The case for murder

[time]

I don't know, the portrait looks kind of cheesy to me, that's why I don't buy it as an engagement photo...they have a lot of money and can afford better photography than this,

I am a photo professional in commercial photography and this is not a high quality photo or portrait.

I don't think it is an actual engagement photo. It is taken by a photographer, high quality or not. Perhaps they were at an event where various folks were photographed. But it would be surprising if so just because they got really lucky in wearing purple and coincidentally having a purple background?

It tried to look up the bar mitzvah photo, but can only find a very small pic. It just dawned on me this photo of Jonah and Rebecca could have been taken at something like that. They seem to be about having some fun and some are VERY cheesy, but with the photographer not so worried about it being extremely high (technical) quality.

 

[Carioca]

I don't think it is an actual engagement photo. It is taken by a photographer, high quality or not. Perhaps they were at an event where various folks were photographed. But it would be surprising if so just because they got really lucky in wearing purple and coincidentally having a purple background?

It tried to look up the bar mitzvah photo, but can only find a very small pic. It just dawned on me this photo of Jonah and Rebecca could have been taken at something like that. They seem to be about having some fun and some are VERY cheesy, but with the photographer not so worried about it being extremely high (technical) quality.

Agree with you, time. BTW in the bar mitzvah photo, RZ is wearing what looks like a dark blue halter-type top and JS a sky blue dress shirt with open collar. The two big arm chairs in the foreground are purple... The photos with the purple background could have been taken at the banquet later that day (for whatever it's worth)...

 

[time]

Agree with you, time. BTW in the bar mitzvah photo, RZ is wearing what looks like a dark blue halter-type top and JS a sky blue dress shirt with open collar. The two big arm chairs in the foreground are purple... The photos with the purple background could have been taken at the banquet later that day (for whatever it's worth)...

Thanks for looking at the pic... seems they color coordinate. It may be that Jonah gave her a special ring.

 

[KarenM]

If Rebecca was engaged, her sister Mary who's also her best friend would have been told about it. RZ's journal would have recorded it. The media would have addressed her as JS' fiancé since it made the whole story more sensational. Ann Rule's book would have mentioned it since Ann apparently has read the whole journal.

So, I don't believe she was engaged, just as the excerpt disclosed in Ann's book and just as her sister Mary clarified on TV.

 

[KarenM]

I think that it is kind of obvious why Jonah's relationship would be spun: so that the general public would not consider him a suspect because he loved her so much that he had intended to propose to her......Remember, perception (of the public) is extremely important to Jonah........and to many, perception becomes reality.

Very well put.

I think both parents of Max (DS and JS) were shocked when Max's doctor, Dr. Peterson at Rady Children's Hospital told the Coronado Police Department he did not feel the visible injuries were consistent with the cardiac arrest and brain swelling experienced by Max. Dr. Peterson expressed concerns based on the above factors that suffocation may have occurred prior to Max's fall.

http://www.kpho.com/story/15527429/...ests-maxfield-shacknai-suffocated-before-fall

Below is my own opinion.

I won't be surprised if DS and JS did a background check immediately on the woman who'd been with their son after Dr Perterson voiced his opinion. It's very possible that the several things that DS often talked about (RZ's shoplifting arrest, RZ's complaining about Max to her family through her email, RZ's frequent contact with Neil) came out around that time through a private investigation. Otherwise how would DS know what RZ said about Max in her email to her family or how frequently RZ contacted Neil? JS probably knew this too as Ann's book reveals he mentioned to police that Neil and RZ talked almost on a daily basis. I don't think any man or woman would feel comfortable with their partner's daily contact with their ex. It was possible but unlikely that RZ told JS about her close contact with Neil. Another way to find out was to review RZ's phone record through a PI.

If the above records of RZ were indeed revealed through a PI around the time Dr Perterson suspected Max was suffocated, Dina would be outraged. Besides blaming RZ for being responsible for Max's injury, she'd blame JS for bringing RZ into their lives and Max's life.

What about JS? Did he believe Dr Peterson's suffocation theory? Did he discuss it with his friend Dr Luber? Did he feel betrayed when he learned about RZ's criminal history and her close contact with Neil? Did he blame her in some way or blame himself for entrusting Max with her? We don't know because he never talked about his feeling in public like Dina did.

 

[Gilgamesh]

Very well put.

I think both parents of Max (DS and JS) were shocked when Max's doctor, Dr. Peterson at Rady Children's Hospital told the Coronado Police Department he did not feel the visible injuries were consistent with the cardiac arrest and brain swelling experienced by Max. Dr. Peterson expressed concerns based on the above factors that suffocation may have occurred prior to Max's fall.

http://www.kpho.com/story/15527429/...ests-maxfield-shacknai-suffocated-before-fall

Below is my own opinion.

