CA - Rebecca Zahau Nalepa - suicide or murder? #10

[HowLoveCanBe]

HLN discussing case. Pathologist says that autopsy report tells him RN lied on her back for 6 hours after death -not consistent with hanging. Also, if you fall 11 feet then head should separate from neck tissue and tongue should be protruding.... But, no posterior neck dissection done. Oh Oh....

Sorry if this has been stated but she was lying on her back for hours on the grass. The fall was 9ft.

 

[Cortne]

Bremner said in nationally printed articles that Max's two teenaged siblings were in the house when the accident occurred and that Max was planking. Neither of these claims appear to be true, and certainly the presence of the older siblings can be easily refuted if they weren't there. I am guessing they were not in the home and that this was proven beyond a doubt. Jonah has a family, too, and he is evidently trying to protect them - and yes, himself - from Bremner's unproven accusations.

I am a fan of Bremner but she doesnt seem well versed on what she taken on. Kinda disappointing and reminds me of Dr Drew speaking when he doesnt have his facts in a row.

jmo

 

[HowLoveCanBe]

If someone was as experienced in those knots as you are determined to continue insinuating, they would have a more suitable material on hand, rather than the stiff, unwieldy cord (possibly found in the garage) that was used on Rebecca.

Do we know for sure that the rope in the video is not identical to the rope Rebecca may have used? Where is that stated as a fact?

 

[Bonepile]

Sorry if this has been posted before .. from ABC News ...

http://abcnews.go.com/US/rebecca-zahaus-death-ritualistic-killing-expert/story?id=14463695

 

[belimom]

If someone was as experienced in those knots as you are determined to continue insinuating, they would have a more suitable material on hand, rather than the stiff, unwieldy cord (possibly found in the garage) that was used on Rebecca.

bbm

I just tried a cleat hitch on myself. I used paracord, which is fairly easy to manipulate, bend, twist, etc. I was able to wrap my wrists like I was wrapping a cleat, but I couldn't actually get the 'hitch' part right - that part that goes under at the end. I did get it to tuck in but I don't think it would have held. I don't believe I could have done it with a stiff cord... :waitasec:

 

[oceanblueeyes]

Sorry if this has been stated but she was lying on her back for hours on the grass. The fall was 9ft.

Ah..........good catch HLCB.

True....very true. She laid there for about 12 hours.

Wonder why the 'expert' didn't think of that?:innocent:

I think the case has been so sensationalized now that everyone seems to be jumping on the band wagon wanting to interject themselves into the case.

IMO

 

[Cortne]

bbm

I just tried a cleat hitch on myself. I used paracord, which is fairly easy to manipulate, bend, twist, etc. I was able to wrap my wrists like I was wrapping a cleat, but I couldn't actually get the 'hitch' part right - that part that goes under at the end. I did get it to tuck in but I don't think it would have held. I don't believe I could have done it with a stiff cord... :waitasec:

Interesting. Thx for sharing.

 

[gitana1]

I think there is data that proves hired hits usually do just kill and leave. Why would a hitman hang around for an extended period of time-greatly increasing the chance of being noticed-just to make a homicide look like a homicide? That makes no sense to me.

I would find the hit man theory more believable if RN's death looked totally like a suicide=No black paint, shirt in mouth, bindings, etc.

I would also find the hit man theory more believable if there is evidence someone was trying to send a message to JS or was in some way trying to exact revenge for some kind of failed business transaction or personal vendetta.

JMO

Well, if a hit man killed her and did so by bonking her on the head, then binding her and gagging her so she could not escape or call for help when she came to, that would not be hanging around for an extended period of time. That would be part of the murder.

However, I can't see a hit man spending time writing a vague message on a door. You are absolutely right on that one and that rules out a hit man for me.

As far as Bremner and JS's cease and desist letter, if he is innocent, I don't blame him a bit. I don't see that as callous. He's not demanding that the Zahau's be quiet about their concerns. He's demanding that Bremner not flap her gums with unfounded allegations.

That "planking" allegation has driven me mad. I don't see a shred of evidence pointing to that or to his siblings being involved in Max's accident. I think it was just a horrible accident and I think Bremner likes to make bizarre statements with no basis in logic, to bolster her position. So if she is making certain statements with no evidence to back them up, statements that point blame in certain directions, I don't like that.

I am very dissatisfied with the evidence released or rather, the evidence not released in Rebecca's case. There is too much that seems off or is unanswered and in a case involving a powerful, rich guy and two bizarre deaths at his house, one that looks like outright murder, the public has a right to know what the heck is going on, IMO.

However, I do not like Bremner as an attorney. She brings the circus with her. She was ludicrously unprofessional when it came to the casey anthony case IMO. And while I haven't seen anything yet that has seemed too out of line with her statements in connection to this case, I believe she has the capacity to make stuff up to get a reaction and if she is simply throwing whatever she can against the wall to see what sticks, then JS has a right to protect himself and his family.

We'll see, I guess if Bremner is simply making things up or if she has any evidence to back up her statements, allegations and inferences.

 

[LCoastMom]

OK, seriously, the ME can't tell whether she had an IUD or it was her time of the month? Really?

Sister has said numerous times they asked LE about the blood and it was not her time of the month.

And like others have said, if it was, that thoroughly diminishes the odds she would commit suicide nude.

A totally weird question, but any chance she could have been pregnant and miscarried from all the stress that night?

You'd think that's something they would have double-checked but I'm not feeling confident about their reporting here...

BBM

She had an uterine polyp. They will cause bleeding outside of your menstrual cycle. There WAS and IUD in place, it was identified in the report. It says her endometrium was smooth and red-purple, which would indicate she was not on her menstrual cycle.

