Found Deceased MT - Rebekah Barsotti 33, & dog (fnd deceased), Town Pump, Superior, Mineral Co, 20 Jul 2021 *Reward

[Gina20]

It's very timely that Missoula County has introduced a new county-wide protocol for first responders on domestic abuse calls.

Missoula law enforcement takes aim at domestic violence, strangulation

Strangulation used to be treated like a slap or a punch, but it is "one of the most deadly forms of intimate partner violence", according to this video. Strangulation of a domestic partner is "the last stop before actually killing someone".

We don't know what happened to Rebekah in the domestic violence incident she reported, but if strangulation was involved, consider the above.

Where an incident occurs seems to be very important, as to how these incidents are handled by first responders and others.

 

[Gina20]

Are there any updates on this case? Anyone?

 

[laurawlms]

Are there any updates on this case? Anyone?

I wish I had something record breaking new to report. I know the SAR team is still searching the river and we are on day 25. I hope to speak with AM later this evening. I have tried to focus my concern on her. She has been so incredibly strong through this but I know she has very difficult days and I just try to keep her lifted up. We just passed 8 months on March 20. I never thought RB would still be missing. Every day I wake up asking, "Where are you Rebekah"?

 

[laurawlms]

In the course of my research, I learned that Montana allows burials on private property. So be cautious if you're out walking your dog and the dog picks up a scent. Home burials are legal in Montana, although subject to local rules.

Burial and Cremation Laws in Montana

Scattering ashes is one thing but burying a body on private property is concerning to me.

 

[Bit of hope]

I feel so sad for Rebekah and all of Rebekah's loved ones. Hoping for answers sooner then later. She will not be forgotten.

 

[Bit of hope]

It's very timely that Missoula County has introduced a new county-wide protocol for first responders on domestic abuse calls.

Missoula law enforcement takes aim at domestic violence, strangulation

Strangulation used to be treated like a slap or a punch, but it is "one of the most deadly forms of intimate partner violence", according to this video. Strangulation of a domestic partner is "the last stop before actually killing someone".

We don't know what happened to Rebekah in the domestic violence incident she reported, but if strangulation was involved, consider the above.

Where an incident occurs seems to be very important, as to how these incidents are handled by first responders and others.

Thank you for posting this. I'm very curious how the charges against her estranged husband are going to turn out. So very sad Rebekah can't take the stand telling her story (and how very convenient for the one who is standing trial)

 

[Gina20]

Scattering ashes is one thing but burying a body on private property is concerning to me.

<modsnip: Not relevant to this case which is in Montana>

I don't know how common this is in Montana, but the process of getting permission seems pretty easy. As I understand, even a coffin is optional.

Burial and Cremation Laws in Montana

If it's very common in Montana, perhaps people in Montana are so inured to it that they think nothing of driving by a body being buried on the neighbor's acreage? It could be a case of, "There's old Joe, burying one of the extended family again."

 

[laurawlms]

March 25, 2022 was the open Justice Court date for Rebekah's charge against David Barsotti for Personal Family Member Assault that occurred on March 9, 2021. 4 months before she went missing on July 20, 2021. This was a jury trial. Jurors were asked if they had heard about the Barsotti case. They were asked if they knew the defendant. They were asked if they were a victim of domestic violence or knew someone who had been affected by domestic violence. They were asked if they were in law enforcement or the military. What they weren't asked if they held a government position influenced by the election process. A juror was selected by legal counsel who is currently a state legislative representative of Mineral County. Elected in 2020 and term ends 2023. Although not legally required to be excused from jury duty it is highly unlikely that a representative from Mineral County had not seen or heard about the Barsotti case on social or public media. **This should have never been allowed. AM and GM are not from Mineral County and were not aware until after the hearing was over. **

The State presented 2 witnesses. The 911 Dispatch Operator and the responding deputy. The defense presented no witnesses. Neither side was allowed to reveal that RB is missing. However, the Defense attorney, in closing argument, took advantage of the situation and kept questioning why RB didn’t show up to tell her side of the story.

The State did enter DB’s Military DD-214 into evidence and his DD-214 reveals he only served 4 months and 11 days (he was still in bootcamp). He was kicked out of boot camp for a hurt shoulder. He did not receive an honorable discharge. He is not the Special Ops War Hero RB believed he was.

Unfortunately, the jury found DB not guilty. This verdict doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It simply means the State failed to present enough evidence for the jury to decide otherwise. The State could have dug deeper…they had a whole year!!! The evidence is there. Rebekah’s advocate was not called to testify. An advocate can be an expert witness to emotional apprehension.

Members of Mineral County community are angry to learn DB is a fraud and one resident in particular vows to see DB prosecuted for stolen valor while another is buying a billboard to place in front of their home to advertise DB’s stolen valor status.

