TX TX - William "Bill" Moore, 82, Pecan Plantation, 10 March 2012

[J. J. in Phila]

How deep is the river and lake between the dam and Granbury?

I take it there are not too many car-jackings in the area.

 

[SeekingJana]

How deep is the river and lake between the dam and Granbury?

I take it there are not too many car-jackings in the area.

Currently, I do not know the depth of the dammed up water.. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention which no one has looked at and that is the possibility that he LEFT Pecan, returned through the back gate, went to our marina for either a sandwich or gasoline, and put his car into the water there.

The tape was most likely only scrutinized for him leaving.. I'm not sure, but our Sheriff's dept. is a " Barney Fife" type operation. He could have gone into the water unnoticed at our marina which is very near the back gate because the Pecan Marina has had a big change in staff and lots of staff shortages.
Plus, they do a brisk business at lunch time with burgers and other sandwiches cooked and served on the patio there. A lot of us buy gasoline there, and someone pumps it for us. Then they go inside to charge our PPOA membership card for the purchase if we don't want to bother paying.
I don't think he bought gas, but might have checked the oil or tire pressure and somehow put his car in the water when everyone else was on the opposite side, on the patio.
IDK, but I do know that older residents, especially men, do hang out there on pretty days. I have a feeling this has never been considered..

It would be impossible to get a car into the dam part of Lake Granbury unnoticed because the bridge is well built white concrete, like our bridge in Pecan, and an accident would leave marks and probably a great deal of damage to the bridge.

The levels of Lake Granbury are determined by the water needs upstream at a well known resort called ( no joke) Possum Kingdom.
Possum Kingdom's dam controls the outflow of water to Lake Granbury. Since PK has needed their water during the droughts we have had the past few summers, people have not been able to put their boats in Lake Granbury.
Houses on the lake have sold at bargain basement prices- some really gorgeous properties.

OTOH, it takes a huge amount of rainfall to flood the Brazos River. The BRA keeps the water level as consistent as possible ( but it's also low in times of drought), and in 13 years, I've seen the Brazos River flooding homes in Pecan along the banks exactly twice. Our bridge looks ridiculously high up, but in flood stage waters, the change is amazing.
I'm used to much more control of river systems (through the TVA Corp of Engineers), so unless a person gets the levels, which are printed in the local newspaper for a particular date, there is no way to know how deep the water in Lake Granbury is at any point or on any day. It fluctuates wildly.. Blame it on Possum Kingdom and their prized fishermen.

The Brazos River is shallow enough to wade in in many parts during a dry season, which is to say " Most of the time", and is a pretty good fast moving body of deep water during a prolonged rainy period, which is rare here.

 

[SeekingJana]

About carjackings- Nope. There are thefts of vacant automobiles and such, rarely, but not the kind of violent carjackings the DFW metro area has, nor that we had in Atlanta.
If you are asking if Mr. Moore could have been the victim of a carjacking in Granbury, I think his old truck would be low on the list of at- risk vehicles. HE was a high- risk person, being elderly and frail, though. If he had been driving a shiny new vehicle, there would be a viable motive for foul play, whereas there is none known because his brown truck was very old.
Ditto for an outright theft of an empty vehicle.

Pecan has had 2 relative on relative deaths that I know of- one, a daughter killed her mother by bludgeoning with a hammer and other instrumentation.
Second one was very recent: Husband killed wife of 2 years as she was exiting the property and talking to 911. She was the one in the marriage with all the assets. A very nice lady, it is said, but we didn't know either of them.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Okay, on thing that I was looking at was the northeast side of the river/lake. He could have taken a wrong term, been confused, or even been driving along, had a heart attack and hit the accelerator. The depth would be helpful.

Also, he left through the gate on the southwest side; is that correct? By Mambrino Highway?

 

[SeekingJana]

Okay, on thing that I was looking at was the northeast side of the river/lake. He could have taken a wrong term, been confused, or even been driving along, had a heart attack and hit the accelerator. The depth would be helpful.

Also, he left through the gate on the southwest side; is that correct? By Mambrino Highway?

No, actually, the one thing we do know that is stated as " factual" and still remains on the Internet as well, is that he left through the FRONT gate ( the main gate).
This is the gate where, on the opposite side, the " IN" side, all contractors, plumbers, yard and pool guys, housekeepers, etc have to stop and be ID'd, license plate written down, and show insurance and proof of ownership of their vehicle to a guard in order to get into Pecan as a visitor. They keep the guard staff busy.

So, no one looks at us leaving Pecan. They are extremely busy with those who have to stop at the other side of the guard station, at the incoming gate, not having a RF windshield tag for Pecan automatic gates.

