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

[crhedBngr]

Personally, I don't see the draw, going to the desert. I find it boring. So many beautiful places to see in Cal. why go there. That's MO

Personally, I prefer the beach . . . but then, so do many others. Maybe the desert was a good place for them to find peace and quiet.

JMVHO.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Jinx you owe me a coke... but you have better details. Oops meant to quote you @GordianKnot !

Oh that’s right.

And not only that, but the Chief went on Fox News and said there was no person of interest, and the last person to contact her was being cooperative.

Almost simultaneously, law enforcement descended on the suspect’s house.

Edited — wrong quote

 

[LilacRocket]

Sadly I don’t think we know much of that.

I’ll add this though. Personally I’d think rather than she being a target in her bikini I’d think their 5th wheel would be the biggest target for theft. I wonder if she’d feel safe and approach the rig if another vehicle was parked nearby that wasn’t there before.

I wondered this, as well. I think someone could’ve easily seen the brand new RV from the road, stopped to check it out and, seeing that no one was around, decided to help themselves. BT, returning to the RV ahead of RT, may not have thought another car parked near by was suspicious. If she surprised someone as she approached or entered the RV, I believe she could’ve been subdued fairly quickly with little noise or sign of struggle given her size.

Along those same lines of BT not finding another vehicle suspicious, BT may have been approached by someone as she returned to the RV (on the pretense of needing directions, asking about the trails, etc.) and was then able to subdue her. If someone is caught of guard- say midway through giving directions or similar- I believe they could be rendered unconscious with barely any noise at all and abducted with very little sign of struggle.

Not sure what to make of this. Not sure I believe yet that she was ever there in the first place.

Also still think she could have fallen or become stuck and was somehow missed by SAR (it does happen, though not often).

I think it unlikely that it was an animal attack, but don’t think it should be completely discounted. I’ve seen two mountain lions in my life and both were during the daytime. I do, however, think there’d be some sign, the beer or her hat, if this were the case.

I hope (and tend to think) LE knows more than they are letting on.

Hoping for the best.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Can I ask if you researched data for these percentages?

It would be great to get actual data on how often these things occur to see the real likelihood of each, wouldn’t it?

I did not. Just my own opinions. And I'm not even a statistician.

I just find it helps me think more clearly to lay ideas out in terms of probabilities.

That way I can focus on the more likely scenarios without suggesting that I am denying the other options are still possible.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

The statement about not suspecting foul play was made on July 17. I think it's okay for them not to revise that statement while they investigate, especially if they are not asked directly. I think it's okay for them to say anything they need to to get this job done. And while polygraphs are inadmissible for very good reasons, they are tools - not exactly bogus. I don't think the police are trying to scare RT. I think they are trying to find the truth. JMO. We are all speculating.

 

[MassGuy]

If they thought RT did it and were trying to make him feel confident, why would they tell him that he was deceptive on the polygraph?

Because they might not have been trying to make him feel confident in the first place.

There’s a difference between telling someone that they are a suspect, and going to the media with that information.

This guy decided to do that himself for some reason.

 

[10ofRods]

I think it’s very unlikely that she was—but no, I believe it can be a very silent attack—visualize strong jaws with long fangs, closing around your throat. (I may have just given Roses another round of nightmares.)

But, they don’t attack humans often, and I doubt that the Mohave desert is prime territory for them—they hunt large prey primarily, deer, mountain sheep, etc.

P.S. I should say that I love mountain lions—magnificent cats.

I too think it's highly unlikely - similar to being struck by lightening. But, people are occasionally struck by lightening, so I decided to at least look into it more. Seems like the SAR people would have found scat. Not sure how many prints would be left by the time they got there and they wouldn't be thinking "mountain lion."

I love them too. She was not in prime mountain lion territory (they are usually in mountains!)

 

[LilacRocket]

Yes, it’s possible they can’t prove it, but that is what building a case is about. They say they don’t suspect it. Can you give examples of where the police said they didn’t suspect foul play as a ruse to trip up a suspect even when they did? I can’t see the benefit personally, but I can imagine a lot of harm/hurt to family members.

I can think of a couple of scenarios where this could be useful, but nothing that relates to this case- at least not with what we know so far.

 

[GordianKnot]

Jinx you owe me a coke... but you have better details. Oops meant to quote you @GordianKnot !


Edited — wrong quote

Thanks, diggn!
I'm nominating this for post of the day.
You have no idea how much I appreciate your kind words....and I love Coke, too!

 

[MassGuy]

I too think it's highly unlikely - similar to being struck by lightening. But, people are occasionally struck by lightening, so I decided to at least look into it more. Seems like the SAR people would have found scat. Not sure how many prints would be left by the time they got there and they wouldn't be thinking "mountain lion."

I love them too. She was not in prime mountain lion territory (they are usually in mountains!)

I’m reminded of a Florida case that was recently solved.

The dead man’s wife had her lover murder him, and they tried to make it appear that alligators did it, and his body was eaten.

A wildlife expert said that was impossible, because alligators always leave a trace. There would be something to be found.

Of course, his body had been buried.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/beta.w...-was-just-sentenced-his-death/?outputType=amp

 

[Liwthe]

I think after the quoted poster , A.C., stated "Ranked Probabilities" and followed up with IMO, MOO -- they are stating this as their opinion only.

Plus, the post A.C. ended their post with "... All IMO MOO".

Just pure speculation.
As we're all doing.

I can see that. I just thought as ‘websleuths’ (maybe I’m taking the name too literally), it’d be great if we had more facts.

