Did LE ever say who the shirt belonged to, the one that was used as a gag?
Did LE ever say who the shirt belonged to, the one that was used as a gag?
So here's my list. It's not necessarily an exhaustive list of the reasons (although it may be exhausting reading it :crazy: ) why I doubt the official suicide finding, but it includes the reasons I've currently compiled.
1. This is my #1 reason: the impossible geometry of the fall, based on Valhalls' excellent mathematical analysis.
http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/14/rebecca-zahau-case-the-geometry-in-rebeccas-fall/
2. The 4 subgaleal hemorrhages (especially the one on the right superior parietal scalp - the top of her head), indicative of blunt force trauma.
3. The lack of significant facial & torso injuries, based on Cynic's brilliant computer animation.
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - The case for murder
4. Again, the lack of significant injuries to RZ's torso, since it's been assumed that she leaned over the railing & pushed off from her toes (all while defying the impossible geometry, no less). The AR (page 13) notes 3 small, superficial abrasions to the lower abdomen.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en
Based on a close-up photo of the balcony railing, even if RZ had been able to defy the impossible geometry of the fall (which I seriously doubt) she should have sustained numerous, deep lacerations to her torso as she slid over the rough, jagged areas of the railing.
http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz8699.jpg
5. The lack of livor mortis in the extremities after hanging for ~ 4 hours.
6. The fixed posterior livor mortis, after lying semi-supine tilted to the left side for 12+ hours. The lack of fixed livor mortis to the left side, also after lying tilted to that side for 12+ hours.
7. The 2 hour time frame (after having allegedly listened to a vm message @ ~ 12:50; not to mention phone records show no evidence of an incoming call @ ~ 12:30 that resulted in the vm message that was allegedly listened to @ ~ 12:50) to make the ultimate decision to commit suicide (absent any previous mental health history or known suicidal ideation), to devise a workable suicide plan, and to assemble the instruments associated with a workable suicide plan (rope, kitchen knives, paint supplies), and to carry out that plan, including figuring out how to successfully tie the bindings to ankles, wrists, bedframe, and to fashion an effective noose.
8. The exact length of the noose rope: without apparent measuring (as is evident in the dearth of footprints on the balcony tiles) to ensure it would not be too long or too short from where it was tied off to the bedframe & coursed all the way across the room, across the balcony floor, & over the railing - how did she know the noose rope would not be too long or too short?
9. The obvious contamination of the crime scene: Exhibit A) the boot print on the balcony tiles. IMO, if the balcony tiles were tromped upon, it's possible that the rest of the primary crime scene (if not also the secondary crime scene i.e. the rest of the mansion, the garage, etc.) may have also been compromised, with the possibility that potential evidence may have been lost.
10. No fingernail scrapings, or clipped & preserved fingernails were noted in the AR. Without collection of these items, and without testing for possible foreign DNA, there is no way to conclusively determine that RZ had not fought against an attacker.
11. The blue tee shirt wrapped around the victim's neck - on the outside of the rope - and stuffed into her mouth.
12. The music that was reported to have been heard by neighbors @ ~ 1:00 - 1:30 a.m. on the night of her demise.
13. The telephone conversations with the decedent's sister (during which the decedent was reported to have not seemed despondent or suicidal) on the night of her demise.
14. The decision by SDCSD to not attempt to create a re-enactment of the hanging.
15. The sticky tape residue on RZ's shins: if it was athletic tape - where is the rest of the roll? If it was duct tape - where is the rest of the roll? Did she put the tape on her legs, or did someone else?
16. The noose was wrapped over her hair. As someone who has had long hair my entire life, I know from experience that a woman with long hair will automatically (without thinking about it) pull her hair out from under anything restrictive (purse strap, backpack strap, collar, scarf, necklace, etc.). IMO, if someone else had wrapped the noose around RZ's neck, that person would not have removed her long hair from beneath the rope.
16. The curious lack of anyone else's DNA or fingerprints anywhere in the immediate crime scene (including the lack of anyone else's fingerprints or DNA besides RZ's on the kitchen knives, which are typically tools that are handled by all the adults in a household).
17. Lack of official information regarding other rooms or surfaces in the mansion (including the garage) or adjoining guesthouses that were processed for possible evidence.
18. The message on the door: RZ has been described as someone who cared about others; someone who was always there for her family & friends. Psychologically speaking, it's my opinion that a person who is sensitive to the feelings & needs of others (as she was said to have been) would have more than likely written a detailed suicide letter so that her loved ones could have understood the reason for suicide & to hopefully provide them with a sense of closure. The message on the door did not accomplish that, IMO, but only created more questions, more doubt, and certainly did not provide closure. IMO, the message on the door seems to have been written by a third party who was attempting to taunt JS.