As relayed to me from AM: The citizens of Mineral County need to hold their elected officials accountable. We can be their voice. We have nothing to lose. We don't live here. Rebekah's Legacy just expanded to helping expose the corruption that exists in Mineral County which apparently runs deep.

From a courtroom spectator: This trial never should have taken place in Mineral County. There's no way anyone could convince me that those jurors hadn't heard of Rebekah's disappearance. The judicial system fails us yet again....And anyone who still believes he is a 'War Hero'... and excuses his abusive behavior towards Rebakah because of PTSD...he only made it through 4 months of boot camp before leaving, he never served in Iraq or ANY war.

There was no video of the hearing. Zoom was not turned on. There is never a court reporter for Justice Court. However, AM and I both searched unsuccessfully for one since February.

 

[Gina20]

March 25, 2022 was the open Justice Court date for Rebekah's charge against David Barsotti for Personal Family Member Assault that occurred on March 9, 2021. 4 months before she went missing on July 20, 2021. This was a jury trial. Jurors were asked if they had heard about the Barsotti case. They were asked if they knew the defendant. They were asked if they were a victim of domestic violence or knew someone who had been affected by domestic violence. They were asked if they were in law enforcement or the military. What they weren't asked if they held a government position influenced by the election process. A juror was selected by legal counsel who is currently a state legislative representative of Mineral County. Elected in 2020 and term ends 2023. Although not legally required to be excused from jury duty it is highly unlikely that a representative from Mineral County had not seen or heard about the Barsotti case on social or public media. **This should have never been allowed. AM and GM are not from Mineral County and were not aware until after the hearing was over. **

The State presented 2 witnesses. The 911 Dispatch Operator and the responding deputy. The defense presented no witnesses. Neither side was allowed to reveal that RB is missing. However, the Defense attorney, in closing argument, took advantage of the situation and kept questioning why RB didn’t show up to tell her side of the story.

The State did enter DB’s Military DD-214 into evidence and his DD-214 reveals he only served 4 months and 11 days (he was still in bootcamp). He was kicked out of boot camp for a hurt shoulder. He did not receive an honorable discharge. He is not the Special Ops War Hero RB believed he was.

Unfortunately, the jury found DB not guilty. This verdict doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It simply means the State failed to present enough evidence for the jury to decide otherwise. The State could have dug deeper…they had a whole year!!! The evidence is there. Rebekah’s advocate was not called to testify. An advocate can be an expert witness to emotional apprehension.

Members of Mineral County community are angry to learn DB is a fraud and one resident in particular vows to see DB prosecuted for stolen valor while another is buying a billboard to place in front of their home to advertise DB’s stolen valor status.

As relayed to me from AM: The citizens of Mineral County need to hold their elected officials accountable. We can be their voice. We have nothing to lose. We don't live here. Rebekah's Legacy just expanded to helping expose the corruption that exists in Mineral County which apparently runs deep.

From a courtroom spectator: This trial never should have taken place in Mineral County. There's no way anyone could convince me that those jurors hadn't heard of Rebekah's disappearance. The judicial system fails us yet again....And anyone who still believes he is a 'War Hero'... and excuses his abusive behavior towards Rebakah because of PTSD...he only made it through 4 months of boot camp before leaving, he never served in Iraq or ANY war.

There was no video of the hearing. Zoom was not turned on. There is never a court reporter for Justice Court. However, AM and I both searched unsuccessfully for one since February.

Were any details of the abuse provided to those present? I think the kinds of abuse that occurred and the severity of the abuse are important, in particular with regard to strangulation, as noted above. This is very difficult to process, so I understand if you do not wish to share that information. I hope that if there were any instances of animal abuse, those too were provided at the hearing.

A Montana court had a high-profile case involving stolen valor a few years ago. Montana also has quite a high number of veterans living in the state. Word gets around.

Montana high court cancels parole conditions in stolen valor case

Also relevant:

Thanksgiving dinner a big hit at Bootlegger's Bar

 

[Gina20]

Who was the state's attorney in this case, for the record?

 

[laurawlms]

Were any details of the abuse provided to those present? I think the kinds of abuse that occurred and the severity of the abuse are important, in particular with regard to strangulation, as noted above. This is very difficult to process, so I understand if you do not wish to share that information. I hope that if there were any instances of animal abuse, those too were provided at the hearing.

A Montana court had a high-profile case involving stolen valor a few years ago. Montana also has quite a high number of veterans living in the state. Word gets around.

