CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #5

[k-mac]

It's also possible that the police advised RT to not contact her son. They may have wanted to investigate if he was involved in any way prior to notifying him. JMO

put aside RT not contacting Matt to 1/ tell him his mother is missing and
2/ see if he has heard from her or her alleged kidnappers.
why hadn't LE done precisely the same thing....day1???

see it as critical ball dropping imo

 

[Reasonable & Just]

While this general scenario is possible, depending on whether and where photos with BT in them were taken, there may have been some doubling-back, and she also might be at some point beyond the search location. JMO

If it's false, maybe that's the purpose of the bizarre story of a kidnapper snatching her up within about 10-15 minutes and taking her far away but keeping her alive. To narrow the search radius.

 

[chihuahua]

Just a thought on RT possibly dropping the fifth-wheel RV off somewhere and driving to another as yet unidentified location, before arriving at the location in question.
In cases I can't link right now, that's happened . Even 18 wheelers have done this. Left the trailer, drove the truck to commit a crime. Including murders.
The GPS and data from the 1 available cell phone may prove crucial.
Cell phones can be turned off for a while. Battery removed.
Jmo
Chi

 

[k-mac]

Are we not supposed to challenge the info a VI provides us? Ask questions yes, but challenge no? Please correct me if I am mistaken.

no
you are not allowed to challenge a VI.
you are not obligated to believe them but you are not allowed to challenge their information.

iirc

 

[cedgison]

no
you are not allowed to challenge a VI.
you are not obligated to believe them but you are not allowed to challenge their information.

iirc

To expand on this, @debbiegarcia36, you can ask the VI questions to seek clarity or to get a better idea of the victim/victim's personality; but, from personal experience as a former VI (of a different case) who was challenged, I don't recommend challenging a VI (those that challenged me on the case I was a VI for were permanently banned from WS).

 

[firstsleuth]

It's from this book:

Lost Person Behavior: A Search and Rescue Guide on Where to Look - for Land, Air and Water https://www.amazon.com/dp/1879471396/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_e7XsDb82YQRZ6

Thank you @PaulR

 

[cazador]

I purchased the book .. Late night reading

 

[Lilibet]

no
you are not allowed to challenge a VI.
you are not obligated to believe them but you are not allowed to challenge their information.
iirc

To expand on this, @debbiegarcia36, you can ask the VI questions to seek clarity or to get a better idea of the victim/victim's personality; but, from personal experience as a former VI (of a different case) who was challenged, I don't recommend challenging a VI (those that challenged me on the case I was a VI for were permanently banned from WS).

Just to clarify...if you trace the post by @debbiegarcia36 back, she was responding to someone who was appearing to challenge the VI. She was pointing out tactfully that we aren’t to challenge the VI.

That being said, the OP to whom she was responding was questioning the VI about whether it was appropriate to share information about where RT is spending his time currently (and implying something negative). That question needs to be addressed to a mod, but it’s a valid one IMO.

 

[Kapua]

Just a thought on RT possibly dropping the fifth-wheel RV off somewhere and driving to another as yet unidentified location, before arriving at the location in question.
In cases I can't link right now, that's happened . Even 18 wheelers have done this. Left the trailer, drove the truck to commit a crime. Including murders.
The GPS and data from the 1 available cell phone may prove crucial.
Cell phones can be turned off for a while. Battery removed.
Jmo
Chi

Which brings me back 'round to: someone may have seen the fifth-wheel RV all by itself somewhere, and someone may have seen a nice, big, white truck with dual rear wheels (now I am going to have to pay attention to see how common these vehicles are). What would be really great is if someone had seen someone hitching or unhitching a fifth wheel. MOO

 

[BlkMtnGirl]

Any sensible person in his situation would get themselves legal advice and protection.
Anyone who was not sensible would soon be advised to do so by friends or family!

Or pretty much everyone on WS.

 

[Micheline]

To all, a reminder:

MOD NOTE:

THIS THREAD IS CLOSED YET AGAIN, THIS TIME TO CLEAN UP ALL THE POSTS THAT ARE DISCUSSING PHILOSOPHICAL DIFFERENCES ABOUT WHO/HOW/WHEN NOTIFICATION WAS MADE TO CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT BARBARA WAS MISSING. THE ARGUMENTS ARE POINTLESS AND WILL NOT HELP FIND BARBARA.

NOT SURE WHEN THIS WILL OPEN. WITH NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CASE, IT MAY BE AWHILE.

CocoChanel
Moderator

 

[K9Enzo]

Just to clarify...if you trace the post by @debbiegarcia36 back, she was responding to someone who was appearing to challenge the VI. She was pointing out tactfully that we aren’t to challenge the VI.

