CA CA - Bob Harrod, 81, Orange County, 27 July 2009 - #15

[Laughing]

Folks, we haven't done this in a while. Something like 3 1/2 years. Things change, ya'know?

The GeoCaching website has forums. Without much reflection, posting on a SoCal or Orange County forum could get discussion like ours going, but going among locals who like to get out & walk around in undeveloped areas.

I'll see if I can remember the logon and password.

All of you feel free to click around on the Geocaching.com website & make some logic connections, if not human connections!

:seeya:

Laughing


These folks look like good candidates:

http://www.socal4x4geocachers.org/index.php

 

[Cubby]

Well, one way of getting the community mobilized would be to find a cache that is in a target location and notify the cachers that there was a missing person in the area and please BOLO for items that are out of place. Like a shower curtain or a bed linen or a white reebok sneaker. KWIM?

There is the potential of 50K tied to this endeavor which is always nice, but I bet that a group like this would BOLO because they were asked to.

I think they would BOLO too, if asked. Since we know not all searchers are as interested in looking for a (likely) deceased person as they are a living missing person, mentioning the reward might cause more interest in looking knowing they might find a deceased person.

I love the idea of placing something in a target area, but who do we have locally to do that? When we don't even have locals to pass out flyers at events? Or take a trip to the court house to get info on docs...

 

[believe09]

Folks, we haven't done this in a while. Something like 3 1/2 years. Things change, ya'know?

The GeoCaching website has forums. Without much reflection, posting on a SoCal or Orange County forum could get discussion like ours going, but going among locals who like to get out & walk around in undeveloped areas.

I'll see if I can remember the logon and password.

All of you feel free to click around on the Geocaching.com website & make some logic connections, if not human connections!

:seeya:

Laughing


These folks look like good candidates:

http://www.socal4x4geocachers.org/index.php

Thank you, Laughing. We need to organize ourselves. Maybe the SAR forum is a good spot for that...I want to check coordinates against caches.

 

[zwiebel]

I think they would BOLO too, if asked. Since we know not all searchers are as interested in looking for a (likely) deceased person as they are a living missing person, mentioning the reward might cause more interest in looking knowing they might find a deceased person.

I love the idea of placing something in a target area, but who do we have locally to do that? When we don't even have locals to pass out flyers at events? Or take a trip to the court house to get info on docs...

Looking things up last night, a cache has to be maintained too, and a person has to be prepared to go out to it and replace full or damaged log books, or a missing or moved cache. I can see a way I could get a cache placed, but not how I could keep it maintained from over here, I'm afraid.

The travel bugs/coins sound like a better idea to me, from what I've read. If Mr Z got his hands on it, it would go all over the place! I'm still trying to find full details though.

 

[Oriah]

Zwie, remember- this is a game for most geocachers- they LOVE to do it! So maintenance once we got it up and running (and perhaps a bit viral?) seems like it might be the least of our issues?

The more I think about this, the more I think it may need a subcategory in the SAR forum. I mean, we already have LE, firefighters, military, etc etc 'playing'...

Of course my starting point was here:
http://www.geocaching.com/articles/parksandpolice/GuideForParksandLawEnforcement.pdf
because of some of the areas of interest in Mr. Harrod's case.

And then here:
http://militarycache.org/index.php (note the SoCal chapter)
and of course here, for those who might be nervous, lol:
http://shop.geocaching.com/default/trackable-items/trackable-tags/law-enforcement-travel-tag.html

And for those confused about how coords work- a tutorial that some SAR groups I know use:
http://www.trimble.com/gps_tutorial/

If people are finding they need help understanding coordinates and how they work we definately should move this to the SAR thread. I can help with that.

Couldn't we somehow begin scouring the internet for forums and groups already trained with an eye for detail, and begin there- using that as a basis for BOLO's for Mr. Harrod's case? I would think those actively interested in locating Mr. Harrod would be very excited about this potential prospect.

ETA: I need to go back and read up up on how the Anna Waters case has been implementing this.

 

[believe09]

I can ask Admin for the sub forum, Oriah, if you havent already. I love this. I really do. And then we can coordinate our efforts at reaching out to the various clubs.

 

[Anna1964]

Just popping in to say the ID channel is showing Bob's episode now if anyone is interested in watching it. I have seen it several times, and it is so incredibly sad.

 

[LaurieHavens]

When the 'almost always dodgy and vague' LE flat out SAYS, not once but several times, that his disappearance is related to his money, and WHO stands to gain from it, you KNOW that THEY KNOW. They just can't prove it yet. What a sad mess!

 

[LaurieHavens]

One more thing, I love how on the DISAPPEARED show, Bob's kids try to throw Fontelle under the bus! First one's talking about how he moved too fast to get married to her(He was 81! Was he supposed to have a 3 year engagement? Plus, he was obviously of a clear mind on the video when talking. NOTHING he did that day was consistent with them "needing to go and clear his mind and think about this marriage thing". He was finishing up last minute repairs for Fontelles' arrival. And they knew that!) STFU!