He should have turned left out of Pecan and gone into Acton, then Granbury. Apparently, from old news reports, he did NOT arrive at the O'Reilley's auto parts store he was going to.
We know he had no cell phone. If he didn't make it to Granbury, and the police are saying that he didn't ever show up at the auto parts store, then it stands to reason that something happened to him on the way, or on the road in general. If it's not a drowning because nothing has been found in 3 years, then I'd think it's time to focus on foul play on land.
I don't think anything bad would have happened to him in Granbury. This is not known as a bad town or a violent bunch of thugs. It is a tourist town, full of unique quilt shops, book stores, things of that nature. The people are generally very nice, very kind, southern type friendly.. but there are some Deliverance- types of men living way out of town in this rural county as well.

Pull up a RSO map of Hood County and look at the concentration of red dots in one area that is a single left turn off Acton Highway and on the river. The area " glows red", there are so many RSOs renting waterfront shacks out there. I can't name the area publicly but we ended up out there one Sunday with another couple, just driving around in their new large luxury car, and I was extremely uncomfortable until we were out of there. No one else was... but I sense things that others don't. I looked up the area later and found the RSO clustering.. it's a hell hole of depraved humanity out there.

The question still remains- Where is his truck, if he was harmed personally?

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Okay, what road is front gate on? Monticello?

 

[SeekingJana]

Okay, what road is front gate on? Monticello?

''

I called hubby to ask, as there are no road signs, and he said the front gate is on Monticello.

i guess you noticed the circle " roundabout" just past the bridge? I go straight down Westover to my house. Westover ends at the Country Club. Trying to give you some spatial relationships. There's also a circle in front of the country club, which has 4 roads leading off it as well. The back gate is almost visible from the circle in front of the country club, on Westover.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

''

I called hubby to ask, as there are no road signs, and he said the front gate is on Monticello.

i guess you noticed the circle " roundabout" just past the bridge? I go straight down Westover to my house. Westover ends at the Country Club. Trying to give you some spatial relationships. There's also a circle in front of the country club, which has 4 roads leading off it as well. The back gate is almost visible from the circle in front of the country club, on Westover.

Okay, I would say that the most likely place for the car to go into water would be on that side. That is based on the layout of the streets along the lake.

 

[SeekingJana]

Okay, I would say that the most likely place for the car to go into water would be on that side. That is based on the layout of the streets along the lake.

The water is not easily accessible from the front entrance of Pecan. There IS a partial structure of the old bridge on the right as you are leaving Pecan which is accessible by foot if a person is determined to go down there for some reason, but it is barricaded, and IMO, if someone tried to jump the barricade it would be a suicide attempt.
There are houses NEAR Monticello and the front gate which have rear- facing views and access to the Brazos, but these are private driveways and most people have fences or other structures impeding river access. Pecan is extremely private, and most residents are home during the daytime. ( Lots of retired golfing homeowners). Trespassing is never a problem here. People keep to their own property, no one wanders into another person's yard, driveway, etc.
Plus, we have security patrols patrolling all of our major roads, and all the roads coming off the circle are main roads. In fact, the front circle is right in front of security headquarters. A sheriff's deputy is stationed there, within our gates, as well, as there are so many people living on this large peninsula of Pecan Plantation.

Again, remember, the Brazos is so shallow in most parts throughout the spring and summer that an adult can wade across. I know this is true of the street I live on. I don't think there's any way a truck would be unnoticed for 3 years here in the Brazos River inside Pecan.
It's too shallow, there are kayaking teens and kids playing in the river on weekends, and most people who live on a river lot keep it maintained. Meaning that they pick up debris and the like that washes ashore. I think his remains or part of his clothing or truck would be found quickly. There are old flooded roads which serve as man-made " sand bars" if you will. Anything large would be caught up on one except in a rare flood stage of the river.

We have had one accidental river drowning in or near Pecan, and it's the only one I'm aware of since the new bridge was built. It was during a tremendous amount of rainfall shortly after we moved to the area. Probably around 2004.
As best as I can recall, it was a youth in a kayak. I know the person was very young, and at that particular time the river was overflowing its banks, which is rare. Pecan pilots were part of the search by air.

The truck LEFT Pecan. He passed ALL water hazards when he arrived at the front gate. No footage shows him returning, which fits with Mr. Moore being missing. Therefore, IMO, if he did go into the water accidentally, it was outside our gates. I was in Granbury yesterday and as usual, noticed how flat and barrier- free the land is all around Lake Granbury next to public parking areas. It would be SO easy to put a vehicle in D instead of R and go right into the river, if one panicked or was ill. But they say he isn't in the water.. and this is the shoreline, which would have receded quite a bit last year.

Thank you for looking at options with me. I want his remains found and laid to rest very much.
If his truck broke down or if he had an illness or episode of disorientation while driving in either direction in Granbury or if he got lost and ended up in another area of Texas, we can suspect this led to foul play but nothing is known to support the theory. He had not lived in Granbury for many years, so he may have remembered " home" as another place and headed there. I don't know if that theory has been looked at.

