CA CA - Bob Harrod, 81, Orange County, 27 July 2009 - # 2

[Cubby]

I always took this to mean she was staying until he was found.


"I want to find out who did this to him," she says. "I want whatever is left of him to take home."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2010985815_disappeared08.html

TY for reminding me of that quote. I read it but had forgotten until you bumped it for me.

 

[Fairy1]

Think about searches... the vast area... isn't it only an hour or so drive to enormous areas which can stretch thousands of acres. Where would they start without evidence of where to look? Outside of the immediate area. Are their any retention ponds, rivers or bodies of water close by he may have fallen in which could be searched?

That's true. LE has a lot more information (evidence) than we do - and arguably, much more than the family and friends do. They are playing this close to the vest.

That being said, by this time, they should have been able to narrow down the search area, IMO. But there are no plannned searches and as far as we know, there haven't been any searches since Bob went missing over a year ago.

So, so, so sad. I think most of us believe Bob is no longer with us. WHY is NO one searching for him? If finding his remains is the focus of LE, why aren't they looking for him? It's been over a year. How much more evidence could there be that hasn't been examined by now?

 

[Cubby]

Here's another thought. What if an accident occured and Bobs SIL or one of his daughters thought oh carp! In light of the family discussion which occured last night there is no way anyone will believe this is an accident...

Accident while fixing something... if it was several hours before the cleaning lady were to have arrived allowing time to clean up any evidence of an accident, possible imo.

Also, did Bob take any prescription medications and if so were they accounted for as prescribed? Could possibly be a mix up of some medications and accident of some kind.

I'm just looking at other possibilities......

 

[Fairy1]

I always took this to mean she was staying until he was found.


"I want to find out who did this to him," she says. "I want whatever is left of him to take home."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2010985815_disappeared08.html

Again - she could find out who did "this" to him in MO. And where is "home?" Hadn't Bob lived most of his adult life in CA?

Wonder if he has a burial plot next to Georgia in CA?

 

[cloudajo]

On Jan 9, 2010, daughter J posted on another forum that they hired a P.I. who was digging.

We know their P.I. spoke to Paul for a couple of hours.

On Aug 8, 2010, daughter R posted on another forum that their P.I. was retained to respectfully conduct a thorough investigation in total cooperation with the police, with only general milestones being reported back to them.

Which I found odd because, if they hired and paid a P.I., wouldn’t the P.I. be accountable to them, and deliver to them a detailed report with their findings?

 

[cloudajo]

I thought is was Paul that gave LE Paul's contact info????

Fontelle could make phone calls, send e-mails and conduct interviews from MO. She DOES NOT have to stay in Bob's home for that.

There's been plenty of media coverage - but it's all focused on the "love" story - not the missing man. IMO, it's been counter-productive.

Snipped from Paul's blog:

I talked to Fontelle on and off to see how things were going. She said she gave my name and number to the police. She would ask if they ever called. They never did.

http://paulkestes.blogspot.com/2010/07/bob-harrod-missing-one-year.html

 

[Fairy1]

On Jan 9, 2010, daughter J posted on another forum that they hired a P.I. who was digging.

We know their P.I. spoke to Paul for a couple of hours.

On Aug 8, 2010, daughter R posted on another forum that their P.I. was retained to respectfully conduct a thorough investigation in total cooperation with the police, with only general milestones being reported back to them.

Which I found odd because, if they hired and paid a P.I., wouldn’t the P.I. be accountable to them, and deliver to them a detailed report with their findings?

I don't understand your point. Why would they hire a PI at all if they had murdered their own father? Why wouldn't they ask their PI to follow the LE investigation?

 

[Montjoy]

Why would they hire a PI at all if they had murdered their own father?

Hubris and public relations? Speaking hypothetically, one might be (rightly or wrongly) utterly convinced that a PI would turn up nothing (lacking LE resources), and believe it could look good to LE and the public if they took such measures. It might also be used towards gathering information that he had not just disappeared but could be considered dead for estate purposes.

 

[DollyPardonMe]

Think about searches... the vast area... isn't it only an hour or so drive to enormous areas which can stretch thousands of acres. Where would they start without evidence of where to look? Outside of the immediate area. Are their any retention ponds, rivers or bodies of water close by he may have fallen in which could be searched?

