TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #7

[glorias]

The theory that Arlene had something to do with Gail disappearing has been floated before so I know where you're coming from, confused. I said a couple of weeks ago that it is a little odd that Arlene was in touch with Gail so much but on the day she disappeared, nothing. But she does have an alibi for that day. Also, I have a tough time reconciling Gail giving so much information to Arlene if she was upset with her, scared, being pushed around, etc. They didn't live in the same state, and Gail could have easily avoided her.

Also, Arlene IS talking a lot. How often do we see someone commit a crime and then go on public interviews multiple times asking for the crime to be solved? I know it has happened (the case I'm thinking of eludes me at the moment) so it's not outside the realm of possibility, but it seems to be rare and very unlikely IMVHO.

 

[wilco]

About an hour ago, I was returning from Cleveland Tn to chattanooga, via Hwy 11. Just outside Ooltewah, in a blind curve, there were five or six police cars pulling up. There was a lone, tall, slender white woman standing among them. No civilian car was visible. Nothing on the news.

 

[Cazzie]

Thanks for responding Emeraldgem!

I've been trying to catch up on info via reading the threads; I noticed on one thread someone said her friend was planning on meeting her in Wetumpka, AL. That's about 10 minutes from where I live...

The first time I saw her name on WS, I recalled attending school with someone having that very same name, in Jamestown, NY. Obviously, due to the proximity of her possible locations here in Alabama AND having the same name as someone I grew-up with- has caused tremendous interest for me in this case.

Perhaps some of the posters here on WS that know her can let me know if she did indeed hail from Western NY. I saw one poster here who states he is from Buffalo- and that it were I was born/not that far from Jmestown.

I appreciate ANY help with this question (where she grew-up)!

~Mish

Have you read far enough back (not that far) in these threads to have listened to the radio show (or read the transcripts) from when Arlene was interviewed? Since you're so close (proximity) to where Arlene lives...

I'm just curious what you think of Arlene's info/interviews, and if you have a theory about what happened to Gail.

I see that your question has been answered so I am erasing my apology for not being able to help with that.

 

[Cazzie]

After sitting and thinking about this case for hours, I have decided that I completely agree with Emeralgem and snowbunny, there very well may have been foul play involved. Gail has been gone a long time, and I think had she needed a break she would have surely felt like coming home by now.

However, I am inclined to believe that AD or the siblings are the ones that are hiding something.

AD is constanty talking, constantly bashing and accusing Matt. I think she may be trying to divert attention from herself. First we have the run Gail made to Birmingham around Easter. Of course the police report hasn't been released to the public, but we know that Gail ran away from the lake where AD was and to the other people in Birmingham. It also seems so odd that on the 30th, Gail called Diane in NY multiple times, she talked with LE on signal Mtn. She even, according to some people, called Matt, but she CHOSE NOT TO CALL her self proclaimed best friend AD? (who btw she had plans with that day and who lived close to where she was?). Makes no sense. Either Gail had to have some mental issues going on which really affected her judgement, or maybe she was trying to sneak away from AD. If AD's statements are true, then she was very involved in Gails life. She also was pushing Gail to do things, i.e. get a PI, put a tracer on Matts car (which I think is illegal), file for divorce. Maybe Gail got tired of being pushed. AD has stated that Gail was afraid of Matt. If she were that afraid of Matt, there's no way she would run away from her best friend (without telling her) and back to SM and Matt (calling him to let him know she was coming) and then leave the kids there with him. Absolutely no way on this earth a mother would do that if she were afraid of the father/husband. So again, that doesn't make sense.

There has been discussion on that very item, and I concur. If Gail thought she was a target, and especially an immediate target, it makes sense that she would leave their children at their home and get herself as far away as possible. Especially if she didn't think that Matt was "out to get her", i.e., she may have suspected but not been sure. For example, maybe she didn't recognize the car(s) following her or the license plate(s). Hope this makes sense!

