Rebecca Nalepa - suicide or murder? #1

[CuriousHousewife]

If you hire an attorney for, say, your child...is your child the client or are you?

 

[Linda7NJ]

Dina ????

IMO The brother

 

[Linda7NJ]

http://news.lalate.com/2011/07/18/rebecca-nalepa-clues-may-rest-in-courtyard-table/

Ok...the brother cut her down, moved her to the grass and laid her FACE DOWN? WTH?:waitasec:


"On that brick path appeared a wooden table. Nalepa was just inches from the table, laying face down in the grass. It remains unclear how Nalepa got from the alleged hanging state on the balcony, down to the courtyard, next to the table."

 

[Quester]

It will be interesting and probably very telling to hear what kind of knots were used to bind the wrists, ankles and on the noose.

If the brother works on/around a tugboat as has been reported, he probably knows quite a few specialty knots.

Also, if the wrists and ankles were bound with orange electrical cord, typically that cord is very thick, if it's the contractor type cord, and therefore difficult to knot. The cords are also typically very long, so was probably cut into short lengths and probably requires special snippers to cut it (not your average household scissors). And, the cord and snippers would most likely be stored in the detached garage/guesthouse building on the property and not in the home.

Where was the brother staying again? Yep - guesthouse.

 

[Invisible]

sit down and do it Then hop to balcony

OK...I did try it and I did do it...thanks to Pilates & yoga, which I have been taking for a while. I think it can be done.

 

[sdcali]

Also, if the wrists and ankles were bound with orange electrical cord, typically that cord is very thick, if it's the contractor type cord, and therefore difficult to knot. The cords are also typically very long, so was probably cut into short lengths and probably requires special snippers to cut it (not your average household scissors)

That is what I was thinking too...the cord would be difficult to tie knots in. Yet there was rope used around her neck? why not use rope for both? Just too many unanswered questions to both deaths.

If it turns out that there is something suspicious about Max's death, would it have ever been investigated if it had not been for Rebecca's death? LE waited for him to pronounced before opening their investigation....

 

[sorrell skye]

Captain Tim Curran confirms that Rebecca was last seen alive on Tuesday evening by AS, and that as far as he knows, Rebecca and AS were the only ones @ the residence on Tuesday night.

He also says that the circumstances are "bizarre" and "unusual", but suicide is a possibility, even though her hands and feet were bound, and the way she was found.

He confirms that the balcony was off of a 2nd story bedroom (10-15 feet high).

Captain Tim Curran will not comment on:

1) whether or not there were any signs of a struggle in the upstairs bedroom

2) whether or not the bedroom was Rebecca's bedroom

3) items found during the search warrant

4) what the rope was "anchored to inside" (Capt. Curran's words)

According to Captain Curran, the scene has been released to the family.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15075598/...oCatNo=default&clipId=6051226&redirected=true

 

[TexasLori]

Authorities would not say exactly how the two incidents may be connected, but said the boy's reported accident needs to be looked at in light of the death of Rebecca M. Zahau, 32.

Investigators believe Zahau's death was either a homicide or a suicide, Frank said.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/18/death-of-shacknai-boy-sparks-investigation/



Though I'm having a hard time believing any type of suicide theory...

She was very shaken up by Max's condition earlier... then she sounded perfectly okay at midnight, then a few hours after sounding perfectly okay, she turns up dead?

It isn't uncommon for people to become happier before they commit suicide... because they have made the decision to do it...

I do believe that is the only thing I've seen to point at all towards suicide.



If it is true that Dina was in the home... I wonder if maybe she and Rebecca got into a fight and Max got knocked off the stairs in the confusion?

While I believe you are right, to me that doesn't fit this scenario. When someone becomes happy after deciding to commit suicide, it is usually after a prolonged period of depression or other factors. In a case like this, suicide would probably come out of extreme guilt and mourning, which wouldn't likely subside with the decision to kill oneself.

But I agree with you that it doesn't sound like suicide anyway.

 

[TexasLori]

I know - I get the same thing. If Maxie went to Sharp Coronado, no one is saying. Would they transfer a child in such critical condition, or take him straight to the nearest critical care unit for children. If they did transfer him, it should have been by copter - IMHO.

I think he went straight to Rady's myself.

MOO

Mel

Quite possible. When my brother was in a car accident and sustained a major head injury, the paramedics decided to take him to a hospital that was further away than two others, but had a very strong reputation in head trauma cases.

