CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #7

[ChuckMaureen]

I guess ice in a cooler would be more efficient than keeping the fridge running in the RV, but that is an uneducated guess.

I'm guessing ice in a water bottle would stay cool/er for longer (than only chilled water) while carrying it on an out-and-about desert hike on a 100+º day.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

We are no where near California and Arizona so we have to ask:

Is RT appearing on local media TV/Radio news programs (and/or any programs for that matter) pleading for BT's return? Has LE advised RT against doing such a thing?

Besides the "beer" aspect, this also is haunting me: did BT scream while she was being abducted and still holding on to (and not dropping) her container full of beer? Sound carries above desert land...

The Listen(n) Project from Arizona State University Captures the Wild and Man-Made Sounds of National Parks - CityLab

 

[Tillicum]

On Barbara's NamUs link under Distinctive Physical Features nothing is listed. It would seem at 69 years old she would have her share of scars etc. @dbdb11 do you know if Barbara had any scars, tattoos or birthmarks?

 

[Stripehaven]

We are no where near California and Arizona so we have to ask:

Is RT appearing on local media TV/Radio news programs (and/or any programs for that matter) pleading for BT's return? Has LE advised RT against doing such a thing?

Besides the "beer" aspect, this also is haunting me: did BT scream while she was being abducted and still holding on to (and not dropping) her container full of beer? Sound carries above desert land...

The Listen(n) Project from Arizona State University Captures the Wild and Man-Made Sounds of National Parks - CityLab

I’m also thinking she likely would have shouted once she realized she was lost, if she did get lost. I’ve been wondering about that.

 

[rosesfromangels]

SBMFF

My strategy would be for both sides of the families to sit down, discuss ways of moving forward, rather than accusations.
Let LE do what they do best.

In the meantime, everyone could be working together to bring BT home as she sounds like an incredible person.

Just my opinion et al

Best post that I've read on this thread to date.
Well said Leney.

 

[crhedBngr]

Please help us find Barbara. If anyone knows any mountain biking enthusiasts. ATV enthusiasts. Drone enthusiasts. Desert rats. Adventurous RV'rs like Barb and Rob. Anyone of the above in Bullhead, Laughlin, Needles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Henderson, or regular VISITORS TO THE MOJAVE.... Anyone who travels from AZ to LV regularly... Please help me share these flyers with those people!

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BT is just gorgeous! She looks to be in her 40's in the attached photos.

Interesting that RT has his own plane. Also interesting are the phone calls away from everybody. Hmmmm.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

bbm

BT is just gorgeous! She looks to be in her 40's in the attached photos.

Interesting that RT has his own plane. Also interesting are the phone calls away from everybody. Hmmmm.

That isn't unusual in our neck of the woods. If you have to do business during family gatherings (many of us do) it's only polite to take your conversation away from others so as not to annoy or interfere with what's going on.... polite vs. rude.

 

[crhedBngr]

bbm


That isn't unusual in our neck of the woods. If you have to do business during family gatherings (many of us do) it's only polite to take your conversation away from others so as not to annoy or interfere with what's going on.... polite vs. rude.

I understand where you are coming from. When we get phone calls, business-related or personal, one of us would go into another room until the call was finished. But, we always let each other know who called, and why.

RT's not a POI, so we can't sleuth him. But I do wonder what was going on "behind the scenes", per se.

JMVHO.

 

[RANCH]

BT is just gorgeous! She looks to be in her 40's in the attached photos.

Interesting that RT has his own plane. Also interesting are the phone calls away from everybody. Hmmmm.

Where are you getting that RT has his own plane?

 

[coastal]

A few more pictures. Thank you all again for your words, your deeds, your thoughts, your prayers and your time

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Thank you for posting these. She is lovely.

 

[crhedBngr]

Where are you getting that RT has his own plane?

From our verified insider, @dbdb11 :

RE: RT's work: My father's wife said, when they visited Bullhead and stayed over in Laughlin... Rob would manage "shipping delivery" of herbalife, even when spending a weekend in Utah together, and regularly they needed to wait while he was on his phone. She also remembers he always took his cell phone calls very far away from them.

Worth reminding that my dad, his wife (even my siblings and I) have visited them in Henderson and in Bullhead, have taken trips with them in the boat and the RV. Neither my dad nor his wife were ever made aware that Robert had his own plane. According to RT's side of the family it was totally normal for RT and Barb to fly in for a visit. Not really sure what to make of that.

 

[RANCH]

From our verified insider, @dbdb11 :

Thanks. I wonder if he still has this plane.

 

[campbellsouup]

Interesting info @dbdb11, has anyone spoken with RT lately that you know of? I’m sure LE is keeping an eye on things but I’m wondering how he is holding up

 

[Tillicum]

If I understand correctly our VI said that Barbara didn't want to keep the cell phone their family gave her to use in HK because it was expensive. Wonder what she thought of the cost of the boat, plane and RV.

 

[10ofRods]

JUL 19, 2019
Video: The search continues for 69-year-old hiker Barbara Thomas
At the end of this video, the reporter says, "Investigators say the questions they asked RT are standard for missing person investigations stressing they do not suspect foul play in this case."

Seems like they've said both no evidence of abduction and they do not suspect foul play. Why believe one and ignore the other?