In the immediate area, 2 blocks away is that junk yard/fruit stand and BTW it is for sale. If the PPD went over that area with a fine tooth comb I bet they still could have missed something. There are old cars sitting there that haven't been moved for years, at least 10 to 12 that I can see from the road driving by. There is vegetation growing so high you can't see in front of you. The fruit stand is right in front. He might have wanted to get some fruit for his new bride. CVS is right across the street. McD's is too..So, is the bank. There are many places to walk within a few blocks if he decided to take a walk to any of these places. The golf course is about 2 blocks 2 and I don't think he would have gone out for a game of gold while he was waiting for the cleaning lady. No waterways. Desert is about an hour and a half away and you know how far out the desert goes but from what I gather none of the daughters live even close to the desert!

 

[Cubby]

Dolly, can you find a real estate/realtor link to the junk yard?

I wonder what the access to the yard is. Is it locked up well? 24 hours a day, overnight or not at all.

I wonder what it would take to get LE to search that junk yard with dogs.

On a survellience video note. IIRC LE didn't look at any did they? It would be too late now, but.... I wonder if LE could access photos taken in the area from any of those red light camera's or traffic camera's in the area. Say if they had any pictures from tickets issued from 10am and later that day. Of course I know nothing about the traffic in the area you describe within walking distance but I can't imagine it being thousands of pics to look through if they have them. Maybe a hundred? but that is just a guess.

 

[Angelo]

I thought is was Paul that gave LE Paul's contact info????

Fontelle could make phone calls, send e-mails and conduct interviews from MO. She DOES NOT have to stay in Bob's home for that.

There's been plenty of media coverage - but it's all focused on the "love" story - not the missing man. IMO, it's been counter-productive.

Any coverage is better than none. If the media wants to focus on the sweet story of how Mr. Harrod and Fontelle reunited, so be it.

Fontelle is a presence for her husband.

 

[Angelo]

Hubris and public relations? Speaking hypothetically, one might be (rightly or wrongly) utterly convinced that a PI would turn up nothing (lacking LE resources), and believe it could look good to LE and the public if they took such measures. It might also be used towards gathering information that he had not just disappeared but could be considered dead for estate purposes.

Agree. Hiring a PI is a step in having someone declared dead.

Also to see what others may know about them.

 

[cloudajo]

IMO, the P.I. was hired not to find out what happened to Bob, but to take the necessary steps to control the estate. Once presumed dead, the person’s estate may be administered. The court will expect that a diligent search or inquiry has been made for the missing person. That may include 1) inserting in newspaper or periodical a notice requesting info about missing person, 2) notifying law enforcement officials and public welfare agencies of the disappearance, and/or 3) engaging the services of an investigator. Check, check, check.

California Probate Code Sections 12401, 12402, 12406

12401. In proceedings under this part, a person who has not been seen or heard from for a continuous period of five years by those who are likely to have seen or heard from that person, and whose absence is not satisfactorily explained after diligent search or inquiry, is presumed to be dead. The person's death is presumed to have occurred at the end of the period unless there is sufficient evidence to establish that death occurred earlier.

12402. Subject to the provisions of this part, the estate of a missing person may be administered in the manner provided generally for the administration of estates of deceased persons.

12406. (a) At the hearing, the court shall determine whether the alleged missing person is a person who is presumed to be dead under Section 12401. The court may receive evidence and consider the affidavits and depositions of persons likely to have seen or heard from or know the whereabouts of the alleged missing person. (b) If the court is not satisfied that a diligent search or inquiry has been made for the missing person, the court may order the petitioner to conduct a diligent search or inquiry and to report the results. The court may order the search or inquiry to be made in any manner that the court determines to be advisable, including any or all of the following methods: (1) Inserting in one or more suitable newspapers or other periodicals a notice requesting information from any person having knowledge of the whereabouts of the missing person. (2) Notifying law enforcement officials and public welfare agencies in appropriate locations of the disappearance of the missing person. (3) Engaging the services of an investigator. (c) The costs of a search ordered by the court pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be paid by the estate of the missing person, but if there is no administration, the court in its discretion may order the petitioner to pay the costs.

http://law.justia.com/california/codes/prob/12400-12408.html

 

[cloudajo]

I don't understand your point. Why would they hire a PI at all if they had murdered their own father? Why wouldn't they ask their PI to follow the LE investigation?

Regarding your second question, my point is, the P.I. is being paid to do a job. In this case, the daughters are their client and the P.I. would answer to them. I find it highly unlikely their P.I. only reported “general milestones” back to them.

Snipped from two P.I. sites:


Missing Persons Investigator

• A private investigator answers to the parents of a runaway or abducted child, or whoever retains his services.
• Law enforcement agencies many times cannot pursue every avenue available to locate a missing loved one.
• A professional missing persons private investigator will engage the family in the search. Encouraging relatives, mothers and fathers to get out in the neighborhoods and utilize the public resources that are available.

