What happened to Rebecca Zahau?

[MyBelle]

Do you think they interviewed her more than once?

No. I think cops took her statement during the same visit where they photographed the chandelier, balls, etc. To me, it seems LE considered the possibility of child abuse from the outset and that's why they took the time to collect photos of the scene. I would find it very suspicious if someone told me they did rescue breathing but couldn't remember an important detail such as turning over the body yet remembered the child said "Ocean."

JMO

 

[CanManEh]

Hey everyone I have posted a few times on this case prior to it being ruled a suicide .I was wondering about something that was rumoured about it previous threads about thier being loud music playing the night she would have taken her life or been murdured Iam curious if it was ever confirmed that yes thier was infact loud music playing and also what kind of music as I think we can all relate to being down,depressed,grieving and having a few songs that you turn too when your feeling that way .I guess my thinking is maybe if she was blaring the music and it was you know sad music i know we would all have a different deffenition of what is sad and what is happy but if she was listening to loud music of stuff that one would consider sad it might be looked at as more evidence as to her being more overcome with the loss of max and then taking her life.. But as i stated was it even confirmed there was loud music being played late that night.

 

[Rhyme & Reason]

Hey everyone I have posted a few times on this case prior to it being ruled a suicide .I was wondering about something that was rumoured about it previous threads about thier being loud music playing the night she would have taken her life or been murdured Iam curious if it was ever confirmed that yes thier was infact loud music playing and also what kind of music as I think we can all relate to being down,depressed,grieving and having a few songs that you turn too when your feeling that way .I guess my thinking is maybe if she was blaring the music and it was you know sad music i know we would all have a different deffenition of what is sad and what is happy but if she was listening to loud music of stuff that one would consider sad it might be looked at as more evidence as to her being more overcome with the loss of max and then taking her life.. But as i stated was it even confirmed there was loud music being played late that night.

Not yet confirmed.

 

[GutInstinct]

Agree with Porkchop. Where there is smoke, there is fire. There's alot of smoke here surrounding both deaths.

 

[curiousjo]

If the neighbors could hear loud music playing that night- then it was LOUD. So, wouldn't AS have heard the music since he was staying in guesthouse? It should have been REALLY LOUD if staying on the property.

If you flew in to town to support your brother, after your nephew had a tragic accident, and the girlfriend said she was exhausted and goint to bed, then you heard loud music playing for 30 minutes (not 5 min) somewhere between 11PM -1 AM...
What would you do?
---Most people would think something was wrong, get up and check it out.

If there was loud music playing, then it would be important to know if AS reported it to the LE when questioned about events that transpired after RZ and AS arrive back to the mansion, as this would have stood out as being unusual event that occurred that night.
---If not, then his involvement is suspect.
Ex, ...LE could play loud music at level neighbors heard -at that same late hour- then go to guest house and see one could hear it.

Think about it. IF you went to bed, then were awakened in the middle of the night due to loud music blasting .....so loud that the neighbors could hear and thought there was a party - for 30 minutes- what would you do?

 

[justbetweenus]

CDS22 It COULD be suicide BUT most likely not. And there are alot of things that point that it wasn't but law enforcement did not investigate the case thoroughly so who knows? They left ALOT out and ignored alot. Including an inconclusive polygraph from the only person known to be near RZ right before she died. LE should investigate til the public is satified. At least most of the public. To have the huge majority believing its murder sure shows a problem here. Again I state there are alot of PR folks from the S family around...

I think they all (not just LE) should sit down for a dateline interview, and give all the details on how they came up with their conclusions. Have the Shacknais, the Zahaus, and whoever give their accounts, and just maybe the public might feel satisfied. They have to do something.

 

[justbetweenus]

Just another instance of LE NOT doing their job then! Maybe that weird quote on the bedroom door had to do with someone from the family choking the kid and RZ not saying anything to LE about it. Who knows?? All I know is the whole story on all sides is hinky and needs investigating by decent LE that has no agenda and doesn't care about someone's $$$

I can't express what I think the message might mean *IF* she did write it, and it was suicide. But I think I can say this hint...maybe she did save him (Jonah) one time.

 

[justbetweenus]

The doctor based his opinion on visible injuries. He did not know about the extensive spinal cord damage, which is what caused Max to stop breathing.

Hi jjenny...I really believe too much is being read from the word "visible" I believe visible in a dr.s view would be by viewing test results. How on earth would a specialist come up with suffocation by looking at the child. Did he see thumb prints on his neck?

 

[KariKae]

FWIW - I do believe there was tension in the Shacknai household regarding Rebecca and the Shanknai children. Perhaps the older Shacknai children had a decent relationship with Dina and that is why they spent time at Dina's house. Perhaps the relationship with the children was a major barrier to Rebecca becoming Mrs Shacknai #3. I am unclear what the children's biological parents did to foster a relationship between the children and Rebecca.

Max's Accident - I do not believe Rebecca deliberately caused Max's death. I just cannot see her deliberating causing the death of Max with other people in the house. I do think inattention is entirely possible. Based on what I read on Max's thread, I am on the fence as to whether or not she performed CPR as she stated.