 

[mahoolin]

I still think about Mr Moore...and his fate

Re the O'reilly Auto Parts store he was headed to. Were there any surveillance videos available at the time? Were they reviewed to be certain he never arrived? Not all employees are truthful or good people. If they were familiar with him and knew his address from the orderthey might have assumed he carried lots of cash if he did or not. All it would take was one employee or one of said employee's friends to follow Mr Moore in his truck...you fill in the blanks.

Am I criticizing the particular store or employees? Absolutely not. Just playing devil's advocate.

On another note, I could easily subscribe to the theory that Mr Moore became confused and got lost. My grandfather did that going to the same place he visited every day. He drove round and round ending up far away when the police located him and brought him home. He fortunately wasn't harmed.

The world has become such an ugly place....and an old truck to some would be a godsend (pardon the irony) to a thief with no transportation, Mr Moore having walked off in confusion or being forced out when the illness or confusion became obvious to a low -life opportunist.

Hoping Mr Moore will be found and returned to his family. It's a shame such a close bond between father and son has to be colored with such an end. ☹️

 

[SeekingJana]

With tears overflowing but with a truly grateful heart that the end appears to be without any foul play, it appears that Mr. William " Bill" Moore's remains have been found.

Much as I have steadfastly pictured it in my mind since the day he disappeared in 2012, through what I can only call " a gift from God", Mr. Moore was found IN his truck IN a large body of water, near Dallas. The Trinity River, which, apparently is resistant to the frequent and severe Texas droughts that our lakes and rivers usually suffer mightily from.
Read the small notice. They were looking for another man, found his drowned remains and his truck, and Mr. Moore's truck and partial skeletal remains.
Article I just read is here: Authorities: Body believed to be missing Pecan Plantation man | Hood County News- A twice-weekly newspaper serving Granbury and Hood County, Texas

I believe that God is always with us and if we are faithful, He will show each of us the truths we seek.. even if the answers are grim in this world. Hopefully, Mr. Moore went into the water quickly, did not struggle but died instantly, and has been in Heaven all these years people have been looking for him.

I do not know his family personally, but they are, or at one time, were fellow residents here in Pecan Plantation. Please join me in praying for the speedy ID of the son's father, and for their healing.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I'm sorry to hear this, but I'm glad that his death was natural and probably quick.

 

[SeekingJana]

Thanks, my friend. I hope and do believe from what I have always seen that he drowned at about the same time the reality dawned on him, if it ever did in this lifetime.

The print newspaper says that on the day he went missing, streets in Dallas were flooded, and in Dallas, they have flooding like we have never had in Pecan Plantation. He was in the S. Dallas area ( not a good part of the city) and was driving on Loop 12. LE states that there was a street which ended in flooded waters and the Trinity River had overflowed its banks right there, so it's believed Mr. Moore drove into the river in a state of disorientation and obviously, by mistake.

Apparently, the area where he went into the water is known to be a trouble spot because that's where the DPS divers went looking for the recently drowned man and found Mr. Moore's truck which was verified by bringing up one of the 2 license plates we have to affix on front and rear bumpers. Later that day, they recovered and officially removed the remains believed to be his in the cab. Apparently, they had some miserable diving conditions but did find 2 missing men's remains and secured them for DNA testing, which will provide the legal answers to two accidental droanings. I HOPE they put some sort of tall and permanent barriers to keep anyone else from drowning on a city street, but knowing Dallas, that would probably require hundreds of barriers. We have Florida type flooding, the " 8 inches in 2 hours" type of thing in some parts, but due to our sandy soil, it's absorbed and goes down into the water table quickly, usually.

Once the remains have been DNA tested, which we know takes months, and the Dallas Forensic DNA lab has recently been under a lot of fire for sloppy handling and inaccurate testing, the family will hold a simple private burial for him.

Texas DPS divers rock!

 

[Julindy]

With tears overflowing but with a truly grateful heart that the end appears to be without any foul play, it appears that Mr. William " Bill" Moore's remains have been found.

 

[Julindy]

God Bless Mr Moore and his family,I couldn't even imagine what family & friends were going through..x

 

[SeekingJana]

God Bless Mr Moore and his family,I couldn't even imagine what family & friends were going through..x

I looked for him and his distinctive truck every day since he went missing. I think a lot of Pecan Plantation residents considered him to be very special and did the same.
His son and daughter in law are extremely nice people, and I think they expected his demise, like the rest of us. Closure is bittersweet, but it's better than to keep wondering what happened to him on what was supposed to be a short, local errand.

Thank you so much for caring about his case and for your kind words. You've made me tear up, but it's with a great sense of relief that he likely didn't suffer at all. The state policeman I talked to recently said they believe he went right into the deep water and likely before realization hit, he'd drowned.

 

[Just_Judi]

I know it has been 10+ years, but have there been any updates?

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I know it has been 10+ years, but have there been any updates?

His remains were found. I think he had crashed into a canal.

 

[Just_Judi]

His remains were found. I think he had crashed into a canal.

Thank you for the update.