Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley, 45, last seen walking her dog on footpath by the river, Inskip, Lancashire, 27 Jan 2023

[Allabouttrial]

The fact that she placed the phone down still connected seems as if something suddenly caught her attention, ie maybe the dog doing something, or someone trying to take the dog - that kind of scenario. It doesn't seem to be the action of someone who was going to intentionally harm themselves.

But why would she venture close to the water if the dog just maybe minutes later, was found quite dry? And the water isn't that high there is it, do surely she would have been found on Friday? it's not like a day or more elapsed before she was reported missing.

I saw that mentioned earlier about the dog being quite dry when found. Was this reported in MSM?

Also, you'll be the perfect person to ask, when did actually start searching in the river for her?

 

[Edinlass]

I also respect yours which is why I'm asking if maybe you could quantify your theory that she didn't even take the dog for a walk and the many red flags you see? With the facts as we know them I'm struggling to understand how anyone can come to these conclusions.

The fact that she hasn’t been found in a case that tbh should be pretty relatively easy to wrap up. This isn’t a large stretch of water that opens up to a massive sea / ocean. Jmo.

 

[annpats]

If she slipped into the river, there would have been marks on the muddy side. She was wearing rubber Wellington' boots and they definitely would've made marks.

Also, it's not a sheer drop into the river, it's a gentle slope, so if she had fallen, it wouldn't have been straight into the river, she would likely have fallen down the embankment which was covered in grasses and bracken.

But I don't think she fell in.

Her phone left on the bench still gives me pause for thought, as does taking the dog's harness off. Both seem odd things to do.

I can't image she'd let her dog swim in the river in January (temperature not much above freezing!) and the dog was dry when found just an hour later, so I don't think it went in. A spaniel's coat would've taken longer than an hour to dry in cold January temperatures.

If she was abducted, then she would've had to have been taken to a car against her will. How far is the nearest access for vehicles? I think from the photos it doesn't look close, so any kidnapper would have to frog march her quite a way. Unless she was rendered unconscious. But then it would be a 2 person job.

<modsnip - not victim friendly>

To leave both your phone and dog is bad news. <modsnip>

 

[Allabouttrial]

The fact that she hasn’t been found in a case that tbh should be pretty relatively easy to wrap up. This isn’t a large stretch of water that opens up to a massive sea / ocean. Jmo.

Fair point. I was more curious about her 'taking the dog for a walk ruse', as it contradicts what has been reported in MSM and what police said in the presser.

 

[annpats]

The fact that she hasn’t been found in a case that tbh should be pretty relatively easy to wrap up. This isn’t a large stretch of water that opens up to a massive sea / ocean. Jmo.

It does eventually lead to the Irish sea, however the river isn't fast-flowing or torrential, and a photo showed a police searcher standing in it up to his belly area. So the river doesn't seem overly deep or current stricken.

 

[WhoIsThatGuy]

I also respect yours which is why I'm asking if maybe you could quantify your theory that she didn't even take the dog for a walk and the many red flags you see? With the facts as we know them I'm struggling to understand how anyone can come to these conclusions.

I'm looking at it like this.

I do not think she went into the river. I also believe the police do not think this. We shall soon find out.

<modsnip>

But on the off chance that is not what has happened to NB, I'm going to focus my effort and way of trying to help solve this by looking at other avenues. <modsnip>

Now because I do not think she went in to the river, I have to look at things from a top down view and think of any possibility that does not revolve around her falling into the river.

Please look back at some of my earlier posts regarding red flags and red herrings.

If you take the river theory out, maybe it will make the red flags and red herrings I am speaking of stand out brighter

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I saw that mentioned earlier about the dog being quite dry when found. Was this reported in MSM?

Also, you'll be the perfect person to ask, when did they start searching actually in the river for her?

I don't know when but certainly on Saturday it was reported the police underwater team were there then.

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/people/nicola-bulley-underwater-police-search-team-at-banks-of-river-wyre-in-st-michaels-close-to-where-45-year-old-woman-was-last-seen-4005190?fbclid=IwAR3JB7IfLqelU3Fobn2j-haPdfBiZicK_u75jnMIkwtP_URnIe1pd1Xp0G4

 

[Edinlass]

Fair point. I was more curious about her 'taking the dog for a walk ruse', as it contradicts what has been reported in MSM and what police said in the presser.

Yes I think it is because the police threw in the mix that it was asking for dashcam footage at the same time a witness was meant to have seen her. This has in turn raised suspicions of the sighting by said witness, if it was 100% reliable would they need dashcam…

 

[Dowls90]

Just adding my thoughts here, to this very sad case.

