CA CA - Betty Baxter Simmons, 75, car stuck, found abandoned near Korbel, Berkeley, 5 Sep 2020

[GuyfromCanada]

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a missing person’s case after a Berkeley woman’s vehicle was found abandoned on a logging road.

On Sept. 24, 2020, at about 8:30 p.m., an employee of a timber company notified the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office that he had discovered a vehicle belonging to 75-year-old Betty Baxter Simmons abandoned on Snow Camp Road near Korbel. The employee found a note on the vehicle’s window with instructions to “Tow to Berkeley”.

Deputies arrived at the location and observed evidence that the vehicle may have become stuck on the road after trying to turn around at a locked gate. It appeared that the vehicle may have been stuck there for some time. Inside the vehicle deputies located Simmons’ personal belongings. A search of the surrounding area for Simmons or any evidence of where she may have gone was conducted with no results.

Upon further investigation, deputies learned that Simmons was reportedly last seen around Sept. 5, 2020 by a neighbor in Berkeley. Simmons reportedly told the neighbor that she would be going on a short trip. Simmons has reportedly not returned to her residence since that time.

Betty Simmons is described as a 75-year-old white female, approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, 156 pounds, with grey hair and hazel eyes.

This case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information about Simmons’ whereabouts is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.

County of Humboldt

Law Enforcement Looking for Missing Bay Area Woman

It's been a long time, where could Betty be? Did she not have a cellphone on her to call for help after getting stuck?

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Berkeley CA to Korbel CA خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏ depends which route Betty took, 289-339 miles.

 

[YaYa_521]

Berkeley musician Beebee Simmons missing in Humboldt County
By Emilie RagusoSept. 30, 2020, 4:55 p.m.
ETA photo

BBM
A Berkeley artist and musician went missing in Humboldt County after asking for directions to a Buddhist temple in nearby Trinity County in early September, authorities report.

Betty Baxter Simmons, who goes by “Beebee” or “BB,”...

• her neighbor...said she saw Simmons packing up her car on Labor Day weekend. Neighbors became concerned when she never came home.
• At this point, foul play is not suspected
  
• may have had car trouble then set off on foot for help
• In the vehicle, deputies found a cellphone that was turned off or dead, Karges said. They also found luggage and other personal belongings.
• In the Prius, investigators also found paperwork including a business card for a State Farm office in Vacaville...Simmons had gone into the office Sept. 2, she said, asking for directions to Tara House, which is the main office of Chagdud Gonpa Rigdzin Ling, a Buddhist retreat center
• A staff member at the temple told Berkeleyside on Wednesday that Simmons had not visited in September.
• Karges said there had been no indication that Simmons might have been struggling in any way that might help explain her disappearance. When she visited the State Farm office, Simmons “did make a few odd statements, but nothing extremely alerting,” she said.

Much more at link

 

[YaYa_521]

Beebee's FB
Beebee Simmons

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Berkeley musician Beebee Simmons missing in Humboldt County
By Emilie RagusoSept. 30, 2020, 4:55 p.m.
ETA photo

BBM
A Berkeley artist and musician went missing in Humboldt County after asking for directions to a Buddhist temple in nearby Trinity County in early September, authorities report.

Betty Baxter Simmons, who goes by “Beebee” or “BB,”...

• her neighbor...said she saw Simmons packing up her car on Labor Day weekend. Neighbors became concerned when she never came home.
• At this point, foul play is not suspected
  
• may have had car trouble then set off on foot for help
• In the vehicle, deputies found a cellphone that was turned off or dead, Karges said. They also found luggage and other personal belongings.
• In the Prius, investigators also found paperwork including a business card for a State Farm office in Vacaville...Simmons had gone into the office Sept. 2, she said, asking for directions to Tara House, which is the main office of Chagdud Gonpa Rigdzin Ling, a Buddhist retreat center
• A staff member at the temple told Berkeleyside on Wednesday that Simmons had not visited in September.
• Karges said there had been no indication that Simmons might have been struggling in any way that might help explain her disappearance. When she visited the State Farm office, Simmons “did make a few odd statements, but nothing extremely alerting,” she said.

Much more at link

Thank you for posting that wonderfully informative article. The only thing that article didn't state was, "Why has Betty driven farther than she usually drives to visit a Buddhist retreat up near Redding?" I don't think anyone know why, except for Betty. I had relatives that lived in Lewiston, and I never found the time to drive up there. That was when I lived a similar distance away (about 300 miles away). Where the Buddhist temple is is really in a beautiful, but remote location.

I also read Betty's Facebook, that you posted (TY @YaYa_521). Most of Betty's posts were reposts of music, and some political reposts, but on Aug 27th, Betty reposted a "6 years ago" post she made about the death of a devout Buddhist, who had spent decades of strict retreat at the Dudjom Rinpoche's NYC Dharma Center. So, IMO, Betty had Buddism on her mind shortly before leaving for the Buddhist retreat center. Here is the link to that particular post of Betty's:

Beebee Simmons (permalink to post about a devout Buddhist's death in 2014)

Here is the Facebook page of the Buddhist retreat, which does state that it is closed now due to Covid:

Chagdud Gonpa Rigdzin Ling

Here is a Google Map showing where the Buddhist Retreat is in relation to Redding (taking the I-5 route from Berkeley). The address of the retreat is 341 Red Hill Road, Junction City, CA, according to the retreat's Facebook page. Of course, as the map posted by @GuyfromCanada shows, Betty could have driven up Hwy 101, and got lost before ever making near the retreat. If Betty had driven up I-5, she would have passed the temple, and continued driving west to get to where her car was found.

