CA - Rebecca Nalepa - suicide or murder? #8

[jjenny]

Do we know what the message was? thank you.

"The message on Zahau's door was, "She saved him, can he save her," a source at the Sheriff's Deparment confirmed to Fox 5."
http://www.fox5sandiego.com/news/ks...out-of-mansion-deaths-20110901,0,908885.story

 

[oceanblueeyes]

LE said that JS never went back to the house. And there were NO reports that she ever went to the hospital. I cannot link a report that does not exist.

Those other things are my speculative opinions. I think she felt guilty and she felt others blamed her as well. I could be wrong. But have you heard him say publicly that she was not at fault?

As for the erased phone message, didn't LE say it was from the hospital, telling her Max's turn for the worse?

They mentioned in the PC that Rebecca never came to see Max in the hospital but did drop off food and clothing, iirc.

Even though the message was erased LE would have Jonah's cell phone records showing when he made the call to her phone that went to voice mail.

IMO

 

[oceanblueeyes]

RN's death was a suicide, according to LE. I don't consider her a victim of anyone but herself.

Maxie's fall from such a height could have been prevented if the child had been supervised. LE has said there were no witnesses to Maxie's fall, therefore I concluded he wasn't being supervised. LE had no need to mention neglect for me to draw my own conclusion.

I still feel deeply sorry for her that she thought this was her only way out of these horrible cricumstances and my heart breaks for her family members.

I dont think anyone can supervise a child every minute. People do have to go to the bathroom and I don't blame her for Maxie's tragic accident. If for instances the dog playfully jumped up on Maxie making him lose his balance and tumble over the railing Rebecca could have been standing right there and she couldn't have prevented it.

I know how it feels to lose a loved one to suicide and the 'whys' will never go away.

IMO

 

[arielilane]

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusiv...ca-zahau-was-murdered-not-suicide-says-sister

 

[time]

"painted a message on the bedroom door"

http://abcnews.go.com/US/coronado-m...ruled-suicide-sister/story?id=14435011&page=2

The message written on the door reminds me of a 70's thing. Not something RZ would do.

Yeah ... it does NOT make sense to me either, doesn't fit, she signed paintings I guess and her sis says it doesn't match, what she said doesn't match :waitasec:

"There's mixed DNA [on the rope] -- it's what they told us," Bremner said. Police told Zahau-Loehner they could not identify that DNA, Bremner said.

Hmmm

At about 12:50 a.m. on July 13, police say Zahau listened to a message from an unidentified person telling her that Max's condition had taken a turn for the worse. Bremner said that message was from Zahau's boyfriend, Jonah Shacknai.

"We know from our investigation that message left on her phone was to inform Rebecca of Max's grave condition and imminent death," said San Diego County Sgt. Dave Nemeth.

 

[sdcali]

Some good points. It may just be my abiding skepticism, but LE did not impress me as actually having left no stone unturned. Definitely, work to determine where that paint came from, where she learned to make the knots - especially the one fastening the rope to the bed - that was no random knotting in my amateur opinion.

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz8671.jpg

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz8714.jpg

I had not seen these photos close up. Only watched the PC online and was more listenting to it than watching it since I was at work.

I showed that picture of the bed knots to my husband (he is retired Navy) and asked his opinion. He said he could create knots like that but he doubted RN knew how to. I was fascinated with the intricate nature of the knots.

I would never have come up with that kind of knot configuration for that purpose. IMO, there was definitely someone experienced in knots that tied that to the bedpost. I am even more convinced that RN did not do that. And the paintbrush looks staged. Placed parallel to the rope line.

The more I learn, the more questions I have.

 

[scorekeeper]

The child wasn't being supervised is the point. His injuries were easily preventable. We wouldn't have any need for child abuse and neglect laws if every accident was no fault.

The reason we have child abuse and neglect laws is to thoroughly investigate questionable injuries/incidents involving children. LE is the top line for investigating child abuse and neglect. They ruled this as a TRAGIC ACCIDENT. Did you see the illustration LE did for Maxie's accident?

They spent more time invesigating Maxie death than RN's (MOO).

 

[CuriousAmazon]

I don't think they were suggesting she was trying to make it look like a homicide, no. Not at all. I think they did not show a full recreation/simulation because it wasn't going to work out well to convince people it was a suicide....probably.


"She saved him, can he save her."


Hmm ... off hand this does not make any sense to me if written by Rebecca. It sounds more like someone would write to say can JS or someone else save Rebecca? It's not writte as if the woman wrote it but as if someone is referring to the woman (she). And, 'save her' ... from death? I still think some of this was forced, done by gun point or something. That message would just make me even more concerned it was from a killer rather than the victim.

That indeed is an odd message. If it was written "she" than I would find it odd that Becky would write it that way. IF it was suicide, I would say "I saved him" or if speaking directly to JS "I saved you." I give credit to Neil for reaching out to Becky's family. Poor guy, he truly loved her. Very unfortunate that Becky ever met JS. RIP Becky.

 

[sorrell skye]

I am not so sure the parents didn't blame her. As a matter of fact I think JS and probably DS DID blame her, which is why she was so distraught.

He should not have been allowed to run and jump around at the top of that dangerous staircase. End of story. And accident or not, that is what he was doing. He should not have been allowed to play up there all alone, totally unsupervised, if he did not have the self control necessary to avoid such a tragic outcome. This was a dangerous, un-child proofed home. I would not have left a 6 yr old alone at the top of those stairs.

It's not as if Rebecca lured Maxie onto the roof. For crying out loud - he was in the house. His own father's house. If this house was so unsafe - then no one should have been living there.

Rebecca is NOT to blame for Maxie's accident & subsequent death.

