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

[Inparadise]

Here's the SDSHERIFF.NET stamped photo of the small rug on the landing to which I was referring. I believe this was taken by LE after the two incidences at the mansion. It's just a very odd and potentially hazardous place for a small rug.

Large image located here:
http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/ms03.jpg

Sorry, I missed that photo.....yes, it is an odd place to put a rug, IMO. I wonder whose idea that was? Maybe the interior decorator that Jonah used?

 

[Quester]

Sorry, I missed that photo.....yes, it is an odd place to put a rug, IMO. I wonder whose idea that was? Maybe the interior decorator that Jonah used?

I have always wondered if there was some evidence on the carpet where the small rug was shown in that photo.

Perhaps LE cut out the carpet for testing and the small rug is covering the void?? However, I haven't read anything about it in any released LE reports or articles except for early references to a "roll of carpet" having been removed from the mansion by LE after the discovery of RZ.

ETA: If the LE removed carpet wasn't from that landing, from which room was the carpet taken and why? TIA

 

[bourne]

I re-read Ann Rule's book. Does anyone know whether the video called "The Housemaid" was actually found at the Spreckels mansion and taken by LE?

We're watching the movie right now and just saw the part where the mother of the wife pushes the housemaid over the second story balcony and the housemaid hangs onto a chandelier, swinging back and forth, but ends up falling to the first floor foyer, though she doesn't die but breaks her neck. I find it eerily coincidental that this sounds like what happened to Max except Max was left braindead.

I skipped to the end, and the housemaid then jumps off the second story balcony and hangs herself with a noose from the chandelier AND somehow she also set herself on fire! Apart from the setting Becky on fire and the fact that Becky's hands and ankles were bound and Becky was nude, the entire scenario is similar to what happened to Becky and as bizarre.

If this video was found at the mansion after Becky's death, wow, the murderer(s) must have planted it there to paint an ugly, false picture of a Becky and to plant a suicide motive.

Also, IMO if the video was planted, then it is no coincidence that Max fell off the second story balcony swinging off the chandelier.

One coincidence in the movie to the actual hanging of Becky may be just coincidence. But two with someone pushed and hanging for dear life off a chandelier -- just as Max did -- is no coincidence. This leads me to believe that the murderers who killed Becky shoved Max to his death first.

We know that Dina has been claiming assault and murder of Max from the start. Could it be that the real reason Dina was absent the entire Monday morning into late afternoon is that she was sneaking about the Spreckels mansion and committed the egregious assault upon her own son in order to then blame and pull off a murder of Becky?

This is what it appears to me if the video was planted. I would not have thought Dina capable of hurting her own child, but after watching this analogous video -- if it was planted -- I am thinking in her drunken state, and the hate and jealousy she had of Becky, she could have done it. Maybe that's why Dina refuses to let Max's accident rest, and insists it was assault and murder. Maybe because she was the perpetrator? Just thinking aloud.

 

[inthedark14]

That is strange. What kind of phone do you have? I used to have the same phone as Becky. Samsung. I had to use a password to retrieve my VM from my own cellphone, as well as any other phones I use to retrieve my VM.

Now I have an Iphone and I still need a password to retrieve VMs from my own Iphone and other phones.

Hi all...just a quick chime in about the phones. I now have a Samsung phone...I had an Iphone prior to this one. I've never used a password to access VM or get into my phone. I've had to actually turn the security off manually for that on both phones. It's a real pain to have to enter your password every time you use your phone, so I don't bother with that feature. For someone who uses their phone a lot and isn't too concerned about losing it, it's much easier to have the that security disabled.

Always MOO

 

[bourne]

Hi all...just a quick chime in about the phones. I now have a Samsung phone...I had an Iphone prior to this one. I've never used a password to access VM or get into my phone. I've had to actually turn the security off manually for that on both phones. It's a real pain to have to enter your password every time you use your phone, so I don't bother with that feature. For someone who uses their phone a lot and isn't too conc erned about losing it, it's much easier to have the that security disabled.

Always MOO

That is curious. I'm only aware of the option to turn off the password to use the phone. Without a password to VM, won't anyone be able to telephone your number and obtain your VM then? How do you access your VM from a different phone, if you don't have a password?

