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

[neesaki]

Well, one thing's for dang sure: That ain't no Shakespeare quote.

Well, may not be Shakespeare, but then it's not half bad either.

 

[MsFacetious]

If LE had told me I failed a PT I think I would hire a private tester to ask me poignant questions and see how it turns out. (providing I wasn't lying to in my original PT)

Or, request this test instead.

Voice Stress Analysis Test Accuracy - Real Cases Solved | NITV

I don't have a clue how I didn't hear of it until last night, when researching polygraphs for this case. I've looked into truth serum, this is way more practical!

 

[kkdj]

Or, request this test instead.

Voice Stress Analysis Test Accuracy - Real Cases Solved | NITV

I don't have a clue how I didn't hear of it until last night, when researching polygraphs for this case. I've looked into truth serum, this is way more practical!

Love it!
If I were telling the truth and LE told me my LD test read invalid I would not believe them. Because they could do that...lie to me.
I would then do whatever it took to clear me.
Has he done anything further?

 

[Kapua]

I have asked this before but have not seen it adequately addressed. Someone PLEASE answer or ask least discuss:
>> How many drinks did Barb have that day?
>> What were her drinking habits?

And two more questions for good measure:
>> How much (if nay) did RT drink that day?
>> What were RT drinking habits?

Can someone PLEASE discuss these points. Thank you in advance.

We don't know any of these things. And we don't know for a fact that BT even had one beer that day. She could have been sipping lemonade or plain water, for all we (don't) know. The person who said that she was drinking a beer is the same person who claims that LE told him his polygraph results were "deceptive". So I question whether any of that person's story is true, including the part about BT drinking a beer. MOO

 

[kkdj]

We don't know any of these things. And we don't know for a fact that BT even had one beer that day. She could have been sipping lemonade or plain water, for all we (don't) know. The person who said that she was drinking a beer is the same person who claims that LE told him his polygraph results were "deceptive". So I question whether any of that person's story is true, including the part about BT drinking a beer. MOO

I've been wondering and wondering what question(s) was/were deceptive.

 

[Kapua]

Bringing us back to how to find BT, here's what I have: Spread the word. Post missing flyers in desert communities. Include pics of the truck and RV. Someone may have seen it on the road and remembered it. Contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff's office and ask for their recommendations. Contact the FBI; this is a multi-state investigation. Perhaps the CA Bureau of Investigation can help as well. Look at maps and determine where else an RV of that size could have pulled over. Maybe there are organizations of avid desert hikers that have websites. Get flyers out to them. Someone upthread posted media links. Lastly, don't give up. She is somewhere.

 

[MsFacetious]

Love it!
If I were telling the truth and LE told me my LD test read invalid I would not believe them. Because they could do that...lie to me.
I would then do whatever it took to clear me.
Has he done anything further?

Not that we are aware of.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

An important point to ponder:

Do we know whether or not the Hong Kong-trip ticket(s) was for round-trip or one-way? Are the ticketing agent and/or airlines able to identify to LE which type of ticketing it was after a cancellation transaction?

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

An important point to ponder:

Do we know whether or not the Hong Kong-trip ticket(s) was for round-trip or one-way? Are the ticketing agent and/or airlines able to identify to LE which type of ticketing it was after a cancellation transaction?

It was a return trip. The VI provided the flight dates and times in and out in an earlier thread post.

 

[Cherwell]

The other thing that is strange is his story. If he has something to do with her disappearance, why not come up with a better one?

He could have said she wanted to go look for some rocks and he stayed in the RV because he wasn't feeling well. That she had said she'd be back in about a half hour and after an hour she wasn't back so he went looking for her. That would leave about an hour for something to happen.

Instead he says he had just watched her go around a corner when he stopped to take a picture. He couldn't have been too far behind her. It doesn't sound believable. If he was going to make up a story at least I would think it would be one that allows more time between when he last saw her and when he realized she was gone.

He must have known that every part of his story sounds suspicious. According to the VI, he is an intelligent guy, so why not make up a story that makes more sense and why tell everyone he is a suspect?