The above map just showed the town of Korbel (population 120+), but Betty's vehicle was on Snow Camp Road. Here is Google Maps showing the distance between Korbel and Snow Camp Road:

Driving through Korbel makes sense if Betty had come north up Hwy 101, then turned east on Hwy 299. If Betty had come north up I-5, then turned west on Hwy 299, she might have taken this exit to Snow Camp Road (Google Maps did not want to go this way, I had to drag the route--Google Maps wanted to go through Korbel to get to Snow Camp Road from the east or from the west). There was no Google walk for this route to get to Snow Camp Road, so I don't know why Google doesn't like this route:

It is difficult to figure out which routes Betty took, because at this point, with her vehicle found in such a remote location, it is hard to know what she was trying to accomplish. IMO, because it was stated that Betty was perhaps trying to turn around when her vehicle got stuck, that she must have realized she wasn't where she wanted to be.

There are logging operations around where Betty's car was. There are also greenhouses in that area. I noticed many of the greenhouses in satellite view of this area when another person who is missing was last located on Titlow Hill Road, which is where the white area is on the last map clip (6 miles east of Snow Camp Road.

Betty has been missing almost a month now. It is hard to believe she is still alive, but I hope she is.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Human remains have been found not far from Betty's vehicle.

[UPDATED Substantially] Human Remains Found Not Far From Missing Berkeley Woman’s Vehicle – Redheaded Blackbelt

 

[YaYa_521]

Human remains have been found not far from Betty's vehicle.

[UPDATED Substantially] Human Remains Found Not Far From Missing Berkeley Woman’s Vehicle – Redheaded Blackbelt

Snipped

Yesterday evening, social media rumors began to circulate claiming the body of Betty Baxter Simmons (Beebee), a Berkeley woman whose vehicle was found abandoned on a rural Humboldt County road, had been discovered by searchers.

Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Samantha Karges confirmed last night, “Human remains were located today in the area of Snow Camp Road. We are unable to confirm that they belong to Simmons but it is possible. We will have more information Monday after the coroner’s office obtains identify confirmation.”

More at link

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Human remains have been found not far from Betty's vehicle.

[UPDATED Substantially] Human Remains Found Not Far From Missing Berkeley Woman’s Vehicle – Redheaded Blackbelt

This is very sad, but not unexpected if this is Betty. Someone who knew Betty said that Betty had the energy of a 40-year old, but trying to survive in the mountains would be difficult for anyone. If this is Betty, she can return to her family.

I will always wonder if this would have had a different ending if only Betty had shared her travel plans with someone--then LE might have been notified more quickly about Betty being missing. But I also have a feeling that someone might have tried to convince Betty that the long trip would be too difficult,, and it was something she really wanted to do.

Thank you for posting that article, @YaYa_521. It was written quite strangely, IMO. WS has had plenty of links to this source before, and I have never seen a story written with the updated corrections just lined-out.

 

[Darling136]

Another msm with many information

Human remains found near missing Berkeley woman's car in Humboldt

 

[YaYa_521]

Another msm with many information

Human remains found near missing Berkeley woman's car in Humboldt

Snipped
On Friday, authorities recovered partial human remains from the Snow Camp Road area

“We can’t officially confirm that these remains belong to Simmons until we conduct DNA testing,” said Karges. “There is currently no evidence that a crime has been committed and foul play is not suspected. However, it is too soon to rule anything out. A forensic examination of the remains will hopefully tell us more.”

W. S.-T., Simmons’ half-sister, told Berkeleyside the remains that were found included only a few bones, a skull and dentures.
More at link...

 

[YaYa_521]

Thank you for posting that wonderfully informative article.

There are logging operations around where Betty's car was. There are also greenhouses in that area. I noticed many of the greenhouses in satellite view of this area when another person who is missing was last located on Titlow Hill Road, which is where the white area is on the last map clip (6 miles east of Snow Camp Road.

Reposting your map clip showing "white area"
yvw! Who is the other missing person and when was he/she last seen? Any chance of a connection b/w these cases?

 

[TatianaBarbie]

Reposting your map clip showing "white area"
yvw! Who is the other missing person and when was he/she last seen? Any chance of a connection b/w these cases?

This is the thread for the missing man, whose phone last pinged on Titlow Hill Road:

CA - CA- Nick Vigil, 38, Fortuna, 25 Feb 2020

I remembered where the cell phone last pinged because I spent several hours trying to figure out why Nick Vigil's phone was in that area. But what I find more surprising is the comments on the news article you previously linked ([UPDATE 4:31 p.m.] Human Remains Found Not Far From Missing Berkeley Woman’s Vehicle – Redheaded Blackbelt. It could be that elderly people are just dying in their vehicles after getting lost in the backwoods of Humboldt and Mendocino Counties, or maybe it is something more serious. This is such a beautiful area of California, but there is a lot of wilderness, and not a lot of people to witness any unusual happenings.

 

[lindamichelle1]

Tried to find out if the remains were ever confirmed as hers but cant find any updates

 

[annpats]

It did say the skull and remains were found 'with dentures'....which to me indicates it is likely to be Betty.

She was 75 and many people of that age wear dentures.

Plus the chances of another body being found so close to her car must be pretty rare.

MOO