After Max's accident, I think the family was quietly questioning incontencies in Rebecca's story, just as we are doing her on WS. However, they have a lot more information that we have. RZ might have been trying to bring clothes, etc to JS and it is possible JS was rebuffing her efforts. It is possible he asked her to leave. I think the dinner before RZ's death was a pivotal point. I think the family questioned her, not an interrogation, but they would naturally be talking about *how* it happened. I think inconsistencies in RZ's story came out. I think Nina's phone call was a direct result of the dinner conversation. Maybe Nina was playing "good cop" and trying to get more information out of an upset Rebecca. Later that night, only JS knows what was said during the 1250 am phone call.

I just cannot decide if I think it was murder or suicide. I cannot imagine Rebecca planning such an elaborate suicide in a manner of hours. I also cannot see a normally upstanding citizen planning a violent murder and leaving absolutely no physical evidence behind -not a hair or drop of sweat or anything.

I have seen her journal entries referenced several times. Perhaps there are clues in there that led LE to rule her death a suicide.

 

[sdcali]

I have seen her journal entries referenced several times. Perhaps there are clues in there that led LE to rule her death a suicide.

I agree, there may have been. But then the questions arise of when were they entered and who entered them? If the diary were not password protected, then it could have been anyone who downloaded a diary on her smartphone and begin making entries.

Even at 1 a.m. before painting a mysterious message on a door in black paint.

LE was vague about the journal entries--and yet used her state of mind (second hand from a "friend") six months prior to help substantiate their claim that she was depressed when she died.

 

[jjenny]

Hi jjenny...I really believe too much is being read from the word "visible" I believe visible in a dr.s view would be by viewing test results. How on earth would a specialist come up with suffocation by looking at the child. Did he see thumb prints on his neck?

Max had visible injuries to his face. But based on those injuries it can not be explained why he had cardiac arrest and brain swelling. Thus the doctor came up with the "suffocation" idea. But autopsy showed Max had severe spinal cord damage, which can cause cardiac arrest and brain swelling (due to lack of oxygen). So there is proof whatsoever of "suffocation," and in fact Max's symptoms can be explained by spinal cord damage which he had.

 

[SunnieRN]

On another website, they have a list of unanswered questions, as follows:
1 - clump of hair - no identification
2- phone - no confirmation of Jonah's 12:30 am call
3 - how did Adam "rush "into main house when it would've been locked - no details
4 - why did Adam stand on 3 leg wooden table when he could've cut her down standing up - no details and no explanation
5- how did Rebecca go from balcony to over the balcony rail - no re-enactment
6 - water bottle/Dr.Pepper - no identification
7 - red stain on carpet - no identification
8 -tissues with red stains - no indentifaction
9 - woman's clothes in guest house - not identified by female name
10 - ADT Security Alarm System - very vague on why there wasn't specific information retrieved....still don't know...ADT reps have remained quiet
11- 60 ft. red towing rope - who ever saw this rope and where....when/where was it purchased
12 - how much rope did investigators measure from the 3 sections plus noose - was it 60 ft. - never mentioned.....was it LESS than 60 ft - never mentioned
13 - was Jonah,Adam,Dina,Howard and Nina's blood/DNA ever taken during the investigation - not mentioned
14 - was estimate time of death in the Autposy Report - no and without explanation as to why it was left out
15 -where did Adam,Rebecca and Jonah have dinner Tuesday early evening - dining place not identified
16 -"Dina was advised about Maxfield's accident on July 11, 2011, at about 1400 hours." That is 2pm. Her car was at her house in Coronado. Where was she for four hours after Max's fall?
17- Why was Dina away from the hospital on July 12th from 8am – 10pm? What was she doing?
18 - From the search warrant, "She stayed at the hospital and was at the hospital on July 13th at about 0700 hours when she received a phone call from Jonah. Jonah told her Rebecca had killed herself." Why on that same morning was Jonah both calling Dina to give her the news and arriving at the hospital at 7 am when he was supposedly right in front of her?
19-Why was Rebecca carried a bit away from the table and laid her down facing the house? Looks like whoever laid her there came out of the house and laid her there.
20-What about everyone’s phone records? Jonah, his family and friends??? Nothing has been said about collecting these.
21- Where is the evidence of the whereabouts of the teenagers on July 11th, time of flight?
22 - Where is the evidence of the activities of Adam following Max’s accident, airline ticket who bought it…?24- What were Jonah’s actions immediately following the news of RZ? Who did he call? Who did he tell? Why did he not come to the house to see what happened?
25- What did Jonah say exactly in this alleged voicemail that has been erased?
26- What did the message on the door say exactly and why on earth is there no photo (or it there is why hasn’t it been shown to the public) and why was it allowed to be painted over? And why is it in Jonah’s custody when Rebecca’s property hasn’t been returned to her family yet.
27- If the ROPE came from the garage....whose fingerprints/footprints were there? Did LE even process the garage?
28- Dr. Luber. I'm real curious why he would be contacting Rebecca, or she to him at nearly 11:00pm?
29 - he narrow boot/shoe print in the bedroom - by the plastic bag, under the bed (--> so the impression must have been made before the bed was pulled forward with the weight of RZ's hanging body) - seems to match the footprint in the balcony?
30- Plastic bag - could possibly be used to suffocate…why was it there and was it tested for DNA?
31- Why was Rebecca in the guest bedroom?

