his wife refer to their arguments as comical and a notable part of their relationship. ie. It was entertaining watching them stubbornly bicker over something.
-Any financial struggles or recent life changes?
I also would like to know this.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Well, RT was asked to leave the area and polygraphed. A polygraph is a serious clue that alarm bells were ringing in LE's heads.

Respectfully snipped.
I think a poly in a case like this is standard procedure.

mOO

 

[Knox]

Thought I would bring the inside edition interview with Robert back up for discussion.

 

[MsBetsy]

I don’t believe that it has been established at all that the red cap/black bikini photo was not from the day she went missing.

Does anyone remember that being published by an authoritative source?

No, it has not been verified, at least not that I can remember.
The VI thinks it may not be of that day, but that was an opinion.
It's hard to tell how old the picture is because it looks blurry to me.

 

[MsBetsy]

Respectfully snipped.
I think a poly in a case like this is standard procedure.

mOO

Yes, and it's also typical to suspect the husband and family members first, or whoever last saw the victim.
I believe this is why Robert thought he was the main suspect. Hard to say whether or not he still thinks that since we have no idea how the investigation is going. Imo