CA - Rebecca Nalepa - suicide or murder? #9

[arielilane]

All the photos are here:

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/index.html

The diagram in this photo: http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz-nebr.jpg
indicates that it is an overturned chair. No need to guess.

Interesting how the knifes and paint brushes were laid out and then you have the trash bag liner and blanket. Is that a dryer sheet? Staging.

 

[sdcali]

Her actions disgust me. I don't like lawyers who try to profit from and exploit tragedies in the media. Especially when deaths of children are part of the equation. JMO.

Most attorneys profit from tragedies in general. Crime, divorce, fraud, bankruptcy just to name a few.

 

[jjenny]

I find it so bizarre that they do not want the "painting" viewed by the public.

Her family claimed it didn't look like her handwriting. So I bet that's why LE have not released the actual message-so we can't see what it looks like. Because it didn't take long for the wording to get out.

 

[arielilane]

And yet obviously quite a few things were never mentioned.

Clearly, I got the feeling he did what he was suppose to do. jmo

 

[tiredblondy]

I do not think the message was about Max at all. I think it was written by RN in 3rd person, as a way to disconnect from her life, as she was about to end it all anyway. The only other female hanging suicide that I know of personally included a note, left by the teen girl. It was also written in the 3rd person, and began " Once there was a girl.."

I think she was reminding JS that she had 'saved' him. Saved him from his violent and angry prior marriage, from his lonely previous life. I am sure her young, beautiful vitality was like a life saver for him. He probably told her many times that she 'saved' him. He was in a very difficult marriage in which they called the cops on each other several times, IIRC.

So, imo, she was angry at JS for allowing DS to ban her from the hospital, to accuse her of being at fault and she was especially angry that he did not stand up for her against his ex. Then when she got that late night call, where she may have been told that Max was essentially dead, with no chance of survival, she was devastated further. I think that JS may have unloaded on her emotionally. " You were supposed to be watching him. How could you let that happen--PLEASE move out now, I cannot even stand for you to be there when I come back."

I really believe he would have said some things along those lines. So she angrily reminded him that she SAVED HIM--and then taunted him by asking IF he could save her. Obviously she knew he could not.

I think that's a strong possiblility if she commited suicide.

Mine was based on the theory she didn't commit suicide.

Was any information released about fingerprints on the paintbrush?

 

[sdcali]

No mention anywhere that he couldn't afford it. Reports were that he picked up the dog and returned to his AZ home which was also the dog's home. No surprise there, imo.

If only Ocean could talk.... we'd all know what happened to MS.

 

[curiousjo]

The picture looks like she brought everything into the room, sat down on floor at base of bed and cut rope, tied knots, painted door.... but no roll of tape. (I hope LE looked to see if there was tape in the home and its fibers matched those on her legs). Also heard blood drops in hallway - not sure if true, and where exactly -possibly outside door. Very interesting her cell phone is right there, as if she was waiting for a call - in that case, why didn't she answer the phone when JS called. Was the crime happening at that time? Was she outside setting up rope? In bathroom? And what did I see someone say about a candle? Wonder if AS saw that bedroom light lit up?

In regards to above question - I thought that I heard the LE mention that her fingerprints were on the paint brush, rope, ect. and they were the only prints. However, family upset about block letter suicide message (since she was an artist and never signed in this way) and something about a hand print on door that they said did not make sense.

 

[arielilane]

Her actions disgust me. I don't like lawyers who try to profit from and exploit tragedies in the media. Especially when deaths of children are part of the equation. JMO.

All attorneys are profiting from cases and it is they that win. They are paid for their services, as they should be. Why would you think she is trying to collect a paycheck from a tragedy? She did not cause the tragedy.

 

[katydid23]

I think that's a strong possiblility if she commited suicide.

Mine was based on the theory she didn't commit suicide.

Was any information released about fingerprints on the paintbrush?

The only fingerprints on the brush were hers, but I suppose a killer could have made her hold the brush long enogh to get her prints on it.

 

[sdcali]

I don't know what the message was nor does it matter because it isn't evidence of the homicide her family is claiming.

IMO
The message may very well be evidence to a homicide. But since the message was erased (by whom, we do not know), it may forever be a mystery.

 

[katydid23]

All attorneys are profiting from cases and it is they that win. They are paid for their services, as they should be. Why would you think she is trying to collect a paycheck from a tragedy? She did not cause the tragedy.

This attorney was hired by the Z family to help reopen the suicide investigation. But she started out by making some pretty bold accusations concerning the child's accident. She is saying publicly that it was a planking accident and the older siblings were there when it happened.

So, yes, imo, she IS exploiting a tragedy. Especially if she is lying about that part of the tragic incident.

 

[Steely Dan]

Steely, we have had this conversation many times. DS has been asked about concerning many things that occurred and we discussed whether or not she was comfortable leaving MS with Rebecca. Also DS could not be found or reached for a few hours after MS's accident.

Thanks, but I think there is a difference between believing someone is capable of taking care of a child vs. internal animosity toward that person. JMO

How does DS not being able to be found work into this?

Using the balcony as a height guide (Oh no he is doing it again) I am showing a person standing on the table reaching up to the cord and I can see there is plenty of height for that person (in scale) to cut the cord. Not knowing the height of AS I am only guessing but you can see even standing on tip toe you would be able to cut that cord.

