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

[SunnieRN]

Thank you, this is better quality then the one from radar online!!

 

[Morag]

I can't see the three support thingies in that screenshot either, and they must be there.

 

[deanna82437]

I can't see the three support thingies in that screenshot either, and they must be there.

True, I don't see them either. Could be the camera angle?? Don't know.

 

[SunnieRN]

I think it can be the angle as it is also hard/not impossible, to see the front of the balcony/bannister also. The LE photo is from below.

 

[Brit]

Here is an article written of an interview with rz mother and sister. Very moving. Everybody should read.

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/sep/14/citylights2-rebecca-zahau/

 

[deanna82437]

Here is an article written of an interview with rz mother and sister. Very moving. Everybody should read.

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/sep/14/citylights2-rebecca-zahau/

Absolutely heartbreaking that these people were treated so deplorably. All the more reason we should all strive to seek justice for RZ and her family.

Thank you Brit, for posting this link. Hopefully members of LE will read it as well!!

 

[lauriej]

..excellent article by Valhall on RZ's fall.

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/14/rebecca-zahau-case-the-geometry-in-rebeccas-fall/

Rebecca Zahau case: The geometry in Rebecca’s fall
--snipped---

"I thought we’d center in on the near impossible geometry associated with Rebecca’s “suicide” fall over the balcony rail. We’ll be utilizing a set of marked up pictures from the San Diego Sheriff’s department’s website to show that it would be near impossible for Rebecca to have pulled off what she is being accused of....."

 

[Brit]

..excellent article by Valhall on RZ's fall.

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/14/rebecca-zahau-case-the-geometry-in-rebeccas-fall/

Rebecca Zahau case: The geometry in Rebecca’s fall
--snipped---

"I thought we’d center in on the near impossible geometry associated with Rebecca’s “suicide” fall over the balcony rail. We’ll be utilizing a set of marked up pictures from the San Diego Sheriff’s department’s website to show that it would be near impossible for Rebecca to have pulled off what she is being accused of....."

This case just keeps getting more and more strange....

 

[SunnieRN]

..excellent article by Valhall on RZ's fall.

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/14/rebecca-zahau-case-the-geometry-in-rebeccas-fall/

Rebecca Zahau case: The geometry in Rebecca’s fall
--snipped---

"I thought we’d center in on the near impossible geometry associated with Rebecca’s “suicide” fall over the balcony rail. We’ll be utilizing a set of marked up pictures from the San Diego Sheriff’s department’s website to show that it would be near impossible for Rebecca to have pulled off what she is being accused of....."

This is brilliant!! Between this and Cynics demo, I say,why couldn't LE after 7 weeks, figure out that this was impossible?

 

[elementry]

This is brilliant!! Between this and Cynics demo, I say,why couldn't LE after 7 weeks, figure out that this was impossible?

LE wanted this thing closed shut. They've basically telegraphed that the (poor) Zahau's will have to deliver to them sufficient contrary evidence to LE for them to even consider looking at the facts of the case. This is Law Enforcement? Do a threadbare job and then tell the victim's family to do LE's work for them? Even then, don't expect LE to re-open it, or with any real enthusiasm or feeling of duty. An odd crew running things out in San Diego. There was never any real trying of LE's facts as presented, and that's how they wanted it. The kicker was the finale of posting JS's publicist's thank you letter as the final bit in their website offering. As if, Jonah's satisfied, that must prove it!

 

[SunnieRN]

LE wanted this thing closed shut. They've basically telegraphed that the (poor) Zahau's will have to deliver to them sufficient contrary evidence to LE for them to even consider looking at the facts of the case. This is Law Enforcement? Do a threadbare job and then tell the victim's family to do LE's work for them? Even then, don't expect LE to re-open it, or with any real enthusiasm or feeling of duty. An odd crew running things out in San Diego. There was never any real trying of LE's facts as presented, and that's how they wanted it. The kicker was the finale of posting JS's publicist's thank you letter as the final bit in their website offering. As if, Jonah's satisfied, that must prove it!

I think there is enough evidence that contradicts LE statements, that reasonable doubt should prevail. Whether that is enough or not, I am not sure.

How is the family supposed to find evidence, when the scene has been released and any evidence that was available is now likely destroyed?

Rebecca and her family deserve to have the same access to information that JS must have had, to come to a staunch belief in LE conclusions.

We have listed many flaws in the differences of the AR to what is shown by Rebecca's body, incorrect or refutable reports by LE and the fact that the Zahou family was not involved in the investigation, unsubstantiated statements from LE concluding alibis and a lie detector test..

