CA CA - Bob Harrod, 81, Orange County, 27 July 2009 - #18

[zwiebel]

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


transcript, Disappeared, 'Long Lost Love'.


http://www.allreadable.com/12636i3p

 

[believe09]

Yeah the whole dementia thing was completely debunked. So was the Good Humor Man outfit that was first used to describe what he was wearing when last seen by SIL. Remember? White hat, belt, shorts, shirt, socks....

I think we have pictures that zoom in on the rings he wore however.

 

[Angelo]

'Harrod was last seen by his son-in-law, Jeff Michaels, around 1:30 p.m. on Monday. Harrod, a former contract manager, sent Michaels to Home Depot, but when Michaels returned, Harrod was no longer in the house, said Loomis.

"His receipt showed that he paid for his items after 3 p.m.," Loomis said. "He thinks he was at Home Depot for 45 minutes to an hour, so given 15 minutes or so of driving time, you're looking at 1:30." '

http://www.ocregister.com/news/harrod-147900-loomis-family.html

~~BBM


About 9:30 a.m., Bob's son-in-law Jeff Michaels arrived to help get the house ready. Michaels told police that he worked at the home then went to Home Depot about 2:40 p.m. to buy supplies. When he returned about 3:30 p.m., Bob's housekeeper was sitting on the front stoop because no one had answered the door. Michaels let himself in the back door and the housekeeper followed and cleaned.

http://seattletimes.com/html/living/2010985815_disappeared08.html

 

[zwiebel]

'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.


So, I went to the house, knocked on the door, nobody answered,


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


transcript, Disappeared, 'Long Lost Love'.


http://www.allreadable.com/12636i3p

 

[zwiebel]

So, just to get this clear:

Bob's son in law, Jeff Michaels, told police Bob disappeared while he was out running errands.

He produced a Home Depot receipt for 3.02pm, to prove where he was when Bob disappeared.

The housekeeper however, says she arrived at 12 noon, and Bob was gone. Jeff Michaels drove up about 15 minutes later.

Although I know I'm stating the obvious, Jeff Michaels does have another receipt for that lunchtime shopping trip when Bob was being disappeared, right?

 

[zwiebel]

~~BBM


About 9:30 a.m., Bob's son-in-law Jeff Michaels arrived to help get the house ready. Michaels told police that he worked at the home then went to Home Depot about 2:40 p.m. to buy supplies. When he returned about 3:30 p.m., Bob's housekeeper was sitting on the front stoop because no one had answered the door. Michaels let himself in the back door and the housekeeper followed and cleaned.

http://seattletimes.com/html/living/2010985815_disappeared08.html

Such a huge disparity between the housekeeper's reported arrival at the house - 12 Noon, and 3pm. Which is correct, I wonder?

 

[Angelo]

Yeah the whole dementia thing was completely debunked. So was the Good Humor Man outfit that was first used to describe what he was wearing when last seen by SIL. Remember? White hat, belt, shorts, shirt, socks....

I think we have pictures that zoom in on the rings he wore however.

"After Bob disappeared, someone — police won't say who — told officers he might have regretted the decision to marry. For three days police thought they were dealing with a case of cold feet."

"A family member told the media that Bob was showing early signs of dementia. Detectives who interviewed his doctor say Bob was of sound mind, Loomis said."

Now why would a family member (we know who) tell these tales to the police?

http://seattletimes.com/html/living/2010985815_disappeared08.html

 

[Angelo]

'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.


So, I went to the house, knocked on the door, nobody answered,


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


transcript, Disappeared, 'Long Lost Love'.


http://www.allreadable.com/12636i3p

Yes.....Thank god for Agnes. Bet JeM didn't expect to see her waiting on the porch. It wasn't her regular cleaning day. So why would JeM let people believe it was during his 3pm Home Depot trip that Mr. Harrod disappeared? Strange.

 

[suzyq211]

"After Bob disappeared, someone — police won't say who — told officers he might have regretted the decision to marry. For three days police thought they were dealing with a case of cold feet."

Three days of a stalled investigation...no telling what was going on!