This is a major reason why I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. He could have invented a much more believable version, so to me what he says has the ring of truth.

 

[chihuahua]

Sigh. All I can add this morning is that flyers are being shared in that area.
It helps make people aware.
And I'm lighting a candle for BT.
She's somewhere and whatever the outcome she needs to be brought home.
Praying she's alive.
Chi
ETA I obviously have no proof, just a feeling, that the picture of her w the hat and bikini top wasn't taken on that particular day. But I know LE knows by now whether it was or not because it should have a date/time stamp on it

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Yes, that seems strange to me too.
From the beginning it was if he drew attention to himself, when it was totally unnecessary for him to reveal anything about him being the main suspect or that he was even given a polygraph.

The other thing that is strange is his story. If he has something to do with her disappearance, why not come up with a better one?

He could have said she wanted to go look for some rocks and he stayed in the RV because he wasn't feeling well. That she had said she'd be back in about a half hour and after an hour she wasn't back so he went looking for her. That would leave about an hour for something to happen.

Instead he says he had just watched her go around a corner when he stopped to take a picture. He couldn't have been too far behind her. It doesn't sound believable. If he was going to make up a story at least I would think it would be one that allows more time between when he last saw her and when he realized she was gone.

He must have known that every part of his story sounds suspicious. According to the VI, he is an intelligent guy, so why not make up a story that makes more sense and why tell everyone he is a suspect? Imo

This is a good point. The only counterpoint I can think of is if there was a reason to be invested in the idea of a quick abduction right off the highway, where she may be taken elsewhere and may be alive (per RT television interview). Otherwise, the search area (I assume for what it's worth) might be much wider, and much more expensive. It might result in finding things you don't want found, or possibly having to pay back massive expenses if it turns out you knew the search was unnecessary. This is only a hypothetical counterpoint.

 

[chihuahua]

Ok 1 other thought before I walk the Chihuahuas.
Is anyone aware if RT has issues with his hearing? Seems she was not far ahead of him at all. If she was kidnapped I would think she'd yell out.
It's a very remote spot where they took their walk.
Just wondering outloud again.
Jmo
Chi

 

[kkdj]

Ok 1 other thought before I walk the Chihuahuas.
Is anyone aware if RT has issues with his hearing? Seems she was not far ahead of him at all. If she was kidnapped I would think she'd yell out.
It's a very remote spot where they took their walk.
Just wondering outloud again.
Jmo
Chi

We haven't heard of any health issues for either one of them. But in my observation of RT he seems like he hears well and responds well. Plus he drives and with an RV, boats and flies a plane. I would say he's pretty with it.

 

[PaulR]

Is anyone aware if RT has issues with his hearing?

We have not heard anything about it.

VI did claim that RT was in Vietnam. In that case he, like many veterans, may have hearing problems; it's one of the most common disabilities for vets. That is not including the elderly being more likely to have hearing loss in general.

Veterans Can Get Help With Hearing Loss, Tinnitus

 

[Cherwell]

Is anyone aware if RT has issues with his hearing? Seems she was not far ahead of him at all. If she was kidnapped I would think she'd yell out.
It's a very remote spot where they took their walk.

I think it's easily explained if there was more than one person doing the snatching, and if they initially seemed harmless, eg asking for directions or similar. Hand over mouth before the victim has any reason to suspect anything amiss.

 

[kkdj]

I think it's easily explained if there was more than one person doing the snatching, and if they initially seemed harmless, eg asking for directions or similar. Hand over mouth before the victim has any reason to suspect anything amiss.

So, do you think she was kidnapped?

 

[DancingMuse]

This is a major reason why I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. He could have invented a much more believable version, so to me what he says has the ring of truth.

BBM
Couldn't agree more with you, Cherwell.

Color me an idiot. Color me crazy.

Color me way-too-imaginative.

<modsnip>

I am going to take the minority view that

a) RT is telling the truth about the events of that day. There was no foul play on his part.

b) BT passed onto the next realm, “naturally”, and is sadly, still in the desert. ( I hope and pray this is not the case. I hate writing it. Realistically though, it is more and more probable everyday she remains missing.)​

Much gratitude to DBDB11.