Montana high court cancels parole conditions in stolen valor case

Also relevant:

Thanksgiving dinner a big hit at Bootlegger's Bar

As far as I know the abuse details about the case were specific only to the March 9 incident. No other details about domestic violence in the marriage were entered. The hearing was not on zoom so the information I have received so far is from volunteers that were in the court taking notes for AM. The 911 call from 3/9/2021 was presented and the bodycam footage from the officer reporting was presented. In the bodycam footage the deputy speaks to DB about having been called to the residence before. Evidently both times DB spoke to the deputy about his triggers from war/combat and his alcohol / drug abuse or dependence. The deputy sympathized with DB about his PTSD and TBI from war combat and even offered to find him help. DB also mentions something about recently being contacted to serve in some sort of contracted military combat and that has increased his triggers. In the body cam footage the deputy and RB also exchanged conversation acknowledging the deputy having been called to the residence before and RB also reminds him of an incident at another address in Superior and the Deputy acknowledged. So evidently RB and DB lived in Superior before at a different location.

Maybe this is irrelevant but in research I have seen where it seems some folks in Superior have lived in other locations together as well. It seems they move around quite a bit. Also it seems some key players in this case moved to Superior very shortly after the 3/9 incident and RB leaving the marital home. These folks seem to be involved somehow in the RB missing case. It's hard to explain because the dots haven't all been connected yet.

I believe, even though DB was found not guilty in this DV incident, justice has been and will be served on DB by the many military veterans that are very upset about the lies DB told about his fake military service.

DB is a very convincing and excellent liar. He had his wife and her family, and the community convinced of his military lie. It seems even in March 2021 RB still believed the military lie. She made comments to the reporting officer (on bodycam footage) about DB's PTSD, TBI, and triggers and how it scares her. In this particular incident he seems to remember everything about the night except telling RB he would shoot her hands off. He seems to have "blacked out" about that. What else is he lying about?

This is a personal "oh by the way" but last night I had a dream of RB lighting a match and walking away from a building that goes up in flames. That told me justice was served, even if indirectly. I know there is a movie with that same setting but I can't recall the name of it.

I am so proud that AM followed this through because who knows if the truth would have ever come out otherwise?? I am a 10 year navy veteran and I have always been very offended by the military lie. I can only imagine the offensiveness of the lie is much stronger for veterans that actually served in combat.

 

[laurawlms]

Who was the state's attorney in this case, for the record?

Debra Jackson, Deputy County Attorney

 

[Bit of hope]

March 25, 2022 was the open Justice Court date for Rebekah's charge against David Barsotti for Personal Family Member Assault that occurred on March 9, 2021. 4 months before she went missing on July 20, 2021. This was a jury trial. Jurors were asked if they had heard about the Barsotti case. They were asked if they knew the defendant. They were asked if they were a victim of domestic violence or knew someone who had been affected by domestic violence. They were asked if they were in law enforcement or the military. What they weren't asked if they held a government position influenced by the election process. A juror was selected by legal counsel who is currently a state legislative representative of Mineral County. Elected in 2020 and term ends 2023. Although not legally required to be excused from jury duty it is highly unlikely that a representative from Mineral County had not seen or heard about the Barsotti case on social or public media. **This should have never been allowed. AM and GM are not from Mineral County and were not aware until after the hearing was over. **

The State presented 2 witnesses. The 911 Dispatch Operator and the responding deputy. The defense presented no witnesses. Neither side was allowed to reveal that RB is missing. However, the Defense attorney, in closing argument, took advantage of the situation and kept questioning why RB didn’t show up to tell her side of the story.

The State did enter DB’s Military DD-214 into evidence and his DD-214 reveals he only served 4 months and 11 days (he was still in bootcamp). He was kicked out of boot camp for a hurt shoulder. He did not receive an honorable discharge. He is not the Special Ops War Hero RB believed he was.

Unfortunately, the jury found DB not guilty. This verdict doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. It simply means the State failed to present enough evidence for the jury to decide otherwise. The State could have dug deeper…they had a whole year!!! The evidence is there. Rebekah’s advocate was not called to testify. An advocate can be an expert witness to emotional apprehension.

Members of Mineral County community are angry to learn DB is a fraud and one resident in particular vows to see DB prosecuted for stolen valor while another is buying a billboard to place in front of their home to advertise DB’s stolen valor status.

As relayed to me from AM: The citizens of Mineral County need to hold their elected officials accountable. We can be their voice. We have nothing to lose. We don't live here. Rebekah's Legacy just expanded to helping expose the corruption that exists in Mineral County which apparently runs deep.

From a courtroom spectator: This trial never should have taken place in Mineral County. There's no way anyone could convince me that those jurors hadn't heard of Rebekah's disappearance. The judicial system fails us yet again....And anyone who still believes he is a 'War Hero'... and excuses his abusive behavior towards Rebakah because of PTSD...he only made it through 4 months of boot camp before leaving, he never served in Iraq or ANY war.

There was no video of the hearing. Zoom was not turned on. There is never a court reporter for Justice Court. However, AM and I both searched unsuccessfully for one since February.