19. The blood on RZ's fingers (page 10, AR): unless the blood was collected & tested, there is no way to determine if it was her own blood, or someone else's.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en
20. The victim was found nude. Yet, she had not removed a black "Bionic Band" and a yellow "Livestrong" band from her left wrist, nor did she remove a "Power Balance" band from her right wrist (page 8, AR).
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en
Her ears were pierced, but she wasn't wearing earrings @ the time of her death. Nor was she wearing any other jewelry. If she planned to kill herself, and had removed all other clothing & jewelry, why did she not remove the "Bionic Band", the "Livestrong" band, and the "Power Balance" band?
I'd like to add "timing" to the list of things that make me doubt Rebecca killed herself (as I was never good with limits lol).
The timing is way off, IMO.
Someone please send this to the coroner, the SDSD and all other appropriate LE offices. This is an amazing compilation. "nuff said...I bow to your genus! RZ deserves better than she has received...she deserves nothing less than complete justice.
IMO, the case for murder arises from the consistent LACK OF RESPECT for the victim demonstrated by LE and JS starting from day one.
my speculations - if this was a murder, this was done spur of the moment due possibly to anger(motive), and because there was little time to plan, this is the reason why a lot of red flags were raised(timeline, cell phone records, physical evidence, etc). For all you know, the initial plan of the perp might have been to dump her body somewhere, but it became a staged suicide, etc etc
it was this lack of or little time for planning in committing the murder that left a trail of red flags that aroused the instincts of the posters in this forum and elsewhere.
So here's my list. It's not necessarily an exhaustive list of the reasons (although it may be exhausting reading it :crazy: ) why I doubt the official suicide finding, but it includes the reasons I've currently compiled.
1. This is my #1 reason: the impossible geometry of the fall, based on Valhalls' excellent mathematical analysis.
http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/14/rebecca-zahau-case-the-geometry-in-rebeccas-fall/
2. The 4 subgaleal hemorrhages (especially the one on the right superior parietal scalp - the top of her head), indicative of blunt force trauma.
3. The lack of significant facial & torso injuries, based on Cynic's brilliant computer animation.
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - The case for murder
4. Again, the lack of significant injuries to RZ's torso, since it's been assumed that she leaned over the railing & pushed off from her toes (all while defying the impossible geometry, no less). The AR (page 13) notes 3 small, superficial abrasions to the lower abdomen.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en
Based on a close-up photo of the balcony railing, even if RZ had been able to defy the impossible geometry of the fall (which I seriously doubt) she should have sustained numerous, deep lacerations to her torso as she slid over the rough, jagged areas of the railing.
http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz8699.jpg
5. The lack of livor mortis in the extremities after hanging for ~ 4 hours.
6. The fixed posterior livor mortis, after lying semi-supine tilted to the left side for 12+ hours. The lack of fixed livor mortis to the left side, also after lying tilted to that side for 12+ hours.
7. The 2 hour time frame (after having allegedly listened to a vm message @ ~ 12:50; not to mention phone records show no evidence of an incoming call @ ~ 12:30 that resulted in the vm message that was allegedly listened to @ ~ 12:50) to make the ultimate decision to commit suicide (absent any previous mental health history or known suicidal ideation), to devise a workable suicide plan, and to assemble the instruments associated with a workable suicide plan (rope, kitchen knives, paint supplies), and to carry out that plan, including figuring out how to successfully tie the bindings to ankles, wrists, bedframe, and to fashion an effective noose.
8. The exact length of the noose rope: without apparent measuring (as is evident in the dearth of footprints on the balcony tiles) to ensure it would not be too long or too short from where it was tied off to the bedframe & coursed all the way across the room, across the balcony floor, & over the railing - how did she know the noose rope would not be too long or too short?
9. The obvious contamination of the crime scene: Exhibit A) the boot print on the balcony tiles. IMO, if the balcony tiles were tromped upon, it's possible that the rest of the primary crime scene (if not also the secondary crime scene i.e. the rest of the mansion, the garage, etc.) may have also been compromised, with the possibility that potential evidence may have been lost.
10. No fingernail scrapings, or clipped & preserved fingernails were noted in the AR. Without collection of these items, and without testing for possible foreign DNA, there is no way to conclusively determine that RZ had not fought against an attacker.
11. The blue tee shirt wrapped around the victim's neck - on the outside of the rope - and stuffed into her mouth.
12. The music that was reported to have been heard by neighbors @ ~ 1:00 - 1:30 a.m. on the night of her demise.
13. The telephone conversations with the decedent's sister (during which the decedent was reported to have not seemed despondent or suicidal) on the night of her demise.
