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

[PaulR]

I know that no one has asked for ransom.

How do you know this?

 

[Liwthe]

I know that no one has asked for ransom. Abduction for ransom is being speculated upon like many other theories. That’s what we do.

I was just trying to point out ‘in a nice way’ that I think it would be rare.

I don’t think we should criticize what others choose to discuss. Scroll and roll.

I didn’t criticize. My words were ‘I don’t know why it’s being discussed’. It’s an honest statement. I don’t know why it’s being discussed in relation to this case.

I understand speculating, but I thought there would need to be at least some possibility of it. Would RT be able to hide that be was being blackmailed from LE despite them having access to his phone, well enough that they’d keep searching where she went missing? It’s an extreme long shot, and it’s been plucked out of thin air. But sure. Whatever people feel is worth speculating on.

I did think that some might be getting confused that a ransom was a possibility just because it came up, and I wanted to clarify because sometimes a fictional story can suddenly take off on threads and then we’re all chasing it back to the origins and discussing it for ages as new people come in and think it’s a real thing.

 

[kiwi50]

How long realistically does it take to capture a photo of something that is not moving, wasnt it a rock formation, not a bunch of people. Cant see why she wouldnt wait.
Would love to see the time stamp on last photo too.

 

[PaulR]

One is deceased, the other two maybe - if still alive - just don't
want to get involved or feel they don't have anything to add that can help.

They may have been asked not to talk if RT/police are negotiating the ransom.

 

[Knox]

Re-Hash ...

Mountain Lion Attack
Rattle Snake Bite
Fell in a Crevice
Abducted Off the Road
Rounding a Corner
Is is an RV or Fifth Wheel
Why Did RT Let BT Walk Ahead of Him
Why RT Didn't Call BT's Son
Bikini Top or Bra
Bikini Bottoms Only or Wore Shorts
Was it a Hike or a Walk
Why Beer is Bad in 117 Heat
Trailer Key under the Rock (oy vey)
Why RT Disclosed LE suspects him
No Foul Play Statement from Jodi Miller (PIO)
Did RT or the Reporter Say BT Could be in Vegas

 

[MsBetsy]

Huh? This case has been on all the national news sites. I'm sure his wives have seen this and the posts about the case. Just sometimes ex-wives speak up.

How many ex-wives are there?
Are they all living?
Apparently he and Barbara have been together for about 15 years so maybe they don't even know about it. Not everybody watches the news and it hasn't been covered that much.
At the most they would know that she is missing and hasn't been found but since he is not a suspect and there has been no arrest they probably don't feel the need to speak to the media. Imo

 

[PaulR]

Re-Hash ...

Mountain Lion Attack
Rattle Snake Bite
Fell in a Crevice
Abducted Off the Road
Rounding a Corner
Why Did RT Let BT Walk Ahead of Him
Why RT Didn't Call BT's Son
Bikini Top or Bra
Bikini Bottoms Only or Wore Shorts
Was it a Hike or a Walk
Why Beer is Bad in 117 Heat
Trailer Key under the Rock (oy vey)
Why RT Disclosed LE suspects him
No Foul Play Statement from Jodi Miller (PIO)
Did RT or the Reporter Say BT Could be in Vegas

You forgot "Is It An RV or Fifth Wheel?"

 

[MimosaMornings]

i suspect robbies involvement. im shocked at matts priorities in the grand scheme.

Curious about Matt’s priorities.
Sad that Barbara has not been found.
Hopeful for a clue to find her.

 

[wary]

How long realistically does it take to capture a photo of something that is not moving, wasnt it a rock formation, not a bunch of people. Cant see why she wouldnt wait.
Would love to see the time stamp on last photo too.

If you take photography seriously, it can take hours!

 

[al66pine]

Outdoor Chairs? Awning?

....
Chairs set up, awning was an assumption. See BBM:
↑
They had chairs set up in the shade of the camper, I assume an awning. That is where Robbie expected to see her when he returned....

in green from dbdb11, our VI. ^ snipping for focus
Difficult to accurately conclude much of anything about these smaller points, but they may indicate something about RT's or BT's mindset re return to RV.
In full-timing in RVs (full size motorhome, then Airstream) in western US for several yrs post-retirement, we have seen about everything in RVers habits, practices, & quirks.

Typically the outdoor chairs RVers carry in truck bed or in RV basement are light-weight and w wind, prone to blowing away. If their stopping place three weeks ago was windy, seems likely they may not have put chairs out.

Was awning extended? In summer, mid-day heat in AZ-CA, RV'ers would extend the awning to shade interior as much as poss, to keep it cool - if they planned to return to have lunch/snack/rehydrate/take a nap. Maybe after walk, they planned to sit it chairs in shade outside. But if they planned to take walk, then jump in truck & go, no need to try to keep 5'er shaded.
If it was very windy, then maybe same as for chairs, not out, for fear of damage. But some upper end rigs have wind detectors that automatically retract the awning at a given windspeed.
^jmo^

 

[LaborDayRN]

I haven’t read all the link or lynx but... mountain lions in the desert[\i]?

Absolutely we have Mountain Lions! OT: And many other beautiful animals. Bighorn Sheep, Coyotes, Badgers, Bobcats, Kit Fox and Mustang horses to name a few. A many many birds, reptiles and rodents. The desert is much more rich and diverse than many appreciate.

