CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #3

[Micheline]

I’m going on what LE says, “no evidence that she was abducted.”

What does that has to do with whether or not Robert felt his wife was attractive?

And okay. YMMV, but I’d be beating down ever news station and hiring PI’s if my relative went missing. But that’s just me.

Not if you would only mess things up by doing so. If the police has a solid idea as to what happened they may insist on you not running around making amock while they try to solve the case without being harassed by reporters or curious private persons.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

Yes, you want to read Koester's book: dbS Productions - The Source of Search and Rescue Research, Publications, and Training

I think it safe to say, simplest reason is most probable answer. She got lost and hurt.
LE has already gone through scenario number one as far as in their educated opinion, they need to go.
WS accepted it, NOT saying there is no possibility that’s she’s still out there after getting lost/hurt.
We’re exploring other possibilities.

 

[PommyMommy]

I mean, 2 miles isn't that long for an avid hiker, but I still am a bit skeptical that someone would go out in the hot, hot desert sun mid-day for a two mile hike totally unprepared like that (not much sun coverage, no hiking shoes, a beer which would dehydrate you, etc). I could see someone planning to hang out like that by the RV and your husband says "Just come do a quick, short walk with me" and heading out dressed that way for what might be a ten minute walk. Perhaps that is how this all started.

Not blaming or accusing the husband, just giving one possible scenario for what might have her out on a trail dressed that way. Perhaps the short walk became longer and longer wanting to explore more. MOO

BT was wearing tan hiking boots and black socks which sounds like appropriate footwear to me. MOO

Also, @dbdb11 has pointed out a couple of times now that this was a walk for them (vs. a hike). Of course, you are free to choose whether you believe that or not.

One example:

Scent dogs are on the case, i believe as I was told Robbie wasn't permitted in the search area so as to avoid throwing off the dogs.


I contacted law enforcement through one of the numbers at the bottom of a news article and left my info, hoped to ask some questions but the other end of the line wasn't having it.


I will try to get exact location, if not exact coordinates from Robbie or his family. Looked at google earth between hidden hills, kelbaker and I40... Lot of nothing. Not impossible Barb would get lost or disoriented, however based on report from Rob's fam about how familiar they were with this area in particular, it just doesn't seem likely. furthermore, if she was lost or disoriented and remained in the general area, unconscious or otherwise, the search and scent dogs probably would have turned her up.


I'd say safe to assume this was a walk for them; media pasting 'bikini' and 'hike' everywhere. Highly doubtful they were out for a hike with a beer.

 

[slowpoke]

My thing is..... if they were finishing a 2 mile hike would she still be carrying a beer?

Maybe she only took out the “travel cup” (from our VI’s sister’s account as told to him of BT’s receptacle of beer) from the pack RT was presumably wearing the on the end, return portion of their walk/hike. I don’t think we know that she held the beer the whole time.

I don’t have one of these newer travel cups, but understand they keep things cold for a much longer time than ones of old. Yeti is one brand that comes to mind.

 

[MsBetsy]

Thank you @MsBetsy for setting me straight. That's what I get for going down the rabbit hole earlier in the thread

Well, you are welcome but I guess I have the advantage of missing the discussion about that.
I did see the original post, but didn't know what the heck it could mean so I really didn't look into it!

 

[MsBetsy]

Funny, I just got off the phone (well, Ouija board, he's behind the times with technology) with Will too. He said that the photo taken in the sun of BT wearing a black bikini (or bikini top) could have been the one taken that day, since it happens to show the last outfit and was also taken against rocks and was put out by LE. He asked if LE made it clear whether the photo was taken that day, I said they hadn't said anything, and he said we shouldn't make assumptions that there were no photos taken.

I also mentioned the other missing hikers in the deserts of California, ones still missing and ones found later; Will as it turns out is more familiar with the pastoral forests of England and didn't realize how treacherous the terrain in the area was. He couldn't get over the DV Germans not being found for 13 years.

Sounds like he is giving conflicting advice.
Are we sure this guy knows what he's talking about?

 

[darring21]

I used a statistical reference in response to the poster I was replying to. I'll disagree with your last sentence, we use them all the time here at WS. The names, places and circumstances change, but many cases have the same core causes.

Obviously, I realize we don't know if she is deceased. But as MassGuy repeatedly emphasized last night, odds are Barbara is not kicking back with a beer somewhere as we speak.

And statistics would say that the most likely reason for death of anyone is a medical event.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

Maybe she only took out the “travel cup” (from our VI’s sister’s account as told to him of BT’s receptacle of beer) from the pack RT was presumably wearing the on the end, return portion of their walk/hike. I don’t think we know that she held the beer the whole time.

I don’t have one of these newer travel cups, but understand they keep things cold for a much longer time than ones of old. Yeti is one brand that comes to mind.

Any true beer drinker, or other alcohol related liquids, knows that beer does not hydrate you. It acts as a diuretic. Hence the long lines outside bathrooms in areas of heavy drinking.
P—- like a racehorse comes to mind. I posted earlier. She wasn’t planning to take a walk. As experienced hikers, walkers, they would not start out with beer then go out into the desert. Even if there was a gallon of water they were toting around with them. Kind of heavy to lug around.
Whatever source of knowledge you use, all paths lead to she’s missing and was not found after an exhaustive search. That’s the center of the inquiry. Now, all spokes of the wheel need to be researched. Whether it’s further expansive on location search, marital issues, abduction, or animal. Imo much of the “spokes of the wheel” search has already been done. With no body and LE closed mouthed as the result.
Closed mouth? So it seems that it’s still an active search/investigation. My best guess is that it is being treated as a homicide. Even if LE would post the generic “any information or tips please contact the authorities.” We can tell when LE is up against the wall with nothing else to go on. Eerie silence. This is a dead silence.