There is also someone who posted responses, named 'W'.
http://coronado.patch.com/articles/suspect-arrested-in-sat-morning-assault

 

[SunnieRN]

'Answers'

1 – From the dog. Or a hair brush wad. Means nothing.
2- Yes there was.
3 – He had a key.
4 – Table broke when he cut her down, and they both fell.
5- Hip up on railing and lean.
6 – Just Water. Just Doctor Pepper.
7. Finger nail polish.
8 . Finger nail polish.
9 - The clothes were from a previous guest. Rebecca did not have time to straighten the guest house before Adam arrived.
10 – They talked to police.
11- It was in the garage with other boating items.
12 – They measured.
13 – No. No blood or DNA other than Rebecca’s was found.
14 – Around 3 a.m.
15 – McDonalds in the hospital. It was a “let’s get out of the hospital room a minute" dinner.
16 Why does it matter where Dina was?
17- Trying to get some sleep.
18 – He sent the text on his way there.
19- The table broke when Adam cut Rebecca down. They both fell.
20- They got what they needed.21- This is just the saddest accusation of all. Their flight left at 6 am that morning. They had nothing to do with the fall.
22 – Adam was told Monday afternoon and was on the first flight out Tuesday morning. Who cares who bought the ticket?
24- None of that would mean anything.
25- That they were donating Max’s organs and then he would be taken off life support.
26- She saved him Can he save her. Because they had already tested it.
27- Rebecca’s. And yes.
28- Someone from a suicide hotline?
29 – Not a footprint.
30- She carried all the stuff in it.
31- The balcony. A great place to hang yourself.
32. The scream came from Rebecca when she heard the Max would be taken off life support.
33. The loud music came from Rebecca playing the Doors,
“The End" while she burned a candle.
34. She did have problems, to say she did not is incorrect.
35. Christians commit suicide all the time.

 

[jjenny]

If "W" doesn't yet work for SDSD, he should join.
The balcony. A great place to hang yourself.
:floorlaugh:

 

[jjenny]

I am going to address some of these answers:
2-yes there was-and I am just supposed to take "W's" word for it?
3-he had a key? Again, I am just supposed to take "W's" word for it?
4-table broke and they both fell down-that is not in any report.
5. Hip up-doesn't fit with the toe prints being forward, not sidewise in relation to the railing. How did she manage to get her hip onto the railing?
6. Dr. Pepper is not a "clear" liquid.
12-they measured-what was the result?
32. Scream was reportedly heard much earlier than RN supposedly checking her voice mail at 12:50 am.

 

[Yoda]

If W really believes it was a suicide then W should try to argue their view with the best facts they can find. It may be a suicide, and if W can't find the facts to support it the smart thing , IMO, would be to ask for LE to release more information so that he/she can support his/her opinion. But to make unsupported statements and snide answers does nothing to argue his/her case. It appears to me that many people on this forum have an opinion on what happened, but are asking questions because they want the truth, whether it is what they initially believed or not. IMO. I can handle the truth.

 

[rosemary]

If Rebecca had been trying to contact a suicide hotline, why didn't the LE mention it in their presentation? that would have made it more believable to the public that Rebecca's death was due to suicide rather than murder.

 

[jjenny]

If Rebecca had been trying to contact a suicide hotline, why didn't the LE mention it in their presentation? that would have made it more believable to the public that Rebecca's death was due to suicide rather than murder.

That claim doesn't even correspond to a question. The question is why did RN contact Dr. Luber.

 

[CocoChanel]

No. I think cops took her statement during the same visit where they photographed the chandelier, balls, etc. To me, it seems LE considered the possibility of child abuse from the outset and that's why they took the time to collect photos of the scene. I find it very suspicious if someone told me they did rescue breathing but couldn't remember an important detail such as turning over the body yet remembered the child said "Ocean."

JMO

BBM
I absolutely agree that LE should have considered abuse/neglect. Anytime an otherwise healthy child is unexpectedly injured, I would want and expect an investigation from LE. It should not matter if the injury happened to a child of wealth or poverty.

 

[oceanblueeyes]

? - was Max left alone at that time?
? - DS twin was also around - was she the one with DS or was she at the hospital playing DS?
? - two mwn - AS and the Doctor (Micheal?? forgot his name)

Was Max left alone for so long that when he landed face down in the thick carpet he smothered?

I will always believe the head doctor caring for Max knew the full extent of his injuries when he stated he thought Max had been smothered before he went over the banister. When a patient takes a great fall it is only logical the spinal cord is checked to see if there was damage.

I certainly cant pretend to know one ounce of what a medical professional knows that has the medical knowledge/experience and was right there caring for Max for days.

So I just wonder if he smothered while laying there for a few minutes unattended.

IMO