I won't be surprised if DS and JS did a background check immediately on the woman who'd been with their son after Dr Perterson voiced his opinion. It's very possible that the several things that DS often talked about (RZ's shoplifting arrest, RZ's complaining about Max to her family through her email, RZ's frequent contact with Neil) came out around that time through a private investigation. Otherwise how would DS know what RZ said about Max in her email to her family or how frequently RZ contacted Neil? JS probably knew this too as Ann's book reveals he mentioned to police that Neil and RZ talked almost on a daily basis. I don't think any man or woman would feel comfortable with their partner's daily contact with their ex. It was possible but unlikely that RZ told JS about her close contact with Neil. Another way to find out was to review RZ's phone record through a PI.

If the above records of RZ were indeed revealed through a PI around the time Dr Perterson suspected Max was suffocated, Dina would be outraged. Besides blaming RZ for being responsible for Max's injury, she'd blame JS for bringing RZ into their lives and Max's life.

What about JS? Did he believe Dr Peterson's suffocation theory? Did he discuss it with his friend Dr Luber? Did he feel betrayed when he learned about RZ's criminal history and her close contact with Neil? Did he blame her in some way or blame himself for entrusting Max with her? We don't know because he never talked about his feeling in public like Dina did.

This is the first I have heard about RZ complaining about Max through emails. Can you please elaborate? TIA

 

[Gilgamesh]

Anyone can answer, actually

 

[*Lash*]

Big question - When did Jonah and Dina find out about the CPS report and/or the suffocation theory?

I have never heard Dina mention Rebecca's relationship with Neil. Dina performed a background check on RZ well before the Memorial Day move to Coronado. Dina had already ran a background check on RZ before Dr. Peterson voiced his opinion. In my opinion, I'm sure Dina raised these concerns with JS well before Maxie's accident. Wouldn't these be the reasons she allegedly asked JS not to leave Maxie alone with RZ?

Were these complaints written in emails or her journal? I tend to believe RZ was referring to Jonah's two older children. In all other accounts, RZ loved Maxie. She did not complain about him to Mary. She did complain about the two older children.

 

[minazoe]

I would be interested to know what the older children could reveal in terms of things unseen by others, that went on in the household.

 

[minazoe]

where there's smoke, there's fire...and there only two reasons why an unmarried woman wears a ring on her ring finger. Either to keep guys away, or to be provocative... does a promise ring go on the ring finger? Aren't they a little old for all that promise ring bs?

why was she talking to her ex all the time?

why was she with Jonah? money? where was Neil that night?

lot's of money involved in this relationship...taking pictures like the ring pic could be useful later, for RZ.

 

[KarenM]

Big question - When did Jonah and Dina find out about the CPS report and/or the suffocation theory?

I have never heard Dina mention Rebecca's relationship with Neil. Dina performed a background check on RZ well before the Memorial Day move to Coronado. Dina had already ran a background check on RZ before Dr. Peterson voiced his opinion. In my opinion, I'm sure Dina raised these concerns with JS well before Maxie's accident. Wouldn't these be the reasons she allegedly asked JS not to leave Maxie alone with RZ?

Were these complaints written in emails or her journal? I tend to believe RZ was referring to Jonah's two older children. In all other accounts, RZ loved Maxie. She did not complain about him to Mary. She did complain about the two older children.

Dina did run a background check on RZ once before. But she did not find anything about RZ at that time because she did not use the correct last name. RZ used two last names: Zahau and Nalepa. Dina indicated after Max's death that RZ purposely gave the wrong last name so she was not able to find out the shoplifting history during her initial search. We don't know whether this last name confusion was really intended. But DS was not able to find anything in her first background check when RZ started her relationship with JS.

Many media reports said that RZ loved Max as her own. However, someone in WS refuted that by claiming RZ complained about Max in an email to her family. Since the same person provided many details before they even hit the media and knew quite a lot of insider information such as which of the two rooms in the guest house AS stayed in and the female underwear was found in a different guest room, i tend to believe this little extra piece this person gave out.

 

[minazoe]

here was a girl who had a career with middle range potential...requiring study and the like...who grabbed a major player,

so she moves in, quits working, ingratiates herself to the family, becoming a caretaker and a dependent...

she wants that ring, she works hard, she is not getting it.

now, how this plays into the dynamic with Dina? is it beyond the children?

 

[minazoe]

just playing devil's advocate...how Becky may have been perceived, not necessarily , how it was...

If she was talking to her ex daily, i feel he is privvy to quite a bit of personal information.

something is off about this whole picture.

 

[time]

Dina did run a background check on RZ once before. But she did not find anything about RZ at that time because she did not use the correct last name. RZ used two last names: Zahau and Nalepa. Dina indicated after Max's death that RZ purposely gave the wrong last name so she was not able to find out the shoplifting history during her initial search. We don't know whether this last name confusion was really intended. But DS was not able to find anything in her first background check when RZ started her relationship with JS.