 

[LietKynes]

IMO there is no need for other relatives to step forward, it is very telling this not occurring.

Emph. mine.

I find this very interesting.
Is there something about their marriage that the family is not revealing ?
My first thought is that she was lost in the desert and sadly succumbed to the elements. But in that case they should've found her by now.

LE have ruled out an abduction. Why ?
She is somewhere !!

And if not in the area they were hiking, than either she was never on the trip, someone took her , or she left with someone else and doesn't want her family to know.
Even with the ill brother in Hongkong.
She wanted to disappear.
It happens.

 

[PaulR]

Sounds like he is giving conflicting advice.
Are we sure this guy knows what he's talking about?

Will's getting up there. Probably was out drinking with Roger Bacon.

LE have ruled out an abduction. Why ?

They haven't ruled it out. They said there was no evidence of it, but that doesn't mean she wasn't abducted.

 

[noel leon]

Dbdb11- Were the voice messages you received from Barb after July 10th .2019?

 

[Midwestmom2019]

Emph. mine.

I find this very interesting.
Is there something about their marriage that the family is not revealing ?
My first thought is that she was lost in the desert and sadly succumbed to the elements. But in that case they should've found her by now.

LE have ruled out an abduction. Why ?
She is somewhere !!

And if not in the area they were hiking, than either she was never on the trip, someone took her , or she left with someone else and doesn't want her family to know.
Even with the ill brother in Hongkong.
She wanted to disappear.
It happens.

Would you want to disappear in a bikini top, cap, shirts and hiking boots? Really?

 

[LietKynes]

i have spoken to LE, but they don't hand out facts, incase they end up in public forums like this. there is an investigation ongoing...

my information comes from robbie, his family, and my family.

i've been making many guesses as have many other extremely helpful people on this forum. it is very much appreciated by my family and i.

i can share this: important and relevant info has been uncovered by people on this site, which was unknown by detectives on the case... i have shared it with them.

people on here are seriously helping, at a minimum, me. so i will continue to add what i can when i can.

it is all surreal, and the timing makes every detail even that much more suspicious. it is slightly annoying when newcomers field a question which has already been addressed. earlier threads are valuable if you're serious about contributing.

there is exponentially more info in these three threads than law enforcement has shared, though i do hope and pray they are hot onto something.... i have been told this department's MO is dont talk, at all.

i've said this before as well: i'll punctuate properly when i have time to sit down on the computer, for now i am on a crappy phone. i am sorry.

Emph. mine

On the odd occasion... people who have valuable insights comment here on a thread , and do not always have time to re-read the previous thread.
And I've never noticed a lack of other posters to fill in the gaps, so to speak.
Just a part of WS and how we roll.

Sometimes it helps to re-think/ask a question, and see what might've happened in a different light.
Appreciate your posts and hope you're able to know that we at WS care about Barbara.

Hoping for good news for Barbara soon !!

 

[LietKynes]

Would you want to disappear in a bikini top, cap, shirts and hiking boots? Really?

What would make her want to flee --as in getting picked up by a friend in another car ?
There's something about her vanishing that doesn't sit right with me.

As in-- getting away by any means -- no matter what you're wearing , and without the chance to take anything with you ?

Eta : The possibilities of a random abduction seem remote.

 

[Lilibet]

Emph. mine. I find this very interesting.
Is there something about their marriage that the family is not revealing ?
My first thought is that she was lost in the desert and sadly succumbed to the elements. But in that case they should've found her by now.

LE have ruled out an abduction. Why ?
She is somewhere !!

And if not in the area they were hiking, than either she was never on the trip, someone took her , or she left with someone else and doesn't want her family to know.
Even with the ill brother in Hongkong.
She wanted to disappear.
It happens.

BBM

I honestly don’t think we can categorically state that if she was lost in the desert they would have found her by now. She had time (over three hours) to travel and get lost beyond the search zone, especially if she stopped at the trailer and grabbed some water (and put the key back under the rock).

Just because she hasn’t been found doesn’t mean she wasn’t there, was abducted or left the area on her own. The simplest explanation is that she is still there undiscovered IMO.

 

[Midwestmom2019]

LE can say what they DID find: no evidence.
LE cannot say what they didn’t find.
The fact that she was abducted. Unless of course they have evidence to prove that. Cannot prove a negative.

 

[Jo in Calif]

Us being told she had no cell phone is really bothering me.
If she made a trip to Hong Kong a couple of months ago alone, without Robbie, did she not talk to him while she was there? Did she borrow others phones? Did she use the phone in her room, if she stayed in a hotel? How would she communicate with anyone while she was there?
Someone help me out here.

 

[LietKynes]

Will's getting up there. Probably was out drinking with Roger Bacon.



They haven't ruled it out. They said there was no evidence of it, but that doesn't mean she wasn't abducted.

I was under the impression from earlier posts/links that they'd ruled it out.
Will take some time to look back.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

And statistics would say that the most likely reason for death of anyone is a medical event.

Statistics would say, in the event of death from a medical event, the person would be found.

 

[LietKynes]

Us being told she had no cell phone is really bothering me.
If she made a trip to Hong Kong a couple of months ago alone, without Robbie, did she not talk to him while she was there? Did she borrow others phones? Did she use the phone in her room, if she stayed in a hotel? How would she communicate with anyone while she was there?
Someone help me out here.

Ita.

Yes, the lack of a phone is odd.
Just that Barbara strikes me as an independent lady.

Eta: The traveling to HK to see her brother, and it looks like she traveled elsewhere.
So, not like a homebody who can't go anywhere without a family member ?
Idk.