Found Deceased MT - Rita Maze, 47, Wolf Creek, 6 Sept 2016 #1

[TTF14]

I read a FB comment from someone who seems to know her and she said that last time she saw her Rita said she was lonely.

IMO.

 

[jjenny]

"In the purse, deputies found about $50 in cash, a folding knife and two semi automatic 9mm pistol magazines."

http://www.krem.com/news/local/spok...-found-dead-died-from-gunshot-wound/315606109

I don't know if this has been mentioned before ... but find it a bit strange that her purse was left, with cash still in it. I'm not understanding what the motive was for a kidnapping/carjacking.

Sure would be strange for a carjacker/kidnapper to leave money in the purse.

 

[GigTu]

Do you think she just started driving that day with no real plan, and by the time she made the first purchase then turned and started heading back home she couldn't get out of her own head?

How long would she have spent concocting this elaborate story? All day, or even before that ( considering all the weapons she had with her)? How awful to think that she went through with it. Even more awful to think that she shot the gun twice.

Why take cash back? Twice. I'm sure they'll be able to determine if it was she who stopped at those two stores.

That would be such a deeply saddening scenario to accept. I can't even Imagine how that would be for her family, who adored her.

 

[GigTu]

Sure would be strange for a carjacker/kidnapper to leave money in the purse.

I don't think so. Not if all they wanted was to get to point B, or closer to it. Oh, and that they would have to be a big time criminal or a nut job. All possible, IMO.

 

[Inthedetails]

Do you think she just started driving that day with no real plan, and by the time she made the first purchase then turned and started heading back home she couldn't get out of her own head?

Why take cash back? Twice. I'm sure they'll be able to determine if it was she who stopped at those two stores.

How long would she have spent concocting this elaborate story? All day? How awful to think that she went through with it. Even more awful to think that she shot the gun twice.

That would be such a deeply saddening scenario to accept. I can't even Imagine how that would be for her family, who adored her.

I think she had a plan before she left for her trip. I think the cash withdrawals were to set up a trail so LE could eventually find her - I don't think she wanted her body to be left for long and I don't think she wanted her family to be the ones to find her. There was a case from last year about a car-jacker in the area that others have speculated she knew about, and I agree that incident may have been the inspiration for her car-jacking story. People would believe it because it happened before. I'm guessing there were two gunshots because the first one missed, which really makes me sad - truly a "missed" opportunity at the last second to change her plans. I think the trip was to say good-bye to family and the phone call was to say good-bye as well as to set into motion the search for her. I really do think she wanted to be found soon after she died, and that did come true.

She was loved, and it breaks my heart to think she was in such a dark place.

jmopinion only

 

[Carver]

I don't think so. Not if all they wanted was to get to point B, or closer to it. Oh, and that they would have to be a big time criminal or a nut job. All possible, IMO.

So he/she/they feels the need to kill an innocent woman but not take the $50 cash sitting right next to them?

IMHO, the earlier post was correct. It would be strange for a carjacker to steal the car, kill the occupant, yet leave the cash that could be used in a myriad of hard-to-trace scenarios.

 

[Carver]

...

She was loved, and it breaks my heart to think she was in such a dark place.

jmopinion only

That is so sad to think about. Either way, she was in a dark place in those hours—whether it be by her own accord or by that of someone else. Ugh.

 

[cady]

Sure would be strange for a carjacker/kidnapper to leave money in the purse.

So, Mr. On-foot carjacker, abductor, murderer didn't get anything out of the deal except a 350-mile ride. No money, no gun, and no car. JMO

 

[cady]

Everyone has the right to seek help or,in the alternative, to end their own life.....but not to leave fraud in it's wake. JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

So, Mr. On-foot carjacker, abductor, murderer didn't get anything out of the deal except a 350-mile ride. No money, no gun, and no car. JMO

And now be on the run for murder.


I just don't see it happening.

jmo

 

[Gardener1850]

After sleeping on this I'm willing to entertain the suicide theories but something is bothering me. Why would LE say they have an image of someone that they ruled out as not being connected to the case?

Here is a direct quote of the Sheriff speaking yesterday (BBM):

"Though officials were pursuing a person of interest who was seen on surveillance footage, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said the individual has been ruled out.