I do not think she fell in the river by accident.
I do not think she has deliberately gone into the river or run off.
I do think someone has gone to great lengths to make it look like she was on a normal dog walking trip - even adding the conference call touch - and to then make it appear that a random stranger has been behind this, or one of the above.
I do think she may sadly have come to harm as a result.

All imo of course.

I'm not sure on the theory that a stranger or another person could easily dial into a conference call. It would be interesting to know what system was being used as some conference call systems you have to say your name once calling in, especially dial in phone ones.

If this is all deliberate from her own actions I just can't see she would still dial into a conference call. Unless something was said on the call that pushed her over the edge.

I'm swaying towards the theory/s that an accident occurred or foul play is involved here.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/people/n...pearance-of-missing-st-michaels-woman-4006616:

"The police officer leading the investigation said today she believed Nicola’s disappearance unlikely to be “a crime”. Nicola’s mobile phone was later found on a bench near to the river. Her dog was also located nearby running free.

Police said Nicola was on a conference call with other people shortly before her disappearance but then placed her phone down, leaving the line open."

How does this not sound odd. I mean who was on the conference call, did they not see how she ended it? She didn't terminate the call? Feels off

 

[DazN]

The accident scenario seems unlikely to me due to the levels of the river and the searches that have taken place.

<modsnip>

Sadly that only leaves foul play and if it is, then the big question becomes whether it was someone she knew.

 

[Edinlass]

How does this not sound odd. I mean who was on the conference call, did they not see how she ended it? She didn't terminate the call? Feels off

She was on mute and camera off

 

[Firstsnow4]

Yes I think it is because the police threw in the mix that it was asking for dashcam footage at the same time a witness was meant to have seen her. This has in turn raised suspicions of the sighting by said witness, if it was 100% reliable would they need dashcam…

Yes I think that’s a good point and one we have raised before. Is the purpose of the dashcam to corroborate the sighting? Or to see if she was with anyone else whilst walking, was anyone following her, any other sightings of her that morning etc.

We don’t know who the witness was - if a third party was involved, the witness could be them (the perp) for all we know!

 

[Canadianmom2three]

It seems to me the most logical thing is that she is in the river. However, it seems slow moving and not super deep. So I'd think she'd need to be unconscious going in, or perhaps a medical emergency while in the water? I'd think she set her phone down and didn't think she would be long to just leave it sitting there on the call. So whatever happened, happened quick. All MOO!

 

[Grouse]

Yes I think it is because the police threw in the mix that it was asking for dashcam footage at the same time a witness was meant to have seen her. This has in turn raised suspicions of the sighting by said witness, if it was 100% reliable would they need dashcam…

It could be they are after dashcam footage to supplement the witness sighting rather than meaning they are dismissing it. After all it was dashcam footage that played the major part in solving Julia James and Sarah Everard cases.

 

[Pokerface87]

The accident scenario seems unlikely to me due to the levels of the river and the searches that have taken place.

<modsnip>

Sadly that only leaves foul play and if it is, then the big question becomes whether it was someone she knew.

Statistically… yes. JMO

 

[jackal67]

Yes I think it is because the police threw in the mix that it was asking for dashcam footage at the same time a witness was meant to have seen her. This has in turn raised suspicions of the sighting by said witness, if it was 100% reliable would they need dashcam…

Yes dash cam footage could confirm it was definitely her that the witness saw.

 

[blueangellight]

There is a sign on the tree where she was sat stating dogs must be kept on leads, I saw I clear picture of it on one of the links online but now I can't find it, only this one with a bit missing off the top of the sign, I have a feeling NB would follow these rules yet the dog was off it's lead & harness, I could understand the dog being off it's lead but not out ofi t's harness, that doesn't make any sense to me,

 

[Cuko]

Is anyone aware whether or not the police have used sniffer dogs to try and get a sense of which direction she went?

I think the Mirror reported that sniffer dogs had been brought in.

 

[MrsWatson]

I think it is worth noting that WS has several cases of missing people being found outdoors in places that had already been searched, sometimes searched several times.

Vanessa Guillen comes immediately to mind. That did happen to be foul play, but not all are.

Found Deceased - TX - PFC Vanessa Guillen, 20, Fort Hood military base, items left behind, 22 Apr 2020 *arrests* #3

Based on what Khawam said, they took their sweet time on testing the room for blood, and when they did, she said it lit up. It was a very bloody crime scene. She also said they wouldn't give her answers on whether or not they had Vanessa's phone records. As a potential crime victim, her records...

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