Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors: Ann Rule's Crime Files

[justice be served]

Even though Ann Rule appears neutral in retelling the Spreckels mansion murder mysteries, she does somewhat hint that Adam or a stalker may be involved or that Adam may not be telling the whole truth about certain things.

As far as I can tell, Adam's the only one in the main suspect list of six that Ann Rule intimates that she has some suspicions about. She seems to give a pass to the others, IMO.

I don't believe Ann Rule is actually giving a pass to anyone. I think instead she wanted to get the story told because she believes fully that Rebecca was murdered. She has covered her behind with the lawyers and as she has found with so many of her other stories that the truth will eventually come out. Let's just hope there is not another murder as there was in the Powell case before indictments are served.

 

[bourne]

I don't believe Ann Rule is actually giving a pass to anyone. I think instead she wanted to get the story told because she believes fully that Rebecca was murdered. She has covered her behind with the lawyers and as she has found with so many of her other stories that the truth will eventually come out. Let's just hope there is not another murder as there was in the Powell case before indictments are served.

What I wrote might have come off as sounding too harsh about Ann Rule. Don't get me wrong, I adore Ann Rule and love her books. I think she's a great detective. But I do see in this particular Spreckels mansion story that she's very gentle in her descriptions of Jonah and Dina. I am thinking it's likely because of the lawyers and PR involved.

 

[Mr Spock]

Why are you assuming Dina isn't on camera footage? Gore never said he looked but couldn't find her. Of course she wouldn't be on the video if he never looked for her to begin with. If he had witnesses and also cell phone triangulation, he didn't need to spend additional resources to wade through security videos at all.

The explanations of witnesses and cell phone records seems to have satisfied both Ms. Rule and the Sheriff.

JMO

Anne Bremner has looked for Dina extensively on those tapes reportedly with seasoned detectives who have donated their time to assist her. Anne Bremner has stated on Dr Drew, in interviews, and on the Dr Phill Show that Dina is nowhere to be found on the hospital surveillance tapes during the several hour time frame Rebecca died. Dina's only alibi is the GPS triangulation Gore says he had at the news conference to the CBS reporter. Anne Bremner has stated that Gore did not turn over to her Dina's phone records or any records of the Dina's phone "pinging" there. There are no interviews with any nurse verifying or placing Dina at the hospital during those hours either. As it stands the only alibi Dina has during the time Rebecca was killed is that "pinging phone" record which Gore never gave Anne. I'll bet Gores statement Dina's phone "pinged" in Radys is as as accurate as Adam passing his lie detector with "flying colors".

John Gotti's neighbor disappeared and was presumed murdered just weeks after he accidentally hit John's son with his car. I'll bet I can find hundreds more revenge killings for accidents involving children.

Looking at Dina's history we know Jonah has stated she has attacked him so violently on occasions his guard dog had to get in between them to protect Jonah. We know Jonah stated Dina broke Jonah's finger in a separate incident during another rage. We know now according to Anne Rule's book there are witnesses to some kind of physical altercation by Dina against Rebecca just a few months prior to her death. We know Jonah stated Dina laid down in front of his moving vehicle to try and prevent him from leaving her. And this is ONLY what has been reported. I can imagine there are dozens and dozens more stories of acts of poor impulse control coupled with an intermittent explosive disorder exhibited when Dina goes into a rage (or as Jonah stated to the police "high on alcohol and prescription drugs") against relatives, house staff, and others that just hasn't been reported.

 

[Gilgamesh]

About the *advertiser censored* accessed from RZ's computer.....Adam, like many men, likes *advertiser censored*. In and of itself that does not mean much. BUT.......RZ's computer was accessed and *advertiser censored* about sexy Asian girls and (I believe) violent Asian anima *advertiser censored* was found. It was looked at either the day of or the evening of ( I don't remember, please someone clarify) RZ's murder. It was accessed remotely with a Southwest Airlines account credit card from what I understand. Possible scenario: RZ told Adam to make himself at home while she was running around being there for everyone who needed her. Perhaps she gave him her password.It's possible that Adam accessed her computer while he was in the guest house. Just a thought.

 

[Gilgamesh]

Something else I noticed from going over book sections again. The men's clothing that was found on the floor of the guesthouse Adam was staying in included a jeans, shirt, etc. as well as men's underwear. The clothing that was folded neatly in RZ and JS's bedroom was RZ's. it included jeans, shirt, etc but NO underwear. A pair of panties was found in the wastebasket of the guest room that Adam was staying in. Connection??? Hmmmm.....

