CA - Rebecca Nalepa - suicide or murder? #9

[scorekeeper]

Where did AS tell that story again? Was that mentioned in the press conference? Sorry, these threads are just so long and I can't keep up.

Originally Posted by tvscum
From the autopsy:

"On 07/12/11, the decedent drove her sister to the airport to return to her home. While at the airport, she picked up Jonah's brother (AS), who flew in from out of town to be with his brother. They went to the hospital to meet Jonah and then the three went out to dinner. Jonah returned to the hospital and the decedent and Adam returned to the home. The decedent was last seen by Adam at approximately 2000 hours."

 

[katydid23]

The only "evidence" that RN and AS were close is that comment is making its rounds in Phoenix.

In an excerpt from the police report, which is reportedly posted upstream a bit, this is what AS was to have said in his interview. He said that RN picked him up at the airport and they met JS for dinner, dropped JS off at hospital and they went back to the mansion together. Then he last saw her at 8 pm.

That story sounds like 2 people who were not close friends. imoo

I wonder how they could have ever become close since AS lives back east. She has only dated JS for 2 years so how often did AS come to visit in that time?

 

[sdcali]

Something else I noted as I looked at the PPT that LE presented. The rope used to tie off from the bed appears to be stiffer than the rope LE used in the video demonstration. That rope appears to be softer, more pliable and easily frayed--even easier to cut.

If that is the case, were there red fibers on the floor where the rope was cut to lengths that RN alledgedly used to bind herself? I did not see any fibers in the photos. None on the carpet, none on the knifes.

Also, there is more specific info given on the size of the knives in the bedroom than offered for the knife used to cut RN down (also no photo). I want to know if it is the same brand as the other two and its size. Did AS enter the main house, go to the kitchen and retrieve a knife? I believe that is what was reported in the PC.

I will continue in a separate post regarding the paint and my issues with the evidence provided.

 

[curiousjo]

I don't think RN and AS were close. He lives in MO, while RN lived with JS in AZ/CA. The 911 call will give us a clue and the Z family knows. It has not been officially released, but somewhere it was sited that he said something about finding "a woman" hung in the backyard. Why didn't he say my brothers girlfriend or Rebecca....Lets face it, JS lives in mansions, and his only sibling lives in an apartment in Memphis and works on a tugboat. Obviously, he is not helping the 7 year younger baby brother out. They live in 2 different worlds. Also wonder, if the S family approved of JS relationship with a non jewish, non college educated, Asian girl.....was she good enough for the "golden" son? Was she good enough for DS family?

sdcali- good point about the rope fibers. I believe tha back door was left unlocked for AS to come and go. If you have a guest, you don't say welcome - you get to stay in the backyard guest house, then lock them out of the main house. Still wonder why he didn't stay in main house?

 

[sdcali]

I think Rebecca may have been sleeping and didn't get to the phone in time before it went over to voice mail but it awoke her and she listened to the message laid the phone down and began to think about killing herself.

IMO

snipped and bolded by me

The phone was found on the floor away from everything else. The bed, the rope, knives, the paint and brushes. By itself. I find that an odd placement in and of itself.

I also wonder what makes LE think she took a shower? was the towel on the floor in the hall damp, was her hair damp underneath? My hair is thick and when long, takes hours to dry underneath, especially if I had a t-shirt wrapped tightly over the top of it. Was the shower wet?

Many of the hundreds of questions that keep cropping up in my mind.

 

[elementry]

The same thing bothers me with both the little boy, Max, and the gf, Rebecca. Didn't both of them have to go up before they could go down.

Max was 45 inches tall. Rebecca as 5'3" tall. None of the info I've seen has the height measurements on the "railings." Most railings are at least 42 inches. I just do not see how Max could "fall" over the railing. He had to climb up to fall over.

With Rebecca, it makes less sense. They claim she rolled over the railing. However, the "photos" show her footprints at least 9 inches away from the railing. If she leaned over, the railing would hit even higher on her body. She could not use her hands to pull her over. She did not run up to the railing. The only "weight" to pull her over would be her head. Because with her hands bound behind her back, her upper body weight would shift backwards. Her hands needed to be over the railing for the weight to shift forward. She could not bend over at the waist to get her head lower than the railing.

How did she get the height and distance needed at her height, from a standing position, to get herself over the railing?

They showed one RN footprint nearer the railing. So I guess they mean she hopped(?) forward, then rolled herself over. Where would the other footprint be if the feet were bound together? The disturbed space on the rail top was 11" long which seems thin since the hips would have had to clear that. I suppose if she hopped and then deftly turned sideways as she hauled herself to her death, in one smooth and effective roll, that would leave less width of dust depth disturbed, from belly to buttock. So a hop with the right foot slightly lifted while turning then a gymnastic cartwheel type roll. While totally bound with a shirt multiply wrapped around the neck and bunched at the end into her mouth.

Btw, unsure: would the shirt have also been over her face, obscuring vision somewhat. In such a complex scenario, why did LE leave out the shirt part entirely btw?

 

[sdcali]

My comments on the paint and brushes:

The items shown in the illustration and photos of the bedroom do not seem to be in logical places. The paint brush is by the foot of the bed...away from the painted door. Same with the tube of paint. dabs of paint away from the source. paint on the bag. none on the floor near where the door was painted? Was the paint squirted onto the small brush and then applied to the door? With no drips on the carpet? That is not how an artist would paint anything. How inefficient and time consuming. If not, where was the paint dipped from? where is that item?

 

[MyBelle]

Can you imagine the embarrassing crap that Sitrick and Company have been hired to explain away or even cover up for their high profile clients over the years. It's said they're the best at what they do. Probably some pretty ugly stuff they've been hired to manage from time to time. Why isn't MyBelle upset with them being very active on this case. Don't they have a strong agenda too? And we know they're raking in the dough over this double tragedy.

