CA - Rebecca Zahau Nalepa - suicide or murder? #11

[CDS22]

At the press conference it was said that the EMTs were there in a few short minutes after the 911 call came in about Max.

When they arrived Rebecca and her sister were the only ones there. They took statements from them. IIRC, LE took them to the police station and then brought them both back to the mansion afterward.

So the speculation has to be wrong about JSs other children being there at the time because that would mean Rebecca took the time to see they were gone by the time LE arrived and that also would mean that valuable time was wasted as Max lay there unresponsive and not breathing. I don't believe that happened at all.

There is no way that an adult would not seek immediate help for a young child who was in critical dire straights.

LE said that Rebecca was using the bathroom at the time and her sister was taking a shower in another bathroom.

IMO

Thank you for the information. It doesn't sound too responsible of the Zahau family's lawyer to imply things that simply aren't so, if she really did claim the other children were there.

 

[Brit]

From this article:



Although Rebecca's family is clearly not satisfied with what they were told, the investigators did meet with them and reviewed the case for several hours. As I recall they flew to Missouri to meet with them.



To me this is why Bremner got hit with the cease and desist letter. She implied that GS and ES were in the house and, to me, implied that they were directly involved with Max's accident.




There are two families involved here and both suffered great losses. Both incidents are extremely bizarre and it is difficult to determine the causes, and I think that since the investigations truly could not provide satisfactory explanatins, the families are lashing out at each other. However ugly it may be, the Zahaus have every right to question these findings and the Shacknais have every right to defend themselves.

Having said that, I think that Mary Z-L. made a big mistake by giving the interview to Radar Online where she stated:



From Jonah's statements about Rebecca since her death, I get the feeling that he does blame her in some way for Max's death. I'm not sure if he thinks she is directly or indirectly responsible, but he is very measured in his comments about her. And Dina more than likely thinks that Rebecca "stole" her husband and now her only son. I wouldn't be surprised if less than flattering stories start coming out about Rebecca. As I said before, this is getting very ugly.

I do believe that both families must be going through a terrible time at this moment. I can't imagine losing a child....in fact, I am not sure I could ever recover from that. Although, I don't think that the Z family or Bremner has said anything so terrible, I do see why JS would want to protect his family and his reputation. I think that MZ's statement to radaronline might have been in response to what the LE stated about the texts about how RZ had problems with the kids. Maybe MZ made these statements to prove that RZ had a very close relationship with MS. And I think that Bremner is doing what she is hired to do, which is to create enough of a media outcry that will get this case reopened. I don't know if I believe that JS necessarily blamed RZ for the accident with his son considering he went to dinner with her and his brother the night before. I think that his lack of statements is due to the fact that him or is attorney's want him to distance himself from the situation because of his high profile company. What I do find strange is that since he was in a close relationship with RZ and they lived together and she seemed to be very involved with his family, why he wouldn't be behind the Z familiy and more helpful to them? Also, from all of the interviews and articles I have seen, I think that the Z family's complaints about the lack of communication with the LE is because besides the one interview right before the PC, they hadn't been getting any updates.....and I have read that the LE hadn't even interviewed any family or friends that she has had for years. JMOO.

 

[jjenny]

At the press conference it was said that the EMTs were there in a few short minutes after the 911 call came in about Max.

When they arrived Rebecca and her sister were the only ones there. They took statements from them. IIRC, LE took them to the police station and then brought them both back to the mansion afterward.

So the speculation has to be wrong about JSs other children being there at the time because that would mean Rebecca took the time to see they were gone by the time LE arrived and that also would mean that valuable time was wasted as Max lay there unresponsive and not breathing. I don't believe that happened at all.

There is no way that an adult would not seek immediate help for a young child who was in critical dire straights.

LE said that Rebecca was using the bathroom at the time and her sister was taking a shower in another bathroom.