I'm not accusing Matt of anything, but his actions do rouse suspicion, and there does seem to be evidence of domestic abuse (or perhaps violence) between them. And then there's the issue of his alleged drinking problem. People just don't go to Al Anon for fun, IMHO. It seems that Gail thought Matt has a drinking problem, and she sought out a very well established organization to get help for herself (and probably her children).

I wonder if Gail had sought any domestic abuse counseling? Like calling a women's hotline, etc., or reaching out to people who would be able to give her referrals.

There's a recent post that outlines guidelines for "what to do" in domestic violence situations, and I believe it was our own Sleuthy1 who posted that there wasn't much on that list that Gail had not done/been doing.

 

[Emeralgem]

After sitting and thinking about this case for hours, I have decided that I completely agree with Emeralgem and snowbunny, there very well may have been foul play involved. Gail has been gone a long time, and I think had she needed a break she would have surely felt like coming home by now.

However, I am inclined to believe that AD or the siblings are the ones that are hiding something. AD is constanty talking, constantly bashing and accusing Matt. I think she may be trying to divert attention from herself. First we have the run Gail made to Birmingham around Easter. Of course the police report hasn't been released to the public, but we know that Gail ran away from the lake where AD was and to the other people in Birmingham. It also seems so odd that on the 30th, Gail called Diane in NY multiple times, she talked with LE on signal Mtn. She even, according to some people, called Matt, but she CHOSE NOT TO CALL her self proclaimed best friend AD? (who btw she had plans with that day and who lived close to where she was?). Makes no sense. Either Gail had to have some mental issues going on which really affected her judgement, or maybe she was trying to sneak away from AD. If AD's statements are true, then she was very involved in Gails life. She also was pushing Gail to do things, i.e. get a PI, put a tracer on Matts car (which I think is illegal), file for divorce. Maybe Gail got tired of being pushed. AD has stated that Gail was afraid of Matt. If she were that afraid of Matt, there's no way she would run away from her best friend (without telling her) and back to SM and Matt (calling him to let him know she was coming) and then leave the kids there with him. Absolutely no way on this earth a mother would do that if she were afraid of the father/husband. So again, that doesn't make sense.

BBM...And IMO it's Matt P's family and friends who are the ones doing everything wthin their power to twist and divert any attention they can away from Matt P .. Also, IMHO... Attempting to cast suspicion on AD and Gail's siblings ONLY serves to strengthen my resolve he is the one responsible for Gail's disappearance.....JMHO

 

[Cazzie]

The theory that Arlene had something to do with Gail disappearing has been floated before so I know where you're coming from, confused. I said a couple of weeks ago that it is a little odd that Arlene was in touch with Gail so much but on the day she disappeared, nothing. But she does have an alibi for that day. Also, I have a tough time reconciling Gail giving so much information to Arlene if she was upset with her, scared, being pushed around, etc. They didn't live in the same state, and Gail could have easily avoided her.

Also, Arlene IS talking a lot. How often do we see someone commit a crime and then go on public interviews multiple times asking for the crime to be solved? I know it has happened (the case I'm thinking of eludes me at the moment) so it's not outside the realm of possibility, but it seems to be rare and very unlikely IMVHO.

I know what you mean, i.e., I have read of cases where the perp went on searches, etc.

I listened to both of Arlene's radio interviews and I feel that she is sincere. The best friend that everyone should have. She's been sticking her neck out and really pushing for answers in Gail's disappearance.

I don't think that there's anything nefarious with Arlene. If things were different, I could see her letting Gail stay with her or someplace else and not letting anyone know (to assist in Gail's separation from Matt, etc.), but I do not think that is that case here.

I could be wrong, though...I was wrong that one time.

 

[fedfan4life]

BBM...And IMO it's Matt P's family and friends who are the ones doing everything wthin their power to twist and divert any attention they can away from Matt P .. Also, IMHO... Attempting to cast suspicion on AD and Gail's siblings ONLY serves to strengthen my resolve he is the one responsible for Gail's disappearance.....JMHO

Agreed!