 

[10ofRods]

I want to focus on a different line of thinking, and see if it goes anywhere.

The road that BT would have supposedly crossed in bikini with beer in hand. Going on both directions, where is the first major destination? How thoroughly was this possibility explored?

Second, does anyone know if her passport, cards, etc have been used?
Any suitcases, clothes, or makeup missing?

Has RT volunteered to have the home searched?

Amateur opinion and speculation

It ends at the I40 6 miles south of where she was lost (well, there are some tiny ghost towns out past the I40, but they are not destinations). It's the major road in between Vegas and anyone who prefers to take the I40 out of SoCal to go to Vegas (it's more scenic, IMO - that's how my parents always went). Also people from Palm Springs go that way and some people make a weekend trip out of going to the Mojave Preserve and then topping it with a night in Vegas (heading back to northern Arizona, or even to El Paso or to Albuquerque).

 

[Didi777]

please everyone reading, please like and share this article, share with all your friends on social media please. I am hopeful HLN will be interested in a follow up report if they can see peoples interest in the story.

thank you all!

Bikini-clad hiker missing in the Mojave Desert

Thank you! Good to have another news video! Hadn't seen this one before!

 

[MsBetsy]

That’s what I mean by ruse.

I meant that their intention is to keep information from the public for the sake of the investigation more so than as a ruse.

 

[Kapua]

The statement about not suspecting foul play was made on July 17. I think it's okay for them not to revise that statement while they investigate, especially if they are not asked directly. I think it's okay for them to say anything they need to to get this job done. And while polygraphs are inadmissible for very good reasons, they are tools - not exactly bogus. I don't think the police are trying to scare RT. I think they are trying to find the truth. JMO. We are all speculating.

LE did not say that they did not *suspect* foul play. They said that there was no evidence of foul play. That is a big difference, IMHO.

 

[Liwthe]

The statement about not suspecting foul play was made on July 17. I think it's okay for them not to revise that statement while they investigate, especially if they are not asked directly. I think it's okay for them to say anything they need to to get this job done. And while polygraphs are inadmissible for very good reasons, they are tools - not exactly bogus. I don't think the police are trying to scare RT. I think they are trying to find the truth. JMO. We are all speculating.

I know you’re just speculating, but I’ve tried to find a case where the LE said they didn’t suspect foul play and changed that soon after gathering evidence. I couldn’t find any. There are cold cases where no foul play was suspected that evidence later proved were in fact murders (poor investigations, things came to light later), but I can’t find anything about the LE using the ‘no foul play suspected’ and they really did to ‘trip up’ a suspect. But I’m not an expert.

I do think polygraphs are bogus, but they are used to see if a potential suspect will comply, and how they react to being accused of lying ie. to scare the potential suspect.

 

[Liwthe]

LE did not say that they did not *suspect* foul play. They said that there was no evidence of foul play. That is a big difference, IMHO.

Ok, now that truly is semantics. That’s how they word it. If they suspected foul play, they would have some reason for it. They can’t just go off hunches, especially now that it’s nearly impossible to hide from the reach of being tracked by our devices.

 

[GordianKnot]

I know you’re just speculating, but I’ve tried to find a case where the LE said they didn’t suspect foul play and changed that soon after gathering evidence. I couldn’t find any. There are cold cases where no foul play was suspected that evidence later proved were in fact murders (poor investigations, things came to light later), but I can’t find anything about the LE using the ‘no foul play suspected’ and they really did to ‘trip up’ a suspect. But I’m not an expert.

I do think polygraphs are bogus, but they are used to see if a potential suspect will comply, and how they react to being accused of lying ie. to scare the potential suspect.

BBM:

*See Posts #565 and #567 for one case example.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Right, thank you, and sorry. The item linked below states "no evidence at this time suggesting foul play" (not a direct quote).

July 17
69-year-old woman missing after hiking in California's Mojave Desert with her husband - National News - ABC News Radio
A spokeswoman for the sheriff’s department told ABC News there is no evidence at this time suggesting foul play.

July 19
Husband of missing 69-year-old hiker says police consider him a suspect

• Authorities also say they have no evidence the woman was abducted nor have they found any trace of her.
• Officials also say that they are unaware of any medical conditions that may have caused BT to become disoriented or lost.

July 22
California police say missing hiker who vanished 'in her bikini' was NOT abducted | Daily Mail Online
'We don't think she was abducted. It's a very remote area. There's no evidence to suggest she was abducted,' spokeswoman Jodi Miller told DailyMail.com.

JUL 23
Daily searches suspended for bikini-clad woman who vanished in Mojave Desert | Fox News

• On Monday, the sheriff's office said the ongoing daily searches in the Mohave National Preserve have been suspended.
• "Additional searches will be conducted as any additional information is developed in the investigation," the sheriff's office said.
• "Detectives from the Specialized Investigations Division have assumed the investigation as is standard department policy when a missing person has not been located."
• "There has been no evidence of Barbara Thomas located on previous days," the sheriff's office said.

 

[GordianKnot]

Ok, now that truly is semantics. That’s how they word it. If they suspected foul play, they would have some reason for it. They can’t just go off hunches, especially now that it’s nearly impossible to hide from the reach of being tracked by our devices.

Strongly disagree.

It's not just semantics here.

LE can definitely suspect foul play has occurred, but lack evidentiary proof of it.

In this case, LE may strongly suspect foul play on the basis of there being no evidence of BT having been in that location.

Lack of evidence isn't evidence, but in this case, it may raise LE's suspicions.

JMO.