Mysterious Message on the Door

[*Lash*]

A left handed person would likely pick up black paint on the palm of their hand from writing the message on the door, unless they were wearing gloves.

 

[Carioca]

In my opinion - The message on the door does not appear centered, even if you take out some of words as had been suggested. What reasons would someone have to start their writing far right rather than the left side? Is this a tendency in people who write left handed? Was there something blocking the door?

BBM Unless the message began totally differently -- a much shorter original message -- then the author changed the message's intent, maybe even twice.

To me, if one were to isolate the "CAN" from the rest, it would be very difficult to read it as "CAN". It's a total mess, with no cross bar on the "A". The "S" in "SHE" looks dabbed on rather than brushed. The cross bar in the "H" in "SHE" is doubled, maybe even tripled, as if the person began writing something totally different (looks almost like the beginning of a "C"). It invades the down stroke in the "E". The rest of the message seemingly flows with the same type of brush stroke and determination IMO.

It would certainly help if there were a straight-on view rather than slanted so that the inner letters could be analyzed as well.

 

[*Lash*]

BBM Unless the message began totally differently -- a much shorter original message -- then the author changed the message's intent, maybe even twice.

To me, if one were to isolate the "CAN" from the rest, it would be very difficult to read it as "CAN". It's a total mess, with no cross bar on the "A". The "S" in "SHE" looks dabbed on rather than brushed. The cross bar in the "H" in "SHE" is doubled, maybe even tripled, as if the person began writing something totally different (looks almost like the beginning of a "C"). It invades the down stroke in the "E". The rest of the message seemingly flows with the same type of brush stroke and determination IMO.

It would certainly help if there were a straight-on view rather than slanted so that the inner letters could be analyzed as well.

Interesting. I see exactly what you're saying. The "she can you" is centered, but the word "can" does look like it could have been changed. What could have been there to start with or was started then changed? I need to look at this some more. :waitasec:

 

[*Lash*]

In my opinion, I am not a handwriting analyst and neither is my spouse, but I believe the message is the writing of two different authors combined.

 

[Zoot]

Interesting. I see exactly what you're saying. The "she can you" is centered, but the word "can" does look like it could have been changed. What could have been there to start with or was started then changed? I need to look at this some more. :waitasec:

This "can" looks like "and" to me. "She AND you".

 

[Quester]

bbm unless the message began totally differently -- a much shorter original message -- then the author changed the message's intent, maybe even twice.

To me, if one were to isolate the "can" from the rest, it would be very difficult to read it as "can". It's a total mess, with no cross bar on the "a". The "s" in "she" looks dabbed on rather than brushed. The cross bar in the "h" in "she" is doubled, maybe even tripled, as if the person began writing something totally different (looks almost like the beginning of a "c"). It invades the down stroke in the "e". The rest of the message seemingly flows with the same type of brush stroke and determination imo.

It would certainly help if there were a straight-on view rather than slanted so that the inner letters could be analyzed as well.

???

BBM - maybe:

"I SAVED HIM
Y SAVE HER"

???

ETA: ??? Perhaps the author intended one person to view the original message, then the author or a different author augmented the message with a different intended viewer in mind ???

 

[STS-135]

BBM Unless the message began totally differently -- a much shorter original message --then the author changed the message's intent, maybe even twice.

To me, if one were to isolate the "CAN" from the rest, it would be very difficult to read it as "CAN". It's a total mess, with no cross bar on the "A". The "S" in "SHE" looks dabbed on rather than brushed. The cross bar in the "H" in "SHE" is doubled, maybe even tripled, as if the person began writing something totally different (looks almost like the beginning of a "C"). It invades the down stroke in the "E". The rest of the message seemingly flows with the same type of brush stroke and determination IMO.

It would certainly help if there were a straight-on view rather than slanted so that the inner letters could be analyzed as well.

Forget my still-unfinished gardening, Rebecca's case is far more important. I've been meaning to post my thoughts on the message for some time but just haven't gotten around to it:

As of this moment, because it might of course also change in the future, I can only interpret the message on the door in one of four ways:

1. SUICIDE MESSAGE WRITTEN IN THIRD-PERSON

A very distraught Rebecca, likely shaking as I might if I'm about to commit suicide, writes the entire contents of the message in the third person. I'm going to leave the whys and why-nots to the rest of you because if this is in fact the correct interpretation, then we'll truly never know why she may have written the message; and I refuse to speculate as to what a now dead person who cannot speak for herself might've been feeling and thinking at the time. It's just not fair. It's also for me way too painful.