 

[fireflylink]

About an hour ago, I was returning from Cleveland Tn to chattanooga, via Hwy 11. Just outside Ooltewah, in a blind curve, there were five or six police cars pulling up. There was a lone, tall, slender white woman standing among them. No civilian car was visible. Nothing on the news.

wilco, were you able to tell if they were county, state troopers, Ooltewah or cleveland PD? thanks!

 

[glorias]

snipped

There has been discussion on that very item, and I concur. If Gail thought she was a target, and especially an immediate target, it makes sense that she would leave their children at their home and get herself as far away as possible. Especially if she didn't think that Matt was "out to get her", i.e., she may have suspected but not been sure. For example, maybe she didn't recognize the car(s) following her or the license plate(s). Hope this makes sense!

Arlene seems to have been hinting at her own theory that Matt threatened Gail with an ultimatum to give him back the kids or else. In that scenario, I could see her giving the kids back to him and then running off, especially if she was in a panic.

 

[Some1Nose]

After having thought about this for some time, now...the only way I can justify that Gail walked away from her children is if she was in fear of imminent bodily harm and had a talk with her children about her need to be away for awhile without being able to communicate but that she will be okay and will return to them....also, making them promise not to tell anyone else or she could be in serious trouble. Then I would guess she went to a pre-determined location out of the immediate area where she would receive anonymous shelter.

Actually, I thought of another possible scenario...if GP felt disenfranchised from not only MP, but her children, as well, let's say they may have mentioned to her that they'd rather be with their Dad (maybe he had extensively down-played to the children GP's role in their young lives, and promised them all manner of material perks.....kids are kids and can be potentially coerced with promises of receiving lots of "cool stuff", at least for awhile.) I think if GP felt her children turned against her that would make the foundation under her crumble! IMHO

Otherwise, I cannot imagine her leaving her chldren as it appears she was an involved, loving mother.

If this happened, as reported by SB, that on April 30th, having returned from the lake house in Alabama, GP dropped off her children at their SM home, and then took off in a hurry; I don't believe she intended to be gone very long that day, unless one of the two scenarios described above occured, because per DN and/or AD she was reportedly planning to move with her children once the separation was legally put into motion.

Further, GP did not seem to want her children to be left, for any length of time, with MP as evidenced by taking the children to the lake house with her, I would imagine, in-part, due to his extra-curricular activities, excessive drinking and reported (not sure if verified fact) verbally abusive behavior as well as possible physically abusive behavior. IMHO

So....I believe it's quite possible she either met with an accident while driving on or near SM. In her state of mind having to deal with abusive behavior directed at her, huge sums of money being withdrawn from her/their financial accounts in a short period of time, illicit affair/s going on, possible knowledge of MP's trouble at work, having lost her source of income through company down-sizing, having lost her brother and father with-in a recent time frame, having her children told by MP that their mother was "poision", not sure if that is rumor or was verified as fact but sounds plausible knowing what we heard about the way GP was being disdainfully treated by MP, having her daily activites monitored by MP and possibly by others associated with him. All of that is enough to make anyone feel anxious and unable to focus real well...thus when she reportedly took off from the SM home on 4/30, her mind could have been swirling and she lost track of paying attention to the road, accidents can happen so fast without eye-witnesses or, for whatever reason, with witnesses unwilling to come forward.

Either that or GP fell prey to foul play. And I find it hard to believe that it would involve a random occurrence versus being initiated by someone either directly familiar with Gail or by someone/s indirectly familiar with Gail. Yes, a random attack is possible, but not probable. IMHO

Well there's my :twocents: worth FWIW

 

[ThoughtFox]

About an hour ago, I was returning from Cleveland Tn to chattanooga, via Hwy 11. Just outside Ooltewah, in a blind curve, there were five or six police cars pulling up. There was a lone, tall, slender white woman standing among them. No civilian car was visible. Nothing on the news.