IMO

Well to be fair it is a huge mansion and I very much doubt either LE or paramedics searched it at the time.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I do believe that both families must be going through a terrible time at this moment. I can't imagine losing a child....in fact, I am not sure I could ever recover from that. Although, I don't think that the Z family or Bremner has said anything so terrible, I do see why JS would want to protect his family and his reputation. I think that MZ's statement to radaronline might have been in response to what the LE stated about the texts about how RZ had problems with the kids. Maybe MZ made these statements to prove that RZ had a very close relationship with MS. And I think that Bremner is doing what she is hired to do, which is to create enough of a media outcry that will get this case reopened. I don't know if I believe that JS necessarily blamed RZ for the accident with his son considering he went to dinner with her and his brother the night before. I think that his lack of statements is due to the fact that him or is attorney's want him to distance himself from the situation because of his high profile company. What I do find strange is that since he was in a close relationship with RZ and they lived together and she seemed to be very involved with his family, why he wouldn't be behind the Z familiy and more helpful to them? Also, from all of the interviews and articles I have seen, I think that the Z family's complaints about the lack of communication with the LE is because besides the one interview right before the PC, they hadn't been getting any updates.....and I have read that the LE hadn't even interviewed any family or friends that she has had for years. JMOO.

Imo, Jonah did the right thing when it first happened and called them to let them know of Rebecca's death before it hit the media. He attended the funeral and sat with her family. I wouldn't doubt that he paid for her funeral also. So he was not trying to shun the Z family or distance himself from Rebecca's death.

I really think Jonah has been very low key in this case in order to not make it about him and about the investigation of Rebecca and Max's death.

But unfortunately it has become about him and his family and the insinuations that his wealth swayed the results. Those are baseless accusations and he too is a human being with emotional pain and has suffered great losses. Not only with losing Max but Rebecca as well.

Not one person ever has said that his children didn't mean everything to him. He doesn't have to have a murderous mind to feel overwhelming love for his children. I don't think he blamed Rebecca at all for Max's death. He was having lunch with her and she was bringing his clothes to him so he wouldn't have to leave and go home to change.

IMO, he has been vilified because he happens to be a wealthy man and for some unknown reason some people simply do not like rich people and like to see them fall.

I think he stayed out of the investigation. Only answering questions when asked and waited along with everyone else for the outcome.

Maybe if the Z family had gone to Jonah and asked him nicely for his help on getting the case re-opened they would have had a better chance of him cooperating with them even though he may fully agree that LE worked hard to come to the right determination and has accepted the COD/MOD on each one.

But that is not what has happened.

They hired an attorney instead who has said many untoward things about the Shacknai family but has yet to produce any facts to back them up.

So who really has created the divide that now exist? Imo, it is not JS. He has said nothing disrespectful about Rebecca or her family. He has not aired his and Rebecca's relationship or the relationship she had with his children on nightly cable shows or on some gossip on line site ether.

While the Zahau family have every right to pursue reopening the case ....they do not have a right to falsely accuse anyone just to get that media attention they think they need.

IMO

 

[jjenny]

I'm bothered by the part in the presentation that says the rope is "possibly from the garage". If the rope is the cause of death, is it not critically important to determine where it came from? How do they not know? Did Jonah recognize it but say he wasn't sure it was in the garage? Was it never in the house to begin with and the killer brought it with them? Just seems like an important detail to still be saying "possibly" about. Where did the murder weapon come from?! They don't know.

JS didn't know if they had that kind of rope anywhere. I recall that from one of the reports.

 

[deanna82437]

Yes, and IIRC that was a round table behind the door. Don't you think the overturned chair went with that table? How did it get across the room and on it's side? That didn't look suspicious to them? Was all the furniture in the house on it's side so that chair looked normal? :banghead:

FWIW, I don't have a single piece of furniture in my home on it's side. :innocent:

Just catching up .. and as I recall LE said there was NO sign of a disturbance???:waitasec:

 

[Brit]

Imo, Jonah did the right thing when it first happened and called them to let them know of Rebecca's death before it hit the media. He attended the funeral and sat with her family. I wouldn't doubt that he paid for her funeral also. So he was not trying to shun the Z family or distance himself from Rebecca's death.

I really think Jonah has been very low key in this case in order to not make it about him and about the investigation of Rebecca and Max's death.