They tried to throw her under the bus again by insinuating SHE was after his money, and it was her, and her alone! Give me a break. He had documentation, lists indicating he was going to change some things around for his WIFE! These people are whacked! Poor Bob and Fontelle.

 

[zwiebel]

Thank you, LaurieHavens and Anna1964! I had no idea it was being shown again, and I don't think anyone else here did either.

 

[zwiebel]

Yep. There is a Wednesday showing listed here as well:
http://investigation.discovery.com/tv-shows/tv-schedule.htm

And I didn't profile it in my sig!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[zwiebel]

Thank you Discovery TV!

The schedule I posted is only showing ET/PT times for tomorrow's showing, so anyone not in those time zones should check their local schedule.......although I 'think' the show will air at 2am everywhere.

 

[zwiebel]

Cloudajo, I'm so glad you made the new version of Bob's missing poster in time for his birthday. It's worked out to be perfect timing for the 'Long Lost Love' re-showings too.

Any guests or members wanting to view or print Bob's missing poster, can find it at the link in my signature, below. All guests would be very welcome to join and contribute to Bob's thread, by the way. We would love to hear your contributions.

 

[Cubby]

ETA: I need to go back and read up up on how the Anna Waters case has been implementing this.

Respectfully snipped. There was only a single post about it here at WS that I could find, Oriah. All that was mentioned was a former member was having the coins made. I was sent one and I keep it on my key chain.

In Anna's case, I believe they were made as an effort to make more people aware of her disappearance, rather than BOLO for remains. Especially since a kidnapping to raise a child can not be ruled out.

hth.

 

[Cubby]

Welcome to Bob's thread Anna1964 and LaurieHavens!

I'd been wondering when Bob's episode would be aired again, even as recently as a few days ago, but hadn't checked the listings. Thanks for letting us know!

 

[Cubby]

With the show re-airing, I thought I'd carry over the transcript again. (originally posted by askfornina)

Disappeared - Long Lost Love - Full Transcript

Narrator: Bob Harrod disappeared on Monday, July 27th 2009. When a person disappears without a trace, often the most critical information is hidden in their actions and words from the days before they vanished. Bob Harrod's last known whereabouts may hold the clues to what happened to him. An 81 year old reunites with his first love.

Fontelle: It'd been 59 years. I never, ever forgot about Bob.

Narrator: Before the celebrations began, the unthinkable happens.

Det. Loomis: If Bob were not back by the next day, we knew we were going to have a big problem.

Narrator: As police sort through clues, various possible motives emerge-

PB: She was taking financial advantage of my father.

Narrator: -deeply dividing those closest to Bob-

Det. Radomski: A lot of that is a source of animosity in the family.

Narrator: -turning an amazing love story into a baffling mystery.

RB: You just don't expect you're ever going to go through something like this. It's an absolute horror.

Narrator: July 27th, 2009. Bob Harrod is up and moving with the morning. A spritely 81 year old living in Placentia, CA, he's got a big day ahead of him. Bob is getting everything ready for the arrival of his new bride- Fontelle. The two were married just one month earlier in an incredible story of lost and found love.

PB: Dad first mentioned Fontelle to me in December of 2008. He had told me that they were engaged some 59 years previously, when they both lived in Missouri. And that he wouldn't know how to get in touch with her. I tried to look Fontelle up on the internet, to no avail. Cause she'd obviously been married and you can't find somebody unless you know their name.

Narrator: By complete coincidence, five months later and 1500 miles away, Fontelle- with the help of her daughter, tries to find Bob- and she succeeds.

Fontelle: Before I could say anything, she had dialed the number and had it stuck up to my ear, and a man answered. And I said, "Is this the Bob Harrod that was raised in McFall, Missouri?" and he said "Yes." He said, "Who are you?" And I said, "Well, the blast from your past. This is Fontelle."

Narrator: Bob and Fontelle talk on the phone for over an hour, reminiscing about their time together in Missouri.

Fontelle: I met Bob in late summer of 1949. A friend of my sister Rosemary needed a blind date, so she asked me if I would go. I told her yes, I would. So, it was later that day Bob came to the house. It was like I looked all the way to his soul when I looked into his eyes.

Narrator: Over the next several months, Bob and Fontelle became inseparable.

Fontelle: He bought me an engagement ring and asked me if I'd marry him, and I told him yes. And my whole family just really, really loved him.

Narrator: In June 1950, Bob enlisted in the Marines. He was stationed out in Camp Pendleton, California where he worked as a cook. Fontelle tried to stay in touch, but the distance proved too difficult.

Fontelle: I would write to Bob but I never got a letter from him so I thought that perhaps he'd changed his mind about me. There wasn't anything I could do about it, so I just let it go.