Hopefully these and more will lead to the re-opening of Rebecca's death investigation.

 

[SophieRose]

Originally Posted by deanna82437
That was a very nice article about the family. Thanks for posting the link again.

CDS22 wrote:
You're very welcome. The contradictons in it were interesting. I think the more they talk, the more interesting the case becomes.

I found it interesting that although the sisters talk all the time, Mary only guessed at how Rebecca met JS. Wasn't Rebecca still married to her first husband at that time? She may not have wanted to say too much since her family describes themselves as very Christian.

IMO

 

[elfie]

http://www.examiner.com/news-analysis-in-national/jonah-shacknai-doubted-rebecca-zahau-committed-suicide

Excerpt from article in above link:


Rebecca Zahau was found completely naked, hanging from a second floor inner courtyard balcony at about 6:30 a.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 with her feet bound, her hands tied behind her back, a blue T-shirt wrapped around her throat with parts of it in her mouth as a gag, with adhesive tape residue on her calves, and a fracture to her calvaria or skullcap bone indicating a possible blow to her head, at the historic Shacknai home, known as the Spreckels Mansion, located at 1043 Ocean Boulevard, in Coronado, CA.


One fireman who works in Coronado whom we interviewed under conditions of anonymity, thought that the finding of suicide was based on "a balance between efficiency and effectiveness", claiming that the City of Coronado's police department was highly efficient, but not as effective in responding to high profile suspicious death incidents.

He also told us that Coronado wanted to protect its revenue sources that were highly dependent on tourism, that the County Sheriff's office saw this as a "political hot potato", and that both departments, because of political and other concerns, wanted the case closed and forgotten.

I think this is as fair an estimation as any. If this is indicative of the general sentiment, what is the procedure, if any, for Rebecca's family to have the investigation re-opened?
Will their attorney be able to accomplish this?

 

[Peaceful]

A MUST read!
http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/14/rebecca-zahau-case-the-geometry-in-rebeccas-fall/

 

[sdcali]

I found it interesting that although the sisters talk all the time, Mary only guessed at how Rebecca met JS. Wasn't Rebecca still married to her first husband at that time? She may not have wanted to say too much since her family describes themselves as very Christian.

IMO

And coincidentally, Jonah was still married to his second wife too. Wonder if he shared his relationship with Rebecca with his family? I am sure that is also disallowed by his Jewish beliefs as well.

 

[rosemary]

I've actually been reading up on Rebecca's Asian background. She was a member of the Christian Chins from Myanmar, an ethnic minority persecuted by the reigning Burmese gov. due to their different religion. While Rebecca may not have been a perfect Christian all the time (who is?), the fact is, her religion probably does play a strong influence on her life. Based on the info I found, the Chins cultural identity revolves around their religion of Christianity. This has been the case even back when they were still animists. A similar example I can think of are the Filipinos, an Asian people who are predominantly Christians.

Rebecca probably belonged to the Hakha Chin group, which is what the majority of the Chin refugees who settle in the US are. She was most likely Baptist as well and from what I've read, Baptists, like most Christians, are against suicide. I've also found some info that one's culture, particular religion and set of beliefs can be protective factors when it comes to committing suicide. One of the reasons why suicide is so high in Japan is due to their culture glorifying and romanticizing the practice of suicide. Buddhist countries also tend to have higher rates of suicide compared to Muslim countries which explicitly forbids the practice.

Religion may be protective against suicide, both at the
individual and societal level, and this effect may be mediated by the degree to which a given religion sanctions suicide (Vijayakumar, 2002). This suggestion is consistent
with ecological studies that have observed suicide rates to be high in countries where
religious beliefs are not actively promoted by the state, and to be low in countries
where they are (Neeleman and Lewis, 1999). It also coincides with individual-level
studies which have found variables such as lack of religious conviction to be a risk
factor for suicide (Gururaj et al., 2004).

http://www.who.int/mental_health/resources/suicide_prevention_asia_chapter2.pdf

 

[Pach]

the one thing that also bothers me is why the message on the door was covered up by the police ?? what for ? to protect the privacy of whomever ?
the message is cryptic and open to interpretation to begin with so this "privacy" excuse is very hard to justify so why the coverup ? Now, we dont know the strokes or the slanting of paintbrush used to write the message.

 

[rosemary]

The chins precolonial beliefs of death and the after life might help to explain why Rebecca killed herself and why she chose to write such a bizarre message.