But unfortunately it has become about him and his family and the insinuations that his wealth swayed the results. Those are baseless accusations and he too is a human being with emotional pain and has suffered great losses. Not only with losing Max but Rebecca as well.

Not one person ever has said that his children didn't mean everything to him. He doesn't have to have a murderous mind to feel overwhelming love for his children. I don't think he blamed Rebecca at all for Max's death. He was having lunch with her and she was bringing his clothes to him so he wouldn't have to leave and go home to change.

IMO, he has been vilified because he happens to be a wealthy man and for some unknown reason some people simply do not like rich people and like to see them fall.

I think he stayed out of the investigation. Only answering questions when asked and waited along with everyone else for the outcome.

Maybe if the Z family had gone to Jonah and asked him nicely for his help on getting the case re-opened they would have had a better chance of him cooperating with them even though he may fully agree that LE worked hard to come to the right determination and has accepted the COD/MOD on each one.

But that is not what has happened.

They hired an attorney instead who has said many untoward things about the Shacknai family but has yet to produce any facts to back them up.

So who really has created the divide that now exist? Imo, it is not JS. He has said nothing disrespectful about Rebecca or her family. He has not aired his and Rebecca's relationship or the relationship she had with his children on nightly cable shows or on some gossip on line site ether.

While the Zahau family have every right to pursue reopening the case ....they do not have a right to falsely accuse anyone just to get that media attention they think they need.

IMO

I agree with alot of your post. The one thing is that we don't know what has gone on behind the seen and can only speculate on the relationship these two families have at this moment. How does anyone know that the Z family didn't reach out in private? I know that I don't....None of us do.....I just think that I can see how a family can be completely devastated and frustrated when they feel their concerns are not being addressed. On a side note, I have never had to go through what these two families have been going through, and I pray I never do....but I do imagine that if I were placed in this situation, I would do EVERYTHING I could possibly do to get to the truth of things.

 

[CDS22]

I agree with alot of your post. The one thing is that we don't know what has gone on behind the seen and can only speculate on the relationship these two families have at this moment. How does anyone know that the Z family didn't reach out in private? I know that I don't....None of us do.....I just think that I can see how a family can be completely devastated and frustrated when they feel their concerns are not being addressed. On a side note, I have never had to go through what these two families have been going through, and I pray I never do....but I do imagine that if I were placed in this situation, I would do EVERYTHING I could possibly do to get to the truth of things.

What I don't get is how the Zahau family can go from praising Jonah in the press, only to bash him now. What happened in between the funeral that I am also sure he paid for, and now? I'd hate to think it's all about money.

And while it is devastating to lose a sister, I imagine it would be far worse to lose a son. Both losses are extremely terrible and tragic, but I don't condone nor understand how one grieving family can attack another that's going through a loss. If I lost a child, I don't know that I could go about having to handle people casting dispersions against my character and my family's character in the press. That's something no grieving parent should have to endure.

 

[curiousjo]

I would expect LE would have looked into the rope-

Read somewhere that JS said it must be from the garage, as there was an empty spot where something had been sitting.... (something like that)

If in garage - either left by previous owner (old) or JS bought it (new). JS would know if he bought this rope. So, would be of interest if old vs new. If new, where can one purchase in San Digeo, Coronado, AZ, TN areas... Was it just lying on shelf, or in plastic and never used before...? Did JS /RN go boating - since they live on an island? Also, wonder if RN was a seamstress...because she cut the noose, foot and hand binding quite precise. No left over pieces noted on floor, not to mention estimate of long piece needed to be measured just so - extending from bed to 2ft above lawn. Did she think balcony railing would not hold, and plan would be foiled?

 

[deanna82437]

Yes, I noticed that. I have clicked on several quoted posts and they are gone.

Perhaps they were removed by mods for TOS violations ???