That's really interesting because I just drove that way on Sunday when we were going to the movies in Cleveland, and coming and going we smelled a really bad odor near Owl Hollow Road at the place called Dead Man's Curve (probably your blind curve) - somewhere through there. Even if the woman wasn't Gail (there are lots of tall white women around here), I wonder if it could have been a resident out there who called police about the smell? We figured it was a dead deer or cow because there are woods and fields on both sides of the road. We often smell skunks in that same place but this was much stronger. (I know this sounds gross but we live in the country and there are dead animals all the time along the highway).

 

[jeni4smith]

BBM...And IMO it's Matt P's family and friends who are the ones doing everything wthin their power to twist and divert any attention they can away from Matt P .. Also, IMHO... Attempting to cast suspicion on AD and Gail's siblings ONLY serves to strengthen my resolve he is the one responsible for Gail's disappearance.....JMHO

Emeralgem.... Matts P family and friends who are the ones doing everything within their power to twist and divert any attnetion they can from Matt P. I would have to disagree. Were in the mainsteam media have you seen Matt P family and friends twisting fact and diverting attention away from him ? To be honest the best things in the world for Matt P .1. Gail come home 2. His name is cleared. Imvho he must be the stupidest criminal in the world. 1. Hiring to best PI in Chattanooga to look for his wife. 2. Knowing that LE could not get a SW for the properties he allows them to be searched with consent. read the search agreement there was not that many limitations. 3. Has given the LE agencies all the information they have requested. As for the friends and family they have a little information it seems as the rest of us or they are keeping it close to the vest for reasons we may not understand. the fustration on there part has been on other posts not so much WS. Arlene has information for a divorce case but nothing she has said lets to were Gail could be. SHe was her so called best friend and IMO she has been taken a huge hit on that but she has no information where she may have gone? So truthfully all she has done IMVHO is try to discredit Matt P. Having Marital issues and getting a divorce happen all the time. Gails direct family has taken the high road in making direct mudsling and I read some where that Arlene was asked to keep the palmgrens life private till there were reasons found to do otherwise. She refused and that is why i feel there is a direct rift between the volunteers and the familys.

 

[Irish_Eyes]

Snipped from jeni4smith:

3. Has given the LE agencies all the information they have requested.

Would this include the computers that were removed from the house and interviews with the children?

 

[hollyblue]

jeni4smith, Is Matt still seeing Ms. Helton?

 

[BeanE]

Snipped from jeni4smith:

3. Has given the LE agencies all the information they have requested.

Would this include the computers that were removed from the house and interviews with the children?

LE requested the computers and interviews with the children?

 

[Emeralgem]

Emeralgem.... Matts P family and friends who are the ones doing everything within their power to twist and divert any attnetion they can from Matt P. I would have to disagree. Were in the mainsteam media have you seen Matt P family and friends twisting fact and diverting attention away from him ? To be honest the best things in the world for Matt P .1. Gail come home 2. His name is cleared. Imvho he must be the stupidest criminal in the world. 1. Hiring to best PI in Chattanooga to look for his wife. 2. Knowing that LE could not get a SW for the properties he allows them to be searched with consent. read the search agreement there was not that many limitations. 3. Has given the LE agencies all the information they have requested. As for the friends and family they have a little information it seems as the rest of us or they are keeping it close to the vest for reasons we may not understand. the fustration on there part has been on other posts not so much WS. Arlene has information for a divorce case but nothing she has said lets to were Gail could be. SHe was her so called best friend and IMO she has been taken a huge hit on that but she has no information where she may have gone? So truthfully all she has done IMVHO is try to discredit Matt P. Having Marital issues and getting a divorce happen all the time. Gails direct family has taken the high road in making direct mudsling and I read some where that Arlene was asked to keep the palmgrens life private till there were reasons found to do otherwise. She refused and that is why i feel there is a direct rift between the volunteers and the familys.