 

[minazoe]

how do you explain, Dina being able to tie complicated nautical knots and also to have the strength to manuver Becky off the railing. How did her feet become caked with mud? and what was Dina's relationship with the brother ..?

 

[Mr Spock]

Dina and Jonah had 2 boats together they spent every summer on. Jonah and Dina owned a yacht they handled together exclusively by themselves for many years together before Jonah left Dina. Dina was a member of the yacht club. Nina had many years of experience tying nautical knots from staying with Jonah and Dina. Those knots would be no problem for either twin or a "friend".

 

[Bonepile]

I re-read Ann Rule's book. Does anyone know whether the video called "The Housemaid" was actually found at the Spreckels mansion and taken by LE?

This maybe a pretty big IF, but this South Korean film is not that easily found, and unless it is a "rental" from some specialized Coronado video store you would not simply stumble on it everywhere. I know of one internet store that sells it, but again it is not a film that will be simply out there in quanity, and I would think if such a film was found in the mansion it could easily be traced if LE bothered, but then again ...

Just checked "Redbox" locations in Coronado and it is not stocked, but then if there was a South Korean grocery in the city (5 listed on internet), they might have it if they have a video rental/sales desk.

Amazing what continues to turn up, and thanks Bourne..

 

[Inparadise]

This maybe a pretty big IF, but this South Korean film is not that easily found, and unless it is a "rental" from some specialized Coronado video store you would not simply stumble on it everywhere. I know of one internet store that sells it, but again it is not a film that will be simply out there in quanity, and I would think if such a film was found in the mansion it could easily be traced if LE bothered, but then again ...

Just checked "Redbox" locations in Coronado and it is not stocked, but then if there was a South Korean grocery in the city (5 listed on internet), they might have it if they have a video rental/sales desk.

Amazing what continues to turn up, and thanks Bourne..

Aside from "Redbox", there are no video rental places in Coronado.......haven't been for years. All but one of the "Redbox" locations are on the 2 Naval Bases, which would require a military ID to get base access (unless one were an "Honorary Consul" like the Tampa Socialite). I also checked the Coronado Library, and although they do have a pretty good foreign film collection, they do not have the movie. IMO, AR just added this "red herring" to spice things up a bit............

 

[Carioca]

Dina and Jonah had 2 boats together they spent every summer on. Jonah and Dina owned a yacht they handled together exclusively by themselves for many years together before Jonah left Dina. Dina was a member of the yacht club. Nina had many years of experience tying nautical knots from staying with Jonah and Dina. Those knots would be no problem for either twin or a "friend".

The twins's father, according to his obit in SFgate.com on June 16, 2003, was in the Coast Guard. He treasured [..] yachting in Coronado […] spending time with his daughters and their families.

Perhaps safe to say, BOTH Nina and Dina also had nautical knot tying experience from yachting with their father from an early age.

Four POIs, four with nautical knot tying experience… Doubt NN had done much boating or it would have been mentioned by now. Strongly suspect HL went out on JS' boats many times, so could possibly make that 5 out of 6.

 

[Carioca]

Aside from "Redbox", there are no video rental places in Coronado.......haven't been for years. All but one of the "Redbox" locations are on the 2 Naval Bases, which would require a military ID to get base access (unless one were an "Honorary Consul" like the Tampa Socialite). I also checked the Coronado Library, and although they do have a pretty good foreign film collection, they do not have the movie. IMO, AR just added this "red herring" to spice things up a bit............

BBM - are you suggesting the video was found at scene, reported as such, but not considered evidence, thus not on evidence list? Then AR, being privy to the investigative reports, thought the video left at the scene should have been taken into evidence, thus she included it in her book as felt it relevant to a murder scenario?

 

[Inparadise]

BBM - are you suggesting the video was found at scene, reported as such, but not considered evidence, thus not on evidence list? Then AR, being privy to the investigative reports, thought the video left at the scene should have been taken into evidence, thus she included it in her book as felt it relevant to a murder scenario?

No, I am suggesting that no such DVD was found.......this was something that AR included on her own.

 

[Carioca]

No, I am suggesting that no such DVD was found.......this was something that AR included on her own.

