CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #11

[LietKynes]

I think she's in the desert and there's no point in putting up "wanted" posters. If anyone finds a body in the desert, they're calling the police.

I also don't think there is any point in saying "this is what I'd do" because this isn't happening to you. I know way too many people who have said (for instance) that they'd be able to be 100% full-time caretakers if a family member got sick, only to find that caretaker burnout is real.

LBM

Re. the bolded : That's true.
At the same time, try to picture one's self in that situation.


As far as putting up posters-- if RT thinks she's been abducted -- then there should be some urgency to do this; even now.

You are right about the caretaker burnout.
Thinking about someone in msm who said they'd do just that; but it didn't end well.

 

[PaulR]

As far as putting up posters-- if RT thinks she's been abducted -- then there should be some urgency on his part.

The urgency would have been months ago.

But it's odd... he gives interviews to a local TV network, and even appears on a national TV show. He has, as far as we know, fully cooperated with law enforcement, including (according to him) taking a lie detector test, which no lawyer would advise and is unreliable (if I were a police officer, there is no way I would exclude someone just because they passed a polygraph.)

We also don't know what else he's done. We hear stories about the families of the missing who are unable to get news attention, even in a 24 hour news cycle. Is RT trying that, and nobody wants to cover it because, well, look at all the new missing person cases. Look at the Destiny Rose case, it took a month from the time she went missing until a thread started here about her case.

And it's all too easy to fall into despair and depression. I've lost too many people over the past few years and it's hard to even get up in the morning sometimes.

 

[al66pine]

BT's inheritance is very unlikely to have been put in an IRA -- the purpose of those (with some exceptions) is to defer taxes until one's later years when presumed to be in a lower earnings bracket -- and her inheritance was most likely tax exempt (again, with a few specific exceptions) so no specific need for that....

@Auntie Cipation
sbm Not sure I am following (I can be dense at times) your point re "BT's inheritance."
Q1. Are your referring to inheritance ---
A) which our VI dbdb11 mentioned that BT received after her Mother's death?
B) which BT intends/intended to leave to others, on BT's death?

Q2. Re: "...and her inheritance was most likely tax exempt (again, with a few specific exceptions) so no specific need for that..." bbm
Inheritance A or B? And exempt from which taxes?

 

[katydid23]

I thought it was Barbara that took the picture.
According to the VI, LE have all the photos taken that day, so I'm assuming the picture they told him that verified she was there was of Barbara herself.
But it does sound like the picture of the parking lot was taken earlier, but in a different location. Imo

Yeah, I should have stated it more clearly. I knew she supposedly took the 360' photo. But I wondered if RT snapped a picture of her at that same location, and then used that as proof that she was alive and well that day, with him.

As opposed to showing photos of her being on the trail with him, right around where she reportedly disappeared.

 

[LietKynes]

And it's all too easy to fall into despair and depression. I've lost too many people over the past few years and it's hard to even get up in the morning sometimes.

Snipped for focus

So sorry for your losses , PaulR.

 

[Seattle1]

Yeah, I should have stated it more clearly. I knew she supposedly took the 360' photo. But I wondered if RT snapped a picture of her at that same location, and then used that as proof that she was alive and well that day, with him.

As opposed to showing photos of her being on the trail with him, right around where she reportedly disappeared.

That's not ever been clear to me.

I've also read that the ball cap, and black bikini top photo of BT circulating was NOT taken on the date BT disappeared-- but taken on a earlier date and/or different outing, and provided by RT for reference as it was similar attire she was last seen wearing.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

@Auntie Cipation
sbm Not sure I am following (I can be dense at times) your point re "BT's inheritance."
Q1. Are your referring to inheritance ---
A) which our VI dbdb11 mentioned that BT received after her Mother's death?
B) which BT intends/intended to leave to others, on BT's death?

Q2. Re: "...and her inheritance was most likely tax exempt (again, with a few specific exceptions) so no specific need for that..." bbm
Inheritance A or B? And exempt from which taxes?

I meant A), the money BT inherited.

Arizona does not have estate tax. The federal exemption limit for estate tax is very high; almost certainly much more than she received, per the VI.

So, she would probably not owe any taxes on the money she received, thus she would have little reason to put it in a tax-deferred instrument such as an IRA. IMO

Most people in that situation would put it wherever it would earn the highest return, or into whatever format they are the most comfortable with -- real estate, money market accounts, precious metals, regular bank acct, whatever. It is possible, but unlikely, to be put into an IRA. IMO

 

[PaulR]

She would probably not owe any taxes on the money she received, thus she would have little reason to put it in a tax-deferred instrument such as an IRA.

She can't do that anyway. You can't contribute more to an IRA per yearthan you have in earned income (like wages), and it's a very low amount of money per year.