"They had a still shot from a convenience store that they worked to find the person of interest. It was not somebody that was involved in this case," he said Thursday afternoon."

http://helenair.com/news/crime-and-...cle_4e1d2f5c-897c-5ce5-86c1-4f09eb4329eb.html

So, who was this mysterious person they had a photo of? If it was actually Rita it wouldn't make sense to say the person was not involved. LE switched to saying they had no POI after this, so is that because of the evidence pointing to suicide or because the POI they initially had was cleared? I'm willing to entertain just about anything at this point because I agree that some things don't add up, but can anyone explain why the Sheriff would say the above if there was never a photo of a person other than Rita?

 

[Gardener1850]

And the news stories are turning now. Authorities say she may not have been abducted: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/authorities-question-story-montana-woman-called-trunk-article-1.2784474

Asked Thursday if Maze's version of events she gave to her family before she died should be questioned, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich said, "yes, you should," according to the Spokesman-Review.

Abducted Montana woman Rita Maze killed by single gunshot wound

"We know where the body was located; we know where she started out," he told the newspaper. "What happened in between? Don’t know."

Knezovich told the Spokesman-Review people should not call her death a homicide "until we actually find out what is going on."

When the car was found, the keys were in the ignition and a purse was found in the front seat, according to the Spokesman-Review.

"I believe they shot her and left the gun and keys in there to make it look like she killed herself,” Rita Maze's 23-year-old daughter Rochelle told the newspaper on Thursday. "I know she did not."

 

[Inthedetails]

Everyone has the right to seek help or,in the alternative, to end their own life.....but not to leave fraud in it's wake. JMO

Of course it's not right to commit fraud, but I do think she was doing what she thought was the best scenario. Perhaps she herself didn't call 911 because she didn't want to be dishonest and use public services....it was her family who called the police. I do think she wanted to be found by police and she made it rather easy for them to do so.

I'm not thinking she did it for money....I think she did it for escape from pressure. She was overwhelmed, I am guessing, couldn't cope but didn't want to leave a legacy that she couldn't cope, so she concocted a story of murder. If she had insurance (which we do not even know if she had), that might be a side benefit, but I do not think that was her motivation (with the information we have now). I think her motivation was to leave this world in a way that covered the fact it was suicide.

jmopinion at the moment

 

[TTF14]

I feel so badly for the daughter if this turns out to be a suicide. She sounds like she'll be in complete denial, but if her mother is on surveillance at those gas stations and there's gunshot residue on her hands, she'll have to find a way to accept the outcome .

 

[Inthedetails]

After sleeping on this I'm willing to entertain the suicide theories but something is bothering me. Why would LE say they have an image of someone that they ruled out as not being connected to the case?

Here is a direct quote of the Sheriff speaking yesterday (BBM):

"Though officials were pursuing a person of interest who was seen on surveillance footage, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said the individual has been ruled out.

"They had a still shot from a convenience store that they worked to find the person of interest. It was not somebody that was involved in this case," he said Thursday afternoon."

http://helenair.com/news/crime-and-...cle_4e1d2f5c-897c-5ce5-86c1-4f09eb4329eb.html

So, who was this mysterious person they had a photo of? If it was actually Rita it wouldn't make sense to say the person was not involved. LE switched to saying they had no POI after this, so is that because of the evidence pointing to suicide or because the POI they initially had was cleared? I'm willing to entertain just about anything at this point because I agree that some things don't add up, but can anyone explain why the Sheriff would say the above if there was never a photo of a person other than Rita?

I have a hunch, but that's all it is. I recall reading yesterday that there was an image of someone putting gas in Rita's car. My guess is that she went to a station that provides that service or she asked someone to fill her tank - I don't know. But my hunch is the image on video of someone filling her gas tank had to be investigated - and the investigation showed the person was not involved with any carjacking.

TOTAL SPECULATION.

 

[cady]

Of course it's not right to commit fraud, but I do think she was doing what she thought was the best scenario. Perhaps she herself didn't call 911 because she didn't want to be dishonest and use public services....it was her family who called the police. I do think she wanted to be found by police and she made it rather easy for them to do so.

