GUILTY OK - Bobbi Parker charged in prison escape of Randolph Dial, Granite, 1994

[Gabby]

She really was that frightened for her family... can you imagine the terror of the past 11 years?

I am giving her the benefit of the doubt here.....something tells me that she is telling the truth.

 

[jannuncutt]

Sounds strange, but I have heard of that happening before. John Walsh had a name for it, I can't remember now.

Sherlock

Stockholm Syndrome

 

[Jenn]

This is such a bizarre story. They were captured right in my area. So weird to think who is living in your town! It has been on every local news station. I think that Dial made up the story about kidnapping Bobbi to avoid her getting in trouble. I think in some odd way, they really cared about each other. I seriously doubt that she was held captive for 11 years without one chance of escaping and getting help but who knows. Luckily she is alive and she has a chance to be with her kids again. I guess this is about as good an ending as this story could have.

 

[meggilyweggily]

If she did go willingly with the convict, then the husband must be pulling some strings to keep her from being charged with a crime related to aiding a fugitive. Short of him being in the mafia, I can't think of any good reason for her to be afraid that he could or would hurt her family.

Actually, I think Dial does have Mafia connections. He said he was hired by them to kill a guy though the police were never able to confirm that.

I suppose this will all get sorted out. At least Bobbi's family knows where she is now. I think either she left with him voluntarily (likely) or she was abducted and some kind of Stockholm Syndrome thing kept her tied to him, a la Elizabeth Smart.

There was a case a few years ago where a woman was abducted and forced to be a couple's sex slave. At first she was kept in a box, then she had the run of the house, then after several years she was allowed to take a job outside the house -- all the while being tortured by this family. She was even allowed to visit her own family. She didn't tell anyone about the abuse for like 7 years. They were actually able to convict the couple, too, which is amazing given the circumstances.

 

[blueclouds]

I don't buy this. I understand that there is a true thing as "stockholm syndrome" but she could have called the FBI and turned his *advertiser censored* in. Then she would have had nothing to fear for her kids. Something smells. My2cents.

 

[kgeaux]

I don't buy this. I understand that there is a true thing as "stockholm syndrome" but she could have called the FBI and turned his *advertiser censored* in. Then she would have had nothing to fear for her kids. Something smells. My2cents.

It is strange, hard to swallow. But so far, they are both telling the same story, and John Walsh said on Fox Friends this morning that the FBI believes the story....he looked a little incredulous when he said it! He said, "ELEVEN years!!" He did not say he doubted her, just acknowledged how it was hard to accept. But her story IS being accepted by the FBI. Apparently, she truly believed that he had mob connections who would order a hit on her family if she left Dial or contacted her husband or kids.

Also, on the same show, he said that Dial has told interviewers that there was never a sexual relationship with Bobbi, that they had separate rooms. Now that's hard to believe too! Why on earth would he keep her around? He could have dropped her off on the side of a road and kept on going.....she could have made her way to safety and he'd be headed for parts unknown, as safe as he was in east Texas. I do not get it. There's a lot to this case that has me scratching my head.

 

[meggilyweggily]

I bet Ann Rule writes a book about this. Or at least a story for her Crime Files.

 

[peggy]

I bet Ann Rule writes a book about this. Or at least a story for her Crime Files.

Well, I sure hope someone writes a book--this is just too weird. Sounds to me like FBI doesn't want to pursue this at all, for some reason, maybe because he couldn't be charged with kidnapping if she went willingly. I don't know what his new sentence will be, or was originally for the murder conviction, but being 60 yr old now he probably won't be outside a prison anyway for the rest of his life. I keep remembering first comments from LE when they located Bobbi which indicated she wasn't in hurry to return home, just wanted to raise chickens, then quickly denied as a misinterpretation and she was really a victim. Hopefully some reporter or sleuther will keep the story alive or report some links where more information or details can be found--I haven't found any yet. If they charge him with kidnapping, won't there have to be a trial, maybe not if he pleads guilty. Just too strange.

 

[jannuncutt]

I guess that maybe I can understand that she might have been too afraid of him to try to escape. She believed that he had ties to the mafia and could have her family killed. However, she had access to telephones. I am having trouble understanding how she could go so long without hearing her children's voices when all she had to do was pick up the phone. How could she allow them to suffer so long like that?

 

[annemc2]

Does anyone remember the "clues" provided by Dial in his phone calls to the author of the book about him? I forgot what they were but wondered if they did indeed point to where they were found. And if you want to read about the girl in the box (like Meg mentioned - and it's hard to believe but such psychological manipulation is completely possible) courtTv has a link - truely bizarre & worth a read.....

http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/psychology/sex_slave/index.html

 

[blueclouds]

Ok. Then WHY initial reports stated that she didn't want to go back to her family but stay there and raise chickens?? Maybe this Dial loved her so much that they concocted a "story" that IF he was ever caught... just claim this.

My gut still says something different. I'd go to the ends of the earth for my kids and certainly a WARDEN'S wife would know this jerk wad would go back to jail if she called in the FBI.

Even the cop that spoke directly to her in 2001 STATED that he isn't buying her story. He begged her to call her children and she wouldn't. WHY? If she's willing to talk to the cops back then, WHY not call your kids?!

 

[Gabby]

well...
I am not scared of much of anything as long as you don't count spiders, but if there were a person like this man, who reportedly had ties with the mob...
and he threatened my family, I'd do exactly as he requested me to do....

 

[Montana]

Also, on the same show, he said that Dial has told interviewers that there was never a sexual relationship with Bobbi, that they had separate rooms. Now that's hard to believe too! Why on earth would he keep her around? He could have dropped her off on the side of a road and kept on going.....she could have made her way to safety and he'd be headed for parts unknown, as safe as he was in east Texas. I do not get it. There's a lot to this case that has me scratching my head.