14. The decision by SDCSD to not attempt to create a re-enactment of the hanging.
15. The sticky tape residue on RZ's shins: if it was athletic tape - where is the rest of the roll? If it was duct tape - where is the rest of the roll? Did she put the tape on her legs, or did someone else?
16. The noose was wrapped over her hair. As someone who has had long hair my entire life, I know from experience that a woman with long hair will automatically (without thinking about it) pull her hair out from under anything restrictive (purse strap, backpack strap, collar, scarf, necklace, etc.). IMO, if someone else had wrapped the noose around RZ's neck, that person would not have removed her long hair from beneath the rope.
17. The curious lack of anyone else's DNA or fingerprints anywhere in the immediate crime scene (including the lack of anyone else's fingerprints or DNA besides RZ's on the kitchen knives, which are typically tools that are handled by all the adults in a household).
18. Lack of official information regarding other rooms or surfaces in the mansion (including the garage) or adjoining guesthouses that were processed for possible evidence.
19. The message on the door: RZ has been described as someone who cared about others; someone who was always there for her family & friends. Psychologically speaking, it's my opinion that a person who is sensitive to the feelings & needs of others (as she was said to have been) would have more than likely written a detailed suicide letter so that her loved ones could have understood the reason for suicide & to hopefully provide them with a sense of closure. The message on the door did not accomplish that, IMO, but only created more questions, more doubt, and certainly did not provide closure. IMO, the message on the door seems to have been written by a third party who was attempting to taunt JS.
20. The blood on RZ's fingers (page 10, AR): unless the blood was collected & tested, there is no way to determine if it was her own blood, or someone else's.
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en
21. The victim was found nude. Yet, she had not removed a black "Bionic Band" and a yellow "Livestrong" band from her left wrist, nor did she remove a "Power Balance" band from her right wrist (page 8, AR).
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&...TItOWM1Mi00NGE4LWEyZDgtMjc3OWUxZTYzYmY5&hl=en
Her ears were pierced, but she wasn't wearing earrings @ the time of her death. Nor was she wearing any other jewelry. If she planned to kill herself, and had removed all other clothing & jewelry, why did she not remove the "Bionic Band", the "Livestrong" band, and the "Power Balance" band?
The list (of why the *official* suicide finding strains credulity, and why, IMO, an independent investigation is warranted) grows ever longer.
Picking up where I left off:
21. The additional shoe print on the balcony tiles, discovered by Dr. Maurice Godwin when he viewed the photos of the balcony floor: this shoe print can be seen beneath the boot print of the LE officer who admittedly contaminated the crime scene.
Image of the additional shoe print:
http://www.radaronline.com/photos/i...nknown-footprints-balcony-zahau-case-revealed
22. The measurement of the area of "disturbed dust" on the balcony railing: SDCSD reported this area to be 11" wide, when it was actually 9" wide (2 whole inches off) TY Cynic! Closer analysis by Cynic revealed that even this 9" area of "disturbed dust" was not continuous, but was, in fact, only about 3" at its widest point (which incidentally corresponds to the width of someone's hand) as well as two other more narrow areas (about 1.25" and .50") that seem to correspond with where the red rope strained against the railing during the hanging (as evidenced by the red rope fibers).
Please see Cynic's marvelous illustration:
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - The footprints/shoeprints on the balcony
23. The 10:41 p.m. text message on July 12 from NR to RZ, to which RZ did not reply. The sender of the message claims she sent the text earlier in the evening. To date, cell phone records have not corroborated this claim.
24. The scream(s) reportedly heard coming from the mansion by a neighbor(s) @ approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, just prior to RZ's death.
25. The lack of proof by SDCSD as to the whereabouts of JS @ the time of RZ's death. SDCSD stated they verified the whereabouts of JS via video surveillance tapes from Rady's Children's Hospital. However, it was revealed post press conference that JS had, in fact, left the hospital to allegedly sleep @ the RMcD House across the street from the hospital between the hours of 1:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. on July 13 (the night/morning of RZ's death). Search warrants show that SDCSD did not request video surveillance tapes from the RMcD House, but only from the hospital.
26. The additional shoe print in the crime scene bedroom, which is noted to be in EXTREMELY close proximity to the iron bed & other crime scene evidence (AFTER the bed moved 7.5" from the wall, which, IMO, rules out the possibility that the shoe print can be attributed to the CSIs, since the bed more than likely moved 7.5" during the hanging & before the CSI team arrived on the scene).
