CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #8

[campbellsouup]

Assuming there are no pictures in between those times.

Pictures simply capture a moment, context can often be lacking. So although there is likely (according to our VI) photo evidence of BT being in an area matching the description - it does not always accurately capture the true nature of the scene, condition of the subject, show duress, etc. Not to mention a desert looks like a desert, there aren't many landmarks that differentiate certain parts from eachother

 

[Curiousobserver]

Pictures simply capture a moment, context can often be lacking. So although there is likely (according to our VI) photo evidence of BT being in an area matching the description - it does not always accurately capture the true nature of the scene, condition of the subject, show duress, etc. Not to mention a desert looks like a desert, there aren't many landmarks that differentiate certain parts from eachother

It doesn't matter what the context was or her emotional state. The location and date/time stamp establishes the timeline and thus the available time that a 75 yr old man would have to drive somewhere, drag a dead body somewhere, get back, and call the police.

 

[Tillicum]

I don't understand why media hasn't requested the release of the 911 call. It's like they have no interest in this case. Maybe we could all contact that Indiana news station that interviewed Barb's son and request an update on the case and possible 911 release?

 

[Nikynoo]

Wouldn't a divorce have been so much easier?

Snipped and bolded by me - how many times have we said that!!

 

[campbellsouup]

It doesn't matter what the context was or her emotional state. The location and date/time stamp establishes the timeline and thus the available time that a 75 yr old man would have to drive somewhere, drag a dead body somewhere, get back, and call the police.

Oh but it does. The location data is likely extremely vague / inaccurate if available at all. Most digital cameras don't have GPS, most cell phones do but don't have very accurate gps in the middle of a spotty zone. Very simple to threaten someone with danger and say smile pretty for the camera. Also dragging is not a requirement of disposing a body if you weren't in the location that you claimed to be in.

 

[lolafaith]

Snipped and bolded by me - how many times have we said that!!

Would be interesting to know if there is a big life insurance payout on the horizon. Not sure how that would work, how long does someone have to be missing to be presumed dead?

 

[Tillicum]

Would be interesting to know if there is a big life insurance payout on the horizon. Not sure how that would work, how long does someone have to be missing to be presumed dead?

I think it's 5 years in California. I don't know of any insurance companies who will pay out on suspicious deaths that are still under investigation though. Insurance companies have their own investigators too.

 

[LietKynes]

I think it's 5 years in California. I don't know of any insurance companies who will pay out on suspicious deaths that are still under investigation though. Insurance companies have their own investigators too.

BBM

That's true.
Maybe they will crack this case ?
Pretty sad if it takes an insurance co. to figure out the truth.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I think it's 5 years in California. I don't know of any insurance companies who will pay out on suspicious deaths that are still under investigation though. Insurance companies have their own investigators too.

Can you provide a link as to LE stating this is a death, is suspicious, or that they are still investigating? I'm not aware that they have commented any any of these factors?

Amateur speculation and opinion

 

[Kapua]

Its really not a lot of unaccounted-for time to hide a body.

Assume for a moment that LE has pictures of her at the site (reported by our VI and also the fact that LE searched for 9 days for some reason). So she was there in the morning (at least) after they got ice, after dropping off the dog etc...

If RT perpetrated a crime then he had to leave, and then be back at the location on Kelbaker Rd. when he called the police from his phone... Because if he called from anywhere else LE would nail him in short order. He couldn't call LE from the Kelbacker site and then leave to hide something because he would have no idea what the response time would be. Imagine if LE showed up and you weren't there.

How much time would he actually have?

If LE arrived faster than he expected, he could easily have told them that he drove up the road to see if he could spot her.
Regardless, he had a lot of time, the way I figure it. It's a less than 2-hour drive to the Kelbaker Rd. location, they left at 8:30, and now we know they stopped for ice briefly at 9. I'd say they arrived around 10:30. They went for a walk - probably 2-3 walks. RT called 911 at 3:36. I'm leaving out the time the photos were taken for now. If the walks ended around noon, he had 3 1/2 hours of unaccounted-for time prior to the 911 call. If they ended around 2, he had over an hour and a half. And they were in a vast, lonely desert; he didn't have to worry too much about being seen.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Would be interesting to know if there is a big life insurance payout on the horizon. Not sure how that would work, how long does someone have to be missing to be presumed dead?

