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

[Gardener1850]

I think her car was a 2005 Grand Am, not a Grand Prix.

Daily Mail says 2005 Grand Prix: "Police note that Maze's car, a 2005 Pontiac grand prix, has an interior trunk release button, that allows anyone in the closed trunk to open it from the inside."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...rdered-refuse-rule-suicide.html#ixzz4JnKBnOPR
​

 

[Msl1966]

Does a Grand Prix have the type of seats that fold down to open to the trunk from inside? If she did crawl through to the trunk from inside, how bizarre.

ETA: her car was a 2005.

I happened to look at a 2002 manual (before seeing it is a 2005) and it stated the middle back seat folded down. I would assume new models would have that feature plus possibly other seats that can be folded down too.

 

[wantjustice]

Couple other questions...

What were the temps in Montana on the day of the abduction? Here in the south, temps are still in the 90s and a person probably wouldn't survive very long in a trunk. It would be similar to a child left in a hot car.

Wouldn't the abductor hear her on her phone? I wouldn't think most car-jackers would be okay with their hostage talking to family and LE while driving them them in the trunk.

Lastly, when the family and LE spoke to her, I wonder if she sounds like she was in an enclosed space like a trunk, like with her body squished up.

I am not in Montana but can say our weather is fairly similar. We get a lot of the same weather patterns albeit there's can be more intense. In NE Washington it was cool and very cloudy with temperatures in the 60s. I believe the outline areas may have had some showers. I looked up Great Falls and it was about the same. Said it rained that day. We are having early fall-like temperatures right now. I am sure it was similar into Idaho as well.

 

[GlasgowGirl86]

A key fob for locking and unlocking cars or homes... a slimjim?

What is a slimjim? :iamashamed::iamashamed:

 

[GlasgowGirl86]

Is it common to carry so many guns?

Sorry I see there may not have been three guns?

 

[coralynne]

I'm just trying to play devils advocate here, but I am considering if this were my mother, and she is naive enough that she might A.) be so scared, too scared, to risk folding that back seat down, or reaching for that release hatch in the trunk for fear of being killed instantly by supposed abductor, and
B.) she might not have even realized there was a release button for the trunk. Some people just don't pay attention and don't think like that.

Yes, there are some things that are hanky, but maybe she was knocked hard enough that she really was out for several hours, and maybe she came to when that phone started ringing. I'm just saying, everyone had jumped on the suicide bandwagon, but what IF there really is a perp out there that did this to this woman?

Just food for thought

 

[Gardener1850]

What is a slimjim? :iamashamed::iamashamed:

A long thin tool for unlocking a car without keys. (Also a brand of beef jerky here in the US but I assume bluesneakers meant the car unlocking tool ).

http://www.accesstoolsusa.com/The-Slim-Jim-p/sj2.htm

 

[ohreally]

I think it's this one (I hope this works):https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place...c1d71e3fdf714!8m2!3d46.5883707!4d-112.0245054

This is the same picture I get for the rest stop near Wolf Creek on I-15. There are only two rest stops on I-15 between Helena and Great Falls. The other rest stop is much closer to Great Falls. The picture that the newspaper is showing is not a rest stop on I-15. IMO I will link the picture in my next post since I am not sure how to double post. The paper does not say the rest stop in their picture is on I-15. My guess and only a guess is that the rest stop is on Recreation Road that runs parallel to I-15. Which can be seen to the right of the highway in the above link. Why did she leave the highway?

 

[jjenny]

Can someone PLEASE explain to me how and why this could be in any way a suicide? I'm just catching up now, but I haven't seen it explained.

I know stranger things have happened, but this sounds preposterous to me. What a slap in the face to her family to be fueling such an ugly rumor. Why are so many of you stuck on this? What about her life leading up to this gives you any reason to believe this is a possibility? (Again, I'm still catching up, so my questions may be answered as I continue reading ...)

"Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told NBC station KHQ on Thursday that investigators now are not ruling out anything — including suicide."
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...man-calling-car-trunk-appears-unravel-n645271

 

[ohreally]

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...ed-montana-woman-found-dead-spokane/89960296/
This link shows rest stop the paper is saying she was taken from.

 

[eucalyptuz]

Thinking about this case has made me think a lot about Cheryl Deboer and also Susan McLean and Sally Allan. All these middle-aged (or older) women, went to some great lengths to conceal their suicides (for some the jury may still be out on Cheryl Deboer).
In this case however, I think the conclusion of suicide is easier to reach as alternative explanations seem to beg belief...and when all else fails, Occams Razor is my friend. Many might think a suicide is the least likely explanation but in my mind a perp that...
1-knocks a 47-year-old woman out to abscond with a 2005 car
2-puts unconscious woman in trunk without checking for phone
3-drives 300 miles over the course of 12 hours stopping twice for fuel/snacks?
4-uses credit card of woman for meager purchases
5-drives to vacant truck storage and instead of taking cash, valuables, gun etc and fleeing he
6-opens trunk fires two shots, one of which kills hostage and throws gun in to trunk, closes trunk and disappears.
Well,...If these actions of the so-called perp aren't enough to make us suspicious about his motives (and/or actual existence).
we have the behavior of the Ms Maze to also confound us and the silence of LE about a POI to reinforce our doubts...(see previous posts)

I am sorry if any family of Rita's are reading here and I find it very sad that in many cases of suicide people go to such lengths to avoid the shame of suicide and try desperately to alleviate the guilt that those left behind often feel. In some cultures, suicide is a dignified ending. In some cultures, depression is more readily admitted to and help readily available. In some cultures, a means of suicide is not toted around in one's purse in the event of a hastily decision.

