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

[jjenny]

My guess is that he tried it without the table first and was unsuccessful so he got the table. There was also a shirt tied around her neck and that may have hampered his ability because it was somehow entwined where he could cut. That shirt could also explain why his DNA wasn't on the rope.

JMO

If he touched the shirt (and he had to if he removed it from her mouth) shouldn't his DNA be on the shirt? We were told I believe, that no one's DNA was found except RN's.

 

[alexanderdavis]

Wow, morbid as hell.

What is RN was made to stand on the table and then was winched up to a hanging position? Of course some staging would have need to be done prior with the balcony footprints and such.

After all this discussion tonight it has me wondering if maybe she never was hanging.

 

[jjenny]

After all this discussion tonight it has me wondering if maybe she never was hanging.

There is a ligature furrow on her neck so I presume she had to be hanging. But I am also curious as to why her neck didn't break in a 9 ft drop.

 

[SunnieRN]

If he touched the shirt (and he had to if he removed it from her mouth) shouldn't his DNA be on the shirt? We were told I believe, that no one's DNA was found except RN's.

I believe you to be very correct!

 

[Stella5]

Forgive me if this has already been noted, but if RZ is 5’3” and she was estimated to be hanging 2’2” off the ground, that puts the top of her head at 7.5 feet. Why did AS need to stand on a table to cut the rope that theoretically would have been cut-able just above RZ’s neck?
Do we know how tall AS is?

Honestly I don't know if LE even knows how high or low she was... they are guessing based on the rope length I would imagine.

I would venture to guess he stood on the table so he could support the weight of Rebecca in one hand resting on his shoulder, while using the other hand to cut the rope. He did not need to touch the rope to cut it, it would cut easily with a quick slash of a sharp knife since it was taut.

 

[justice be served]

Psssst, Cynic is a genius!!!
And I agree, we really need his help to understand all of this!

Well you're not so bad yourself, Sunnie! Being a newbie, I've been raving to others about the clever and intelligent posters on this forum and the rules ensure it to be first-rate.

 

[SunnieRN]

There is a ligature furrow on her neck so I presume she had to be hanging. But I am also curious as to why her neck didn't break in a 9 ft drop.

Ligature furrows can be used to cover strangulation injuries.

 

[Stella5]

If he touched the shirt (and he had to if he removed it from her mouth) shouldn't his DNA be on the shirt? We were told I believe, that no one's DNA was found except RN's.

Did they address the shirt? I recall them saying no DNA other than Rebecca's on the bed, rope, door, doorjamb, paint tube & paint brushes. I have yet to see a DNA report on the items they tested.

 

[SunnieRN]

Well you're not so bad yourself, Sunnie! Being a newbie, I've been raving to others about the clever and intelligent posters on this forum and the rules ensure it to be first-rate.

You are very sweet and an amazing sleuth!! But Cynic, well, he's my hero!! Hopefully he will be back! The man is literally a genius and can find links and sources I can only dream about!

 

[jjenny]

Honestly I don't know if LE even knows how high or low she was... they are guessing based on the rope length I would imagine.

I would venture to guess he stood on the table so he could support the weight of Rebecca in one hand resting on his shoulder, while using the other hand to cut the rope. He did not need to touch the rope to cut it, it would cut easily with a quick slash of a sharp knife since it was taut.

I don't see why LE would be guessing when they must have measured the rope length and RN's height, and the distance from the railing to the ground.

 

[jjenny]

Did they address the shirt? I recall them saying no DNA other than Rebecca's on the bed, rope, door, doorjamb, paint tube & paint brushes. I have yet to see a DNA report on the items they tested.

All I remember is no DNA except RN's, so I am not sure what they addressed and did not.

 

[HowLoveCanBe]

There is a ligature furrow on her neck so I presume she had to be hanging. But I am also curious as to why her neck didn't break in a 9 ft drop.

In the AR it did mention something broken in the neck region. I'm not an expert on anatomy so I can't tell you exactly what it was. Also the noose was described as makeshift I believe. This may play a factor as you not only have to compare the length of fall but possibly the type of noose. Lastly there's an indication that she didn't fall vertically but horizontally.

 

[SunnieRN]

All I remember is no DNA except RN's, so I am not sure what they addressed and did not.

I am truly surprised that they didn't release an evidence list. Or explain what was DNA tested and why. Knowing the shirt was in her mouth, I would think that would have been one of the most important items to test.

 

[tvscum]

If he touched the shirt (and he had to if he removed it from her mouth) shouldn't his DNA be on the shirt? We were told I believe, that no one's DNA was found except RN's.

I am not conviced the Sheriff would have reported AS's DNA on the rope even if it was there. They knew AS cut her down, so maybe they just accepted that his DNA was supposed to be on the rope and did not mention it at the news conference.

 

[MyBelle]

If he touched the shirt (and he had to if he removed it from her mouth) shouldn't his DNA be on the shirt? We were told I believe, that no one's DNA was found except RN's.

I wasn't aware that LE stated AS' DNA was not on the shirt but I also don't think it matters because I don't believe AS killed RN. I don't believe if he were the killer, he would admit to the cops that he removed the shirt from her mouth nor would he have left her bound. He would want it to look like a suicide rather than a murder.

JMO

 

[jjenny]

I am not conviced the Sheriff would have reported AS's DNA on the rope even if it was there. They knew AS cut her down, so maybe they just accepted that his DNA was supposed to be on the rope and did not mention it at the news conference.

Well they mentioned RN's DNA on the rope even though they expected it to be there. So it stand to reason they should have mentioned other persons DNA if it were there even if they expected it to be there.

 

[Stella5]

Ligature furrows can be used to cover strangulation injuries.

A strangulation would have to be around the neck and there are no marks noted on the back of Rebecca's neck. The ligature furrows noted are consistent with a hanging.

 

[justice be served]

In the AR it did mention something broken in the neck region. I'm not an expert on anatomy so I can't tell you exactly what it was. Also the noose was described as makeshift I believe. This may play a factor as you not only have to compare the length of fall but possibly the type of noose. Lastly there's an indication that she didn't fall vertically but horizontally.

Oh shoot, I guess I missed that it was a horizontal fall. If so, it seems that more than an 11 inch disruption of the rail dust would precipitate the fall.

 

[SunnieRN]

In the AR it did mention something broken in the neck region. I'm not an expert on anatomy so I can't tell you exactly what it was. Also the noose was described as makeshift I believe. This may play a factor as you not only have to compare the length of fall but possibly the type of noose. Lastly there's an indication that she didn't fall vertically but horizontally.

The left hyoid bone, in the neck and the thyroid cartilage are fractured and ther is hemorrhage in the area, but no fractured spine.

 

[MyBelle]

I am not conviced the Sheriff would have reported AS's DNA on the rope even if it was there. They knew AS cut her down, so maybe they just accepted that his DNA was supposed to be on the rope and did not mention it at the news conference.

ITA. I feel the same would apply to the shirt. They were looking for foreign (unknown) DNA.

JMO