Narrator: Both Fontelle and Bob eventually married other people and started their own families. Now, more than half a century later when both are widowed, their thoughts return to their first love.

Fontelle: It'd been 59 years, but I always kept the ring. I never, ever forgot about Bob. Never.

Narrator: After staying in close contact for the next two months, Fontelle flies out to California to visit Bob.

Fontelle: I was anxious when the airplane landed. I wanted to see Bob and yet I was kind of afraid to because I was older and of course didn't look anything like I did when I was younger. I wore the pink jacket so I would stand out in the crowd and he wouldn't have any doubt as to who I was. When I saw him, he was different. He didn't have any hair to speak of but he still had his smile, he still had all his own teeth. That surprised me. But he said, "I'm bald." and I said, "Well," I said, "I've still got my hair, but I've got false teeth so it kind of evens out, doesn't it?"

Narrator: In the first few days of her visit, Fontelle is introduced to Bob's three daughters- Roberta, Julie, and Paula.

PB: I went down on June 24th to meet Fontelle and it was very pleasant. She seemed like a very honest person. She was very straightforward about who she was and where she was.

RB: We laughed. Dad seemed happy. Fontelle was very talkative- and I thought, this is a good thing. He's going to be happy. He's going to stop seeming depressed. He's going to start living again and we can stop worrying about him.

Narrator: Bob's daughters welcomed the change in their father, who had been grieving for his wife Georgia since she passed away in March 2008.

PB: He lost a lot of weight because he just didn't want to cook for himself, and he just didn't want to eat much. He seemed very depressed and he would break down in tears. And it was very difficult because he just couldn't talk about it.

Narrator: Fontelle seems to have rescued Bob from this dark place, and on the 6th day of her visit, he proposes to her for the second time.

Fontelle: He said, "What would it take to get you to stay here with me?" I said, "The only way I'd stay here is if we were married." And he said, "Well, will you marry me?" I said, "Yes, I will." And on the 29th, we went to apply for a license and we filled out all the necessary papers that they needed, and then she looked up at us and she said, "Would you like to get married now?"

Narrator: Although Bob's family is excited at the prospect of his new found happiness, they are startled by the news.

PB: We want our dad to be very happy. But at the same time, you know- we warned him to just take your time. Get to know this person. You have been away from this person more of your life than you ever spent with her. Do you really know each other? But, their minds had obviously been made up that they were going to get married.

Narrator: Making up for lost time, the newlyweds quickly organized Fontelle's relocation to California.

Fontelle: Our plan was that I would go home and get my clothing and bring what I wanted and I was going to stay here. This was to be my home and he was getting it ready for me.

Narrator: Fontelle spends three weeks packing and preparing for her big cross country move. Her flight to California is set for Wednesday, July 29th- her one month anniversary with Bob. As her departure date approaches, Fontelle continues to talk to Bob every day.

Fontelle: I called him twice a day. I would call him in the morning and we would talk, and then I would call him in the evening every night, 10 o'clock.

Narrator: But, two nights before her flight, Fontelle has trouble reaching Bob.

Fontelle: I tried to call Bob Monday evening and I didn't get an answer, so I kind of thought maybe he'd gone out in the car to the grocery store and hadn't gotten back yet so I tried again in about 20 minutes. Still didn't get an answer.

Narrator: Fontelle keeps trying without luck. She's about to call Bob's daughter Julie when the phone rings.

Fontelle: So, I went and answered it and it was Julie. And she said, "Fontelle, Daddy's missing."

Narrator: Coming up- a search for Bob reveals a promising clue.

Det. Loomis: We thought, "Okay, this is it. This is what we're looking for."

~~

Narrator: Fontelle Harrod has just learned that her new husband Bob is missing. The two were married during a whirlwind reunion after almost 60 years apart. Fontelle had returned home to the Midwest to pack her things. She was about to move in with Bob in California. Two days before her flight, Fontelle receives a disturbing phone call from Bob's daughter Julie.

Fontelle: She said Bob's missing. And I said, "Well, I've been trying to call him and I don't get an answer."

Narrator: Bob's family has also been trying to reach him for hours. His daughter Roberta decides to call the police and ask for a welfare check.

RB: So I thought, well maybe they could go down there and look all around the house. Get a key, go inside and just make sure he's not in there and just not answering the phone.

Det. Loomis: Officers went to the home and were let in. The home was checked. Bob was not there. There seemed to be no signs of disturbance- anything to indicate there was any sort of a struggle and there wasn't anything that really raised any alarms at that point.

Narrator: Fontelle is not reassured.

Fontelle: I didn't know what to think. I really did not know what to think. He wouldn't go out visiting neighbors that time a night or anything cause it's 8 o'clock. That's getting late, you know, to go visiting- for older people, anyway. So I called the Placentia police from Shawnee, Kansas at my daughter's house and I made a missing persons report.