2. SUICIDE MESSAGE TAMPERED WITH

A very distraught Rebecca, likely shaking as I might if I'm about to commit suicide, writes the words I SAVED HIM, YOU SAVE HER. The words in this scenario line up as others have pointed out before. Also notice how the I is well-centered before being followed by a long pause between I and SAVED HIM, which in my opinion is not only very interesting but also chilling if you read it out loud and pause accordingly, as if you were writing it. This last piece apparently has never been discussed as far as I can tell. What YOU SAVE HER might've pertained to or not I'm not going to waste your time with because it's also already been discussed at length.

This interpretation, however, is only possible if the remaining letter/words were added by someone else later as you keenly observe again, although perhaps not in the same manner I interpret it. Could this be why LE was so reluctant to disclose the content at first? Didn't they even go through all the trouble of Photoshopping the message out of the one and only photo of it they released? Could LE have allowed someone into the home,near the suicide scene, for whatever seemingly valid reason, only to later find that it was tampered with? And then had no choice but to cover it up to save his/her job? We probably all think we know who the tamperer might've been, if that's what happened. But, if that was the case, what would the crime be if proven? Maybe AZLawyer can help us with this?

3. INTERROGATION ATTEMPT TURNS TO MURDER

The perp wrote the entire message, in the beginning being very careful to disguise his/her handwriting by going to great lengths to distort the first letter S, only to gradually and inadvertently revert back to how he/she might normally hand print (or might've hand printed at some point in time in their life) the letter S as he/she adds the second one, and then the third one. I can easily see me inadvertently reverting back to my hand printing too under such circumstances.

4. MURDER

The aforementioned interpretation still applies, only that the perp might've chosen the message not to taunt JS, but to point the finger at DS. I fear this possibility. I also don't have any reason whatsoever to believe that it might be true, because I do believe that Jonah loved Rebecca and wouldn't have done anything to harm her based on everything I've read these past few weeks of in-depth research/review. In fact, Interpretation #3 is not even possible unless JS tried to speak up for Rebecca in regards to Maxie's fall and that's what the perp was reacting to when the message was written. That leads me to conclude that this interpretation must be wrong. The Zahau family likely agrees because JS was left out of their lawsuit.

CONCLUSION

Sadly, quite sadly, for both Rebecca's Family as well as myself in regards to my Father's death, for the moment I have to fence-sit on whether the evidence in fact points to suicide or homicide. We simply don't have nearly enough evidence/information available to us to even discuss it intelligently, let alone arrive at a conclusion one way or the other. And we might never ever have if her Family settles and agrees to it being sealed forever.

Thus, all we can do is question, and question, and question. And of course also pray that all of our collective questioning eventually leads to answers, even if it is not those we seek. This last possibility alone, that I might not be happy with the answers either if and when they come, is as disturbing and painful to me as the also very real possibility that we may never know.

What a tragedy, for both families. I sincerely feel and pray for both of them.

 

[STS-135]

In my opinion, I am not a handwriting analyst and neither is my spouse, but I believe the message is the writing of two different authors combined.

I agree. You two may be on to something here. Please stay on it. Have a great afternoon and evening. See you all in about a week, hopefully with a finished report on Maxie's accident by then. Thank you.

 

[bourne]

It looks to me like Dina is left handed due to the slant on her signature. I'm not sure that would have to do with the placement on the door though. I don't think the placement is that odd, just misjudgement when using larger letters and a paintbrush. Just that I have done the same many times when trying to make a sign.

I agree. I don't see the placement of the painted message as being odd, given the circumstances of what was happening that night -- an enraged ex-wife, likely intoxicated given what an insider said about Dina's constant drinks in hand, seemed to have gone ballistic with revenge on Rebecca. Also as you say, it's easy to misjudge where exactly to start painting a statement on the door unless you've used a similar canvas (a similar door in design and size) and painted letters of the same size to the Spreckels door words using the same paintbrushes and paints.

I also don't think the painted message was altered by a second person. I don't see any changes in penmanship in the block letters and although there appears to be a missing horizontal in the letter "A" in CAN, it could simply be that someone who's drunk couldn't see that clearly and forgot the horizontal line or purposefully left it out to imply that Rebecca had painted this message hurriedly. Could be a whole slew of reasons why.