Arizona it's five years:
14-1107 - Determination of death and status; rules

 

[rosesfromangels]

And they were in a vast, lonely desert; he didn't have to worry too much about being seen.

Snipped for focus and commentary response
The thread has been moving so fast I must have missed RT being named a POI?

 

[Tillicum]

Can you provide a link as to LE stating this is a death, is suspicious, or that they are still investigating? I'm not aware that they have commented any any of these factors?

Amateur speculation and opinion

Just a general statement about insurance payouts.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

Perhaps the reason LE has not:

- shared photos from that day of BT (if they exist and are authentic)
- gone to the media
- held press conferences
- updated the public on their investigation since the search ended over a month ago
- conducted additional searches based on new information

is because their Specialized Investigation unit has decided that informing the public of any progress on the investigation into her disappearance is not going to help them solve the case, e.g., they have solid leads they are pursuing that point in one direction.

This is MOO, but otherwise, I think LE would be doing all of the above.

 

[Curiousobserver]

If LE arrived faster than he expected, he could easily have told them that he drove up the road to see if he could spot her.
Regardless, he had a lot of time, the way I figure it. It's a less than 2-hour drive to the Kelbaker Rd. location, they left at 8:30, and now we know they stopped for ice briefly at 9. I'd say they arrived around 10:30. They went for a walk - probably 2-3 walks. RT called 911 at 3:36. I'm leaving out the time the photos were taken for now. If the walks ended around noon, he had 3 1/2 hours of unaccounted-for time prior to the 911 call. If they ended around 2, he had over an hour and a half. And they were in a vast, lonely desert; he didn't have to worry too much about being seen.

That's what I was asking, thank you- at best he had 3.5 hours (so she could be anywhere you could take a 40 foot camper within about 1.5 hrs or so and also hide a body without being seen at 1:00 or so in the afternoon). And I can't stop for gas, or someone will see me. At worst he had 1.5 hours and the radius shrinks to 45 minutes.

This info a person can sleuth. Where should LE look? You can't just park a big white truck with a fifth wheel anywhere.

All the arguing about what he said, how he said it, if his hair was blonde or not... is not useful.

 

[Curiousobserver]

What if he didn't have to drag her, but instead walked with her out to a particular location, a la Erin Corwin?

Fair point-

 

[LietKynes]

What if he didn't have to drag her, but instead walked with her out to a particular location, a la Erin Corwin?

That's a chilling thought.^^^

Speaking hypothetically about no one in particular --- it's easier to throw a body down an open mine, than to dig a grave in the desert heat.

 

[lolafaith]

So if you are a loving husband, and your wife disappears while you are both out for a nice walk in the desert, why would you not be constantly trying to tell the world she is missing and ask for people's help in finding her? After the first interview that we've all seen where RT says he thinks she's been taken, why has there been no further tv interviews, no press coverage for ages. Nothing since mid July in the media except Barbara's son Matthew's interview in August.

We've all followed enough missing persons cases in the media and also on here to know that a distraught family or loved one is going to do as much as they can to put the message out there, photos, flyers, interviews, TV/Radio/Press etc.

As far as we know RT has gone to ground, and there has been nothing from any of his family either.

Only two reasons for this.

1. He's been advised by LE to say nothing for fear it could jeopardise the investigation.

2. He knows she's dead.

 

[Nikynoo]

What if he didn't have to drag her, but instead walked with her out to a particular location, a la Erin Corwin?

But would he just have left her there? Out in the open? Possibly.

 

[Kapua]

That's what I was asking, thank you- at best he had 3.5 hours (so she could be anywhere you could take a 40 foot camper within about 1.5 hrs or so and also hide a body without being seen at 1:00 or so in the afternoon). And I can't stop for gas, or someone will see me. At worst he had 1.5 hours and the radius shrinks to 45 minutes.

This info a person can sleuth. Where should LE look? You can't just park a big white truck with a fifth wheel anywhere.

All the arguing about what he said, how he said it, if his hair was blonde or not... is not useful.

There are only a few roads in the area, so even though there's a lot of land, you have to consider access. Roads and trails. Find a good search team and a couple of local experts and map out the area. Then search as the original searchers did with helicopters, search dogs, and off-road vehicles. MOO