Found Deceased CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #13

[Cherwell]

It just seems so simplistic that she was wandering around in the dessert (in view of her truck)with practically no clothes on drinking beer and she just succumbed to the weather.
seems so irresponsible.
This woman was a seasoned hiker and her natural climate.
I hope they find traces of specifically what killed her to eliminate all doubt of foul play because at this stage I haven't seen anything to confirm it wasn't . Just because she was possibility within walking distance doesn't mean she did by her own means.
The odds of snake bite seem a reasonable possibility.
Hoping a clear definitive answer of her demise comes for all involved.

Heat stroke, snake bite .... there are multiple possible explanations. People drop dead suddenly for various reasons. She could have had a stroke or a heart attack.
As for foul play, I won't rule it out at this stage but I haven't seen anything to suggest that it was.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Heat stroke, snake bite .... there are multiple possible explanations. People drop dead suddenly for various reasons. She could have had a stroke or a heart attack.
As for foul play, I won't rule it out at this stage but I haven't seen anything to suggest that it was.

The simplest explanation is usually the right one. She went back to the camper, couldn't find the hidden key, decided to explore the other side of the road while her husband came back or had to pee, went off in an unexpected direction, got bit farther away than anyone would have guessed, then had a heart attack, stroke, or fainted and hit her head etc... Or she got lost on the way back being dehydrated, confused, or just plain bad at directions.

I agree, so far there is absolutely no evidence this was foul play at all. Her husband isn't an effusively emotional cuddly teddy bear but that isn't evidence of anything.

 

[MsBetsy]

It just seems so simplistic that she was wandering around in the dessert (in view of her truck)with practically no clothes on drinking beer and she just succumbed to the weather.
seems so irresponsible.
This woman was a seasoned hiker and her natural climate.
I hope they find traces of specifically what killed her to eliminate all doubt of foul play because at this stage I haven't seen anything to confirm it wasn't . Just because she was possibility within walking distance doesn't mean she did by her own means.
The odds of snake bite seem a reasonable possibility.
Hoping a clear definitive answer of her demise comes for all involved.

moo

Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can come on very quickly, especially in extreme heat or if one is already dehydrated. Older people often don't "feel" thirsty like younger adults do when their body needs water. Drinking alcohol can speed the process.

I wonder if Barbara was starting to feel unwell when her husband was taking pictures and that's why she didn't wait. She may not have mentioned it because she didn't want him to worry and thought she just needed to get back to the camper to rest. Imo

 

[anneg]

Heat exhaustion or heat stroke can come on very quickly, especially in extreme heat or if one is already dehydrated. Older people often don't "feel" thirsty like younger adults do when their body needs water. Drinking alcohol can speed the process.

I wonder if Barbara was starting to feel unwell when her husband was taking pictures and that's why she didn't wait. She may not have mentioned it because she didn't want him to worry and thought she just needed to get back to the camper to rest. Imo

I do wish RT had returned to the camper with her to make sure she got inside and was able to drink water, cool down, and rest. He could have easily returned to the place where he was taking photos while she was resting. He may be carrying a lot of guilt for not doing that.

 

[deugirtni]

In addition to not hearing anything further regarding the discovery of BT's remains, is it odd that there is still no obituary?

 

[Cherwell]

In addition to not hearing anything further regarding the discovery of BT's remains, is it odd that there is still no obituary?

Since the circumstances and confirmation of her death are very far from being common, it's difficult to know what would be considered normal.

 

[PommyMommy]

Thanks, @SweetwaterJoe for reposting the Nixle update dated Dec 18, 2020, citing BT's remains recovered.

I could be wrong but I believe this update by Nixle is the only public communication issued directly by LE or SBSD - Colorado River Sheriffs Dept., Needles, CA.

Although I've been following this case since the date the WS thread created, I think I would be remiss if I did not state that I've never relied on Nixle.us for updates on this or any other case, but instead primarily reference the local agency .gov sites and their respective Twitter and Facebook accounts as linked below. In my experience, it's notable to me that locating BT has not been shared on any of these sites below. Again, I'm grateful the Nixle link was posted here, or I would have totally missed it.