Endometrial polyp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

AN IUD is over 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

A miscarriage within the last few days prior to death would have been obvious or if very early would have at least caused an abnormal pelvic exam, also if she was far enough into a pregnancy to have a miscarriage (bleeding) she would have had an elevated serum hCG which should be a standard test in cases of women of childbearing years.

 

[Quester]

9/7 CNN: Attorney: Message, scalp bruises cast doubt on mansion suicide

"I think the facts and analysis (from a team of experts she is gathering) should compel them to reopen it," Bremner said.

... four subgaleal hemorrhages -- between the scalp and skull on top of the head ...

"You only get those from blunt force trauma," Wecht said. "That means your head struck something or was struck by something. I repeat for emphasis: four separate locations. The head is contoured; to have it bruised in different places, that means you have to strike different parts of the head."

"Going by (investigators') scenario, (her) jumping from the balcony, there is no way I can understand how ... you get four bruises on top of the head."

Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Nemeth said of the slip knots on her wrists and neck: "There would not appear to be anything expert about it," he said.

Nesbit said the sheriff's department is aware of the concerns raised by Wecht and that none of them alters its confidence in its investigation or the medical examiner's suicide ruling.

"We're standing by our investigation," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/09/07/california.mansion.deaths/

 

[oceanblueeyes]

bbm

I just tried a cleat hitch on myself. I used paracord, which is fairly easy to manipulate, bend, twist, etc. I was able to wrap my wrists like I was wrapping a cleat, but I couldn't actually get the 'hitch' part right - that part that goes under at the end. I did get it to tuck in but I don't think it would have held. I don't believe I could have done it with a stiff cord... :waitasec:

The rope didn't seem that stiff to me. Just a regular rope cord that can be curled up into a circle easily to store away.

 

[elfie]

Do we know for sure that the rope in the video is not identical to the rope Rebecca may have used? Where is that stated as a fact?

I guess you're not familiar with the type of line that is shown in the evidence photos--the shiny, stiff and unwieldy (but strong) line typically used for boating. It's definitely NOT the same material used in the demo recreation. The recreation video appears to feature a cord that is much smoother and pliable made of cotton or a soft polyester, the type with a woven outer casing. At least that's what I noticed.

 

[belimom]

I guess you're not familiar with the type of line that is shown in the evidence photos--the shiny, stiff and unwieldy (but strong) line typically used for boating. It's definitely NOT the same material used in the demo recreation. The recreation video appears to feature a cord that is much smoother and pliable made of cotton or a soft polyester, the type with a woven outer casing. At least that's what I noticed.

bbm

Do you have a link to those photos? TIA...

 

[oceanblueeyes]

9/7 CNN: Attorney: Message, scalp bruises cast doubt on mansion suicide

"I think the facts and analysis (from a team of experts she is gathering) should compel them to reopen it," Bremner said.

... four subgaleal hemorrhages -- between the scalp and skull on top of the head ...

"You only get those from blunt force trauma," Wecht said. "That means your head struck something or was struck by something. I repeat for emphasis: four separate locations. The head is contoured; to have it bruised in different places, that means you have to strike different parts of the head."

"Going by (investigators') scenario, (her) jumping from the balcony, there is no way I can understand how ... you get four bruises on top of the head."

Sheriff's Sgt. Dave Nemeth said of the slip knots on her wrists and neck: "There would not appear to be anything expert about it," he said.

Nesbit said the sheriff's department is aware of the concerns raised by Wecht and that none of them alters its confidence in its investigation or the medical examiner's suicide ruling.

"We're standing by our investigation," he said.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/09/07/california.mansion.deaths/

That part is the easiest for me to imagine. The balcony enclosure was a scroll iron work pattern and if she didn't push out far enough when she jumped over her head could have struck that part of the balcony when going over.

They are very small hemorrhages and didn't result in any brain bleeding or bleeding inside of the skull cavity either.

IMO

 

[HowLoveCanBe]

bbm

I just tried a cleat hitch on myself. I used paracord, which is fairly easy to manipulate, bend, twist, etc. I was able to wrap my wrists like I was wrapping a cleat, but I couldn't actually get the 'hitch' part right - that part that goes under at the end. I did get it to tuck in but I don't think it would have held. I don't believe I could have done it with a stiff cord... :waitasec:

Did you watch the video re-enactment of the wrist knot on the police site? The rope didn't seem stiff or unwieldy at all. It looked like a strong but supple rope with no hard sheathing - just threads weaved together.

 

[belimom]

Question: were her hands tied in front or behind her? If behind, then I don't think there's any way she could tie a specific knot - or hardly any knot - herself.

 

[sdcali]

By the way what was that about RN being on her back? I missed that part, what was the reasoning behind that idea?

The only thing I can add to that is this. She was on her back for over 6 hours after she died. AS cut her down and there she laid until that night when the ME collected her body.

So, how much time has to pass after a person dies for this "blood pooling" to occur? If she died at 3 a.m. and hung there until 6:30 a.m. would the blood not have pooled into her legs and feet? Or is it that then when she was cut down and left there for nearly 12 hours, that caused it in a different part of her body?

 

[Cortne]

Oh wow this case is just soooo bizarre!! In case anybody didnt notice yet!! Man ol man I hope they get all this figured out.
I do know if it were my child in the care of another women and this happened...welll...


Yeah.

 

[LCoastMom]

If someone was as experienced in those knots as you are determined to continue insinuating, they would have a more suitable material on hand, rather than the stiff, unwieldy cord (possibly found in the garage) that was used on Rebecca.

Not if the someone was not in their own environment...someone may have used what was available.

 

[belimom]

Did you watch the video re-enactment of the wrist knot on the police site? The rope didn't seem stiff or unwieldy at all. It looked like a strong but supple rope with no hard sheathing - just threads weaved together.

No, I didn't. Is there a link?