Narrator: The next morning, a formal investigation into Bob's whereabouts is launched.

Det. Loomis: The first thing we did was canvas the neighborhood. We went to talk to all of the neighbors on the street to see when the last time they saw Bob, what his demeanor was. Try to get kind of a feel for what his patterns were.

Narrator: According to the neighbors, Bob is somewhat of a recluse.

Det. Loomis: They would see him take his trashcans in and out. Bob drove, and they would see him come and go in his car. And, Bob took a daily constitutional walk for a mile or so up the street and back, but no one had real day to day contact with him to know what his schedule would be.

Narrator: Bob's daughters recount to police recent signs of Bob's mind beginning to slip.

PB: I would go down and see Dad at least once or twice a month. I could see he was having difficulty in getting his paperwork together. It just seemed like a effort for Dad to put anything together. And he couldn't remember a lot of things, because I would find him repeating things to me.

RB: He had a fear of driving on freeways, so he didn't go very far from home. Pretty much Dad would sit in his recliner and read the Wall Street Journal or watch the news.

Narrator: Learning that Bob is a homebody, and that his car is parked in the driveway, police surmise that Bob probably hasn't gone far away.

Det. Loomis: He's 81 years old, and with his car in the driveway- where could he go? We had checked his bank records- credit cards, there was no movement on any account. No obvious withdrawals of any money that would be able to fund him going anywhere, so it was really a mystery of- where could he go?

Narrator: Investigators turn their attention to the most unusual recent event in Bob's life- getting married to his first love Fontelle, an occasion notable enough to get coverage from local papers and KTLA News.

Det. Loomis: I was familiar with Bob's story before all of this happened. There had been quite a bit of press. Newspapers and televisions had covered this reuniting of Bob and Fontelle after 59 years.

<Reporter: And after having families and being separated they find each other again. So, what was it like for Bob to see Fontelle after 6 decades?

Bob: She was considerably older but still beautiful, when she talked I knew it was her. I could just tell by her voice, and that spark was still there. I just wanted to hold her forever.>

Det. Loomis: It really resonated with people that- how sweet, these folks found each other after all of these years and how lovely is that.

<Reporter: So what was his trick in getting her back?

Bob: Tell her how you feel. Make sure she knows it.>

Narrator: With Bob and Fontelle's incredible story in mind, a new lead begins to develop.

Det. Loomis: It was kind of the conclusion of all of the detectives involved that there was a possibility that Bob was contemplating having moved a little too fast with Fontelle and that perhaps he was getting a little nervous about the prospect of really closing the chapter with his deceased wife Georgia by getting rid of all of her belongings and her effects in the house to make preparation for Fontelle.

Narrator: Police wonder if Bob has gone somewhere to be alone and gather his thoughts. It's not long before they stumble upon a clue that seems to support their theory.

Det. Loomis: Bob's white Camry was parked in the driveway. We gained entry into that vehicle and we went into the glove box and we found an address. The address was in Bob's handwriting and it was the name of a couple who live in a community down by the beach, probably 20 miles or so from Placentia. And we thought, "Okay, this is it. Bob has gone to this couple's house and this is what we're looking for."

Narrator: Thinking they'd hit pay dirt, the Placentia police head immediately to the address on the note.

Det. Loomis: We drove down to Balboa Island. We knocked on these people's doors who were- we found out, friends of Bobs for like 60 years and so they were Bob's age. And at first they weren't very happy to see us and hear us knocking. "Do you know what time it is? It's 9:30 at night."

Narrator: The couple tells police that Bob is not there, but that they had seen him just a few weeks earlier.

Det. Loomis: Bob had actually brought Fontelle down to their home the day before Bob and Fontelle got married and that he had arrived in the evening. We found that very interesting because there really is no way to get to Balboa from Placentia without getting on the freeway, contrary to what the family said that he never drives the freeway.

Narrator: The fact that Bob drove so far at night suggests that he is still quite capable and his mind sharp. Detectives contact Bob's doctor to confirm.

Det. Loomis: His doctor's opinion was that he was one of the healthiest 81 year old men that he'd ever seen. He was active and mobile and capable of making his own life decisions- major life decisions and his ability to care for himself and navigate his own home.

Narrator: Police deduced that Bob is taking time away to process his big life change and will reappear when Fontelle comes back from Missouri.

Det. Loomis: We kind of all-purposed that if Bob were not back by the day that Fontelle was due to arrive and begin her life with Bob- that we knew we were going to have a big problem. And we did, because Fontelle arrived and Bob never did.

Narrator: Coming up- police take a closer look at Bob's last day.

Agnes, Bob's housekeeper: Never in the 10 years I worked for them that happened before. I just- that was very strange.