He kept her around because he thought having a woman would make him look legitimate. A couple, working and living in blessed domesticity usually does not raise suspicions.

Regards,

Montana

 

[lisag]

well...
I am not scared of much of anything as long as you don't count spiders, but if there were a person like this man, who reportedly had ties with the mob...
and he threatened my family, I'd do exactly as he requested me to do....

I think I'd take my chances and get free.... call the police... I would not want to live as a "prisoner" for the rest of my life. My family and I could go into the darn witness protection program if need be....

 

[Gabby]

I think I'd take my chances and get free.... call the police... I would not want to live as a "prisoner" for the rest of my life. My family and I could go into the darn witness protection program if need be....

I hope pray God, it never happens to me, but I would do whatever it took to make sure my family was safe... I am not slamming you Lisa, but I have been a victim of an ex who was threatening me and mine... Until he was arrested and put away my life was not a lot of fun -- I was never 'abducted. I would move Heaven and Earth if someone with possible ties to the mob was threatening my loved ones to keep them safe, no matter what the cost to me.

 

[lisag]

I hope pray God, it never happens to me, but I would do whatever it took to make sure my family was safe... I am not slamming you Lisa, but I have been a victim of an ex who was threatening me and mine... Until he was arrested and put away my life was not a lot of fun and I did what I had to do to keep my loved ones safe.

I have never been in a situation where I felt threatened, thankfully... And I too would do anything possible to keep my children safe. So, I guess I can't say for sure, 100%, what I would do in this situation, BUT I can't imagine staying with this man for 10 years and not contacing my children or husband. I really don't think I would stay. Of course, I would probably be living in fear after that, if I thought he had mob connections, but how better off am I to stay with him - not knowing what he will do to me - and not knowing what he is having the "mob" do to my family anyway.

But again... I have never been put into this situation... and I hope never am.

My heart goes out to this womans children...

I am bothered about the fact that she spoke with the author of the book a few years ago... That seems odd to me - but yet she can't contact home..

 

[Gabby]

I have never been in a situation where I felt threatened, thankfully... And I too would do anything possible to keep my children safe. So, I guess I can't say for sure, 100%, what I would do in this situation, BUT I can't imagine staying with this man for 10 years and not contacing my children or husband. I really don't think I would stay. Of course, I would probably be living in fear after that, if I thought he had mob connections, but how better off am I to stay with him - not knowing what he will do to me - and not knowing what he is having the "mob" do to my family anyway.

But again... I have never been put into this situation... and I hope never am.

My heart goes out to this womans children...

I am bothered about the fact that she spoke with the author of the book a few years ago... That seems odd to me - but yet she can't contact home..

Yes there are a lot of 'odd' things about this. Could be this was her way of letting her family know that she was safe.. You never know what goes through a person's mind at these times. My heart goes out to EVERYONE involved here, except of course Dial. He is an evil person.

 

[kgeaux]

He kept her around because he thought having a woman would make him look legitimate. A couple, working and living in blessed domesticity usually does not raise suspicions.

Regards,

Montana

I thought of that, Montana. But having her around actually INCREASED the chances of him being caught....with her at his side, there were two faces someone might recognize, two people who might slip up and say something that alerted law enforcement, always the chance that she might take off and turn him in. She added to his liability. That makes me think that there was a big PLUS somewhere, enough to balance out that liability and more.

Either he is insane, which no one has alluded to, or there's a "plus" we haven't heard of yet.

No way would I sit there for almost 11 years. This woman had to know, really know, that with ONE call to the FBI and her family would be taken into protective custody, she'd be saved and Dial would be in prison.

And I'm not real sure about the Stockholm Syndome thing, either. I watched a little clip of Dial yesterday and HE brought up Stockholm Syndrome.....that just set my hinky meter off, just a little. I really want to believe this woman, the pain she will cause to her children if it is ever found out that she did this willingly is too awful to imagine, but I can't say that I do believe her. It just sounds so scripted.

 

[peggy]

Must have missed information or links that she talked with LE in 2001 and book author few years ago - how did that happen, did she call them? Why did everyone think she was dead then if she was communicating from time to time (except to family, I guess).

Too many "odd" things are right - but guess she won't be charged with aiding a fugitive this way, with her story (which I don't believe for one moment, but if FBI and family okay with story, guess that pretty well ends the mystery).

 

[kgeaux]

Must have missed information or links that she talked with LE in 2001 and book author few years ago - how did that happen, did she call them? Why did everyone think she was dead then if she was communicating from time to time (except to family, I guess).

Too many "odd" things are right - but guess she won't be charged with aiding a fugitive this way, with her story (which I don't believe for one moment, but if FBI and family okay with story, guess that pretty well ends the mystery).

I think it is a member of LE who wrote the book. Dial contacted him and wanted to flesh some things out. When the author asked about Bobbi-everyone had assumed she'd been murdered until then--Dial said something like, "Want to talk to her?" and put her on the phone. Bobbi spoke with the guy who encouraged her to contact her daughters. She told him she was staying with Dial willingly.

At that time, nobody really knew if it was really Dial and Bobbi he spoke to. The author believed it to be true, but others weren't so sure. And her family was VERY upset that it was being said that she was staying with Dial willingly, they disbelieved the phone call and were none too happy with the author.

I THINK the book was titled The life and CRIMES of Randolph Dial, but if you google just his name it will bring the links to the book and at least one comment made by a person who claims to have known Bobbi for a long time. (From before her disappearance.)

I'm not so sure this is an "over and done with" investigation. I think we'll be hearing more on it in the future, if only to furthur educate us about Stockholm Syndrome.

LOL! editing to change "life and times" to "Life and Crimes"