I'm not thinking she did it for money....I think she did it for escape from pressure. She was overwhelmed, I am guessing, couldn't cope but didn't want to leave a legacy that she couldn't cope, so she concocted a story of murder. If she had insurance (which we do not even know if she had), that might be a side benefit, but I do not think that was her motivation (with the information we have now). I think her motivation was to leave this world in a way that covered the fact it was suicide.

jmopinion at the moment

Right. Fraud. Cremation is not terribly expensive, and a private home/family memorial isn't, either. A "dream wedding" is unnecessarily expensive unless it is affordable......so the is hinky, to me. JMO

 

[Inthedetails]

Right. Fraud. Cremation is not terribly expensive, and a private home/family memorial isn't, either. A "dream wedding" is unnecessarily expensive unless it is affordable......so the is hinky, to me. JMO

If anyone is committing fraud with the account, I don't think it was Rita or the family. Do you know something that shows otherwise??

I do not get a "fraud" vibe from this case....just an overwhelmed woman whose mind wasn't seeing things in perspective.

jmopinion

 

[Gardener1850]

I have a hunch, but that's all it is. I recall reading yesterday that there was an image of someone putting gas in Rita's car. My guess is that she went to a station that provides that service or she asked someone to fill her tank - I don't know. But my hunch is the image on video of someone filling her gas tank had to be investigated - and the investigation showed the person was not involved with any carjacking.

TOTAL SPECULATION.

I guess I could see her paying someone so she would not appear on camera, but would that mean she took that person with her to both stations? The stations she went to are self-serve, not full service.

Here is the Kwik Stop in Kingston, ID: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=e...ved=0ahUKEwj6qe7DvILPAhVDOSYKHas2Ct0Qpx8IXTAK

The Loves Travel Stop in Ritzville, WA: https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=e...ved=0ahUKEwij_omDvYLPAhXHeCYKHZBbB7gQoioIdDAK

I noticed the Loves has ample parking where she could possibly park out of site of cameras and ask someone walking by to go get money out for her. But that just seems like such a big risk handing a stranger her debit card. The Kwik Stop doesn't have as much of a parking area. Whomever was driving her car would be caught on camera at the Kwik Stop. So we shall soon find out if was indeed Rita in the car making those $25 withdrawals.

 

[AmyPond]

The biggest problems I have with an abduction story are:
-the purse and gun are in the car but somehow she has the phone in the trunk - very few people drive with their phones in their pockets.
-she is able to gauge that she has been in trunk for long time but does not respond to calls, does not attempt to escape -despite an apparently visible emergency release and 2 known stops at gas stations.
-does not call 911 as her first call

If her phone was on for the duration of the day, there will be a map of pings and eventually we should know more but for now I can not suspend my disbelief of the 'rest stop abductor theory'.

Playing devil's advocate on the part in bold....she could have been hit on the head right after exiting the car with her phone in her pocket. When I get out at a rest stop, that's where my phone is.

The rest of the list....I've got nothing.

"In the purse, deputies found about $50 in cash, a folding knife and two semi automatic 9mm pistol magazines."

http://www.krem.com/news/local/spok...-found-dead-died-from-gunshot-wound/315606109

I don't know if this has been mentioned before ... but find it a bit strange that her purse was left, with cash still in it. I'm not understanding what the motive was for a kidnapping/carjacking.

$50 after the "kidnapper" used her card to take out $25 twice....
Not looking good.

Some more things that don't make sense....Her daughter is getting married. I have a hard time imagining a person who is going thru so much thought and planning to commit suicide would do it right before a wedding. That is so hurtful to the daughter and family. I could better understand it if the suicide was an impulsive decision. But this was very drawn out - calling family, police, etc. I wonder if she was just wanting attention (make up kidnap story), but then realized police were about to find her with GPS tracking, and felt shamed and knew the gig was up, so killed herself. That doesn't sound plausible either though.

Really - no scenario here makes any sense.

A lot of people who consider suicide have the thinking that their loved ones would be better off without them. I would imagine that plenty of people with depression think that a big event like a wedding would be better if they weren't around. It may seem "backwards" to others but it truly is a common thought. (Not saying that is the case here because we can't know what her thoughts were. Just saying it's a possibility.)

 

[Gardener1850]

And I'm surprised local reporters have not yet gone to these two gas stations to ask employees there if they saw her car. That would get to the bottom of things pretty fast if a witness said they saw her uninjured and using the ATM.