That being said, the OP to whom she was responding was questioning the VI about whether it was appropriate to share information about where RT is spending his time currently (and implying something negative). That question needs to be addressed to a mod, but it’s a valid one IMO.

Thank you. I’m just getting caught up and can see one of my posts sparked some conversation.

You are spot on. It shocked me that RT’s exact locations where he visited recently were posted. In my world, my mind immediately goes to a place of safety and concern for him.
It literally put a pit in my stomach. We really have no idea who is reading these threads.

This could be a completely innocent man.

I was not at all being disrespectful towards the VI and hope it didn’t appear that way.

 

[Knox]

Well, as it turns out, I was mistaken. I did a quick search and found the real story. It was a photo and a mine expert that cracked the case:

For several weeks searchers looked through every single mine shaft in the vast desert area, not knowing the condition of them. Some you could walk into, others you had to rappel to look for Erin Corwin's body.

Detectives showed the photos to mine expert Doug Billings.

"I didn't have to look at a map, I knew exactly where it was, so I was able to help direct the rescue team," Billings told local TV station KESQ.

Married to a Marine, in love with another, pregnant woman disappears in the desert

ETA another link:
Untapped gold mine was site of Erin Corwin body

IIRC, he joined WS and posted in Erin's thread after she was found. I don't remember if he was verified or not. Regardless, he probably doesn't visit here anymore but someone could certainly email and invite him to join us here.

 

[Micheline]

IMO, before any scenario can be explored, or accusations made, there needs to be something like first things first.

Was the picture of Barbara in her bikini from that day? If so, Robert's story is credible, and a whole lot of things become irrelevant, since in that case she is to be found there, or indeed taken.

This can be easily verified, and IMO would be the first question on everyone's mind?

 

[Micheline]

I cannot do it from my device, but can someone please check the EXIF data of the picture of Barbara in her bikini?

Just right-click on the photo and choose Open With – Preview. In the toolbar menu, click on Tools and then Show Inspector. In the Inspector window, click on the Exiftab and you should see all the Exif data for that picture. You'll see more or less depending on how much Exif data is stored in the image

 

[Lilibet]

IMO, before any scenario can be explored, or accusations made, there needs to be something like first things first.

Was the picture of Barbara in her bikini from that day? If so, Robert's story is credible, and a whole lot of things become irrelevant, since in that case she is to be found there, or indeed taken.

This can be easily verified, and IMO would be the first question on everyone's mind?

You are right, of course and it can and probably was easily verified by LE. The trouble is we haven’t been told the answer.

Personally, I think LE was able to verify by photo or other evidence BT’s existence in that location at some point that day. The search continued well beyond the ability for her to survive, which indicates to me that they were reasonably sure she was there somewhere.

Of course, there is always the remote possibility that she and RT left that location after establishing proof of her presence, went elsewhere and he returned there to report her missing. I don’t necessarily believe that scenario, but it has to stay on the table for now.
JMO

 

[Nerissa]

IMO, before any scenario can be explored, or accusations made, there needs to be something like first things first.

Was the picture of Barbara in her bikini from that day? If so, Robert's story is credible, and a whole lot of things become irrelevant, since in that case she is to be found there, or indeed taken.

This can be easily verified, and IMO would be the first question on everyone's mind?

I, too, am keen to know if the pic of black bikini top & red cap was from the day she went missing

But either way - it doesn't make his story more or less 'credible'

That could be what she was wearing whilst he was involved with her disappearance

I don't have a problem with her taking a jaunt with a beer & wearing a bikini etc - that is perfectly credible to my mind

I have this niggly feeling that he is creating a narrative based on past events - that is why I'd like to know

In addition: quite obviously: knowing what indeed, as fact, she was wearing when she disappeared would help searchers, witnesses, etc. to come forward with information if indeed they saw a gal in a black bikini with a red cap...

JMO

 

[katydid23]

put aside RT not contacting Matt to 1/ tell him his mother is missing and
2/ see if he has heard from her or her alleged kidnappers.
why hadn't LE done precisely the same thing....day1???

see it as critical ball dropping imo

I don't know. I'd think that on day one they were more focused on searching the area she was last seen, reportedly.
I'd think they assumed the family was contacting all the other family members, and would tell them if anyone received a call from her, or her kidnappers.

At the start, they were taking the distraught husband at his word. Then the investigation would go deeper. Hopefully it has.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

barb's son did an interview last night, and he had a folder of notes that was shown during the broadcast. see post #609 for the notes.

here is the broadcast:

Lafayette man's mother still missing after hiking in the Mojave Desert with husband

I watched the whole interview. I just didn’t see any kind detail about the notes.

 

[Lilibet]

I watched the whole interview. I just didn’t see any kind detail about the notes.

Right. No details about the notes were discussed in the broadcast, so I’m personally a little concerned about discussing them here.