Many media reports said that RZ loved Max as her own. However, someone in WS refuted that by claiming RZ complained about Max in an email to her family. Since the same person provided many details before they even hit the media and knew quite a lot of insider information such as which of the two rooms in the guest house AS stayed in and the female underwear was found in a different guest room, i tend to believe this little extra piece this person gave out.

I believe that Dina did have the name Nalepa way before Rebecca's murder although she did not initially have it. Dina claimed Rebecca had given her a name not used in this country - or something to that effect - making it sound nefarious. The fact was that Rebecca had used the name Zahau in the US as that was her name when she came to the US per her sister. Someone correct me if this is known to be wrong. I also don't know why this is such a big deal except that maybe Dina couldn't get access to marriage records to connect the two names.

Secondly, I believe Rebecca had said she was having problems with the teenagers being disrespectful to her sister (or someone) and it was not about Max.

 

[time]

here was a girl who had a career with middle range potential...requiring study and the like...who grabbed a major player,

so she moves in, quits working, ingratiates herself to the family, becoming a caretaker and a dependent...

she wants that ring, she works hard, she is not getting it.

now, how this plays into the dynamic with Dina? is it beyond the children?

So, who are you saying perceived her this way?

Rebecca was young, she could have changed careers, gone back to college, or whatever, a few more times in her life so I think it's fairly naive for someone to think her potential was already relegated to a mid-range career. Besides, who would think that is an awful place to be?

 

[Inparadise]

I believe that Dina did have the name Nalepa way before Rebecca's murder although she did not initially have it. Dina claimed Rebecca had given her a name not used in this country - or something to that effect - making it sound nefarious. The fact was that Rebecca had used the name Zahau in the US as that was her name when she came to the US per her sister. Someone correct me if this is known to be wrong. I also don't know why this is such a big deal except that maybe Dina couldn't get access to marriage records to connect the two names.

Secondly, I believe Rebecca had said she was having problems with the teenagers being disrespectful to her sister (or someone) and it was not about Max.

Again, I don't get why Dina was so bent out of shape about Rebecca using her maiden name when she, herself had Jonah and the kids (and his friends) call her by another name for several years so that Kimberly would not know that she was the woman that Jonah had been having an affair with while they were still married........

 

[minazoe]

So, who are you saying perceived her this way?

Rebecca was young, she could have changed careers, gone back to college, or whatever, a few more times in her life so I think it's fairly naive for someone to think her potential was already relegated to a mid-range career. Besides, who would think that is an awful place to be?

no one ...there is nothing "awful" about it. It's a very difficult thing to transition to this other lifestyle of being a live in GF to JS, after all, it makes you completely vulnerable.

but, she did have the 2009 arrest over $1000.00 in jewelry, this is by no means petty theft... this is not the innocent angel, this is a 30 year old woman who did this.

so there is something here in her pathology that suggests something is amiss.

personally I now feel that JS or AS or some combo of the two did this.

 

[KarenM]

I believe that Dina did have the name Nalepa way before Rebecca's murder although she did not initially have it. Dina claimed Rebecca had given her a name not used in this country - or something to that effect - making it sound nefarious. The fact was that Rebecca had used the name Zahau in the US as that was her name when she came to the US per her sister. Someone correct me if this is known to be wrong. I also don't know why this is such a big deal except that maybe Dina couldn't get access to marriage records to connect the two names.

Big deal or not depends on the person and/or the situation. It may not be a big deal to your and me. But it surely was a big deal to DS. It might not be a big deal to JS when everything was good. But it might become a bigger deal when Dr Peterson said Max was dying because of suffocation suffered inside his own house.

We are talking about RZ's death and possible homicide motive. If this deal was big enough to influence someone's perception of RZ's character, to impact someone's assessment of Dr Peterson's claim, it will be relevant to a potential motive discussion.

 

[minazoe]

I agree, I would guess HOMICIDE would be my first emotion if I was told this on my child's deathbed. I can imagine ...snapping.... easily. Just the thought that someone LIED to me and something other than what I thought happened, happened.

I wonder if the reason Dina went over to the house, had more to do with Jonah, than Becky?

Lot's of cooks in and around the kitchen that night.

 

[time]

Again, I don't get why Dina was so bent out of shape about Rebecca using her maiden name when she, herself had Jonah and the kids (and his friends) call her by another name for several years so that Kimberly would not know that she was the woman that Jonah had been having an affair with while they were still married........

Yeah, I agree, but then we know Dina was trying to make a big deal out of a lot of things like jiujitsu, healthy eating, and so on. That shows me she was and still is either consumed with jealousy or trying desperately to convince people something was suspicious about Rebecca. It all falls flat... she won't even name the family friend in the jiujitsu thing. too bad for her that in the process of all this it totally degrades any credibility she might have had. And, some of it veers too far away from anything having to do with Max's death... Dina only succeeds at making herself look more guilty, but doesn't even seem to realize that.