CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #6

[Curiousobserver]

That presupposes a snatch and grab type of kidnap. Someone getting willingly into a vehicle on whatever pretext would keep hold of what they were carrying. There's also the situation which was suggested earlier - that she mistook a path, kept walking instead of making a turn, and ended up a long way down the road at the wrong parking place. She might have accepted a lift in those circumstances.

Yes- Nothing RT said is that ridiculous. If she were in the wrong place, lost, and looking for a ride or if she flagged down help, then being in a bikini holding a beer, rather than in a shawl with a big hat and carrying a walker, might have made her look like a more attractive target for someone. Of course LE will look at RT closely, he is the SO and the last person to see the missing person. Other than those 2 facts however there is nothing.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Yes- Nothing RT said is that ridiculous. If she were in the wrong place, lost, and looking for a ride or if she flagged down help, then being in a bikini holding a beer, rather than in a shawl with a big hat and carrying a walker, might have made her look like a more attractive target for someone. Of course LE will look at RT closely, he is the SO and the last person to see the missing person. Other than those 2 facts however there is nothing.

My whole issue with a violent or passive abduction is we've had a member of WS on that road. The traffic observed might give you 3 or 4 vehicles in the "minutes" RT lost sight of her. The idea that 25-33% of the cars on any given road at any given time are being driven by kidnappers/abductors doesn't compute with me.

Besides, the true chance of being abducted is minuscule. Factor in traffic plus the statistics and it's pretty close to impossible.

 

[Cherwell]

My whole issue with a violent or passive abduction is we've had a member of WS on that road. The traffic observed might give you 3 or 4 vehicles in the "minutes" RT lost sight of her. The idea that 25-33% of the cars on any given road at any given time are being driven by kidnappers/abductors doesn't compute with me.

At any given time? Nobody suggested that.
It only takes one. It could be one a year, one in five or ten years. You'd just have to be unlucky.

 

[PommyMommy]

let me check with my SO. Its a group.

It's okay, Nikynoo, I just realized that we can't link it anyway since it's a closed group. Not enough coffee yet this morning! I did ask the founder of the group whether either of the other admins are relatives of RT's though. MOO

 

[CSIDreamer]

At any given time? Nobody suggested that.
It only takes one. It could be one a year, one in five or ten years. You'd just have to be unlucky.

If you factor out "any given time" that sounds to me like you're thinking "planned abduction". Am I interpreting that correctly?

 

[LietKynes]

Marking my spot.
Am not positive there's a chance she is in hiding... too much time has passed.
Feeling very down today about Barbara. I'd love nothing more than to be wrong !

 

[LAhiker]

In the previous thread, @artsy1 said this:

I know I sound like a broken record bringing up that Oasis gas station off the I40 at exit 107, but I think there may be something useful there.
After looking closer at the map a few minutes ago of where the gas station is, I hadn't realized that if you exit from the north side of the property, you get out at the old Route 66 AT Hidden Hill Rd. Yep, the same Hidden Hill Rd that meets Kelbaker Rd where LE was called to on July 12.

If I could, I would search Hidden Hill Rd between Route 66 and Kelbaker Rd for signs of Barbara. IMHO

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

In a subsequent post, artsy1 gave a Google maps address for the gas station:
Google Maps

My guess is that it's around 30 miles on Hidden Hill Road to its intersection with Kelbaker Rd, which is where RT said BT disappeared. Others pointed out that Hidden Hill Road is unpaved and discussed what it would be like to drive the truck/RV combo along such a road. They said it would be jarring and dusty and (if I understood the comments correctly) not very good for the RV. On the other hand, if one intended to make someone disappear, that might be one place to do it.

If RT had driven the truck/RV combo along Hidden Hill Road, I think it would be covered with dust. I also think there might be distinctive tire tracks, especially because the truck was a "dually," with dual rear wheels on each side. I hope that LE noted the condition of the truck/RV as well as any tire tracks in the area.

Of course, that doesn't mean someone else couldn't have driven along that road. JMO.

 

[Cherwell]

If you factor out "any given time" that sounds to me like you're thinking "planned abduction". Am I interpreting that correctly?

I don't think we're on the same wavelength at all.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I don't think we're on the same wavelength at all.

Probably not.