The Chins had a belief that there were good and bad spirits who roamed the earth. The bad spirits in particular were known to cause illnesses and accidents, and the Chins thought that only the practice of ritual sacrifices could appease these evil supernatural beings. They sacrificed animals, starting from small ones like chickens and if that didn't work, they moved on to bigger ones like pigs and cattle. I read from one particular site that sometimes even humans could be used as sacrifice if pigs and cattle didn't work to cure a sick person. The idea of self sacrifice is also something that is highly valued in Chin culture, although that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with suicide. Sacrificing one's own happiness or wants for someone else, for the greater good of the family or community, was something that was considered honorable to them. That could help explain why Rebecca might have chosen to 'sacrifice' herself if she believed it might help cure or 'save' Max from his illness.

The Chins also believed that how a person died would determine where their soul would go to in the after-life. There was the main place, similar to the Christian idea of heaven, where most souls who died a natural death would go to. Then there was another place, sort of like purgatory or even a bit like hell, where souls who died accidentally or violently would go to instead. The only way these souls could be saved from this awful place was if the people who were directly or indirectly responsible for their 'unnatural' deaths were killed themselves. Thus, the words 'saved him' could be interpreted as Rebecca 'saving' Max's soul from that awful place by killing herself as a form of self sacrifice.

The main problem I have with that idea though is that the Chins are now practicing Christians, and have mostly done away with their precolonial animistic beliefs. Their belief in Christianity is so great and so vital to their identity that they have resisted conversion to Buddhism or escaped from Myanmar to avoid religious persecution. Christians, especially conservative Baptists, tend to view suicide as wrong and as a form of self-murder which goes against one of the ten commandments in the Bible. People who are strongly influenced by religions like Christianity or Islam tend to have lower suicide rates than those who don't have strong religious convictions. Rebecca's family seems to be very religious, and Rebecca herself studied at a Bible college. She would have known that suicide was strongly discouraged and even condemned and viewed as a great sin by Christians.

Plus, from all accounts, she seemingly had a good and close relationship with her family. She would also have been aware of the support system that the Chin Baptist church had to offer. Most Chin refugees who have moved to the US have been able to adjust and settle well due to their strong support system. Rebecca might not have been living with her family and might have even felt isolated by Jonah and his family because of what happened, but she knew that she had people she could talk to and rely on. She was still able to communicate with her family so she wasn't as isolated as some people here have thought.

Another thing that also discourages the idea of suicide is Rebecca's love of exercise. Studies have shown that exercise can help alleviate depression, and can lift someone's mood up. Contrary to the LE's statement that Rebecca had stopped exercising or going to the gym because she felt depressed, there are reports and interviews of some gym personnel who claimed to have seen her a few days or a few hours before her death exercising as usual.

I also didn't read or hear any info that Rebecca had updated or created a will, or given away her things, to finalize everything before her suicide. Other than sending her dog to the pound, which doesn't mean anything in itself, there is no other given clue that Rebecca had been planning to kill herself that night. I also find it strange that she would not have left any letters or personal messages to her family, especially since she was close to them. Chins highly value their family, from most of the literature I read about their culture, that has always been emphasized. Since family is so significant in her culture, I don't think Rebecca would have ended it all without saying or writing goodbye to them.

Finally, if Rebecca had killed herself due to her culture's precolonial beliefs about life and death, why didn't she choose a black scarf to wrap around her neck? The color black in Chin animistic belief signifies life, the one true color of their supreme being. Plus there is nothing in the literature I have found about Chins that would explain explain why Rebecca would choose to hang herself naked outside. Chins, even during the precolonial era, were quite conservative and highly valued their clothes.

 

[SophieRose]

And coincidentally, Jonah was still married to his second wife too. Wonder if he shared his relationship with Rebecca with his family? I am sure that is also disallowed by his Jewish beliefs as well.

But Rebecca's sister said the two of them talked or texted by phone all the time. Just surprised she didn't really know how Jonah and Rebecca met. I would expect her to share those details if they are really close. Jonah and brother have not said anything about their sibling relationship.

 

[rosemary]

And coincidentally, Jonah was still married to his second wife too. Wonder if he shared his relationship with Rebecca with his family? I am sure that is also disallowed by his Jewish beliefs as well.

While adultery is viewed as a sin in Christian belief, that hasn't stopped plenty of Christians, even the very religious ones, from committing it. From what I've read about human evolution, it is in our nature to be polygamous rather than monogamous.