~~

Narrator: 81 year old Bob Harrod hasn't been seen for two days. His family and investigators from the Placentia, California Police Department have been doing everything they can to track him down. Their worries grow as the arrival date of his new wife approaches, an event everyone agrees Bob would not miss for the world.

Det. Loomis: The big red flag came that next day when Fontelle landed and we hadn't heard from Bob.

Narrator: On the morning of July 29th, 2009, Fontelle Harrod is flying from her home in Missouri to Los Angeles to begin her new life with Bob.

Fontelle: When I first got back here on Wednesday the 29th- which actually would have been our first months wedding anniversary, the street was full of media people and they just kind of bombarded me as I got off of the shuttle.

<Fontelle, 2009: We were just getting started again. No, he would not have left on his own.>

Narrator: But as Fontelle settles into the house, there is no sign of her new husband.

Fontelle: His shaving kit was here, his toothbrush- everything was right where it had been. His house slippers- so, it didn't look like anything had happened in the house.

Narrator: As police are beginning to suspect foul play, Detective David Radomski from the homicide division, takes a fresh look at Bob's last day.

Det. Radomski: Bob was excited by all accounts that Fontelle was planning to make his house their home and he was trying to get little things fixed here and there.

Narrator: Bob's son in law Jeff was also there that day. He arrived in the morning to do handyman work, as he had often done in the past.

Det. Loomis: Bob had basically a honey do list for Jeff of things that he wanted fixed around the house, both inside and outside. Electrical work, plumbing work- to get the house ready for Fontelle.

Det. Radomski: Jeff left several times. Once was to go to a convenience store. The other two were to home improvement stores to get supplies for what he was doing.

Narrator: Jeff tells police that when he returned from a set of errands, Bob was gone.

Det. Radomski: There was nothing specific mentioned by Jeff about Bob's behavior other than he felt that maybe he had gone to an appointment that Jeff didn't know about or became ill. That was one of the things he said, but nothing that stood out to Jeff as, you know, a destination that Bob had.

Narrator: But Jeff was not the only person at Bob's house that day. Agnes, Bob's housekeeper of more than 10 years arrived around noon. Normally, she cleans Bob's house on Tuesday, but this week she'd arranged to come on Monday.

Agnes: And he said, "That will be fine, I will be here. Jeff is coming and he's going to take care of a couple of things in the house before Fontelle comes." So, I went to the house, knocked on the door. Nobody answered. I looked in the mailbox because that's where he normally leaves me the key. The key wasn't there, so I sat on the bench in front of the house.

Narrator: The situation made her very uneasy. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

Agnes: Bob was always home when I went over there or if him and Georgia- they would always, always tell me if they would not be home and they put a key in the mailbox. But, it was a very rare occasion that they were not home.

Narrator: After about 15 minutes, Jeff drove up to the house.

Agnes: I told him right away- do you know where Bob is because he's not answering the door and Jeff was just asking me, "Are you supposed to be here today?" I said, "Yeah, Bob knew I was coming today."

Narrator: Agnes was surprised to hear that Bob didn't tell Jeff that she would be coming that day. As Jeff let her in the house, she began to feel that something was very wrong.

Agnes: I was really concerned at that point. I was afraid to go upstairs. I didn't want to find anything, so I asked Jeff if he would go upstairs and see if Bob was there.

Narrator: Agnes waited at the bottom of the stairs while Jeff went up to have a look around.

Agnes: I thought he's just going to look into the room- it takes a minute to go up, look into the room and just see if Bob was there or not. But, he actually ended up spending a couple of minutes there, so I thought maybe he, you know, find something. He found him there or something. So, I yelled up, I said, "Is he there? Is he okay?" and he said, "No, he's not here," and then he came back.

Narrator: Uncertain about what to do next, Agnes began cleaning while Jeff resumed his repairs. As she worked her way around the house, she noticed something disturbing.

Agnes: When I went upstairs I saw that in his bedroom the bed was unmade and never in the 10 years I worked for them that happened before. It was just so out of character for him not to make the bed. I just- that was very strange.

Narrator: Deeply troubled, Agnes finished up and left shortly after Jeff who had also completed his work.

Agnes: I was there altogether about three hours. I can honestly tell you that during the whole time I was there I was very concerned. I kept thinking, where is he at?

Narrator: Since Jeff was the last person to see Bob that day, he's asked to come into the station for questioning. Jeff says he wasn't at the house when Bob left and produces two receipts to prove it.

Det. Radomski: We were able to corroborate it with some store surveillance and yes his time is accounted for but there are still windows of opportunity if it were for something to go wrong.

Narrator: Placentia police follow up Jeff's interview with a thorough search of Bob's house.

Det. Radomski: The house was searched from floor to ceiling. Back yard, front yard, everything. At this time I can't really talk about what was found or what wasn't found, but yes, it was searched.

Narrator: Jeff's vehicle is also brought to the station for forensic analysis.