Private Detective/Investigator

• We tell you where all of information we provide came from
  [*]We provide a detailed report of our findings

http://www.lauthmissingpersons.com/missing-persons-investigator-bio.html
http://www.asginvestigations.com/locate_investigations/

 

[believe09]

OK, the golf course was two blocks away-it would be nice to know if it was part of his regular walk. There was a park on Google maps as well-it would be nice to know if it was also on his regular walk.

If we are going to explore an unexpected accident/event theory we need to ponder areas where someone could get into trouble and have a hard time extricating themselves or being easily uncovered. Right? And were there brush fires in the area, flooding, construction, abandoned homes where someone might go if confused or overcome and where they would not readily be discovered.

 

[CA Exile]

I have been reading the past few pages of posts. I thought it might be time to put in my $.02.

Bob's house was in the middle of the block. Usually, he walked up to one end, crossed the street, walked to the other end, crossed the street, and returned home. He could not walk very far. He could not have walked to the fruit stand/junk yard. Same goes for the CVS and the shopping center. He could not have walked to the golf course. You have to go out of the subdivision and up a hill to get to it. I do not think in Bob's current physical condition he could have walked up there and back home.

If Bob had wandered off as the Keystone Cops had mentioned, he would have been found by now. There are no woods or drainage ditches that are not fenced around for him to fall into. If he had a "senior moment" he would have eventually come to his senses and either called someone or gone home. He had never done this as far as I know.

Bob would not have called a cab or limo. It was the middle of the day. If he was going anywhere, he would drive himself. Even when we would go anywhere, he would drive. I am not sure if he just did not like my driving or he preferred to drive himself.

Bob Harrod did not leave that house on his own free will. He was either taken or lured out of it. He sure as hell did not get "cold feet" about his marriage to Fontelle. He was madly in love with her and wanted to spend the next twenty years or the rest of his life with her. He told me he was hoping for the twenty year part. That was why he was going back to the doctor.

As far as how the police got my number, they were given it in the beginning. Being one of his closest friends, mine was one of the first contacts given to them. They are the ones who chose to ignore me and not contact me. I am not that hard to find, as most of you can tell from my facebook page and blog. Anyone that can use www.zabasearch.com can find me in a matter of seconds. Some of you have even contacted me off line to discuss things. Fontelle gave my number to her attorney and the reporter for the LA Times. Bob's daughters gave my number to the PI. I spoke to him for a long time. He was a very nice guy. I also talked to the attorney for along time. He was ok as well.

As far as vigils, signs, and other stuff, it is no good after all this time. It may sound cold, but after him missing a year, no one is going to respond to that stuff. Some have been saying Fontelle and Bob's daughters are not doing enough. They are doing what they can. One thing we have to remember is this is still an open case. The police, as incompetent as they are, have control. They have all the information from all sources. What they do with it is a different story. A private individual or private investigator can only do so much with an open case. They are limited by law enforcement on how much they are allowed to know or do. Yes, there are things that are kept close that are not public knowledge. All investigations are conducted that way.

When it comes to lie detectors, you can look back on my posts and see what I think of them. At this point, it does not matter who did or did not take one. The results are inadmissible in court. And, the police did not find anything useful in the ones they did conduct. I am not an expert, but I do not think you can be forced to take one. A psychotic would pass one and still be guilty. They are merely a tool.

The money, trust, will, legal stuff, I do not know about. So, I will not speak to that. That is something the courts are going to have to work out with the parties involved. Fortunately, I am not one of them. I have no dog in this fight and want to keep it that way. My focus is on Bob and not the other stuff. If that stuff leads to finding out what happened, that would be great. But, I do not know about it. So, I will stay out of it.

I am so happy to see this board alive with various theories and ideas. I hope I cleared up some so we can concentrate on others.

Thank you all for your interest in finding out what happened to Bob.

 

[CA Exile]

WOW! I did not realize I wrote that much!

 

[Angelo]

Again - she could find out who did "this" to him in MO. And where is "home?" Hadn't Bob lived most of his adult life in CA?

Wonder if he has a burial plot next to Georgia in CA?

I know it has been posted that Georgia had a memorial at sea. I took that to mean she was cremated.

Perhaps CaExile can tell us.

 

[CA Exile]

I know it has been posted that Georgia had a memorial at sea. I took that to mean she was cremated.

Perhaps CaExile can tell us.

She was. It was a beautiful ceremony.

 

[Angelo]

She was. It was a beautiful ceremony.

Thank you.