The case for murder

cynic said:

Here is an animation that I did based on the police theory of the case:

RZN-vid - YouTube

A few notes regarding the pictures that were used in the animation:
I resized a female to be 5 feet, 3 and a half inches using an assumption that the railing is 36” high.
The final hanging location is also based on the above assumption.
She is depicted as standing on the outside of the railing; she, of course, was on the inside.
She is depicted as bent over backwards because I wanted to show where the face would be.


Standing:

Bent:

Falling:

9’ Mark:

Final location 9’2”

Where are the injuries?

The autopsy report says the following with respect to the head and torso of RN

Head:
On the central forehead there is a 1 x 1-3/4 inch group of three vertically oriented parallel, thin, linear abrasions measuring from inferior to superior, ½ inch, 5/8 inch, and 5/8 inch (discontinuous) respectively. The most inferior one is within ¼ inch of the medial edge of the left eyebrow. On the right upper forehead, just past the hairline, there is a ¼ red abrasion.

Torso:
None

So, given that her face would have be scraping over nearly 1 1/2 feet of railing, where is the injury to her nose???
More importantly, with her torso going over 2 feet of railing, why is there not a single abrasion or injury of any kind???

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justbeachy said:

I LOVE Botox!! I agree, though, that some people take it too far.

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SunnieRN said:

I obviously didn't read this article, or look at the visuals, well enough yesterday:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/26/rebecca-zahau-case-floorplans-and-yet-more-issues/


I’ve drawn the direct route to the guest room in red and the extra walking that would be involved going to the master bedroom first in green.

Please note the green ellipse on the right hand side. Apparently the massive area of deck off the master bedroom, replete with substantial railing to hang oneself from, was not inviting to Rebecca. Curiously had she “fallen” from this deck she would have been in a rather secluded area. It is a narrow sidewalk that has steps down from the main courtyard and is not readily visible from the guest house area. It also has a privacy wall between the house and the next residence. Instead, Rebecca, we are led to believe, walked through the maze-like upper floor all the way to the opposite end of the house to fling her nude body off a balcony that was right next to the guest house and in open view of the occupant of that guest house.

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deanna82437 said:

Interesting read here plus link to revealing article re: JS

No Way!!! It can't be true. - Cafepharma Message Boards

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SunnieRN said:

I obviously didn't read this article, or look at the visuals, well enough yesterday:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/26/rebecca-zahau-case-floorplans-and-yet-more-issues/


I’ve drawn the direct route to the guest room in red and the extra walking that would be involved going to the master bedroom first in green.

Please note the green ellipse on the right hand side. Apparently the massive area of deck off the master bedroom, replete with substantial railing to hang oneself from, was not inviting to Rebecca. Curiously had she “fallen” from this deck she would have been in a rather secluded area. It is a narrow sidewalk that has steps down from the main courtyard and is not readily visible from the guest house area. It also has a privacy wall between the house and the next residence. Instead, Rebecca, we are led to believe, walked through the maze-like upper floor all the way to the opposite end of the house to fling her nude body off a balcony that was right next to the guest house and in open view of the occupant of that guest house.

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SunnieRN said:

As well as the couple staying in the caretakers cottage. I do not believe anyone would have done so willingly.

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sorrell skye said:

I just posted a comment on this in another thread.

After looking @ the floor plans, I noticed the family room is beneath the master bedroom deck. On the side of the deck that Valhall is talking about, directly below there is a wall of windows in the family room.

I believe if RZ had been thrown from that deck, she would have crashed into the windows below, more than likely breaking them. I believe this is why that deck was rejected as a suitable hanging place.

Link to floor plans:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/Library/RZ/floorplans.pdf

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sorrell skye said:

I just posted a comment on this in another thread.

After looking @ the floor plans, I noticed the family room is beneath the master bedroom deck. On the side of the deck that Valhall is talking about, directly below there is a wall of windows in the family room.

I believe if RZ had been thrown from that deck, she would have crashed into the windows below, more than likely breaking them. I believe this is why that deck was rejected as a suitable hanging place.

Link to floor plans:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/Library/RZ/floorplans.pdf

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SunnieRN said:

Excellent point Sorrell, but, if Rebecca was suicidal, would she have even worried or thought about that? Just curious as I think you are correct.

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Brit said:

Here is a link of an article on hinky about the house floor plan and what could've happened that night. Also, the discussion forum for this article is very interesting as well.
http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/26/rebecca-zahau-case-floorplans-and-yet-more-issues/

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sorrell skye said:

I've agreed with much of Valhall's analysis of this case, and with many of her excellent observations. She's a mathematical genius, as far as I'm concerned.

On the question she raised regarding why (if suicide) RZ chose not to hang herself from the deck off the master bedroom (as it's a more secluded area, in Valhall's opinion) - to me, the answer is simple & fairly obvious:

Directly beneath that side of the deck is a wall (the family room) that is lined with large windows from one end of the family room to the other. If RZ had flung herself from that deck railing (or anyone else had thrown her over that railing) RZ's body would have crashed against those windows below, and probably smashed them in the process.

Link to floor plans:

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/Library/RZ/floorplans.pdf

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greenpalm said:

I'll tell you what else, although Valhall interprets that narrow side space as being fairly secluded…it's anything but. You can clearly see from the Google Street view that she would have been visible from the street:

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sorrell skye said:

TY for that pic, Greenpalm! Excellent job!!! I agree - the side of the house off the master bedroom deck is easily visible from the sidewalk & street.

It's obvious why this was rejected as a suitable place for the hanging - much too visible, IMO.

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curiousjo said:

Its a big house -- so, its possible that someone was setting up that day, while RZ was running errands, making airport runs, and out to dinner...... But, I do envision her trying to run away from murderer(s) and ended up in the back bedroom if planned. If accidental, then could have happened anywhere, then moved to back room where more private and balcony.

I would be interested to see what LE found out about receipt. Did murderer accidentally leave receipt or planted at crime scene. If this was planned, then RZ could have been asked to purchase all needed items. RZ did shop with XZ prior to dropping her at airport. Maybe she was instructed to pick up some of the items. That way it would look like she was planning her own suicide.

Still curious about the Coronado resident siting of DS/JS and 2 men at DS home around 11-12 pm(after the Tonight Show) on Tuesday night. I thought JS was at hospital? Could NR be confused for DS? Who were the 2 unidentified men - AS, JS Dermatologist friend Howard, NR husband, DS boyfriend or hitmen?

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sorrell skye said:

IMO, if a person is suicidal, or if someone is homicidal, one of the goals is to accomplish the deed without attracting attention that could interfere with completion of the deed.

The sound of windows shattering could draw unwanted attention, in my mind. Plus, there's the fact that the master bedroom deck is easily visible from the sidewalk & street in front of the house - too much risk of being seen by passers-by while up on the deck (especially if this is a homicide - a murderer would have wanted to avoid being seen up there by anyone that might have possibly been walking or driving by).

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AZlawyer said:

One of the things that convinces me that this was a murder and not suicide is that people who try the FIRST time to commit suicide don't anticipate--given their state of mind--that they will try to fight death when it comes. So such a person would not think to tie themselves up or gag themselves. That sort of planning comes from previous unsuccessful suicide attempts. Specifically, the self-gagging would come from a previous attempt in which she had disabled herself physically from resisting, but then called out and was saved. So there would have been a witness to that event. And the self-restraint used in that attempt would have been used because of an even earlier attempt in which she freed herself before dying. So IMO a "suicide" like this one would be at least a third attempt--and there is no info whatsoever about RZ ever previously attempting suicide or even being mentally inclined toward such a thing.

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