That's what I thought you meant, but seems terribly unethical on AR's part to introduce fabricated "evidence" if that were the case IMO. Thus find it highly unlikely she would risk tarnishing her reputation..

 

[Inparadise]

That's what I thought you meant, but seems terribly unethical on AR's part to introduce fabricated "evidence" if that were the case IMO. Thus find it highly unlikely she would risk tarnishing her reputation..

Here is the definition of Red Herring from Wiki:
Red herring is an English-language idiom that commonly refers to a type of logical fallacy in which a clue is intentionally or unintentionally misleading or distracting from the actual issue.[1] It it also a literary device employed by writers that leads readers or characters towards a false conclusion, often used in mystery or detective fiction.

I don't see this tarnishing AR's reputation..........

 

[*Lash*]

Is the "Housemaid" video a red herring? Was it left off the list of items taken into evidence? Maybe the video was found inside the DVD slot of a seized computer?

Among the items seized on the Shacknai estate was a Japanese video titled The Housemaid. Its scenario was chillingly similar to aspects of the life Becky lived—a beautiful maid who was in love with her wealthy employer, who adored his child. It was an erotic love story.

Excerpt From: Rule, Ann. “Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors.”

 

[*Lash*]

Hi all...just a quick chime in about the phones. I now have a Samsung phone...I had an Iphone prior to this one. I've never used a password to access VM or get into my phone. I've had to actually turn the security off manually for that on both phones. It's a real pain to have to enter your password every time you use your phone, so I don't bother with that feature. For someone who uses their phone a lot and isn't too concerned about losing it, it's much easier to have the that security disabled.

Always MOO

Some phones have the capability of storing your voicemail password. This feature can only be used when calling your voicemail from the cellphone the password is stored on. When requested, the cellphone automatically enters the password. When using this feature, if you were to call your voicemail using a different phone, you would then need to manually enter your password.

 

[*Lash*]

Quote from Ann Rule during a Coronado Patch phone interview -

“I wrote it to bring out the truth,” she said of her new book. “I'm not trying to cause anybody pain or embarrassment. I'm trying to be as kind as I can with it.”

http://coronado.patch.com/articles/...ebecca-zahau-coronado-spreckels-fatal-friends

 

[bourne]

Here is the definition of Red Herring from Wiki:
Red herring is an English-language idiom that commonly refers to a type of logical fallacy in which a clue is intentionally or unintentionally misleading or distracting from the actual issue.[1] It it also a literary device employed by writers that leads readers or characters towards a false conclusion, often used in mystery or detective fiction.

I don't see this tarnishing AR's reputation..........

According to Ann Rule's website, she says except for one book, "Possession", she only writes non-fiction, real-life stories. So I don't think she would purposefully include the "Housemaid" video as a red herring in her latest book about the Zahau case.

From http://www.authorannrule.com/Frequent_Questions.html:
"I have written fiction in the past, but what real people do is far more compelling than anything a novelist can think up! (And, by the way, except for Possession, I don’t write “novels.” Novels are fiction, and I write non-fiction--real life stories.)"

 

[bourne]

Some phones have the capability of storing your voicemail password. This feature can only be used when calling your voicemail from the cellphone the password is stored on. When requested, the cellphone automatically enters the password. When using this feature, if you were to call your voicemail using a different phone, you would then need to manually enter your password.

Funny we got on this topic because my hubby said that he has his VM password saved on his Iphone, but yesterday night when he tried to retrieve his VMs, for some reason it didn't work and kept asking him for his password. But when he put in the saved password, it said it was incorrect. lol Now he has to call up AT&T today for help. But he said it worked on previous occasions.

Also, he left me a VM after I powered off my cellphone to see if the times indicated on my cellphone would be different from his upon powering it up again. Nope, at least not on our Iphones. I turned off my phone; he called me at 8:03pm last night and left a VM. I powered up my phone at 10pm and when I retrieved my VM it indicated his message was left at 8:03pm. Also, my phone did not indicate that I had a missed call; only the VM red indicator came on screen. Maybe it's different for Samsung cellphones?

 

[minazoe]

so the the theory is that dina and her twin could have lain in wait?

how can we have so many knot tiers ? even a tug boat captain....I say it took two people and someone had a gun,

I say she tried to get away and hide but they got her...hence her muddy feet.