Det. Loomis: Jeff's car was clean, clean of any trace evidence. Of course Bob's DNA could very well be in that car because Jeff is a family member and Bob could have ridden in it but there was nothing that the crime lab was able to find that gave us any indication that Bob had met with foul play or had been injured, killed or transported in that vehicle after being injured or killed.

Narrator: Jeff tells police that he has nothing to do with Bob's disappearance and provides them with a new lead.

Det. Loomis: When Jeff was recounting the activities of that day, Jeff did tell us that he believed that he saw on at least one, maybe two occasions a SUV drive slowly down the street.

Narrator: Coming up- a look at Bob's bank account adds new credence to the idea of foul play.

Det. Radomski: One thing we always try to look for right away is motive, and if you look at the overall wealth of Mr.Harrod, you could definitely label him a millionaire.

~~

Narrator: 81 year old Bob Harrod disappeared on Monday, July 27th 2009. His son in law Jeff was the last person to see him when he came to Bob's house to do some repair work. While being questioned at the Placentia police station, Jeff suddenly remembers a small detail that turns the investigation in a new direction.

Det. Radomski: During Jeff's interview he did mention he felt he may have seen a vehicle similar to one that Josie was driving at the time, which was a SUV.

Narrator: Josie is the 45 year old owner of a local barbershop where Bob and his wife Georgia were clients for years.

PB: She was cutting our mother's hair and I guess our father's hair as well. Not that he had much to cut, but she was doing it. And, she became more involved in his life after our mother passed away.

Narrator: Bob's daughters first met Josie when she came to the memorial service to take their mother Georgia's ashes out to sea.

RB: Being an intimate group of people that we all knew, it was unusual when a stranger showed up and Dad introduced her as he and mom's barber. And, they were sitting together almost acting like they were at a party rather than at a memorial service.

Narrator: Those close to Bob are a little shocked by his behavior, but they know that caring for Georgia while she was ill and her subsequent death had been very hard on him.

Agnes: He was telling me that he just had no desire to go nowhere, and he doesn't like to be alone. He wanted to have a relationship and actually he wanted somebody younger because he didn't want somebody to die on him.

Narrator: Bob's daughters believe Josie is interested in more than Bob's companionship.

PB: She was taking financial advantage of my father. I became aware of this when I was helping Dad with his taxes. All of the sudden, there was exorbitant amounts of money going out to her. I was very shocked.

Narrator: This behavior seemed particularly unusual considering how Bob normally handled his money.

RB: Loaning money to people outside of the family was extremely uncharacteristic of Dad throughout the years. If he loaned money to people, it was short term and small amounts. If he loaned money to family members, it was always documented as a loan and with a particular interest rate. It was strictly a business arrangement.

Narrator: The more Bob's daughters learn about Josie and Bob's relationship, the more they suspect something fishy is going on.

RB: Just before Christmas after Mom passed away Dad had loaned $15,000 to this woman. One of my sisters was so suspicious of what was going on that Department of Elder Social Services was contacted and they went out and conducted an interview with Dad. They found he was being abused but that he was apparently of sound enough mind to not want to wish to pursue it.

Narrator: Josie does not deny receiving money and gifts from Bob and says she has paid him back on occasion. Nevertheless, she is called to the station for questioning.

Det. Loomis: Josie was looked at as a suspect in the case. She was looked at as a person of interest, given the fact that she knew Bob and given that she had received money from Bob which ups the ante in the relationship and creates a different dynamic between the two of them. And, so- her whereabouts on the day that Bob disappeared were certainly looked into.

Narrator: Josie states that she did not drive by Bob's house that day and police are able to confirm her alibi. While Josie insists she knows nothing about Bob's disappearance, his family sees a motive for her wanting him gone.

PB: I think the barber woman's motive would be to not pay back my dad for all the money that she had borrowed from him. That's the only thing I could think of.

Narrator: But police see it from another perspective.

Det. Loomis: Bob had, by all accounts, given Josie gifts of money and tangible items and so if she were to have him killed for some reason, she's killing the goose that laid the golden egg. When Bob goes away, all of the money goes away. All of the gifts go away.

Narrator: The role of money in Bob's disappearance is an intriguing angle investigators continue to pursue. Before retiring, Bob worked in contract administration and managed to do quite well.

Det. Radomski: He was just frugal throughout his working career. He was able to put away a lot of money. He had a good job when he was working. He just did everything right, hit a couple of good real estate investments and he owned several properties. You could definitely label him a millionaire.

RB: My dad would have never described himself with the "M" word. If you were to go to their house, it was humble. We would give him clothes as gifts and he would prefer to wear old things. Old, comfy favorites. He was not a materialistic man.

Narrator: Bob's own family wasn't aware of how wealthy he was until his wife, Georgia passed away.

PB: We found out when all the work had been completed by Mom and Dad's attorney, how much Dad was worth. We had no idea up until that point that it was to the extent that it was.