 

[artsy1]

Do you know he has had three wives with one deceased? The VI wouldn’t give details on this so that’s news to me.

.

 

[neesaki]

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.

Good points, we walk and hike in the southern summer heat and humidity, and we aren’t about to do it with beer. It’s called water. Any kind of alcohol dehydrates.
Even more so in an older person. I have no doubt that RT and BT know all of this. Surely at their age they’ve been around the block a few times.

I was really, really trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, but it’s getting harder with each day. Jmo

 

[al66pine]

Frame of Reference?

How long realistically does it take to capture a photo of something that is not moving, wasnt it a rock formation, not a bunch of people. Cant see why she wouldnt wait.
Would love to see the time stamp on last photo too.

@kiwi50 You ask: Why wouldn't BT wait?
From her perspective , "Why not just go ahead and snap the darn shutter, RT?'
{{{ETA: Maybe RT started taking pix of lizards, butterflies, or other creatures that moved, so he got carried away, took longer. Just giving him the ben/doubt.}}}

BTW, kiwi50, did you ever see my [unnamed relative] w his camera in hand, lining up a shot? Compared to him taking pix, the glaciers look like they are sprinting.

And seriously, like you,I wonder what the photo timestamps show (if not altered).

 

[PommyMommy]

Re-Hash ...

Mountain Lion Attack
Rattle Snake Bite
Fell in a Crevice
Abducted Off the Road
Rounding a Corner
Is is an RV or Fifth Wheel
Why Did RT Let BT Walk Ahead of Him
Why RT Didn't Call BT's Son
Bikini Top or Bra
Bikini Bottoms Only or Wore Shorts
Was it a Hike or a Walk
Why Beer is Bad in 117 Heat
Trailer Key under the Rock (oy vey)
Why RT Disclosed LE suspects him
No Foul Play Statement from Jodi Miller (PIO)
Did RT or the Reporter Say BT Could be in Vegas

Did you see anything about how we can help find Barbara? MOO

 

[castilloisno1]

Curious about Matt’s priorities.
Sad that Barbara has not been found.
Hopeful for a clue to find her.

I thought our VI said that her son was going to talk to the media soon. I really don't know anything about him,but maybe he doesn't live close to her or even LE has told him to be JMO

 

[MassGuy]

RT was a pilot - maybe BT was kidnapped by drug mules who wanted his plane to run drugs?

That sort of thing just doesn’t happen with any regularity though.

That’s movie type stuff.

This isn’t Miami in the 1980’s. And I’m not sure it even happened then. Not with this victimology anyways.

Besides, there would be evidence of that at this point. That’s not an easy thing to do.

 

[neesaki]

Not true: The Diuretic Action of Weak and Strong Alcoholic Beverages in Elderly Men: A Randomized Diet-Controlled Crossover Trial

I generally respect you opinions, PaulR. And I still do. But in this case I have to disagree. For one, from personal experience.
For another, there’s scientific evidence
Why does alcohol make you pee more?
And:
Why does drinking alcohol cause dehydration? › Dr Karl's Great Moments In Science (ABC Science)

 

[muddlehead]

Can you explain why you feel the key is related to BT’s disappearance? I’m really finding discussions on how different people stash their keys (or if they do or don’t) confounding.

You bet. Took me this long to catch up.
I'm on the team that is suspicious of the "key" involvement in the case. From the onset of this 3 weeks ago, I've said the key might be the key. I'm not a fan of the key under the rock scenario. For Pete's sake they were going for a 2 mile hike/walk. The key was not falling out of RT's pocket. In the absence of any evidence other than the 8:15a departure and the 3:26p 911 call, I posit thusly. (and I wish I could find it to cut/paste it cause it's a repeat performance). In no way, whatsoever, am I making light of BT's disappearance. Sometimes, brainstorming silly, stupid things produce results.

Two movie references.

1. Could this have been a Fargo style kidnapping?

2. 1953 great movie Hitchcock Dial M for Murder - Ray Milland, Grace Kelley, and Robert Cummings. The key to solving the murder in the movie was - an apartment key. My connection was established when a poster awhile back mentioned RT, in one of the post disappearance interviews, appears to be in the background overturning rocks and looking underneath them. Could he have been looking for the key the kidnappers used to enter the RV waiting for BT to enter? They could have gotten the key from under the nearby rock. They could have obtained the key from RT himself earlier. After the kidnapping they were supposed to return the key to under the rock. If it wasn't there, maybe it was under a different rock...

100% far fetched for sure.

 

[Kittybunny]

Re-Hash ...

Mountain Lion Attack
Rattle Snake Bite
Fell in a Crevice
Abducted Off the Road
Rounding a Corner
Is is an RV or Fifth Wheel
Why Did RT Let BT Walk Ahead of Him
Why RT Didn't Call BT's Son
Bikini Top or Bra
Bikini Bottoms Only or Wore Shorts
Was it a Hike or a Walk
Why Beer is Bad in 117 Heat
Trailer Key under the Rock (oy vey)
Why RT Disclosed LE suspects him
No Foul Play Statement from Jodi Miller (PIO)
Did RT or the Reporter Say BT Could be in Vegas

Best.post.ever.