BBM Dark Red

To my knowledge I don't recall mentioning anything about MSM being an avenue taken by MP's family and friends in regards to twisting or diverting....Perhaps, they should speak out to MSM in his defense...JMHO

 

[BeanE]

. In hindsight, I consider the statements she has made thus far we have seen to be proven accurate and consistant.

snip to point to save real estate

This particular weekend I recall (from one of the interviews I think) that GP had called AD because she was frightened. AD was tending to a livestock situation and was unable to make the trip over to GP's lakehouse (not the A-frame next to AD's property), this would normally take about 45 minutes or so. Instead, AD asked Mike to run over there to check on her. By the time he had arrived, GP had already left and apparently headed to Birmingham.

. I recall (again from one of the interviews) that AD was traveling that morning to and from a goat show I think, and was in and out of cell coverage areas. I believe also, that GP did attempt to get through to AD, but AD did not know about this until she later hit an area where she had coverage again. AD then continue to attempt contact with GP, then directly with the family home phone and was told by MP that GP had come home but had left. IMO, based on the information above, GP did reach out to AD, DN and LE.

snip to point to save real estate

It is a mystery why she chose to leave and suddenly return to SM when there were plans later (all in AL) in the day for a friend's birthday party, taking the children to visit AD's new foal, and MP's planned visit that afternoon which was to include talking to the children as a family about the upcoming separation and divorce. She had been taking plate numbers, and again was frightened by someone. For whatever reason she got spooked early that morning and returned, unplanned to SM. Did she get a call prompting her to return to SM? if so, by whom? For whatever reason, she did return to SM and it had to be a significant or urgent reason in order to not attend a friends birthday party and to not take the kids to see the foal.


snip to point to save real estate

- For a while, I too found Arlene's statements consistent. With the last two Jammer interviews, I saw inconsistencies/conflicts.

- Once Gail got to Birmingham, Arlene said she told her she was coming up to Birmingham to meet her the next day, and that Gail agreed. Arlene said the next morning about 11, Gail said she was instead headed back to SM. There were several instances in which Arlene said Gail agreed to plans, then did something else instead.

- In the Jammer interview, Arlene said that she'd not received any indication on the 30th that Gail had tried to call her. It looks from what you posted that Arlene said earlier that she did receive indication Gail called her. Do you remember what interview or article that was in? TIA

- I don't know where it came from that Gail and the kids were supposed to see the foal on the 30th, but it keeps coming up as something Gail didn't do on the 30th. In Arlene's Jammer interview, she said they all did go to see the foal on the night of the 29th.

- No mystery to me about who talked to Gail. According to Matt's own sworn affidavit, it was he who talked to Gail, and proposed that they meet back at the SM house. This keeps coming up that nobody knows why Gail went back to SM. Matt's statement is an indication to me of why. There could, of course, have been some other phone call from someone else, or some other reason Gail decided to go back, but I'm really thinking that conversation with Matt - unknown which of them called which to initiate the conversation - had at least something to do with her decision to go back to SM.

As an aside, that he said himself, in a sworn document, that he proposed Gail come back to SM, gets added to my list of things Matt has done that qualify him for stupidest murderer ever to walk the earth, if indeed he murdered Gail, or was involved with her murder, if indeed she has been murdered, which according to LE, there's no evidence of at all.

Another champion level run-on sentence.

 

[Pearl*]

To be honest the best things in the world for Matt P .
1. Gail come home
2. His name is cleared.

Imvho he must be the stupidest criminal in the world.

1. Hiring to best PI in Chattanooga to look for his wife.
2. Knowing that LE could not get a SW for the properties he allows them to be searched with consent. read the search agreement there was not that many limitations.
3. Has given the LE agencies all the information they have requested.