Narrator: As detectives dig deeper, they discover that Bob's fortune is at the heart of one of the families biggest conflicts. In 1995, a trust created by Bob and Georgia named their children as beneficiaries. The three daughters felt that since their mother's death, Bob had not been keeping them apprised of how the trust was being managed.

Det. Radomski: A lot of that is a source of animosity in the family because I don't think it was carried out the way it was supposed to be on paper.

PB: Dad's attorney wrote us a letter and told us that Dad was the trustee and that he would be reporting to us on a regular basis, which he had not done. About the only thing he copied were bank statements. He never followed through with whatever else he was supposed to do.

Narrator: Frustrated, Bob's daughters drafted a formal letter to their father, demanding that he comply with his responsibilities as trustee. But, according to them, Bob got extremely upset when he caught wind of their plan.

PB: It upset him, and it wasn't anything about asking for money or anything else. It was just asking for information that he was supposed to give us. And, it caused a problem.

Det. Radomski: Things got so complicated or heated between Bob and his daughters that he basically wrote them off for 6 months. He didn't want them to visit, he didn't want them to call. I think he was just upset that he was getting bombarded by requests regarding the trust and he's still trying to deal with his wife's death at the same time, so I think he was just overwhelmed.

Narrator: After a 6 month hiatus from his daughters, Bob called for a family meeting at his house.

Det. Loomis: This was a meeting that was on Bob's personal calender, the purpose of which we believe was to discuss the family obtaining a copy of the trust regarding Georgia's property and possible disbursement of some of Georgia's jewelry to the sisters.

Narrator: 24 hours after the meeting, Bob disappeared. Coming up- police wonder if something at the meeting led to Bob going missing.

Fontelle: Bob told me that they'd had the meeting and it had been quite argumentative. He was very upset about it. Very upset.

~~

Narrator: When Bob Harrod went missing on July 27th, 2009, a lot was happening in the octogenarians life. He had just married his first love, and was awaiting her arrival in California to live out the rest of their days together. But, as the investigation into Bob's disappearance progresses, one event stands out. A family meeting scheduled the day before Bob vanished.

Det. Radomski: The weekend before Mr. Harrod went missing, there was a meeting at his house involving Mr. Harrod and his daughters. There was some argument as to how the trust was being carried out.

Narrator: Detectives contact Bob's daughters to try to understand exactly what transpired that day.

RB: Dad called a meeting for July 26th. The purpose was for him, as trustee, report to us on the status of our mother's bypass trust. He was required by law to provide certain reporting and he hadn't done that yet.

Narrator: As the meeting began, Bob's daughters felt he still was not being completely forthcoming with the information.

PB: Roberta was looking over the papers and wanting to know what it was referring to when it said certain things and Dad couldn't answer the question.

RB: He didn't put all the information out on the table that he had told us that we were being given and so I had some questions for him and he got testy.

PB: He was very flustered and it made him quick to temper and it made her quick to temper.

Narrator: Bob's youngest daughter Julie was able to find the missing documents, clearing up some of the confusion and easing the tension.

PB: Once the papers were found and these articles were read aloud, everything settled back down and everyone was fine.

RB: We sat around joking and laughing about the barber and also Fontelle and teasing him about being a newlywed and- she was going to be there in a couple days.

PB: Everyone left on good terms. There was nothing that was left over and everyone was fine.

Narrator: Later that night, Fontelle spoke to Bob on the phone. According to her, he was still quite shaken by the exchange with his daughters.

Fontelle: Bob was very upset because of the meeting. It was argumentative. Roberta is always the first one he says to start arguing and causing confusion in the family.

Narrator: Fontelle says the conflict was not over the trust, instead it had to do with another announcement Bob made.

Fontelle: He told the girls that as soon as I got back from Missouri, he was going to add my name to the house, to his checking account, and also to the estate.

Narrator: But, Bob's daughters dispute that he ever said such a thing.

PB: The meeting that was held was not about Fontelle at all. She was not part of the discussion that day. Dad does not share his private or personal matters with anyone. He never had and he continued not to and that's his choice.

Narrator: Police see a possible motive in this discrepancy. Did a family member kill Bob before he could make changes to the trust? They carefully look for any evidence of Bob's intentions regarding Fontelle and his financial holdings.

Det. Radomski: I was able to find that there were talks between Mr. Harrod and Fontelle as far as getting her on checking accounts and stuff of that nature, but there were no changes or amendments made to the trust involving Fontelle.

Narrator: Bob's daughters maintain that they have nothing to do with their father's disappearance, nor does the family meeting about the trust.

RB: I do not suspect anybody in my family. The fact that he disappeared the following day is strictly coincidental.

Narrator: However, they do have a growing suspicion that Fontelle is after their father's money.