 

[elementry]

I don't think they were suggesting she was trying to make it look like a homicide, no. Not at all. I think they did not show a full recreation/simulation because it wasn't going to work out well to convince people it was a suicide....probably.


"She saved him, can he save her."


Hmm ... off hand this does not make any sense to me if written by Rebecca. It sounds more like someone would write to say can JS or someone else save Rebecca? It's not writte as if the woman wrote it but as if someone is referring to the woman (she). And, 'save her' ... from death? I still think some of this was forced, done by gun point or something. That message would just make me even more concerned it was from a killer rather than the victim.

LE was so utterly equivocating about this message; then they conveniently assert it to be evidence in favor of their suicide theory. They can't wash their hands of this debacle quickly enough, it seems (after 5 weeks of hunkering down in an information vacuum, that is). I certainly expected more dispositive evidence after such a wait. So far, it sounds like only a theory (albeit, the best one they have.....)

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I don't think they were suggesting she was trying to make it look like a homicide, no. Not at all. I think they did not show a full recreation/simulation because it wasn't going to work out well to convince people it was a suicide....probably.


"She saved him, can he save her."


Hmm ... off hand this does not make any sense to me if written by Rebecca. It sounds more like someone would write to say can JS or someone else save Rebecca? It's not writte as if the woman wrote it but as if someone is referring to the woman (she). And, 'save her' ... from death? I still think some of this was forced, done by gun point or something. That message would just make me even more concerned it was from a killer rather than the victim.

It sounds like she knew she is the one that brought Jonah back to being happy again.

It seems to be taunting him because by the time he would be able to read it he would not be able to save her.

IMO

 

[justice be served]

The reason we have child abuse and neglect laws is to thoroughly investigate questionable injuries/incidents involving children. LE is the top line for investigating child abuse and neglect. They ruled this as a TRAGIC ACCIDENT. Did you see the illustration LE did for Maxie's accident?

They spent more time invesigating Maxie death than RN's (MOO).

BBM
I think if we were time the PC on behalf of each victim, it seemed the majority of the time was spent on Max - seems to be a rather transparent deflection away from the lack of evidence and investigation on Rebecca's behalf IMO.

 

[sdcali]

That indeed is an odd message. If it was written "she" than I would find it odd that Becky would write it that way. IF it was suicide, I would say "I saved him" or if speaking directly to JS "I saved you." I give credit to Neil for reaching out to Becky's family. Poor guy, he truly loved her. Very unfortunate that Becky ever met JS. RIP Becky.

That message is haunting. I am curious what her friends and family have to say about the message. I am sure the S family will have no public comment about it.

 

[elementry]

bbm

Yes - I would have liked to have seen a simulation of Rebecca hopping to the balcony &hurling herself over it with her feet bound. Not to be morbid, but since LE is insisting that this is what occurred...

I think they said she "slid" herself over the rail once she inched up to it. there was a disturbance in the dust accumulation on the top rail, about the width of her "petite" frame. That's their story and they're sticking to it!

 

[jjenny]

It sounds like she knew she is the one that brought Jonah back to being happy again.

It seems to be taunting him because by the time he would be able read it he would not be able to save her.

IMO

If she is the one who wrote the message, why doesn't she say "I saved you," instead of "she saved him."
Another extremely bizarre thing about this whole case. How did RN knew how to tie these kind of knots? She isn't a sailor and never had been one as far as I can tell.

 

[katydid23]

It's not as if Rebecca lured Maxie onto the roof. For crying out loud - he was in the house. His own father's house. If this house was so unsafe - then no one should have been living there.

Rebecca is NOT to blame for Maxie's accident & subsequent death.

I agree that it was the fathers fault that the house was not child proofed. And for the millionth time,I am not BLAMING her, just saying that if I were maxie's mom, that I would probably hold RN responsible and feel anger towards her.

I am not BLAMING her,simply saying that he should have been more closely supervised because of the dangerous layout of this home/

 

[sorrell skye]

Sure a caregiver is allowed to use the bathroom. They are supposed to ensure the safety of the child before doing so.

IMO, this is getting beyond ridiculous.

Max was not a toddler, nor was he an infant left alone in dangerous circumstances.

Please enlighten me as to how Rebecca was supposed to "ensure the safety of the child" before she went to the bathroom.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

If she is the one who wrote the message, why doesn't she say "I saved you," instead of "she saved him."
Another extremely bizarre thing about this whole case. How did RN knew how to tie these kind of knots? She isn't a sailor and never had been one as far as I can tell.

I didnt hear LE say it was a sailor's knot. Was it and I missed that?

I wonder if she fished with her family back in Burma? Just wondering.

I know how to make different knots because of fishing with my father growing up.

 

[jjenny]

I didnt hear LE say it was a sailor's knot. Was it and I missed that?

I wonder if she fished with her family back in Burma? Just wondering.

I know how to make different knots because of fishing with my father growing up.

I don't know what kind of knot that is, but it looks to be quite complicated to me.

 

[Kimster]

:seeya:

I've closed this thread for just a couple of minutes to make sure y'all get a chance to read my post.

I'm seeing a lot of alerts on this case. I'm not familiar with what happened, but it does appear there are many of our members on opposite sides of the fence.

Remember, you can disagree with another poster's thoughts on the case all day long. No problem with that. But you cannot personally attack them or make fun of them. If you do, you'll get a Time Out.

What I've found is that the best way to avoid seeming like a post is a personal attack, take the word "you" out of it. It doesn't work all the time, but it sure does help.

If you have questions, please review the rules that the mods go by at this link: [ame="http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=65798"]Rules Etiquette & Information - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community[/ame]