As for the friends and family they have a little information it seems as the rest of us or they are keeping it close to the vest for reasons we may not understand.
Having marital issues and getting a divorce happen all the time.

[bbm & snipped in parts for emphasis]

Frankly, I think the "stupid" cuts in many different directions.

If he's innocent, we sure do have a lot of facts to make him look guilty, and he created those circumstances all by himself. The affair, the failure to report her missing, not taking a lie detector test, and a long list of other facts. So, for all that, it's hard to feel too sorry for him since he made his own mess and drew suspicion to himself with almost every move he made (or didn't make). I'll be especially thrilled for the children if he's innocent, but I won't be sorry for having thought otherwise, because he painted that picture himself.

If he's innocent though, the hit he's taken in nearly all media avenues is horrible. Yes, having marital issues and getting a divorce DO happen all the time, as do mental illness, car accidents, and even a spouse "running off." However, those things don't cause the media hit this man has taken, and they shouldn't. The media, as usual, is "out for blood" and sensational stories, and in the social networking/blogging circles it gets even worse. I think it's really scary to see the possibilities of what CAN happen to an innocent person.

To an extent, even if he's guilty, the media hit is no less terrible. I doubt that all the rumors and accusations flying around are helping him to be a better father this summer, and like it or not, he is the only parent these children have to take care of them right now. Honestly, I can't imagine how he's holding it together for them. The media is ripping apart a parent holding two children in his arms. Aren't they? I wonder sometimes if I've participated in that on this board, and it bothers me.

I've not suddenly become Matt's cheerleader here and I don't know if he's innocent or not. I'm much closer to "middle of the road" than I used to be though. I think it's very curious that the family is trying so hard to keep it low key while others are trying to forge ahead with so much less information than the family is bound to have, and being so critical of the people who must be hurting the worst--the family.

I can't help but think they MUST have more information than everybody else, and I'm not understanding why so many people are determined to go in a different direction blindly and are even pushing the family aside to do it. If the family wanted national media attention or a reward fund, they could have arranged for either by now, all by themselves. So the question of, "How do you know they don't want it," gets irrelevant for me really fast.

Also, those who could (I think) rightly be charged with interfering with an investigation, are being allowed to continue. Why? Again, I think family and LE know a lot that the rest of us do not. I'm more than ever at a "wait and see" and "say less; watch and listen more" viewpoint.

I'm afraid the rush to judgment and the way it's being carried out, may point to some of the "not so nice" facts of human nature. If he's guilty, there will be plenty of time to tear him apart later.

Just my opinion for the day, along with one of the reasons I've been posting less lately.

 

[KathyJ]

The theory that Arlene had something to do with Gail disappearing has been floated before so I know where you're coming from, confused. I said a couple of weeks ago that it is a little odd that Arlene was in touch with Gail so much but on the day she disappeared, nothing. But she does have an alibi for that day. Also, I have a tough time reconciling Gail giving so much information to Arlene if she was upset with her, scared, being pushed around, etc. They didn't live in the same state, and Gail could have easily avoided her.

Also, Arlene IS talking a lot. How often do we see someone commit a crime and then go on public interviews multiple times asking for the crime to be solved? I know it has happened (the case I'm thinking of eludes me at the moment) so it's not outside the realm of possibility, but it seems to be rare and very unlikely IMVHO.

The best place to hide is always in the open....just my opinion. Not saying AD had anything to do with it but it's always been said the best place to hide is in the open...MP in not in the open and everyone is pointing fingers at him....and for that reason (among other ones)

I have not posted in awhile due to some family issues and all but have been keeping up on this ---just can't believe there is no new news!

 

[JayCeeVee]

Just curious...has anyone seen any more on the reason for GP sending her sister $17,000 prior to her disappearance...this information came forth from one of MP's attorneys. I haven't been following lately but live in the area and very concerned.

Still very difficult to believe that her vehicle has not been discovered...it definitely is hidden/burned or whatever.