 

[Invisible]

The brother lawyered up...right? I'm thinking he's lookin pretty good right now and LE is crossing the T's and dotting their I's before an arrest is ever made.

Someone from that family lawyered up.

 

[Melanie]

I am guessing Rady Children's Hospital is the (newly named) children's hospital off of the 805 (next to Mary Birch (?) maternity hospital)? Depending on traffic, it could be a lot longer than 20 mins as well.

Yup - fast forward to 2011. Traffic on the bridge on a weekday morning is going to be bad (leaving the island). I suggested 30 minutes for a 12 mile drive - but it could be anywhere from 20-40 minutes.

Mel

 

[sorrell skye]

In this same video, Captain Curran confirms that Rebecca's hands were bound behind her back.

He also states that her feet were bound, but that she wasn't hog-tied.

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15075598/...oCatNo=default&clipId=6051226&redirected=true

 

[IzzyBlanche]

If it turns out that there is something suspicious about Max's death, would it have ever been investigated if it had not been for Rebecca's death? LE waited for him to pronounced before opening their investigation....

I once had the opportunity to tour the SD Medical Examiner's office, and I was told that the office's mandate is to investigate any unexpected death in the county. So at the very least, the ME's office would have performed an autopsy on Max's body. I read in one of the articles that such an autopsy would be routine.

 

[Plumeria5]

Yup - fast forward to 2011. Traffic on the bridge on a weekday morning is going to be bad (leaving the island). I suggested 30 minutes for a 12 mile drive - but it could be anywhere from 20-40 minutes.

Mel

Maybe they took him by helicopter or did they say he went by ambulance?

 

[TexasLori]

What gets me is the little detail in reporting Maxie's death. Nothing mentions where he landed (at the very end of the stairs, just over the first landing/balcony, etc), position of body/head, other objects, where were the 3 people (cousin, Rebecca and Nina), was he observed, was the 13 year old there too when it happened? From one article you could almost take it that maybe he had a medical problem (lack of hearbeat, blacking out or something) that caused him to fall down the stairs.

I find it remarkable that details are so hush hush and vague in the reporting. He falls, goes into a coma, he dies and the parents give a statement that they will miss him. Or am I missing something in the details?

BBM. It does seem strange. So many details about Rebecca's death, yet everything about Max is conflicting and limited. :waitasec:

 

[TexasLori]

Regarding the brother finding Rebecca hanging and cutting her down. I guess I find that odd now that I think about it. I probably would have called the police first. I think it would be obvious if she was dead or not. Cutting down a 120 lb woman (just guessing weight) from a balcony can't be that easy. ??? If she was screaming or crying, that would be one thing, but she was dead.

See, and I would do the opposite. I would do whatever to get her down first and then call, because I would be afraid the time it took me to call could be the difference between her being able to be saved vs. being without oxygen for too long.

 

[Quester]

Wonder if Adam made any attempts to performed CPR on Rebecca after cutting her down?

 

[elementry]

Authorities would not say exactly how the two incidents may be connected, but said the boy's reported accident needs to be looked at in light of the death of Rebecca M. Zahau, 32.

Investigators believe Zahau's death was either a homicide or a suicide, Frank said.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jul/18/death-of-shacknai-boy-sparks-investigation/



Though I'm having a hard time believing any type of suicide theory...

She was very shaken up by Max's condition earlier... then she sounded perfectly okay at midnight, then a few hours after sounding perfectly okay, she turns up dead?

It isn't uncommon for people to become happier before they commit suicide... because they have made the decision to do it...

I do believe that is the only thing I've seen to point at all towards suicide.



If it is true that Dina was in the home... I wonder if maybe she and Rebecca got into a fight and Max got knocked off the stairs in the confusion?

Here is a pic of Dina Romano Shacknai. On the left

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...&tx=88&ty=98&page=1&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

 

[Peepers]

The lawyer met with someone at the mansion last week? Before these 2 incidents? or do I have that wrong? or was it last week after these incidents?
also, anyone know how long the brother has been staying there?

this is one of the weirdest stories ever.

 

[Linda7NJ]

See, and I would do the opposite. I would do whatever to get her down first and then call, because I would be afraid the time it took me to call could be the difference between her being able to be saved vs. being without oxygen for too long.

Wouldn't ya roll her over? Who would lay her face down???? IMO The person that killed her.