Strange .. :waitasec:

 

[jjenny]

I would expect LE would have looked into the rope-

Read somewhere that JS said it must be from the garage, as there was an empty spot where something had been sitting.... (something like that)

If in garage - either left by previous owner (old) or JS bought it (new). JS would know if he bought this rope. So, would be of interest if old vs new. If new, where can one purchase in San Digeo, Coronado, AZ, TN areas... Was it just lying on shelf, or in plastic and never used before...? Did JS /RN go boating - since they live on an island? Also, wonder if RN was a seamstress...because she cut the noose, foot and hand binding quite precise. No left over pieces noted on floor, not to mention estimate of long piece needed to be measured just so - extending from bed to 2ft above lawn. Did she think balcony railing would not hold, and plan would be foiled?

It was not JS who said it must have been from the garage, it was LE. Supposedly there is an empty space in there somewhere. No way this could have been an old used rope because-where is all the DNA from other people that would have touched it? Must have been new and un-used as far as I can tell. Never heard anything about RN being a seamstress.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

I agree with alot of your post. The one thing is that we don't know what has gone on behind the seen and can only speculate on the relationship these two families have at this moment. How does anyone know that the Z family didn't reach out in private? I know that I don't....None of us do.....I just think that I can see how a family can be completely devastated and frustrated when they feel their concerns are not being addressed. On a side note, I have never had to go through what these two families have been going through, and I pray I never do....but I do imagine that if I were placed in this situation, I would do EVERYTHING I could possibly do to get to the truth of things.

Sometimes people will not accept the truth even when it is there. It is understandable that family members do not want to believe someone they loved committed suicide. I have seen that denial factor over and over again and find it to be a coping mechanism. It is far easier to place blame elsewhere than to come to grips with the truth.

I highly doubt they reached out to JS since they quickly came out after the autopsy results with their attorney hurling unsubstantiated allegations which have put the Shacknai's in a bad light.

Rebecca's family is in no more in pain than the Shacknai family is imo. Both have suffered tremendous loss. Each person who died meant the world to the ones who love them.

Maybe in the back of Jonah's mind he too cant figure out how Max flew over the railing to his death but he sure isn't coming out and insinuating that Rebecca had something to do with it.

And he certainly could because much of the public has so many unanswered questions on just how Max fell the way he did.

IMO

 

[justice be served]

I would expect LE would have looked into the rope-

Read somewhere that JS said it must be from the garage, as there was an empty spot where something had been sitting.... (something like that)

If in garage - either left by previous owner (old) or JS bought it (new). JS would know if he bought this rope. So, would be of interest if old vs new. If new, where can one purchase in San Digeo, Coronado, AZ, TN areas... Was it just lying on shelf, or in plastic and never used before...? Did JS /RN go boating - since they live on an island? Also, wonder if RN was a seamstress...because she cut the noose, foot and hand binding quite precise. No left over pieces noted on floor, not to mention estimate of long piece needed to be measured just so - extending from bed to 2ft above lawn. Did she think balcony railing would not hold, and plan would be foiled?

In the PC in my recollection, LE actually made a pretty big deal about the fact there was a specific spot on the shelf that was empty that may have contained the rope. It struck me funny at the time because I have NO idea what is on any of the shelves in my garage and certainly not that a specific shelf contains an 'empty spot'. I would guess finding where the rope came from is certainly important to point out, I just think it was a weak thing to say. And for that matter, either Rebecca found it there in the garage or someone else did so it doesn't prove anything to me. I guess that just means it was not brought to the house.

 

[justice be served]

Sometimes people will not accept the truth even when it is there. It is understandable that family members do not want to believe someone they loved committed suicide. I have seen that denial factor over and over again and find it to be a coping mechanism. It is far easier to place blame elsewhere than to come to grips with the truth.

I highly doubt they reached out to JS since they quickly came out after the autopsy results with their attorney hurling unsubstantiated allegations which have put the Shacknai's in a bad light.

Rebecca's family is no more in pain than the Shacknai family is imo. Both have suffered tremendous loss. Each person who died meant the world to the ones who love them.

Maybe in the back of Jonah's mind he too cant figure out how Max flew over the railing to his death but he sure isn't coming out and insinuating that Rebecca had something to do with it.