 

[Carioca]

About the *advertiser censored* accessed from RZ's computer.....Adam, like many men, likes *advertiser censored*. In and of itself that does not mean much. BUT.......RZ's computer was accessed and *advertiser censored* about sexy Asian girls and (I believe) violent Asian anima *advertiser censored* was found. It was looked at either the day of or the evening of ( I don't remember, please someone clarify) RZ's murder. It was accessed remotely with a Southwest Airlines account credit card from what I understand. Possible scenario: RZ told Adam to make himself at home while she was running around being there for everyone who needed her. Perhaps she gave him her password.It's possible that Adam accessed her computer while he was in the guest house. Just a thought.

Anne Bremner stated on her FB page BBM:

Someone accessed Rebecca Zahau's computer from SW Airlines before she died. Someone also accessed her computer after she died.

Also later further clarification:

Someone accessed her account from a SW Airlines account before she died and generally after. He [Gore] is trying to blame her for what is on her computer. He hasn't accepted that it wasn't Rebecca and points in the direction of a potential suspect. Also, a potential suspect accessed troubling material on an iPhone of that individual before her body was "discovered".

 

[Carioca]

Something else I noticed from going over book sections again. The men's clothing that was found on the floor of the guesthouse Adam was staying in included a jeans, shirt, etc. as well as men's underwear. The clothing that was folded neatly in RZ and JS's bedroom was RZ's. it included jeans, shirt, etc but NO underwear. A pair of panties was found in the wastebasket of the guest room that Adam was staying in. Connection??? Hmmmm.....

Good catch Gilgamesh! Hmmmmm indeed. This should have been a red flag for investigators to take the panties into evidence and process. But we know Jonah said the panties belonged to his daughter who had allegedly left over 2 days prior, so the panties were ignored. And also Gore stated that since RZ's autopsy revealed no signs of sexual assault, then there was no need to consider the panties as relevent. Now how that cancels out that the panties could have been RZ's is beyond comprehension.

IMO it is unfathomable that Rebecca, as fastidious as she was in caring for everyone, did not check the guesthouse and give it at least a straightening up before Adam was to arrive. She, or anyone else, would never have overlooked panties on the floor...

 

[*Lash*]

The review of the internet history was from the last 24 hours.

On July 13, Deputy Pearce examined a Hewlett-Packard laptop computer, whose only active user account was Rebecca Zahau, and an iMac computer whose single user account was Jonah Shacknai. Both of the computers were from the guest room/computer room with the balcony where Becky Zahau had allegedly hung herself. He also had her Samsung cell phone.

1. A review of the Internet history showed no searches were conducted for the terms: suicide, rope, knots, or hanging.

2. A review of the Internet history from Becky’s computer during the last twenty-four hours showed numerous searches and viewing of *advertiser censored*, including lesbian and anime *advertiser censored*. [The latter is a Japanese style of animated cartoon, often with violent or sexually explicit content.]

3. There were no documents found related to suicide.

Excerpt From: Rule, Ann. “Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors.” This material may be protected by copyright.

 

[*Lash*]

Good catch Gilgamesh! Hmmmmm indeed. This should have been a red flag for investigators to take the panties into evidence and process. But we know Jonah said the panties belonged to his daughter who had allegedly left over 2 days prior, so the panties were ignored. And also Gore stated that since RZ's autopsy revealed no signs of sexual assault, then there was no need to consider the panties as relevent. Now how that cancels out that the panties could have been RZ's is beyond comprehension.

IMO it is unfathomable that Rebecca, as fastidious as she was in caring for everyone, did not check the guesthouse and give it at least a straightening up before Adam was to arrive. She, or anyone else, would never have overlooked panties on the floor...

Evidence found in bathroom - long strand of dark hair. Was the hair tested or also assumed to be GS's friend?

Moving to the guesthouse, Williams took men’s clothing from the floor of the south master bedroom there: blue jeans, boxer briefs, a black T-shirt, and black socks. She found and saved for evidence a long strand of dark hair in the bathroom attached to this bedroom.

Excerpt From: Rule, Ann. “Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors.” This material may be protected by copyright.