He provided so many wonderful details about his aunt. So Did RT. She sounds like a lovely woman. I am filling in a picture of her with embellishments to her amazing artistic personality below, and it is all MY OPINION ONLY:

1) BT is beautiful. She is lean, strong and athletic. Comfortable out in the Natural World. An avid outdoors-woman. She loves the Desert. BT is very confident of her hiking skills. Her climbing skills.

2) RT is greatly admiring of his wife and her interests. He applauds her abilities, her creations, her beauty and loves to photograph her.

3) BT is artistic. She collects. She’s creative. She enjoys fashioning gorgeous objects for not only herself, but also for their home, RV, and maybe a garden. Certainly, for the grandchildren.

4) BT adores her husband. How do we know that? RT evidenced this by showing us that …she leaves him little notes. So, RT can find them unexpectedly. They pop up in odd places. He loves the unexpectedness of their exchange. RT responds in kind. He surprises BT with wonderful, poignant gifts. They exchange little treasures back and forth, and like some couples, they even play little pranks on each other.
​

5) Taking this line of thought a little further, BT has a keen flare for the Dramatic also.

6) BT, especially, being artistic and theatrical, BT really loves a Tah-DAH moment. She enjoys presenting “The great REVEAL”.

7) She loves to surprise RT, and leave him aghast.

8) On that day, she moved ahead of RT, stating she was going back to the RV.​

---------------

9) However, BT fibbed. It was a white lie. She had no intention of going back to the RV. Yet.

10) She instead, aimed high for that Tah-Dah moment, that great REVEAL, and actually looped back, by turning sharply to the side, and walking swiftly towards RT, but out of his view.

11) Taking what RT said, .....As BT rounded “the corner”, she then proceeded to do this double-back, making a huge arc, in the exact opposite direction (she appeared to first be heading to RT), away from the road and the RV. She never crossed the road, nor got to the RV.

12) Why? BT’s plan was to surprise RT by climbing up onto the BACK-side of the rocky outcrop he was so focused on photographing, and appear AT THE TOP of it. She was giddy about suddenly appearing in the camera frame, and really wow-ing him. She knew from experience that.... with his love of geology, RT would be taking pics for a good ten minutes.

13) She planned to yell, “Hey, look at me, up here!”. Or, he would spot her before she had a chance to yell. Either way, she knew he would be floored, and very pleased. They both would have a really good belly laugh about it later.

14) Unfortunately, it IS behind that rocky outcrop that BT met with one or more of the natural dangers we’ve been discussing: a) sudden extreme dehydration, heatstroke, sunstroke b) a fall into a crevasse c) slipping, resulting in a head injury; confusion, unconsciousness d) mountain lion, or other combo of predators, etc. e) falling into a vertical, unmarked abandoned mine shaft, or, f) your pick.

Just my opinion ONLY; Based on a life of varied experiences. Of doing many things that were meant to be silly, and seemed a great idea at the time, but then,…… ended up as EPIC FAILs.

 

[MntnHiker]

Dogs are obviously not 100% accurate all the time. I will say that in the Paul Miller case in Joshua Tree where he went missing in the middle of July last year and temps were probably equally high (or almost as high), dogs did track him down the trail. I remember reading one of the handlers saying her dog had to take a few months off after since he burned his paws so badly while tracking Paul in the hot weather. So I do think it is possible for them to track in the desert in the heat.

In terms of phones, most hikers who set out on backpacking trips or thru hikes or just knowing they will be without cell service for awhile will have a device like the InReach or something that works off satellite. But for a two mile hike/walk? I would probably not take that with me.

So just to clarify the phone situation--RT did have his phone with him. Barbara did not have a phone on her, but does she have a cell phone? Did RT have it in his pack or was it at at home or at the RV? Do we know that?

 

[Cherwell]

So, do you think she was kidnapped?

I have no reason to think so, but I wouldn't rule it out 100%.