Of course she could have inherited an IRA, which is what I thought we were talking about.

 

[10ofRods]

I think she's in the desert and there's no point in putting up "wanted" posters. If anyone finds a body in the desert, they're calling the police.

snipped for focus

I guess so. I've had people tell me about found bones more than once (and refuse to call police). A lot of people don't like interacting with police. I've had people drop bones off with me and one of my profs had a whole collection of bones people had brought him, dating from the 1930's. Young people, in particular, are unlikely to call police if they think the police will ask too many questions. People don't want to get involved.

When I tried to turn a human femur over to police, they wanted to know where it was found, exactly (but I didn't know exactly, because it was dropped off anonymously, although I had clues - the person who likely dropped it off was only a face to me, I didn't know their name). The police kept it, but they couldn't attach it to any particular case. The forensic guy at the Sheriff's office never answered my calls or emails, which I do understand.

People will of course be more likely to report "a body," but at this point, that may not be what we're dealing with. Of the bones given to me, most were of animals but when I was in doubt, I did turn them over to police. I never heard back about any of them.

 

[PommyMommy]

That's not ever been clear to me.

I've also read that the ball cap, and black bikini top photo of BT circulating was NOT taken on the date BT disappeared-- but taken on a earlier date and/or different outing, and provided by RT for reference as it was similar attire she was last seen wearing.

LE has never said the photo was taken the day she disappeared. It is dbdb11's opinion that it was not. MOO

 

[al66pine]

....Although we have no evidence that Barbara had an IRA, she sure could have. I have a couple and they only permit one beneficiary at a time....

@10ofRods bbm sbm Is it possible your particular IRA plan(s) only permits "one beneficiary at a time." If fed law or IRS imposes this limit or imposed it in the last ~30 yrs, I'm not aware of it. During 20+ yrs of employment in the financial/brokerage business, I regularly read IRS publications (fun times?!?) taxation periodicals (more fun times?!?), and investment literature. But again maybe that one-beneficiary limit stems from your IRA's plan sponsor. If so, it would be in the disclosure doc a person signs and acknowledges receiving on a/c opening and the plan sponsor's forms a new IRA-holder signs would likely note it too. Ditto any forms for change of beneficiaries. Anyway just kind of surprised me to read the post.

The IRS pub. quoted below specifically refers to multiple beneficiaries.
From IRS Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) For use in preparing 2018 Returns: [https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590b.pdf]
"What if You Inherit an IRA? If you inherit a traditional IRA, you are called a beneficiary. A beneficiary can be any person or entity the owner chooses to receive the benefits of the IRA after he or she dies. Beneficiaries of a traditional IRA must include in their gross income any taxable distributions they receive." page 5
"More than one beneficiary. If an IRA has more than one beneficiary or a trust is named as beneficiary, see Miscellaneous Rules for Required Minimum Distributions, later." page 9 bbm
"Miscellaneous Rules for Required Minimum Distributions"
"More than one IRA. If you have more than one traditional IRA, you must determine a separate required minimum distribution for each IRA. However, you can total these minimum amounts and take the total from any one or more of the IRAs." page 12
"Multiple individual beneficiaries. If, as of September 30 of the year following the year in which the owner dies there is more than one beneficiary, the beneficiary with the shortest life expectancy will be the designated beneficiary if both of the following apply. • All of the beneficiaries are individuals. • The account or benefit hasn't been divided into separate accounts or shares for each beneficiary." page 12 bbm

 

[PaulR]

IRAs can definitely have more than one beneficiary. Mine does.

 

[LietKynes]

LE has never said the photo was taken the day she disappeared. It is dbdb11's opinion that it was not. MOO

Bolding mine

The VI would know RT better than the rest of us.
His opinion carries weight.
Dbm ; Better ways to say this.

 

[MsBetsy]

That's not ever been clear to me.

I've also read that the ball cap, and black bikini top photo of BT circulating was NOT taken on the date BT disappeared-- but taken on a earlier date and/or different outing, and provided by RT for reference as it was similar attire she was last seen wearing.

It's never been verified when that picture was taken, whether from that day or an earlier time.
The VI speculated that it might be a picture of her in a similar outfit that RT provided to LE for the missing poster. Imo

 

[LAhiker]

The urgency would have been months ago.

But it's odd... he gives interviews to a local TV network, and even appears on a national TV show. He has, as far as we know, fully cooperated with law enforcement, including (according to him) taking a lie detector test, which no lawyer would advise and is unreliable (if I were a police officer, there is no way I would exclude someone just because they passed a polygraph.)

We also don't know what else he's done. We hear stories about the families of the missing who are unable to get news attention, even in a 24 hour news cycle. Is RT trying that, and nobody wants to cover it because, well, look at all the new missing person cases. Look at the Destiny Rose case, it took a month from the time she went missing until a thread started here about her case.