 

[Angelo]

JuM posted on her community forum at 1:50 pm the day after her father disappeared. Twenty-eight hours prior to 1:50 pm would put the time of Mr. Harrod's disappearance at around 10:00 am.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 01:50 PM

Plea for Positive Thoughts and Prayers - My dad is missing

I need to request positive thoughts and prayers. My father has been missing approx. 28 hours ago. We suspect foul play, but want to remain as positive; his new wife will be arriving with her belongings tomorrow. My father's name is Robert Harrod in Placentia; his new wife Fontelle Heeter-Harrod is just besides herself, please pray for his safe return.


On the same day she gave a different time in a TV interview.


Reporter: “Julie says her husband was with her dad, at his home yesterday. He went to the hardware store alone. When he came back…”
Julie: “My dad was gone.”
Reporter: “What time?”
Julie: “We’re thinking maybe 1, noon?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RSV7Lhqqus&feature=youtu.be

 

[Jmoose]

Forgive me for not reading everything on Bob's thread (I check in her about once a week)-does Fontelle have any access or right to Bob's bank account, as his wife?

 

[zwiebel]

No, not as far as I know. Police say Bob left notes in the house to remind him to add Fontelle to his accounts, but he never got a chance to do it.

I believe Bob's accounts were used within days of his disappearance though, by other family members to 'look after the estate' or 'help Fontelle'. Can't recall which it was now.

 

[zwiebel]

I recollect there was a pension of Bob's that Mrs Harrod would have been entitled to, but one of his daughters quickly made the necessary arrangements for that to be cancelled, I think? Anyone else remember that?

 

[zwiebel]

It's been too long.

 

[believe09]

I think zwie summed it up nicely-I certainly don't have any better words or thoughts that I can express.

For anyone who is curious about the money and Mrs Harrod: iirc she was issued a small stipend in exchange for ceasing her challenge of them as guardians of his estate during his absence. They were not supposed to have unfettered access, mind you. They were just supposed to keep things going until Bob came home. There was a bond required of them and there were to be regular audits.

The daughters desire for access to his money was immediate. The courts resisted their efforts completely until the agreement between everyone the following year. So, they couldn't legally have tapped into any of his resources without a court order-I assume any audit including 2009 would show that. So far none of the audits included tax filings or 2009 to my recollection. At least the ones we have seen that have been filed in court.

I would think that to a grand jury, any liquidation of his assets after his disappearance that were prior to the agreement in 2000 would look mighty suspicious and possibly like motive. What a sticky position to be in!!

 

[Jmoose]

Thank you-I was asking because I was worried that, aside from losing her new husband, Fontell might have been put in a precarious position financially (like, if she had a job that she quit in order to move to California with Bob), and at her age, another job would be very difficult to find. Bob's daughters and son-in-law look really sketchy, don't they?

 

[zwiebel]

I believe myself, that Mrs Harrod was put in a very precarious position, and not just financially. I don't know but I always presumed that being in her 70s, she was already retired. She gave up her home in MO and possessions in MO, gave up her extended family support system there, paid the cost of shipping things back to California.....

Then found herself alone in a very expensive county, having to fight legal battles with Bob's daughters for her right to stay and wait for Bob in her marital home, and her right to receive any allowance at all from her own husband's large fortune.

And she came under fierce and unrelenting attack from certain people, who even tried to imply she'd somehow disappeared Bob for his money - before he'd had a chance to include her in his will or accounts!

It's not evidence of foul play, of course. But it is indicative of how far some people will go when money's at stake, in my opinion.

 

[zwiebel]

Like Bob (according to his daughters), Mrs Harrod is also legally blind. That shouldn't be forgotten.

 

[zwiebel]

Flowers for Mrs Harrod as I'm thinking of her on this day, still waiting after five long years.

 

[Jennibee]

I'm finally watching Bob's 'Disappeared' episode today. I can't watch it online because of where I am but I managed to TiVo it today.

By coincidence I realised today is the 5 year anniversary of his disappearance.

I don't know how anyone could harm such a kind, gentle man like Bob. What a handsome young man he was too.

Fontelle seems like such a lovely lady too.

Thinking of you today Bob. I hope wherever you are, you are at peace.

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