 

[jjenny]

Book does not mention whether toxicology report existed to verify Adam's testimony about using Ambien that night Becky died, just that he told police that during the short 40 minute interview.

I very much doubt they did any toxicology on Adam or anyone else (except Rebecca's body). This doesn't strike me as thorough an investigation.

 

[MyBelle]

Of course LE considered Dina a suspect-- probably the second suspect. Adam, of course, was the first. (His odd comments and behavior probably only heightened the concern of the responding officers, IMO.

I am also quite confident that police officers and detectives investigations are not conducted and dictated by the wishes of friends and family members of the victims. That would be a pretty poor method upon which to conduct investigations.

I think it's obvious that LE considered Dina a suspect in Rebecca's presumed murder from the very first hours after Rebecca's body was discovered. Indeed, even before the ME arrived, while she was still laying nude and dead and exposed in the grass.



http://www.phoenixmag.com/lifestyle/valley-news/201208/boy--interrupted-full-version/2/

BBM above.

Please note that the words above are Dinas own words. That is a pretty important question when it is asked of you by a homicide detective. It means they think YOU know something, and are directly involved.

Now, the first time I read that I was just astounded at Dina's "whirlwind spin doctoring" of that encounter. Deflection tactics, big time.

You see, I absolutely believe that detectives were paying her a visit not because they suspected foul play in Max's death, but because they were genuinely concerned that she had something to do with what they probably strongly suspected was a vicious revenge murder. They were watching her closely to evaluate her reaction to the news of Rebecca's death, as well as her reaction to their questions. They absolutely suspected her of involvement in Rebecca's murder, at that point in time. No question in my mind. The questions she reports them asking her were the questions that LEO's ask suspects. She was not a family member of Rebecca's. Why else would they ask, or care, what she thought about Rebecca's hanging? It is crystal clear from the encounter Dina herself describes that she was considered a very early suspect. IMO, she immediately went into spin mode, and had even anticipated what she would say.

I don't expect Dina's loyal supporters to agree with my interpretation, but there was no reason, at that point in time, for detectives to be taking her time away from her dying son, EXCEPT that they suspected her of revenge involvement in Rebecca's execution. IMO.

Your interpretation seems to be based more on an intense dislike of Dina rather than the facts known at the time.

You insist LE believed it was a "revenge" murder but they had no evidence of that being a motive at that point in time because it was believed Max was injured in an accident and he was still alive. Dina had not been told that CPS had been called in by the Hospital.

Max was also Jonah's son. None of us can say with certainty what LE believed but I'm not surprised they asked Dina questions. That doesn't make Dina a suspect any more than it makes the dog kennel owner a suspect.

JMO

 

[K_Z]

Anne Bremner has looked for Dina extensively on those tapes reportedly with seasoned detectives who have donated their time to assist her. Anne Bremner has stated on Dr Drew, in interviews, and on the Dr Phill Show that Dina is nowhere to be found on the hospital surveillance tapes during the several hour time frame Rebecca died. Dina's only alibi is the GPS triangulation Gore says he had at the news conference to the CBS reporter.

Respectfully snipped.

What I would find even more interesting is the place and time Dina LAST appears on the security tapes (before the estimated time of Rebecca's hanging death), and when and where she appears AGAIN (after Rebecca is discovered).

I'd also be interested in knowing which areas of the hospital that they reviewed. Major entrances? Only ICU footage? Cafeteria? Common waiting areas? I'd think that DINA would also want to know this, if she was truly there in the hospital during that time period. Where exactly does she claim to have been during this time period? In Max's cubical, in the parent waiting room, cafeteria, parent shower room, etc? Certainly there are not cameras in all areas (particularly patient care areas and bathrooms, etc), but at some point in those hours, she SHOULD be visible somewhere. Particularly because there was no difficulty locating Jonah on security tapes in the same areas, just a short time later when he arrived from RMD house.

And yes, since they had to resort to GPS triangulation of Dina's phone, they were quite concerned about her location. Which makes me wonder what exactly the ICU staff had to say about her presence or absence there. If she was clearly there and seen by staff, and just out of camera range for a short time, that would have been VERY easy to establish. It is troubling that there are no witnesses to her presence in the ICU during that time. If there were, Dina herself would have surely said so by now, as well as LE.