Thank you for this post Laura. How frustrated and sad you all must be, you worded it with dignity. The fact that DB has lied about his military background is in the open now is a good thing. My ex-husband was with the Dutch Marine Corps once, without combat experience, but I know they hate people bragging and lying about being a marine. Simple trick...ask their "service-number" and division/battalion. It will stick forever, because it's "drilled" in. I'm sure you still know yours. There will be a lot of people turning their backs against him, simply because he is a pathetic lair. He deserves it.

 

[Gina20]

As far as I know the abuse details about the case were specific only to the March 9 incident. No other details about domestic violence in the marriage were entered. The hearing was not on zoom so the information I have received so far is from volunteers that were in the court taking notes for AM. The 911 call from 3/9/2021 was presented and the bodycam footage from the officer reporting was presented. In the bodycam footage the deputy speaks to DB about having been called to the residence before. Evidently both times DB spoke to the deputy about his triggers from war/combat and his alcohol / drug abuse or dependence. The deputy sympathized with DB about his PTSD and TBI from war combat and even offered to find him help. DB also mentions something about recently being contacted to serve in some sort of contracted military combat and that has increased his triggers. In the body cam footage the deputy and RB also exchanged conversation acknowledging the deputy having been called to the residence before and RB also reminds him of an incident at another address in Superior and the Deputy acknowledged. So evidently RB and DB lived in Superior before at a different location.

Maybe this is irrelevant but in research I have seen where it seems some folks in Superior have lived in other locations together as well. It seems they move around quite a bit. Also it seems some key players in this case moved to Superior very shortly after the 3/9 incident and RB leaving the marital home. These folks seem to be involved somehow in the RB missing case. It's hard to explain because the dots haven't all been connected yet.

I believe, even though DB was found not guilty in this DV incident, justice has been and will be served on DB by the many military veterans that are very upset about the lies DB told about his fake military service.

DB is a very convincing and excellent liar. He had his wife and her family, and the community convinced of his military lie. It seems even in March 2021 RB still believed the military lie. She made comments to the reporting officer (on bodycam footage) about DB's PTSD, TBI, and triggers and how it scares her. In this particular incident he seems to remember everything about the night except telling RB he would shoot her hands off. He seems to have "blacked out" about that. What else is he lying about?

This is a personal "oh by the way" but last night I had a dream of RB lighting a match and walking away from a building that goes up in flames. That told me justice was served, even if indirectly. I know there is a movie with that same setting but I can't recall the name of it.

I am so proud that AM followed this through because who knows if the truth would have ever come out otherwise?? I am a 10 year navy veteran and I have always been very offended by the military lie. I can only imagine the offensiveness of the lie is much stronger for veterans that actually served in combat.

It would be interesting to know if anyone else involved in this story lived with DB and RB at the other address in Superior. No need to provide that information on this forum; just for your own reference.

Superior has a population of about 830, and Mineral County in total has about 4,535 people, some living remotely. If any of those jurors were from Superior, I'd say it's nigh well impossible that they didn't hear about this case. That is MOO. Also, during jury selection, how many saw the missing persons posters in Superior and the broader area?

 

[laurawlms]

It would be interesting to know if anyone else involved in this story lived with DB and RB at the other address in Superior. No need to provide that information on this forum; just for your own reference.

Superior has a population of about 830, and Mineral County in total has about 4,535 people, some living remotely. If any of those jurors were from Superior, I'd say it's nigh well impossible that they didn't hear about this case. That is MOO. Also, during jury selection, how many saw the missing persons posters in Superior and the broader area?

They did take down the posters in the courthouse the day of the trial.

 

[laurawlms]

Here is an interview between Williston Trending Topics News Live and the Private Investigator, James Terry. They were limited on time but say it will be continued. I hope the link works because it is on FB.

Update

 

[Gina20]

Here is an interview between Williston Trending Topics News Live and the Private Investigator, James Terry. They were limited on time but say it will be continued. I hope the link works because it is on FB.

Update

Thank you. Mr. Terry said this could likely be solved with the release of the 911 recording. I hope so. I hope it will be released soon. Even if it's not released to the public, I think it would be very helpful if Mr. Terry could listen to it.

I wonder if any of the people central to this story are connected to the man in New Mexico who made those phone calls to AM. I'm sure Mr. Terry knows by now. Who would do a thing like that? There must be something more that we don't know.

 

[Steve McQueen]

Now we know why they refuse to release the 911 call. This whole thing stinks to high heaven.

 

[Gina20]

Now we know why they refuse to release the 911 call. This whole thing stinks to high heaven.

Maybe some voices on that call could be recognized by people in the community. I suppose anyone could call in and claim to be a family from Oregon, just passing through.

How many members of that family spoke to the 911 dispatcher? Male? Female?

 

[laurawlms]

Now we know why they refuse to release the 911 call. This whole thing stinks to high heaven.

There is no Oregon Family.