CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #4

[George Fayne]

Anyone else know much about the aforementioned cave?

I think @sroad posted a photo or photos of something in the area that could be called cave-ish? I've not seen any info posted about "the" cave except that RT said he checked to see if she might be there.

EDITED TO ADD: This is why I rarely post @LAhiker was already on top of it by the time I got it typed out!

 

[wary]

I hadn't heard this data point before. Do you know much more about the cave? Does it go on for miles, have drop offs, etc, or is it more of a cubby hole?

I think it was more of a cubby hole.

MOO

 

[rosesfromangels]

DBM.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

BBM
First time quoting & replying so I might screw this up. I rarely post, usually lurk because by the time I think of something, someone else has already posted it. Someone other than the VI speculated that the parked cars RT referred to might've been at the a nearby Desert Research Center but I don't remember the particulars. It was several pages back.

Found it, thank you! I had completely missed that post and I agree that's the likely area of cars that might have been captured in a hilltop photo.

PS you did great with the quoting/replying!

 

[Stripehaven]

Exactly! They weren't typical tourists...they lived in Arizona, where we're all pretty skilled at surviving in extreme temps. We sometimes joke about it, but usually when search and rescue has to get involved in looking for a lost hiker, the person is from out of the state and wasn't prepared for the desert. BT would have known the desert well, and unless she had way more to drink that RT indicated, I just can't see her wandering around long. But the abduction scenario is hard to understand as well, unless RT was much further behind her than he realized. This whole situation is just so sad.

BBM Yes! Thank you for putting this into words. As described, she sounds like an inexperienced tourist, not a seasoned AZ resident or experienced desert hiker. Aside from hiking boots, she was totally unprepared to be “pretty skilled at surviving in extreme temps.” Even if you’re used to and love the heat, your body still has hydration requirements. Yes, RT had water with him but she was apparently up to a half-mile away from him at the end (have seen so many estimates...). He may have lost track of the time/distance they were apart - did she, as well? Sounds a bit reckless in extreme conditions and at advanced ages (I’m 66 and I’m more cautious when out in the elements than I ever used to be - so I guess I’m generalizing).

The pieces of the story just aren’t quite fitting for me.

 

[Kittybunny]

I don't know what to think about this case. Well, wait, I do know what I think about this case, but I've been trying to give RT the benefit of the doubt since I jumped to conclusions in the Sheryl Powell case. I do believe people can get lost and be missed in the vast wilderness or vast desert and not found by even the most experienced of searchers, but in this case, I'm not sure I'm buying what RT is sellin'.

If I were LE, I'd be looking hard at these 3 things:
1. Concrete evidence of her last known whereabouts (physical, video, eyewitnesses)
2. The couple's finances, and individual assets, incl. debt and life insurance policies
3. RTs ex-wives and any odd circumstances or history

Other than that, I pray BT is found, one way or another.

 

[AliceInPain]

I've been so busy and have missed so much. What's this with he asked her to stay with him while he took his photo and she left?
Was there nothing else, like, she just walked off? She didn't say anything, like, "I need to go!" (I mean toilet, food etc) or "Do your stuff, see you later." (lolling)
If all he has said is " I asked her to stay!" and no mention of what she replied, that sounds like he's defending himself, as in: "I asked her to stay! Not my fault she's missing. It's her fault."
Combine that with "She WAS wearing a bikini, and she had a beer," we can clearly see from his point of view, Barbara is missing because she didn't follow his instructions, and also because she choose to wear the wrong thing.
Or did I miss something else? Just catching up. Did son's interview happen?

 

[rosesfromangels]

Found it, thank you! I had completely missed that post and I agree that's the likely area of cars that might have been captured in a hilltop photo.

PS you did great with the quoting/replying!

How social was this couple, anyone know? Here's where I'm going with this question.

If I am following the thread correctly, this couple was involved in a multi-level marketing business, selling health related supplements, etc. Is that right?

I'm sure many of us have been "prospected" by these MLM zealots; they are relentless! They chat up people trying to encourage them to join their "business", and consume/ sell their goods. Or, failing that, they sell them something.

Point being, I'm speculating that if there were people near by, RT/BT would have been over there smchoozing them up.

As such, people should remember this couple, (especially a woman in a bikini!), and their demeanor that day.
Just thinking about this....

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[AliceInPain]

Would also like to state my opinion in regards to all those who think he could never do anything to her because he loved her so much.
If he loved her so much, why was he so stone cold in his interviews? Like a robot programmed on what to say.
Not one tear.

 

[PajamaSleuth]

If my spouse were to go missing during a walk/hike, I would want everyone to know that I had asked him to stay with me but that he decided to go on without me. And I would probably be pretty angry at him. It wouldn’t be to make him look bad, but to let people know I tried to keep us together.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Would also like to state my opinion in regards to all those who think he could never do anything to her because he loved her so much.
If he loved her so much, why was he so stone cold in his interviews? Like a robot programmed on what to say.
Not one tear.

I haven't made up my mind on RT, but I am having a hard time believing certain points of his rendition. However, I really do want to believe him.

I will, however, give him a hall pass on his demeanor in the interviews. We all act differently under stress, and have different affects. I speak calmly, even when I am very displeased with something. As such, some people don't pick up on my cues, and I have to speak in a less calm manner.