Sorry for one more doctored photo. Thanks for viewing.

How tall is that person from tip to toe?

She certainly didnt jump off from this height and go straight down. She would swing in various directions until the rope finally came to rest.

IMO

I agree, but I don't see any way she would swing that would make her hit the top of her head. JMO

Is this the bedroom illustration with overturned chair? Good eye you have.....

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz-nebr.jpg

Could the rope have hit the chair when she jumped over the balcony railing and knocked it over, or was there a struggle? It it a whicker chair?

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/rz.pdf

Page 15

I'm not sure that is a chair. It looks more like a vented laundry basket turned up on its side.

IMO

It's definitely a chair. Look here and it's labeled a chair in the diagram. http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/images/rz-nebr.jpg

Also, item 28 is a plastic bag over item 36 a paint tube.

What was the reason for the plastic bag to be there? How did it get on top of the paint tube?

I find it so bizarre that they do not want the "painting" viewed by the public.

That is a huge question of mine too.

 

[Steely Dan]

http://www.examiner.com/news-analys...death-of-rebecca-zahau-picture#slide=37073066

look at the picture of the door......

why is there orange rope in that picture??????? It looks like it is tied to the knob on the inside of the door........

When I saw that picture I wondered too, but when you see the whole picture it's explainable. Look at page 15 to see the uncropped picture; http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/rz.pdf

 

[curiousjo]

The teen(s) had to fly home, so the LE knows exactly when flight was scheduled. You would think the LE would have questioned RN sister and the teen boys who knew GS to collaborate when she left the mansion. Most likely, JS dropped GS at airport prior to going to gym. I read a post somewhere that her brother ES was at camp, so he may have already been gone. GS may have been gone, but I bet the teens had been sliding down railing or planking and maybe even RN or RN sister --- MS watched and tried it on his own, and fell. Or he was simply running down hallway -like many 6yo boys do- and was going to vier left down the stairs when tripped over dog and he was propelled over the stairs. Even if you tell kids no goofing around on the stairs, a 6 yo may do it when are in another room Freak accident. I don't blame either parent for being upset, but in the end nothing anyone could do. If JS had been home and eating breakfast, he still could not have saved MS.

 

[sdcali]

I think ES/GS could have been there for the weekend and JS took them to the airport before MS ever fell. JS continued on to golf game and MS fell around 10:00 am. That would explain the conversations with the neighbor, and the neighbors report that they left before the ambulance ever got there. It could also explain why AB is talking about them being there. IIRC, they supposedly had a party that weekend.

http://www.10news.com/news/28579183/detail.html

ETA: IF they were there at all....

I agree. I thought maybe GS, and ES for that matter, were on their way back to SC on a very early flight. We fly to Nashville often and take a 6:35 a.m. flight. The boys did not know what time her flight was and said she left before the EMT's got there...

 

[jjenny]

I agree. I thought maybe GS, and ES for that matter, were on their way back to SC on a very early flight. We fly to Nashville often and take a 6:35 a.m. flight. The boys did not know what time her flight was and said she left before the EMT's got there...

It's possible but we don't have any confirmation. While we are at it, we also don't know when RN's younger sister left. Sounds like she was there on Monday, was injured, and yet was not there Tuesday night. Already gone.

 

[Peaceful]

There are lots of things which do not fit the suicide scenario. But there are also things which do not fit the homicide scenario.

The thing is, I can see how someone committing suicide might want to try and make this look like a murder. And some of the things that make it look unlike a suicide could have been done that way, just to make it look homicidal. Maybe she wanted to make it look like a murder as a way to get back on those who pushed her to suicide.

If it was a homicide, then why not make it look MORE like a suicide than it did. Why leave the ropes around the ankles and the arms tied together after the hanging? I would have used a ladder to remove those ropes before I left the crime scene. And why not leave a believable suicide note?

because ropes leave marks?

 

[Stella5]

Remember the early reports of detectives inside the mansion near the grand staircase with blue lights and, if I remember correctly, jumping or bouncing on the upper bannister or something like that.

I wonder how that ties into a small child possibly planking then falling far enough out to collide with the chandelier?

If this has been responded too already, I'm sorry... my son actually watched them that night. He's stationed in Point Loma, working on Coronado and spends all his time over there with the SpecOps waiting to class up... anyway... he said there were no blue lights. It was just LE using regular old flashlights in the dark walking up & down the steps in the dark. His opinion at that time was Max's accident would figure much bigger into both deaths... I think he was right.

 

[sdcali]

Since the rope is so flexible she could have swung into the wall though and slammed her head.

I think Bonepile's demo photo is great. It shows how she also could have come in contact with the prickly tree/high bush too causing some bleeding since it would be contacting naked flesh.

IMO

I agree the demo is awesome! I don't think there is a chance she hit the top of her head on anything in the fall. I think it happened before the fall off the balcony. There is a lot of slack in the rope in this photo...it was lower than this--perhaps a foot. Look at the photos of the room and you will see how much slack there is in the rope.

 

[Carrington]

Is the message written at the height that a 5'3" person would write it?
Sorry if this has been asked and answered, way behind......
Looks perfect for me, and I'm 5'6". (checked standard door.)

ETA:
I think that is her correct height, could be wrong

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/rz.pdf

IMO