Fontelle: If I was a gold digger, I would have had my name on the dotted line before I ever left California for Missouri. I couldn't have cared less about any thing that they had except their father. That's all I cared about.

Narrator: The animosity between Fontelle and Bob's family has been growing ever since Bob went missing.

RB: In the first couple of days after Dad disappeared, we realized that Fontelle was not on any of Dad's accounts so we talked to a family law attorney and we took a copy of the trust to that attorney and we were advised of what needed to be done to free up money so we could help Fontelle out.

Fontelle: The three girls came to the house and they told me they'd been to see an attorney, and they told me that the attorney advised them to throw my out in the street. Now, mind you, I'm newlywed- left everything I had. Gave up everything to come out here to be married and they're going to throw my out in the street and I don't even have a home to go back to anymore.

RB: We did not kick her out. We did not tell her to leave. We told her that we were advised that we should not have let her in the house, but we didn't ask her to leave. There's no way we could have done that to her.

Narrator: Over time, the relationship between Bob and Fontelle's family worsens, ultimately landing the parties in court to settle their disputes. The bad blood makes things even harder for investigators.

Det. Radomski: One of the huge difficulties in a case like this is that we're pretty confident that this isn't an act of random violence or an abduction, so you have to look at somebody involved- inner circle and that's very hard to get the truth out of that. Friends and family will protect each other. I think that the details lie in the battle for the money.

Narrator: It's been two and a half years since Bob vanished. Placentia police will not name any suspects or rule out anyone in the case.

Det. Radomski: I want to still explore every avenue and keep the information coming in because this case has taken several twists and I would not be surprised to see another.

Narrator: Although the legal battles continue, Bob's loved ones are united by the terrible trauma of living without answers.

RB: We don't know whether to be angry or mourning. I can't help but think somehow, some way somebody he connected with was a big mistake. And I'm not talking about his wife, I'm talking about somebody very dark. You just don't expect you're ever going to go through something like this. It's an absolute horror.

Fontelle: Since I lost Bob, my life has been a nightmare. When I go to bed at night, the last thing I think about is Bob and its the first thing that comes to my mind when I open my eyes in the morning. And I don't know if it'll ever end. But you know what, I'm a tough old lady and if they thought this Missouri hayseed, or whatever you want to call me, was going to pack up and go home, I won't. I'm staying here. I want to see justice.
__________________

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - CA CA - Bob Harrod, 81, Orange County, 27 July 2009 - #14

 

[zwiebel]

Brace yourselves, my fellow posters.

There is a facebook page for Bob out there.......and it isn't useless!

(It's the mysterious one with the same name as the website, but it isn't me. It's supportive of Bob though, and has come through with excellent timing. What a wonderful thing to happen, and what a wonderful thing for someone to have done. Share, share, share all you facebookers, please!)

https://www.facebook.com/bobharrod.stillmissing

 

[zwiebel]

Everytime I read that transcript it breaks my heart and makes me very angry at the same time.

Go on Placentia PD, name a suspect. Break the whole thing wide open - I think it's all just about to implode anyhow.

Seeing the transcript again raised two more questions for me; Son-in-law JeM was carrying out electrical and plumbing repairs at Bob's. I've already mentioned that he used a company to carry out his own plumbing, according to the permit, but that's reminded me that his son AH did a lot of electrical work on the Windflower house, according to another permit. So it's not too far-fetched to imagine AH would have helped out with the electrical repairs at Bob's, I would have thought?

I wonder if it could have just slipped JeM's mind that his son was in Bob's house that day too?

* Note; GeoCaches, Disappeared, 'Long Lost Love' popping up again and a new, useful fb! - I'm getting flustered. All I need now is Larry Montgomery to announce he's taking a look at the case - I'll need more than a cup of tea to keep myself calm and carrying on then.

 

[Cubby]

When the 'almost always dodgy and vague' LE flat out SAYS, not once but several times, that his disappearance is related to his money, and WHO stands to gain from it, you KNOW that THEY KNOW. They just can't prove it yet. What a sad mess!

Of course they know. The last person to see Bob alive claims to have visited the home depot twice, but only has a receipt time stamped approximately 2.5 hours AFTER the arrival of the housekeeper.

It all stems outward from there and the heated family meeting over Bob's money less than 24 hours prior to his disappearance.

I wonder if someone just conveniently left out that the SIL was at that heated family meeting too? Kind of like they all left out the clarification of the time line, the small handy man jobs.....

 

[suzyq211]

Brace yourselves, my fellow posters.

There is a facebook page for Bob out there.......and it isn't useless!

(It's the mysterious one with the same name as the website, but it isn't me. It's supportive of Bob though, and has come through with excellent timing. What a wonderful thing to happen, and what a wonderful thing for someone to have done. Share, share, share all you facebookers, please!)

https://www.facebook.com/bobharrod.stillmissing

I saw this!!!! Your cake is posted there!