To quote Dr. Maurice Godwin:
"The toe is actually underneath the foot of the bed," Dr. Godwin told RadarOnline.com about the shoe print in the photo given to RadarOnline.com that was part of the police evidence. "This could suggest that it is likely not from the police."
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/09/rebecca-zahau-death-shoe-print-found-bedroom
As always, this is a group effort. Thank You to Everyone for your input!
It is my hope that a new investigation into the manner of RZ's death will be opened (hopefully, by an independent law enforcement agency).
Its about time that you answered my earlier post.The list (of why the *official* suicide finding strains credulity, and why, IMO, an independent investigation is warranted) grows ever longer.
Picking up where I left off:
22. The additional shoe print on the balcony tiles, discovered by Dr. Maurice Godwin when he viewed the photos of the balcony floor: this shoe print can be seen beneath the boot print of the LE officer who admittedly contaminated the crime scene.
Image of the additional shoe print:
http://www.radaronline.com/photos/i...nknown-footprints-balcony-zahau-case-revealed
23. The measurement of the area of "disturbed dust" on the balcony railing: SDCSD reported this area to be 11" wide, when it was actually 9" wide (2 whole inches off) TY Cynic! Closer analysis by Cynic revealed that even this 9" area of "disturbed dust" was not continuous, but was, in fact, only about 3" at its widest point (which incidentally corresponds to the width of someone's hand) as well as two other more narrow areas (about 1.25" and .50") that seem to correspond with where the red rope strained against the railing during the hanging (as evidenced by the red rope fibers).
Please see Cynic's marvelous illustration:
Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - The footprints/shoeprints on the balcony
24. The 10:41 p.m. text message on July 12 from NR to RZ, to which RZ did not reply. The sender of the message claims she sent the text earlier in the evening. To date, cell phone records have not corroborated this claim.
25. The scream(s) reportedly heard coming from the mansion by a neighbor(s) @ approximately 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, just prior to RZ's death.
26. The lack of proof by SDCSD as to the whereabouts of JS @ the time of RZ's death. SDCSD stated they verified the whereabouts of JS via video surveillance tapes from Rady's Children's Hospital. However, it was revealed post press conference that JS had, in fact, left the hospital to allegedly sleep @ the RMcD House across the street from the hospital between the hours of 1:00 a.m. - 7:00 a.m. on July 13 (the night/morning of RZ's death). Search warrants show that SDCSD did not request video surveillance tapes from the RMcD House, but only from the hospital.
27. The additional shoe print in the crime scene bedroom, which is noted to be in EXTREMELY close proximity to the iron bed & other crime scene evidence (AFTER the bed moved 7.5" from the wall, which, IMO, rules out the possibility that the shoe print can be attributed to the CSIs, since the bed more than likely moved 7.5" during the hanging & before the CSI team arrived on the scene).
To quote Dr. Maurice Godwin:
"The toe is actually underneath the foot of the bed," Dr. Godwin told RadarOnline.com about the shoe print in the photo given to RadarOnline.com that was part of the police evidence. "This could suggest that it is likely not from the police."
http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/09/rebecca-zahau-death-shoe-print-found-bedroom
As always, this is a group effort. Thank You to Everyone for your input!
It is my hope that a new investigation into the manner of RZ's death will be opened (hopefully, by an independent law enforcement agency).
ETA: I just noticed the numberings of the list were off, so I corrected them.
Thanks again. Excellent.Is that all?
I heard about the same type of rumors during and after a local trial back in 2002 regarding a kidnapping/murder. So, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that especially about this case.Coastal, I totally agree. In fact I think Rebecca was murdered during the music that played at 1:00 am.
I have a feeling that at least one person on your list has seen Sorrells list. I would also like to see Rebecca's family, Anne Bremner and Jonah Schaknai get a s\copy!!!
That just grates on my nerves. It seems as if there are those same attitudes close to home, from some also.
They certainly left behind a lot of clues. We just don't know what SDSO happened to do with all of the evidence. There have been rumors since the PC, that there are many supporters of the homicide theory on the SDSD aw enforcement staff. I hope they have a chance to speak up now.
I had not previously answered what One Thing was most compelling to me to find murder as a conclusion because there were so darn many!
Now, I think it is the fact that the door message was painted over and no picture of it has been released. The accounting of it was several ways with one being that it was an unusual block letter style with larger letters at the beginning of each word. Now that I've seen the Medicis corporate report and see the CEO's signature, to me that just nails it! Last nail in the coffin for me.
Where is this information that the door was painted over? Is it from the author KM?
Took a quick little self-imposed TO....because this case is :maddening: I wanted to say a great big honking thank you to those who are keeping Rebecca's case alive and fighting for her when her SO wouldn't. Sunnie and Sorrell YOU ROCK!