Just speculation, but I'm thinking staff says they saw her there at some point that day, but didn't know the timeframe, or said she was gone from the bedside for a period of time, or in and out all day. That would make sense to me that LE had to resort to GPS triangulation, since they had no direct witnesses, nor security tape footage of her.

She had several extended absences from the bedside in the first day or 2, so staff would not have necessarily expected her to be there 24/7. That wasn't her pattern (to be there continuously) from the beginning of Max's admission.

Also-- an isolated question for anyone in the SD area. At about 10 pm on a weeknight, approximately how long would it take a driver to go from Rady Children's Hospital to Coronado Island?

 

[MyBelle]

Anne Bremner has looked for Dina extensively on those tapes reportedly with seasoned detectives who have donated their time to assist her. Anne Bremner has stated on Dr Drew, in interviews, and on the Dr Phill Show that Dina is nowhere to be found on the hospital surveillance tapes during the several hour time frame Rebecca died. Dina's only alibi is the GPS triangulation Gore says he had at the news conference to the CBS reporter. Anne Bremner has stated that Gore did not turn over to her Dina's phone records or any records of the Dina's phone "pinging" there. There are no interviews with any nurse verifying or placing Dina at the hospital during those hours either. As it stands the only alibi Dina has during the time Rebecca was killed is that "pinging phone" record which Gore never gave Anne. I'll bet Gores statement Dina's phone "pinged" in Radys is as as accurate as Adam passing his lie detector with "flying colors".

John Gotti's neighbor disappeared and was presumed murdered just weeks after he accidentally hit John's son with his car. I'll bet I can find hundreds more revenge killings for accidents involving children.

Looking at Dina's history we know Jonah has stated she has attacked him so violently on occasions his guard dog had to get in between them to protect Jonah. We know Jonah stated Dina broke Jonah's finger in a separate incident during another rage. We know now according to Anne Rule's book there are witnesses to some kind of physical altercation by Dina against Rebecca just a few months prior to her death. We know Jonah stated Dina laid down in front of his moving vehicle to try and prevent him from leaving her. And this is ONLY what has been reported. I can imagine there are dozens and dozens more stories of acts of poor impulse control coupled with an intermittent explosive disorder exhibited when Dina goes into a rage (or as Jonah stated to the police "high on alcohol and prescription drugs") against relatives, house staff, and others that just hasn't been reported.

You are citing a lot of rumors as though they are fact.

I've seen no link to validate your claim that Ms. Bremner has all the hospital surveillance tapes. I seriously doubt that she does. I believe the only possible tapes that she has are the ones seized by LE and entered into evidence as part of the case file. Not that it matters anymore. Both LE and now Ms. Rule have stated Dina was at the hospital and her involvement isn't in question.

As for any physical altercation between Dina and RZ, I've seen no validation of it in the news media or LE but if such an altercation took place, it sounds as though RZ may have a violent streak and that's what concerned Dina. Max died while in RZ's care, not Dina's.

I've yet to see a revenge killing take place while a victim was still alive and believed to have been injured accidentally.

I'm pretty sure Jonah isn't a gangster.

JMO

 

[Tink56]

Respectfully snipped.


Also-- an isolated question for anyone in the SD area. At about 10 pm on a weeknight, approximately how long would it take a driver to go from Rady Children's Hospital to Coronado Island?

Snipped for reference...respectfully.

It would take 15-20 minutes to get from Children's to Coronado...if one is driving within the speed limit.

 

[Inparadise]

Respectfully snipped.

What I would find even more interesting is the place and time Dina LAST appears on the security tapes (before the estimated time of Rebecca's hanging death), and when and where she appears AGAIN (after Rebecca is discovered).

I'd also be interested in knowing which areas of the hospital that they reviewed. Major entrances? Only ICU footage? Cafeteria? Common waiting areas? I'd think that DINA would also want to know this, if she was truly there in the hospital during that time period. Where exactly does she claim to have been during this time period? In Max's cubical, in the parent waiting room, cafeteria, parent shower room, etc? Certainly there are not cameras in all areas (particularly patient care areas and bathrooms, etc), but at some point in those hours, she SHOULD be visible somewhere. Particularly because there was no difficulty locating Jonah on security tapes in the same areas, just a short time later when he arrived from RMD house.

And yes, since they had to resort to GPS triangulation of Dina's phone, they were quite concerned about her location. Which makes me wonder what exactly the ICU staff had to say about her presence or absence there. If she was clearly there and seen by staff, and just out of camera range for a short time, that would have been VERY easy to establish. It is troubling that there are no witnesses to her presence in the ICU during that time. If there were, Dina herself would have surely said so by now, as well as LE.