Maybe RT is just trying to hold it together and he comes off disingenuous. Don't know. I do know that I can't form a clear opinion without more data points on this case. There is alot of missing detail, and I would agree it all sounds rather odd.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Stripehaven]

Would also like to state my opinion in regards to all those who think he could never do anything to her because he loved her so much.
If he loved her so much, why was he so stone cold in his interviews? Like a robot programmed on what to say.
Not one tear.

Well, I’m highly skeptical about this whole thing, but I just have to say, some people just aren’t criers. I’m like that; in a crisis, it’s like I hold everything in very tightly so I don’t fall apart.

That said, you would be able to see that I’m very tense and upset. I’m not sure I saw that with RT, although perhaps he was in shock. The thing that gave me pause with him was when he seemed to choke up and stopped speaking, but his eyes did not look wet or even shiny.

 

[PommyMommy]

I've been so busy and have missed so much. What's this with he asked her to stay with him while he took his photo and she left?
Was there nothing else, like, she just walked off? She didn't say anything, like, "I need to go!" (I mean toilet, food etc) or "Do your stuff, see you later." (lolling)
If all he has said is " I asked her to stay!" and no mention of what she replied, that sounds like he's defending himself, as in: "I asked her to stay! Not my fault she's missing. It's her fault."
Combine that with "She WAS wearing a bikini, and she had a beer," we can clearly see from his point of view, Barbara is missing because she didn't follow his instructions, and also because she choose to wear the wrong thing.
Or did I miss something else? Just catching up. Did son's interview happen?

I don't think you've missed much. Still pretty much this:

• RT stopped to take a photo of the rock formation and asked BT to stay with him, but she went on ahead anyway because she wanted to get to the RV.
• RT thinks someone has her because she had a beer in her hand, was wearing a bikini, and had to cross "that road."
• He reportedly thinks she may be in the Las Vegas area.
• He has requested people in the surrounding areas, including Las Vegas, to be on high alert.
• No efforts that we know of to spread awareness of Barbara's disappearance in Las Vegas.
• No word from Barbara's son.

 

[chihuahua]

Another day and no official word on where BT is
I have faith in LE. I continue with my thoughts and prayers for her family.
What a conundrum this is.
Chi

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

July 22nd - The investigation continues into the whereabouts of missing person Barbara Thomas from SBSD - Colorado River Sheriffs Department : Nixle

 

[PajamaSleuth]

I’m not a beer drinker and I can’t tolerate heat so this seems very odd. In trying to have it make sense, I think of my friends, family, and acquaintances— I can’t see anyone I know doing this. Drinking beer at the beach? Yes. On the golf course? Yes. In the desert? No. On a hike? Not really.

So then it makes me think, how many beers did she have that day? Was she a drinker? Could she have been buzzed or even drunk?

To me, that affects the storyline in many ways. She might not have made rational choices. Possibly affect her ability to navigate her way back. May have had to pee. Or maybe she was more emotional /angry at him for a nonsensical reason and either hid from him or walked further away. Or he could have been fed up with her drinking and acted out, possibly harming her?

**How many did she drink that day? Did she have a drinking problem?**

All just speculation, opinion, and mental gymnastics.

 

[dbdb11]

l

Hey everyone,

Please do not argue with or challenge a VI. We are always fortunate to have a VI here to discuss a case and they are not here to be grilled or challenged about every single statement or post they make.

You can respectfully ask questions and the VI can choose whether or not to even answer them. Consider what they have to say and you can either believe it or take it with a grain of salt, but don't badger them. Nobody wants to be responsible for a VI deciding they've had enough and leaving the discussion.

Scroll and roll.

also if you find this case compelling and you want to know more relevant details read the media thread first, and if you really want a good idea of what is happening, read thread one, two and three.

also, please like and share this link with everyone you know!
Bikini-clad hiker missing in the Mojave Desert
the more likes and shares the more likely the network will do a follow up report.

 

[George Fayne]

Found it, thank you! I had completely missed that post and I agree that's the likely area of cars that might have been captured in a hilltop photo.

PS you did great with the quoting/replying!

Yay! I did a right thing! Hopefully, I can keep that up.

Don't want to get off-topic (please remove if this isn't ok to post) but I've been trying to catch up on this case for several days, and I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to:
@PommyMommy for being The Absolute Goddess of Information Tracking (for this & every thread I've seen her on)
@sroad for their superb on-site or close-to-site work
@K9Enzo , @LAhiker , @MntnHiker , @artsy1 , @10ofRods (and I'm sure there are others I can't recall right now) for their very knowledgeable hiking/location-related posts. (Those have really helped me a lot.)
Our VIs

And the MODS for putting up with and sorting thru it all.

 

[PommyMommy]

What does that say about me? I handle all our personal business.

Seems normal to cancel a flight when someone has been missing for days.

I agree, but it would also be normal to notify someone's family when their mother, sister, aunt is missing. I have a bit of trouble understanding why the flight cancellation took precedence over that. I do realize that her brother is ill and in Hong Kong but her son is not. MOO

 

[dbdb11]

the only thing I can think of is it gives validation to why barb had no options to stay put at the RV. even though that's exactly where she was going.

last person with her says she had no water, no clothing protection (practically nude ) and no keys on her person.
drinking alcohol......
as vulnerable as you could possibly be presented as being in the desert.

moo

she was presented as wearing nothing but underwear in another account...
no msm links but others have probably seen this claim as well.