CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #10

[Cherwell]

Don’t be silly. Bigfoot lives in the PNW, not the desert.

I'm not being silly.
I asked what the theory was, and that is the only answer I got. I'd still like to know, especially as I'm not sure what link was being referred to.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I'm not being silly.
I asked what the theory was, and that is the only answer I got. I'd still like to know, especially as I'm not sure what link was being referred to.

Really all you have to do is search the guy's name. I'm not kidding.

 

[MsBetsy]

Really all you have to do is search the guy's name. I'm not kidding.

I just did and I didn't find anything about a theory. Just a bunch of articles about how people have gone missing without a trace never to be found. But Bigfoot was mentioned in one of them.
Probably not a reliable source, since it was stated that he never looked into any of the cases. Imo

 

[Stripehaven]

I'm not being silly.
I asked what the theory was, and that is the only answer I got. I'd still like to know, especially as I'm not sure what link was being referred to.

Aw, sorry, I was teasing a little. I thought the original Bigfoot mention was tongue in cheek. I’ve heard of “sightings” here in the Pacific Northwest where I live, but not so much in the desert. I’m sorry I sounded rude.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

There's not much else left to 'discuss'; welcome to the waiting game.

 

[pillywiggin]

Does the author believe in bigfoot or is he using it to grab attention. I think the CDC used Zombies that way. They wanted us to be prepared and get important info. This book sounds interesting does it educate people about the dangers of the wilderness, bigfoot or not?

Paulides makes a huge distinction between his Bigfoot research and his missing persons research. They are totally separate books. I have read all of the Missing 411 books, and Paulides is very careful not to theorize at all. The books basically list hundreds of missing persons cases, with some discussion of the events surrounding the disappearances. I thought some of the cases were odd, but it seems to me most of them are just cases of people getting lost or maybe having a medical emergency, and not being found. I think sometimes it is very easy to get lost in the great outdoors, especially if you don't have one of those hiking GPS things that can signal for help.

 

[Cherwell]

In the article I linked in the prior post, there is a link to a website created by David Paulides (a former police officer with a controversial theory on what is behind the disappearances).
I've deleted the link to the site as I'm not sure it's allowed per TOS as it seems to be encouraging people to purchase the guy's books.

I have read all of the Missing 411 books, and Paulides is very careful not to theorize at all.

So there is no theory then?

 

[TristanP]

So there is no theory then?

He doesn’t give a main theory but he provides some detailed information that shows similarities between many cases. Why does he have to have a theory? If he came out with one all people would do is find a thousand reasons to discredit it, which would completely undermine his extensive research. Sure, he may believe in Bigfoot, but what “theories” he does offer are usually when he thinks a stranger abduction is likely vs a mysterious unknown circumstance. There are SO many people who have gone missing in the areas he discusses and they’ve *never* been found to this day.

 

[K9Enzo]

Does the author believe in bigfoot or is he using it to grab attention. I think the CDC used Zombies that way. They wanted us to be prepared and get important info. This book sounds interesting does it educate people about the dangers of the wilderness, bigfoot or not?

I don’t know about his thoughts on Bigfoot but his Missing 411 is about hikers. I listened to an interview with him (watched one documentary because I wanted to watch the segment on the missing child JA) and he was explaining how several hikers (not all together), in different locations were found partially undressed. IMO, he was faintly raising suspicion around this.

I believe he knows darn well that some people in advanced stages of severe, life threatening hypothermia experience paradoxical undressing. But he carried on as this was a “thing”. I personally was not interested in going further into his research.

He has however compiled an incredible amount of missing hiker data.

 

[LietKynes]

Have posted nearly every question I can think of regarding Barbara's disappearance.
Going to try to wait, and will keep checking in if there's an update.
Thinking about her loved ones.

 

[Jo in Calif]

Thinking of Barbara and her entire family.
Special thoughts and love. loss is so very hard.

 

[Tripod]

Have posted nearly every question I can think of regarding Barbara's disappearance.
Going to try to wait, and will keep checking in if there's an update.
Thinking about her loved ones.

I appreciate all the questions you have asked, and I'm at that place of waiting, too. I hate feeling so helplessly defeated at such an early point in a missing person's case, but honestly, there's simply nowhere to go with this one. No matter what we may privately think ( yet, anyway) Prayers continue.
I still hope that family members from all sides can unite, and perhaps a private investigator could be helpful.

 

[al66pine]

Somewhat O/T - A Book, Some Articles re Looong SAR Effort

...I have a TREMENDOUS amount of respect for SAR. People would be truly amazed by their abilities, especially in wilderness areas. How about carrying an severely injured hiker down a mountain, in a snow storm, while giving them life saving medical treatment until they can be evacuated....

@K9Enzo sbm bbm Thanks for your post, which reminded me about a book I read a few months ago. Muuuch different circumstances than BT, so my post is just to underscore @K9Enzo's point about diligence of SAR team members.
"The Last Season" is a biography of a backcountry ranger, a 25-yr+ summer/seasonal employee in Kings Canyon/Sequoia Nat'l Parks in California's Sierra Nevada mtns. The 64 y/o had been in his usu. backcountry outpost, basically a wood-floored tent where a ranger lives for the summer, w. food & other supplies brought in by person on foot or w mule every couple weeks. No electricity, no communication devices other than park radio system. He disappeared in 1996. ~ 1/3 of book focuses on searches for him, w many rangers participating, along w outside SAR teams, dogs, choppers, etc.
Links to the book and articles about him & SAR, and Spoiler, below.
Now back to BT.
___________________________________________________________________
--- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S1LV0O/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
--- https://www.backpacker.com/survival...y-ranger-with-28-years-experience-disappeared
--- Randy Morgenson - Disturbing deaths in U.S. national parks — StrangeOutdoors.com
Or google "backcountry ranger Randy Morgenson."
Spoiler: skeletal remains were found in the park 5 yrs later.