Well, for one thing, LE actually gave one statement (no evidence of abduction) and the other was repeated by a reporter (who, I might add, has done very little with the story since and hasn't responded to emails about a follow-up). I think that reporter was taking the "no evidence of abduction" and paraphrasing. The reporter appears to be using footage taken by another reporter, btw (and also erroneously says RT phoned "immediately" which RT hasn't said in a televised or other interview that I know of - this would be very big; reporter is simply using her own words and seems to be in a hurry to file her report...she seems to have been in Los Angeles, not Mojave, the entire time).

 

[gsleuth]

RE: RT's work: My father's wife said, when they visited Bullhead and stayed over in Laughlin... Rob would manage "shipping delivery" of herbalife, even when spending a weekend in Utah together, and regularly they needed to wait while he was on his phone. She also remembers he always took his cell phone calls very far away from them.

Worth reminding that my dad, his wife (even my siblings and I) have visited them in Henderson and in Bullhead, have taken trips with them in the boat and the RV. Neither my dad nor his wife were ever made aware that Robert had his own plane. According to RT's side of the family it was totally normal for RT and Barb to fly in for a visit. Not really sure what to make of that.

Do you know if he used the plane for deliveries of hl products? Also what distance did he fly to family?

 

[LietKynes]

If I understand correctly our VI said that Barbara didn't want to keep the cell phone their family gave her to use in HK because it was expensive. Wonder what she thought of the cost of the boat, plane and RV.

BBM

You and me both.... those are not inexpensive purchases.

 

[Lilibet]

The attendant on the day spoke to me. Describes Robbie as naggy and said police have all surveillance footage. The attendant, Mike if I remember, also told me Robbie parked way out on the other side of the road. Walked in to the store in a very roundabout way, said something about not being able to get in and out of the truck without his wife's help, which made the attendant think he was implying a disability, and then practically jogged across the road and hopped in the truck, which struck Mike as very odd, and made him remember the encounter. RT only bought ice. Mike did not see Barb, but probably wouldn't have if they were parked across the road (context for the google earth photo). This happened around 9am.

@dbdb11 So it sounds as if the attendant observed RT’s approach from the RV (roundabout) or did he mean he came into the store in a roundabout way once he was on the gas station property? In other words, he missed the normal entrance to the store?

Just throwing this out as an innocent reason for something that might be chalked up to a misunderstanding. RT clearly didn’t need help to get into the truck, so....

When RT said he couldn’t get in and out of the truck without his wife’s help, I wonder if he meant that he needed her help to get the RV in and out of the gas station and perhaps “Mike” misunderstood. When we were RVers, often I would have to “spot” my husband from outside the fifth wheel to make sure he wasn’t going to hit something...like a gas tank! We had hand signals. A raised fist meant STOP!!

So, if we were just stopping for ice, I can imagine parking across the road so we could avoid the hassle of pulling our rig into the tight quarters of a gas station. I would have stayed in the truck and my husband would have crossed the road to get the ice.

Regarding ice, they possibly didn’t have ice already made in their RV fridge and it would melt if they didn’t run the fridge on battery or propane while driving. In some areas, it’s illegal to keep your propane on while driving, such as at a gas station.

Refrigerator While Driving | Your RV Lifestyle

 

[PaulaDC]

Now that's interesting!

Makes it a point to mention a disability, a wife who he can't get in or out of his rig without and then jogs away and enters his vehicle presumably without assistance. Interesting. MOO

And proceeds to go for a two mile hike in the desert with said invisible wife. Very interesting.

 

[al66pine]

From my earlier post:
No Evidence of Abduction? Not Suspect Foul Play?* Which One?

JUL 19, 2019

Video: The search continues for 69-year-old hiker Barbara Thomas
At the end of this video, the reporter says, "."
Seems like they've said both no evidence of abduction and they do not suspect foul play. Why believe one and ignore the other?

@darring21 Thanks for your post. bbm. Good question, but I see the two stmts as potentially significant different from each other.
One vid interview shows LEO saying we found "...No evidence of abduction...." (sbm)
In ^ linked July 19 ABC vid, reporter said what @darring21 said, "Investigators say...stressing they do not suspect foul play..." sbm

First, imo, the terms themselves are not are not synonymous,** but aside from the terms came from two different sources.
Source of "no evidence of abduction:" sheriff, deputy, or PIO from that office/dept, authorized to speak on behalf of office, while on camera for public release. I tend to trust LE/LE rep. in that situation to choose words carefully and express their findings precisely (not like Humpty Dumpty, "When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean.").
Source of "do not suspect foul play:" purportedly from LE but as interpreted/explained/construed/paraphrased by reporter. In this clip, those exact words did not come from directly from LE's mouth, at least not on camera. Not to criticize MSM reporters, but I frequently see/hear/read sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant, perhaps unconscious, paraphrasing/rephrasing, that significantly changes meanings.
jmo, could be wrong.
___________________________________________
* Sorry my earlier title said -"No Evd of Foul Play" but I changed this to parallel the linked vid quote.
** Plain English 'abduction:' the action or an instance of forcibly taking someone away against their will.
Plain English 'foul play:' unlawful or dishonest behavior, in particular violent crime resulting in another's death.
Even in that P/E sense, the two terms are not synonymous. In a quick scan of CA penal code, I did not see a definition for foul play, so going to leave it at that, instead of trying to address any legal technicalities.
{{ETA: added footnote re title change}}