And he certainly could because much of the public has so many unanswered questions on just how Max fell the way he did.

IMO

BBM
I agree with everything you say except I don't think anyone really knows if the Z family had attempted to reach out to the S family prior to the lawyer's statements.

I have also learned a great deal from the posters, including yourself, about suicide and denial. It has really balanced my thinking on this.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

In the PC in my recollection, LE actually made a pretty big deal about the fact there was a specific spot on the shelf that was empty that may have contained the rope. It struck me funny at the time because I have NO idea what is on any of the shelves in my garage and certainly not that a specific shelf contains an 'empty spot'. I would guess finding where the rope came from is certainly important to point out, I just think it was a weak thing to say. And for that matter, either Rebecca found it there in the garage or someone else did so it doesn't prove anything to me. I guess that just means it was not brought to the house.

I imagine like the inside of the home the garage too was neat and orderly. If things were neatly placed on a shelf side by side and then there is a gap that was the size of the wound up rope.....it would be logical to think the rope was gotten from that area.

IMO

 

[jjenny]

I imagine like the inside of the home the garage too was neat and orderly. If things were neatly placed on a shelf side by side and then there is a gap that was the size of the wound up rope.....it would be logical to think the rope was gotten from that area.

IMO

When LE said "neat and orderly" I presume they were going for "no signs of struggle." For instance we have a description of one of rooms in the guest house with female clothing on the floor. Is that neat and orderly?

 

[katydid23]

Well to be fair it is a huge mansion and I very much doubt either LE or paramedics searched it at the time.

True. And a 14 and 15 yr old would easily leave on their own if need be. This is their summer neighborhood. They had local friends w/in walking distance and the beach is just across the street.

I have a theory that PERHAPS the older sibs were there earlier, and playing around and roughhousing with Max, and the siblings left, and Max fell right afterwards.

 

[gemvt]

I do believe that both families must be going through a terrible time at this moment. I can't imagine losing a child....in fact, I am not sure I could ever recover from that. Although, I don't think that the Z family or Bremner has said anything so terrible, I do see why JS would want to protect his family and his reputation. I think that MZ's statement to radaronline might have been in response to what the LE stated about the texts about how RZ had problems with the kids. Maybe MZ made these statements to prove that RZ had a very close relationship with MS. And I think that Bremner is doing what she is hired to do, which is to create enough of a media outcry that will get this case reopened. I don't know if I believe that JS necessarily blamed RZ for the accident with his son considering he went to dinner with her and his brother the night before. I think that his lack of statements is due to the fact that him or is attorney's want him to distance himself from the situation because of his high profile company. What I do find strange is that since he was in a close relationship with RZ and they lived together and she seemed to be very involved with his family, why he wouldn't be behind the Z familiy and more helpful to them? Also, from all of the interviews and articles I have seen, I think that the Z family's complaints about the lack of communication with the LE is because besides the one interview right before the PC, they hadn't been getting any updates.....and I have read that the LE hadn't even interviewed any family or friends that she has had for years. JMOO.

Saying that Rebecca had a close relationship with Max is one thing; saying "Dina was jealous of that relationship between her son, and Becky,” is another. That is a not-so-subtle dig at Dina that would lead many to think - well, if Dina was jealous of Rebecca, then maybe Dina was involved in Rebecca's death. It's statements like Mary Z-L's that plant seeds of doubt in people's minds and deflect from the facts of the case. Not to mention it's really a low blow to hurl at a grieving mother. IMO

 

[justice be served]

When LE said "neat and orderly" I presume they were going for "no signs of struggle." For instance we have a description of one of rooms in the guest house with female clothing on the floor. Is that neat and orderly?

I believe the AR said the main house was neat and orderly. The guest house was described as found - they didn't, I believe, describe it as neat and orderly.

 

[jjenny]

I believe the AR said the main house was neat and orderly. The guest house was described as found - they didn't, I believe, describe it as neat and orderly.

The room with the rope tied to the bed doesn't look "neat and orderly." Overturned chair, towel, paint brushes, knives, garbage bag and a tube of paint on the floor.