 

[tarabull]

Don’t be silly. Bigfoot lives in the PNW, not the desert.

Jumping off your post SH...

The Borrego Sandman and Other Desert Dwelling Bigfoot of California | Mysterious Universe

ETA: snipped...
...Such desert Sasquatch have been sighted in other areas of Southern California as well. Notably was a series of sightings made in the 1970s at the Edward’s Air Force Base, in the Palmdale-Lancaster area of the Mojave Desert.

FWIW...LOL...
:THUD:

 

[dbdb11]

Someone pointed me towards a quote about missing persons cases, which said, to paraphrase, 'you will get back what you put in'.

i cant thank all of you enough for your time and efforts on Barbs behalf. a missing person is a nightmare, but what you all have shown me is something beautiful. on a page discussing some of the darkest sides of human nature, there are so many willing to offer their time, our most precious resource, to help those they have never met. it really does inspire hope. whether it is barbara or others in these endless threads, thank you all for your efforts.

 

[jash]

What's the theory?

How 1,600 People Disappeared on Our Public Lands

So in 2011, Paulides launched the CanAm Missing Project, which catalogs cases of people who disappear—or are found—on wildlands across North America under what he calls mysterious circumstances.
...
“I don’t put any theories in the books—I just connect facts,” he told me. Under “unique factors of disappearances,” he lists such recurring characteristics as dogs unable to track scents, the time (late afternoon is a popular window to vanish), and that many victims are found with clothing and footwear removed. Bodies are also discovered in previously searched areas with odd frequency, sometimes right along the trail. Children—and remains—are occasionally found improbable distances from the point last seen, in improbable terrain.

It’s tempting to dismiss Paulides as a crypto-kook—and some search and rescue professionals do—but his books are extensively researched.
....
Paulides has spent hundreds of hours writing letters and Freedom of Information Act requests in an attempt to break through National Park Service red tape. He believes the Park Service in particular knows exactly how many people are missing but won’t release the information for fear that the sheer numbers—and the ways in which people went missing—would shock the public so badly that visitor numbers would go down.​

 

[Cherwell]

He doesn’t give a main theory but he provides some detailed information that shows similarities between many cases. Why does he have to have a theory? If he came out with one all people would do is find a thousand reasons to discredit it, which would completely undermine his extensive research. Sure, he may believe in Bigfoot, but what “theories” he does offer are usually when he thinks a stranger abduction is likely vs a mysterious unknown circumstance. There are SO many people who have gone missing in the areas he discusses and they’ve *never* been found to this day.

He doesn't have to have a theory. It's just that a previous poster specifically stated that DP had "a controversial theory" and I just wondered what it was. A simple question that seems to have sent the discussion down some rabbit holes. Let's leave it there.

 

[Knox]

He doesn't have to have a theory. It's just that a previous poster specifically stated that DP had "a controversial theory" and I just wondered what it was. A simple question that seems to have sent the discussion down some rabbit holes. Let's leave it there.

Rabbit holes, great summation of this case ...

So Barb has been missing for 81 days now, and we haven't heard from the person she was last with in at least 70 something days. No media interviews, no private investigator, silence. The folks we have heard from are an ocean, and states away. That just sets off alarm bells for me.

PM created a great post about SBCSO with numerous citations, which show that jurisdiction remains silent in most cases they are investigating. I get that, but when a spouse is silent it translates differently, MOO.

Where is Barbara?!!!

 

[Cherwell]

I read it more like this.
RT started doing interviews right away. He may then have been advised by friends and/or family to get legal advice before saying any more to the media. This because of his situation as the last person known to be with Barbara, and with no witnesses to his account. He then took the advice of a solicitor, which was to make no more public statements, and he has stuck to that.

If there was any real hope of finding Barbara alive, I'm sure there would have been appeals, and rewards offered for information. If, say, she had disappeared in different circumstances, eg went out on an errand and never came back. But it's not the case, and the conditions have not been right for further searching in the desert.

 

[Curiousobserver]

I read it more like this.
RT started doing interviews right away. He may then have been advised by friends and/or family to get legal advice before saying any more to the media. This because of his situation as the last person known to be with Barbara, and with no witnesses to his account. He then took the advice of a solicitor, which was to make no more public statements, and he has stuck to that.

If there was any real hope of finding Barbara alive, I'm sure there would have been appeals, and rewards offered for information. If, say, she had disappeared in different circumstances, eg went out on an errand and never came back. But it's not the case, and the conditions have not been right for further searching in the desert.

Agree-

True, RT has made no further statements, but look what happened to him when he did. Shut-up is the best advise he could have received.

Also true that he hasn't organized any ground searches but neither has her son, or her nieces, nephews, or her brother(s), or her friends...

I think they have concluded that she most likely got lost and passed away shortly afterward and since professionals looked for 9 days with dogs and dozens of people already, additional searches are pretty pointless. She did something very unexpected when they separated and may at some point be found by accident.

I hope that LE checks out every aspect of his story with a fine-toothed comb just to be sure and I think her family is sort of waiting for that to be completed before proceeding.