 

[Stripehaven]

So, if you honestly believe your wife has been abducted from along the road for nefarious reasons do you call LE, go on TV and offer that as a theory, naming Las Vegas and telling them to drop her off unharmed and you won’t press charges? Maybe you do initially. But after the desert search is completed and there is no word from the kidnappers and no Barbara after ten days...then what? You don’t even know if you really are dealing with kidnappers at that point...no demands for ransom, no threats, you’ve already called the police. At this point, what do you have to lose by being more proactive to try to find her? We’re well past the stage of tiptoeing carefully on the kidnappers’ feelings.

Agree completely. You would just have to watch Investigation Discovery for a day or so to see coverage of cases where loved ones of the missing do everything they can think of to seek help. Friends and the community often join in; this is one reason I kept harping about does BT have friends. I watch ID way too much but have seen a number of cases where someone doesn’t seem to care that their spouse is missing so friends and family spearhead their own efforts.

I gather that BT’s circle is basically RT’s family. So I still want to know, what are any of them doing? His daughter did seem genuinely agitated in the early coverage on Inside Edition, I think it was. And she was named as one of BT’s best (only?) friends. I’m sure she believes her dad is innocent so I wonder what she is doing to help.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Who is the closest relative (distance wise) on Barbara’s side of the family?

 

[Stripehaven]

I don't agree. It was simply an acknowledgement that someone might have been attracted to her and that person had bad intentions. The main "reason" he gave was that she would have been on the road and alone.
It's completely beyond me how people spin this sort of comment into "blame". There is nothing there that implies that the victim is to blame and a potential abductor should be excused.

When I listened to him, I didn’t feel he was stressing that she was alone, but rather he stressed, “She WAS wearing a bikini and she WAS carrying a beer.” And that sounded to me like he felt those were the things that made her attractive to some random would-be kidnapper happening by.

 

[cricket49]

Checking in for updates on Barbra. It doesn't sound good that there's been no word yet.

Hoping for the best possible outcome.

Me too. I always pop in to see if there is anything new.

It is sad after a month there is nothing from LE.

 

[Yvettea]

Hong Kong airport has been shut down because of protesters.

 

[Jazzy5980]

I'm trying. She's 86 now and just had breast cancer surgery on Thursday.

Prayers are welcome.

I pray your mother’s treatment is effective. Take care this has to be very hard for you.

 

[MimosaMornings]

JMO Places to ask or put up missing posters

Restaurants near their home
Marina where their boat is
(dry storage/rack/slip?)
Hair salon (some women chat to their hairdresser or to other customers)
RV Dealership where they bought the newest fifth wheel.
(Did they trade in their old one or sell it their self)
Local airport

Social clubs?
VFW
Elks
FOE
Kiwanis


Clubs Listings

 

[Auntie Cipation]

JMO Places to ask or put up missing posters

Restaurants near their home
Marina where their boat is
(dry storage/rack/slip?)
Hair salon (some women chat to their hairdresser or to other customers)
RV Dealership where they bought the newest fifth wheel.
(Did they trade in their old one or sell it their self)
Local airport

Social clubs?
VFW
Elks
FOE
Kiwanis


Clubs Listings

Vet's office

Loser's Lounge

 

[wary]

My whole issue with a violent or passive abduction is we've had a member of WS on that road. The traffic observed might give you 3 or 4 vehicles in the "minutes" RT lost sight of her. The idea that 25-33% of the cars on any given road at any given time are being driven by kidnappers/abductors doesn't compute with me.

Besides, the true chance of being abducted is minuscule. Factor in traffic plus the statistics and it's pretty close to impossible.

MOO

The problem is—if that’s what happened, then statistics don’t matter.

And you definitely don’t need 25% of the people driving along the road to be potential kidnappers. All you need is one person driving this road, at this time, as opposed to all the other times when it was perfectly safe.

We’ve seen lots of random kidnappings by strangers, here on WS. They were all extremely unlikely occurrences, and a lot of them involved a degree of luck that looks a lot like split-second timing. “What are the chances that someone comes along at that very minute....?” But if someone bad DID come along at that very minute, the chances are 100%.

MOO

P.S. However, I’m not keen on the abduction theory.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

JMO Places to ask or put up missing posters

Hair salon (some women chat to their hairdresser or to other customers)

RSBM/BBM

Someone mentioned yesterday about Barbara’s hair salon. I wonder if anyone spoke with her stylist. As you mentioned above, there is a lot of chit chat while you have your hair done. Might be a good source of info re the relationship.

Did Barbara have her nails done? Facials? Massages? Gym?

ETA: Oh how I wish dogs could talk.

 

[wary]

Deleted by me—clarified elsewhere.