Colorado River – San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department

The Colorado River Station covers the second largest geographical jurisdiction in San Bernardino County. The area extends from the Nevada State line south to the Riverside County line and from the Arizona State line on the Colorado River west to Kelbaker Road.

[..]

Station personnel also work closely with other law enforcement agencies in the area that include the CHP, BLM, Mojave National Preserve, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Mohave County Sheriff’s Department, La Paz County Sheriff’s Department, Lake Havasu City Police, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.

For press releases, news and information follow the Colorado River Station on Twitter at @CORiverStation

https://twitter.com/sbcountysheriff
Official Twitter of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department #SBCSD

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department [Facebook - 2019].

According to the Nixle site, launched in 2007, Nixle provides an open communication forum that connect public safety, municipalities, schools, businesses and the communities they serve. Nixle enables real-time, two-way communication through text, email, voice messages, social media, and the Nixle mobile app, and serves about 8,000 agencies.

The SBCSD Colorado River Station tweeted the Nixle alert.

SBCSD Colorado River Station
Missing Person/Death Investigation - the human remains found have been positively identified as Barbara Thomas http://nixle.us/CE3JA
3:50 PM · Dec 18, 2020

 

[glamourkitty1922]

The high temperature was 95.2 at 4pm according to the Sweeney Granite Mountains Research Center which is located about 2.5 miles from the site they were parked.

Sweeney Granite Mountains California (dri.edu) - Click on "Daily Summary" to the left and enter July 12, 2019.

Temperatures reached triple digits during the search for Barbara. All of this is documented in the media thread. MOO

ETA: More about the research center at this link: Weather Analyses | Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center (ucnrs.org)

Weather graphs for July 12, 2019 in @sroad's post here: CA - CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #9

Really? I live about half an hour from the site and we received a heat warning advisory and it hit 120 by 2pm. It hits 100 usually before noon. I don't think that reading was accurate, but hey, 30 miles difference might make a difference.

 

[MsBetsy]

Really? I live about half an hour from the site and we received a heat warning advisory and it hit 120 by 2pm. It hits 100 usually before noon. I don't think that reading was accurate, but hey, 30 miles difference might make a difference.

Yes, they did say there was a heatwave and the Sheriff's Department said it was over a hundred degrees that day, if I remember correctly. Imo

 

[rosesfromangels]

In addition to not hearing anything further regarding the discovery of BT's remains, is it odd that there is still no obituary?

Considering all the negativity that has been directed at the surviving spouse, no.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Kapua]

DEC 16, 2020
Remains of woman lost in Mojave Desert last year found
[...]

According to Supervisor Jeff Lewison of the San Bernardino County Sheriff Coroner's Division, her body was located on November 27 of this year in the desert near Essex, California.

An autopsy has been completed, Lewison confirmed, but the cause of death is still pending.

[...]

I am elated to read that Barbara has been found! Somehow, I always knew that she would be. Playing catchup on the details now.

 

[PommyMommy]

Really? I live about half an hour from the site and we received a heat warning advisory and it hit 120 by 2pm. It hits 100 usually before noon. I don't think that reading was accurate, but hey, 30 miles difference might make a difference.

It does seem low compared to MSM reports. Here are a couple articles I found that include information about the temperatures. There may be more. MOO

JUL 13, 2020
69-year-old Arizona woman missing after hiking in Mojave Desert - ABC7 Los Angeles
Temperatures in the area climbed above 100 degrees Saturday.

JUL 15, 2020
Hiker Wearing Bikini Disappears in Southern California’s Sweltering Mojave Desert – NBC Los Angeles
She was not carrying any supplies in the desert northeast of Los Angeles, where temperatures reached more than 100 degrees over the weekend. More triple-digit heat is in the forecast.