Just speculation, but I'm thinking staff says they saw her there at some point that day, but didn't know the timeframe, or said she was gone from the bedside for a period of time, or in and out all day. That would make sense to me that LE had to resort to GPS triangulation, since they had no direct witnesses, nor security tape footage of her.

She had several extended absences from the bedside in the first day or 2, so staff would not have necessarily expected her to be there 24/7. That wasn't her pattern (to be there continuously) from the beginning of Max's admission.

Also-- an isolated question for anyone in the SD area. At about 10 pm on a weeknight, approximately how long would it take a driver to go from Rady Children's Hospital to Coronado Island?

At that time of day/night, the time it would take to drive from RCH to Coronado would take 15 to 20 minutes or less, depending on how fast one was driving.

 

[K_Z]

You insist LE believed it was a "revenge" murder but they had no evidence of that being a motive at that point in time because it was believed Max was injured in an accident and he was still alive. Dina had not been told that CPS had been called in by the Hospital.

Max was also Jonah's son. None of us can say with certainty what LE believed but I'm not surprised they asked Dina questions. That doesn't make Dina a suspect any more than it makes the dog kennel owner a suspect.

JMO

When detectives have to resort to triangulating your cell phone's location during the time of what is being investigated as a vicious murder, because they have no eyewitnesses as to your location and alibi, and no footage of you on hospital security tapes, you are a suspect. Max didn't have to be dead for revenge to be a motive for hurting Rebecca. He was mortally wounded, and not expected to live at that point. (Ann Rule makes this clear, as well.)

LE didn't triangulate the cell phone of the dog kennel owner, nor investigate his whereabouts during the time of Rebecca's death. He was never a suspect.

 

[K_Z]

The review of the internet history was from the last 24 hours.

Again, it would be illuminating to know more about the pattern of usage on that computer.

For example, if the sites (both *advertiser censored*, and ordinary surfing) visited the last 24 hours had never been visited on that computer before, that would be very pertinent information.

However, if those sites had been visited regularly, or sporadically in the past, that would also be relevant.

If no *advertiser censored* had ever been accessed on that computer's history, that would be extremely relevant, given Rebecca's estimated time of death.

 

[Inparadise]

Again, it would be illuminating to know more about the pattern of usage on that computer.

For example, if the sites (both *advertiser censored*, and ordinary surfing) visited the last 24 hours had never been visited on that computer before, that would be very pertinent information.

However, if those sites had been visited regularly, or sporadically in the past, that would also be relevant.

If no *advertiser censored* had ever been accessed on that computer's history, that would be extremely relevant, given Rebecca's estimated time of death.

As would be the internet activity patterns of Jonah, Dina, Nina, Nina's son, and of course Adam. And I guess that Jonah's 2 older children should also be included in the mix.

 

[time]

Respectfully snipped.<snip>
I'd also be interested in knowing which areas of the hospital that they reviewed. Major entrances? Only ICU footage? Cafeteria? Common waiting areas? I'd think that DINA would also want to know this, if she was truly there in the hospital during that time period. Where exactly does she claim to have been during this time period? In Max's cubical, in the parent waiting room, cafeteria, parent shower room, etc? Certainly there are not cameras in all areas (particularly patient care areas and bathrooms, etc), but at some point in those hours, she SHOULD be visible somewhere. Particularly because there was no difficulty locating Jonah on security tapes in the same areas, just a short time later when he arrived from RMD house.
<snip>

It's odd, isn't it, that Dina hasn't publicly insisted she has to be on those videotapes. If she used some unusual entry/exit, why, and what time it was. If it were me, I'd outline exactly what I remember doing during that critical time frame. It should be fairly easy since most people wouldn't be doing much between 10 pm and 6 am. So when is she on any tapes?

Shouldn't Jonah be able to say if Dina was in the hospital room between 9 pm and 12/1am?

 

[K_Z]

If Tricia is able to book Ann Rule as a guest on True Crime radio (which she says she is actively pursuing), maybe it would be interesting to compile a list of questions we have ahead of time for Ann. I'll PM a moderator to see if this would be a beneficial idea, and if so, will start a thread to list our questions, with no discussion there.