I can see, however, that the first hesitant "S" in SHE may have been a forced paintstroke by Rebecca's murderer wearing a glove and holding Rebecca's hands around the paintbrush to paint the letter. But IDK. I'm hoping a graphology expert will examine the painted message and compare with POI's printing of block letters and give us their professional analysis

 

[Zoot]

I think the message is off to the right because person writing the message was holding the door in place with their left hand. The door is not a wall, you have to stabilize it or it will move while you're writing on it.
If you stand in front of the door, your visual field will be in the center. That's where message begins. The person must had been holding a tube with paint in their left hand as well, same hand that was used to stabilize a door. I don't remember any mention of paint stains on the left side of the door though, as well if there were any fingerprints on the door.

 

[inthedark14]

I think the message is off to the right because person writing the message was holding the door in place with their left hand. The door is not a wall, you have to stabilize it or it will move while you're writing on it.
If you stand in front of the door, your visual field will be in the center. That's where message begins. The person must had been holding a tube with paint in their left hand as well, same hand that was used to stabilize a door. I don't remember any mention of paint stains on the left side of the door though, as well if there were any fingerprints on the door.

BBM

Great point.

And with all those items that had RZ's and "only RZ's" prints on them that would have been quite an important one for SDSO to bring up, wouldn't it. Instead a whited out photo of the door no mention of fingerprints whatsoever. One would think some paint must have gotten on the door since RZ supposedly managed to get it on several places of her body that were far less likely than say getting it on the door while painting the message, or on the gloves.

 

[LoveAlways7]

Is this standard protocol in an investigation to put out a blanket statement to not release any reports or public documents by police departments? I've never heard of this.

Is it possible that LE's request was to be surreptitious and not declared publicly? I get the feeling that this request was just one more effort to creatively craft the suicide meme.

Small items like these lead the way

 

[Zoot]

BBM

Great point.

And with all those items that had RZ's and "only RZ's" prints on them that would have been quite an important one for SDSO to bring up, wouldn't it. Instead a whited out photo of the door no mention of fingerprints whatsoever. One would think some paint must have gotten on the door since RZ supposedly managed to get it on several places of her body that were far less likely than say getting it on the door while painting the message, or on the gloves.

Just mere presence of gloves at the scene is screaming "murder" to me. Why would person committing suicide wear gloves? As not to get paint on their hands? So Rebecca didn't care that everyone will be seeing her dead and nude body, but cared not to get paint on herself? It just doesn't make any sense.

Oh and if Rebecca did use gloves, where is the pair that she used?

 

[inthedark14]

Just mere presence of gloves at the scene is screaming "murder" to me. Why would person committing suicide wear gloves? As not to get paint on their hands? So Rebecca didn't care that everyone will be seeing her dead and nude body, but cared not to get paint on her herself? It just doesn't make any sense.

Oh and if Rebecca did use gloves, where is the pair that she used?

Quite right. None of the three gloves in the hanging room had paint on them, did they? RZ supposedly didn't care to get paint on her hands (even though there appears that there was some), but managed to get paint on her body (in rather odd places) and her feet looked liked she'd been standing in mud. Yet we're to believe she had showered before going about the very time consuming and odd tasks she supposedly did prior to her so-called suicide.

The surprising thing is the shock and appall some seem to have that anyone would question this.

 

[justice be served]

Quite right. None of the three gloves in the hanging room had paint on them, did they? RZ supposedly didn't care to get paint on her hands (even though there appears that there was some), but managed to get paint on her body (in rather odd places) and her feet looked liked she'd been standing in mud. Yet we're to believe she had showered before going about the very time consuming and odd tasks she supposedly did prior to her so-called suicide.

The surprising thing is the shock and appall some seem to have that anyone would question this.

BBM. The entire Gore press conference and responses to questions by the non-believers resulted in the same shock and appall that anyone would question the authorities! It seems that Gore really felt above being questioned by the "little people". The entire posture of Gore has been anything but reassuring that the truth was found. And as more and more information has subsequently unfolded, I am now steadfast in my belief that Rebecca was murdered.