JUL 16, 2020
Woman Goes Missing Without Supplies in Mojave Desert Amid High Temperatures (ntd.com)
“There have been no sightings of her at this time. The temperatures today hovered around 104 degrees.”

Just to note: August 12, the day Barbara disappeared, was a Friday.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Considering all the negativity that has been directed at the surviving spouse, no.

Amateur opinion and speculation

Not sure I can see that being the case in a marriage that was loving and healthy before she passed, since one would want to honor their beloved spouse, especially when they had no part in their death. Seems spiteful, and while we've seen that before in other cases, it probably doesn't apply here if her death was an accident. So I'm sure there's another reason, like just plain grief and maybe isolation.

 

[ManicMuggle83]

It does seem low compared to MSM reports. Here are a couple articles I found that include information about the temperatures. There may be more. MOO

JUL 13, 2020
69-year-old Arizona woman missing after hiking in Mojave Desert - ABC7 Los Angeles
Temperatures in the area climbed above 100 degrees Saturday.

JUL 15, 2020
Hiker Wearing Bikini Disappears in Southern California’s Sweltering Mojave Desert – NBC Los Angeles
She was not carrying any supplies in the desert northeast of Los Angeles, where temperatures reached more than 100 degrees over the weekend. More triple-digit heat is in the forecast.

JUL 16, 2020
Woman Goes Missing Without Supplies in Mojave Desert Amid High Temperatures (ntd.com)
“There have been no sightings of her at this time. The temperatures today hovered around 104 degrees.”

Just to note: August 12, the day Barbara disappeared, was a Friday.

I believe you mean 2019 for the articles.

 

[PommyMommy]

I believe you mean 2019 for the articles.

Oh crud! It is too late for me to edit my post - and I also noticed I typed August in my last line instead of July - please see revisions below in bold. Thanks so much for catching that. No more eggnog for me.

It does seem low compared to MSM reports. Here are a couple articles I found that include information about the temperatures. There may be more. MOO

JUL 13, 2019
69-year-old Arizona woman missing after hiking in Mojave Desert - ABC7 Los Angeles
Temperatures in the area climbed above 100 degrees Saturday.

JUL 15, 2019
Hiker Wearing Bikini Disappears in Southern California’s Sweltering Mojave Desert – NBC Los Angeles
She was not carrying any supplies in the desert northeast of Los Angeles, where temperatures reached more than 100 degrees over the weekend. More triple-digit heat is in the forecast.

JUL 16, 2019
Woman Goes Missing Without Supplies in Mojave Desert Amid High Temperatures (ntd.com)
“There have been no sightings of her at this time. The temperatures today hovered around 104 degrees.”

Just to note: July 12, the day Barbara disappeared, was a Friday.

 

[Cherwell]

Not sure I can see that being the case in a marriage that was loving and healthy before she passed, since one would want to honor their beloved spouse, especially when they had no part in their death. Seems spiteful, and while we've seen that before in other cases, it probably doesn't apply here if her death was an accident. So I'm sure there's another reason, like just plain grief and maybe isolation.

Perhaps also waiting until funeral arrangements can be made.

 

[K9Enzo]

Over the years I have seen more & more people forgo the traditional funeral (funeral home) and opt for a private celebration of life at someone’s home. Even an obituary not published. (One was for a teenage boy in a tractor accident. His parents literally could not do a single traditional funeral task. It was too much for them mentally). Then you add funeral Covid restrictions. I have seen that change plans.

I posted before that I suspect a fireball split this family in two. It’s possible we won’t see anything public. I get it, if that happens. IMO

 

[crhedBngr]

I am lucky and blessed in that we found my son. Missing for 8 months from Houston and found in CA. Boy, did I ever walk those street in Santa Barbara, and surrounding towns.

I'm so very sorry for your loss, and also very grateful he was found.

JMVHO.

 

[Razz]

Would someone mark on a map where she went missing and where her bones were found? Please and thank you!

 

[wary]

Would someone mark on a map where she went missing and where her bones were found? Please and thank you!

I don’t believe we know where she was found, other than vague terms.