Because you mention me in your post, I'll respond. I do not believe the PR firm is doing anything illegal. Even if I had a hint that they are doing something illegal, I'm not going to accuse them but in this case, there isn't even a hint.

JMO

 

[elementry]

And when she was cut down she might have dropped hard on the ground. I do not think he could have reached that high, stretching to cut her down, and still prevent her from falling.

Did Wechet say that there wouldn't be that kind of marking if she'd been expired for awhile when she was cut down by AS?

 

[MyBelle]

Just curious: if it was your daughter, you'd be entirely satisfied with this investigation?

I can't say because it isn't my daughter but even if it were, I know I wouldn't be using the media to make accusations at a family that has also suffered a great loss. imo, it's beyond cruel.

 

[jjenny]

Did Wechet say that there wouldn't be that kind of marking if she'd been expired for awhile when she was cut down by AS?

Yes he said she got the injuries either while still alive or a few minutes after death.

 

[jjenny]

I can't say because it isn't my daughter but even if it were, I know I wouldn't be using the media to make accusations at a family that has also suffered a great loss. imo, it's beyond cruel.

Don't you think Zahau family has suffered a great loss as well?

 

[AnnaLisa]

I feel fortunate to live in the greater SD area, news reporting was common and often on this case.

I did listen to the 90 minute press conference led by Sherriff Gore. It was thorough and answered most but not all of the questions. Several times, when asked, Gore refused to divulge information of a, personal nature.

I have no idea what the family's specifically asked not to be released. Knowing a family member committed suicide and believe you were not there to help can create feelings of devastation over the event.

I wonder, and don't believe we'll ever know, how critical Jonah and Dina Shacknai were of Rebecca once the accident occurred. It'a highly likely Rebecca was suffering strong feelings of guilt and in turn may have been critisized.

Overwhelmed by feelings, she behaved erratically and impulsively to end her life and quickly.

Naked Suicides ... David I Simon, MD

http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/36/2/240

 

[colette]

Something else I noted as I looked at the PPT that LE presented. The rope used to tie off from the bed appears to be stiffer than the rope LE used in the video demonstration. That rope appears to be softer, more pliable and easily frayed--even easier to cut.
.

On the press conference LE said the pieces of rope were all from the same rope.

 

[MyBelle]

Don't you think Zahau family has suffered a great loss as well?

Of course they've suffered a terrible loss but I don't believe that is an acceptable excuse to use the media to accuse JS or his family.

 

[time]

When did the leg of the table break? Before or after he used it to cut the rope? If it were already broken how could he stand on it to cut the rope? If it broke as he attempted to do it wouldn't he and the body come crashing down?

LE stated in the press conference that it broke while he was moving it, so before he apparently used it to cut her down? :waitasec:

I do not see any reason her legs and arms would be underneath/behind her if he laid her on the ground after cutting her down? Sure she might not be completely flat but unless it was rigor mortis, I wouldn't expect her body to be in that contorted position. If it is rigor mortis, then I don't see how she could have died hanging straight down?

 

[jjenny]

I feel fortunate to live in the greater SD area, news reporting was common and often on this case.

I did listen to the 90 minute press conference led by Sherriff Gore. It was thorough and answered most but not all of the questions. Several times, when asked, Gore refused to divulge information of a, personal nature.

I have no idea what the family's specifically asked not to be released. Knowing a family member committed suicide and believe you were not there to help can create feelings of devastation over the event.

I wonder, and don't believe we'll ever know, how critical Jonah and Dina Shacknai were of Rebecca once the accident occurred. It'a highly likely Rebecca was suffering strong feelings of guilt and in turn may have been critisized.

Overwhelmed by feelings, she behaved erratically and impulsively to end her life and quickly.

Naked Suicides ... David I Simon, MD

http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/36/2/240

But they don't know the family member committed suicide-in fact they don't believe it at all. They want investigation re-opened, they have not wanted it to be closed to begin with. I also don't believe they've asked not to disclose some of the info-if you are talking about RN's family, that is.

 

[elementry]

Because you mention me in your post, I'll respond. I do not believe the PR firm is doing anything illegal. Even if I had a hint that they are doing something illegal, I'm not going to accuse them but in this case, there isn't even a hint.

JMO

Not necessarily illegal, but self-serving (i.e. serving their client's interests or their effective and zealous representation of them which would reflect back on their own abilities)? If the Zahau's representative has an agenda, what about JS's representative? One is condemned almost a priori because of a DWi, the other gets all benefits of the doubt. Lawyers and PR folk: cut from similar cloths in that they both wish to shape perceptions on behalf of their clients ( not to mention their rather oily and slick qualities.....)

 

[katydid23]

Don't you think Zahau family has suffered a great loss as well?

To be fair to MyBelle, she used the words ' to a family that ALSO suffered a great loss. So she said from the start that the Z family has suffered.

 

[elementry]

I can't say because it isn't my daughter but even if it were, I know I wouldn't be using the media to make accusations at a family that has also suffered a great loss. imo, it's beyond cruel.

Btemner explicitly said they are not drawing conclusions, but want LE to continue with a more thorough investigation; that the Zahau's are not satisfied with the investigation as it stands, closed and with many elements sealed or possibly not looked into. Considering their feelings of their and RN's having been neglected or given short shrift, I guess they felt it was high time tommake their wheels squeak a little. Is it the tone of an obnoxious attorney what gets your gourd? It's true: aggressive attorneys will rub folks the wrong way. They are contentious types by their very nature imo.