 

[bourne]

Quite right. None of the three gloves in the hanging room had paint on them, did they? RZ supposedly didn't care to get paint on her hands (even though there appears that there was some), but managed to get paint on her body (in rather odd places) and her feet looked liked she'd been standing in mud. Yet we're to believe she had showered before going about the very time consuming and odd tasks she supposedly did prior to her so-called suicide.

The surprising thing is the shock and appall some seem to have that anyone would question this.

You hit the nail on the head. Why were there gloves in the crime scene when Rebecca didn't appear to have used the gloves for painting or anything else? To me, the gloves were additional staged items like the two knives, two paintbrushes, etc. thrown in by the murderer(s) to add more "bizarreness" into the mess so that Rebecca would appear like a frenzied suicide nut. But IDK

 

[Zoot]

You hit the nail on the head. Why were there gloves in the crime scene when Rebecca didn't appear to have used the gloves for painting or anything else? To me, the gloves were additional staged items like the two knives, two paintbrushes, etc. thrown in by the murderer(s) to add more "bizarreness" into the mess so that Rebecca would appear like a frenzied suicide nut. But IDK

In my opinion, gloves were left at the scene to explain the fact that no other fingerprints were found. If Rebecca did wear gloves, where is that pair and how come she still left prints on paint tube and brushes? If she didn't use them, why they were there? If somebody is frenzied suicide nut, being neat would be the last thing on their mind.

 

[bourne]

In my opinion, gloves were left at the scene to explain the fact that no other fingerprints were found. If Rebecca did wear gloves, where is that pair and how come she still left prints on paint tube and brushes? If she didn't use them, why they were there? If somebody is frenzied suicide nut, being neat would be the last thing on their mind.

I agree. But an intoxicated murderer might not have been thinking too clearly -- which might also be why a non-suicide message in the third person was painted on the door -- and that's why this murderer threw some random arbitrary gloves down at the crime scene. But maybe your other explanation is correct. That murderer wanted to make sure everything was covered including ABSENCE of fingerprints so they premeditated throwing in gloves to be "thorough".

 

[Betty P]

I was doing some painting today, touching up some decorative ironwork on the door of my house. I was using a small can of black exterior latex paint and an artist's paintbrush, slightly smaller than the one found at RZ's death scene.

I didn't get any paint on myself, only a small amount on my hands. At one point, I had too much paint on the brush and it dripped as I was painting. It landed on the porch in front of the door. It dawned on me that I was painting in the same manner someone had painted on the door to RZ's death room.

I looked at my posture as I painted and realized that most people, using that kind of brush and painting just above eye level, would probably not get paint on their chest. They would have to be painting with a lot of paint and in a wild manner to get it on their neck, chest or midsection. Any drips would fall straight to the floor in front of the door.

I decided to see what posture I would need to be in for paint to drip or splash on my chest. I found I had to be right up next to the door, with my nose practically touching the surface to get my chest close enough for paint to drip there. RZ wouldn't likely have done that, nor would she have brough the paintbrush near her face or mouth - the only other likely scenario for getting paint on her chest.

I also noticed the small amount of paint I got on my hands was on the inside of my hand, on the palm and fingers, not on the back of my hand. If you view RZ's death photos in the photo sticky link above, you'll see she had paint mostly on the back of her hand.

Considering the paint used on the door was a thicker type of artist's paint from a tube vs. the thinner stuff I was using, I don't see how that could have landed on her chest. And if the paint was flying around, why didn't some of it land on the floor below the door, the most likely place for drips.

I'm kind of tired from a lot of chores today, but will check the details about the paint and death scene in a little bit. It might be worthwhile to try duplicating the message painting scenario.

ETA: The Zahau family attorney's statement also said there was black paint on the rope tied around RZ's neck. Please explain how someone, in the nude, with a rope tied to the bed on one end and wrapped around their neck gagging them and a tshirt gag wrapped on top of that goes over to the door and paints a farewell message before tying their feet and hands, then jumping off the balcony.

 

[Inparadise]

I agree. But an intoxicated murderer might not have been thinking too clearly -- which might also be why a non-suicide message in the third person was painted on the door -- and that's why this murderer threw some random arbitrary gloves down at the crime scene. But maybe your other explanation is correct. That murderer wanted to make sure everything was covered including ABSENCE of fingerprints so they premeditated throwing in gloves to be "thorough".

Or a certain someone who was hyped up on Adderall...........