 

[jjenny]

I'm just trying to play devils advocate here, but I am considering if this were my mother, and she is naive enough that she might A.) be so scared, too scared, to risk folding that back seat down, or reaching for that release hatch in the trunk for fear of being killed instantly by supposed abductor, and
B.) she might not have even realized there was a release button for the trunk. Some people just don't pay attention and don't think like that.

Yes, there are some things that are hanky, but maybe she was knocked hard enough that she really was out for several hours, and maybe she came to when that phone started ringing. I'm just saying, everyone had jumped on the suicide bandwagon, but what IF there really is a perp out there that did this to this woman?

Just food for thought

If somebody was driving her car for hours as she was stuffed into the trunk, then that somebody presumably would be on video (especially considering her card was used). So if there is anybody else using her card, police willl know.

 

[jjenny]

I think obtaining and checking all the possible surveillance video to trace all the movements of the car will be challenging, especially if her phone was turned off.

Also, it's very hard to prove something didn't happen. If she was captured on camera gettuing gas, that doesn't absolutely prove her story was untrue, there still may have been an abductor who forced her out of the car (like last year's case in Helena) and she just didn't mention it during her panicked phone call.

Well, presumably one would see if there is anybody else in the car or not (especially considering she claimed that her abductor was driving and she was in the trunk). When the car stopped at the gas pump, who was in the driver's seat? Who goes inside to pay, etc. Her story was that she was hit on the head and put into the trunk. So she wouldn't be in any position to drive, I would presume.

 

[ninij9]

Could this have been some kind of elaborate scam gone wrong? For $$? I hate thinking that but the only other possible thoughts to me are suicide or a family member put a hit on mom.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[GlasgowGirl86]

A long thin tool for unlocking a car without keys. (Also a brand of beef jerky here in the US but I assume bluesneakers meant the car unlocking tool ).

http://www.accesstoolsusa.com/The-Slim-Jim-p/sj2.htm

Thank you, very informative :wave:

 

[Mistree]

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...reat-falls-woman-found-near-spokane/90021112/
So a single gunshot, however; 2 shell casings found, one by each arm.
Im on the fence with foul play and suicide.

 

[Inthedetails]

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/st...reat-falls-woman-found-near-spokane/90021112/
So a single gunshot, however; 2 shell casings found, one by each arm.
Im on the fence with foul play and suicide.

There were two shots, but one to the chest and abdomen that was the cause of death.

That's my understanding.

jmo

 

[Gardener1850]

Some new quotes by Sheriff Dutton in the New York Post: http://nypost.com/2016/09/09/wifes-corpse-is-real-but-dramatic-kidnapping-tale-maybe-not/

Specifically, investigators were reviewing surveillance footage from the store in Washington, where Maze’s credit card was used to make a purchase, Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo C. Dutton told The Post.

“It sheds a different light on the case. It makes you question the [initial] call,” Dutton revealed. “If she is in there on her own volition, then what is going on? What is the motive? It leads you down a different investigative path.”

A Helena police officer called Maze’s cell and she picked up while allegedly being held hostage in the trunk.

“She sounded upset. The officer felt she was credible. He had no reason to doubt her during the phone call. The initial response is always to believe the caller,” Dutton said.

But Dutton cautioned that as the investigation has proceeded questions have been raised.

“You have to question everything. You always approach these things and reflect on what is being said and what is the evidence,” Dutton said. “Does the evidence match what is being told to us? Once the person is found, you work to confirm or deny the information.”

IMO, it sounds as if they may see her on the surveillance tapes but they are not at liberty to say that out-right yet.

 

[seventeenseconds]

I think I remember reading that Rita's daughter said that her mom did have a gun under the front seat of her car. I find it odd that a kidnapper/car thief would look under the front seat. Jmo. Especially a kidnapper who didn't bother to take a purse, cash, guns, iPad, etc... This kidnapper wasn't in the business of rummaging around for things of value to take.

(Jmo but I do not at this time think that there really was a kidnapping...too many oddities being said and unsaid)

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

iPads can be traced


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Inthedetails]

iPads can be traced


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So you're thinking the carjacker didn't take the ipad because it could be traced?

I'd like to know if the ipad was used during the day and for what.

jmo