And it's all too easy to fall into despair and depression. I've lost too many people over the past few years and it's hard to even get up in the morning sometimes.

@PaulR, I am sorry for your losses.

Regarding RT, while we don't know what else he has done to bring public attention to the case, the Arizona Republic article states that "Robert Thomas declined to comment to The Republic."

Family suspects foul play in disappearance of Bullhead City woman

 

[distracted]

No membership required to search NAMUS. Click on Missing, then at the bottom of the basic search click "advanced search" and it will let you search by county and state. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

There are 20 persons missing in Mohave County, AZ. They range in age from 3 to 77 and cases go back to 1984. I'm familiar with some of the cases listed. At least two of the recent missing cases have already been found (Mr and Mrs McFalls) but are awaiting DNA confirmation of their remains. Raegan Heitzig was in a boating accident on a lake with many witnesses, so this is vary unlikely to be her skull.

There are some cases that are closer geographically. Cases in Lake Havasu City (17 miles from the remains) include

John Gordan Iverson, Missing since 1991: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
AZ - AZ - John Iverson, 42, Lake Havasu City, 4 Jan 1991

Tyler Joseph Schladweiler, 3 years old, missing since 2002 (Allegedly abducted by his non-custodial mother): The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
AZ - Tyler Joseph Schladweiler (3) - Lake Havasu City AZ, 2002

There are 154 cases from Clark County, NV but that is 134 miles away from the unidentified remains: Google Maps

Thank you so much!

 

[Seattle1]

@10ofRods bbm sbm Is it possible your particular IRA plan(s) only permits "one beneficiary at a time." If fed law or IRS imposes this limit or imposed it in the last ~30 yrs, I'm not aware of it. During 20+ yrs of employment in the financial/brokerage business, I regularly read IRS publications (fun times?!?) taxation periodicals (more fun times?!?), and investment literature. But again maybe that one-beneficiary limit stems from your IRA's plan sponsor. If so, it would be in the disclosure doc a person signs and acknowledges receiving on a/c opening and the plan sponsor's forms a new IRA-holder signs would likely note it too. Ditto any forms for change of beneficiaries. Anyway just kind of surprised me to read the post.

The IRS pub. quoted below specifically refers to multiple beneficiaries.
From IRS Publication 590-B, Distributions from Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) For use in preparing 2018 Returns: [https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p590b.pdf]
"What if You Inherit an IRA? If you inherit a traditional IRA, you are called a beneficiary. A beneficiary can be any person or entity the owner chooses to receive the benefits of the IRA after he or she dies. Beneficiaries of a traditional IRA must include in their gross income any taxable distributions they receive." page 5
"More than one beneficiary. If an IRA has more than one beneficiary or a trust is named as beneficiary, see Miscellaneous Rules for Required Minimum Distributions, later." page 9 bbm
"Miscellaneous Rules for Required Minimum Distributions"
"More than one IRA. If you have more than one traditional IRA, you must determine a separate required minimum distribution for each IRA. However, you can total these minimum amounts and take the total from any one or more of the IRAs." page 12
"Multiple individual beneficiaries. If, as of September 30 of the year following the year in which the owner dies there is more than one beneficiary, the beneficiary with the shortest life expectancy will be the designated beneficiary if both of the following apply. • All of the beneficiaries are individuals. • The account or benefit hasn't been divided into separate accounts or shares for each beneficiary." page 12 bbm

IRAs can definitely have more than one beneficiary. Mine does

Agree --
My siblings and I inherited dad's IRA -- and we're also required to take his annual RMD, even though we're not of that required age. (i.e., required minimum distribution at age 70 1/2).

@10ofRods

 

[katydid23]

@PaulR, I am sorry for your losses.

Regarding RT, while we don't know what else he has done to bring public attention to the case, the Arizona Republic article states that "Robert Thomas declined to comment to The Republic."

Family suspects foul play in disappearance of Bullhead City woman

Most people with a missing loved one are praying for the chance to speak to the press, to get the public involved in the case, to help solve the mystery.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

@PaulR, I am sorry for your losses.

Regarding RT, while we don't know what else he has done to bring public attention to the case, the Arizona Republic article states that "Robert Thomas declined to comment to The Republic."

Family suspects foul play in disappearance of Bullhead City woman

Considering that BTs Son publicly blamed RT for BT missing, if RT does comment to the press it would just look like a he said/she said, etc. Sometimes it might be best not to comment at all.

 

[PommyMommy]

Considering that BTs Son publicly blamed RT for BT missing, if RT does comment to the press it would just look like a he said/she said, etc. Sometimes it might be best not to comment at all.

There is that. However, is it more important to find his wife or that the public might frown on his statements to the press? MOO