TN - Gail Nowacki Palmgren, 44, Signal Mountain, 30 April 2011 - #4

[TheDoormouse]

To me this is (one of) the 64K question(s). We know Gail dropped off the kids and we know Gail left the house without them on her own steam.
What happened after that is the big unknown because we do not know if Matt came within minutes or hours of the kids being dropped off. If she was trying to leave before he got there,which I think is the case,did they pass on the road? I am of the opinion that she would not have left them there intentionally for hours. She knew what time Matt was coming.

Or she thought she'd be back within the hour.

 

[kikidee]

I feel so helpless up here in Buffalo. I want to help Diane and Kevin in any way that I can, but only so much from here. I just keep hoping and praying for miracles . . .

I know exactly how you feel, Mac. Me too, from OH......

 

[JBean]

Or she thought she'd be back within the hour.

I have thought about that thedoormouse, but I am of the mind that she had no intentions of meeting him. I think for whatever reason, she needed to bring the kids back to him, but did not want to be face to face with him.
I believe she knew what time he would be there and she intentionally made sure that she missed him.

Almost immediately after going missing the neighbors used words like upset, bothered ,very scared,hiding, doesn't know what to do, nervous and anxious. This was, imo, part of the reason they were assuming the worst when she did not contact anyone.

Considering they had called the police the day before to settle a domestic squabble, I think it is reasonable to assume she was scared of her husband.

She took a lot of steps before she left, documenting divorce information, passing out valuables "in case something happened to her" and perhaps changing PINs. That is another reason I believe the person she was scared of was her dh, otherwise he could protect her and her valuables for her.

I also think if we can figure out what the hold he had on her was that compelled her to bring those kids back we will unlock the answer to some of these questions.

Now, I do not know if her fear was justified or reasonable, so this is not to say Matt has done anything wrong at all. I have heard many times that Matt is a super guy. but I do believe she was scared. I don't think she was delusional but I do think she was distraught and things were taking their toll on her. I would not be at all surprised to find out that she had every intention of taking off to get some space. But that is where everything goes wonky for me. She had the ability to take off, she could tell friends that she was leaving and she seemed pretty vocal about telling her friends that things were upside down.

So, why stop talking to friends now? None of them would give up her location.

As I have said several times, I am holding out hope that she is just hiding somewhere and very unsure or too mentally rundown to make a move.
But as each day passes, it makes less and less sense.

 

[TheDoormouse]

I don't know. The fact that she left her DL indicates to me that she may have intended to return. I really find it hard to believe that she was THAT fearful of Matt that she didn't go to a safe house, and to my knowledge didn't tell anyone "I'm leaving him, I'm finally leaving him". She was clearly in communication with friends and her sister up to that point so I think she would have said something along the lines if that had been her intention.

 

[Columbo]

I don't believe Susie lives across the street. She mentioned having to run up a hill, so I think if you were FACING the Palmgren's house her house is the one on the right.

Just my opinion.

I went to Google maps to look at Rock Ridge--what a beautiful place to live! But the houses are huge and far apart and I am wondering how much effort it would take to really watch who is coming and going? It seems like one could miss a lot (like strange vehicles that don't belong there, or other neighbors coming and going) just by being in the wrong room or turning one's back. Or maybe it isn't like that.

Just musing since there's no news....

 

[TheDoormouse]

I went to Google maps to look at Rock Ridge--what a beautiful place to live! But the houses are huge and far apart and I am wondering how much effort it would take to really watch who is coming and going? It seems like one could miss a lot (like strange vehicles that don't belong there, or other neighbors coming and going) just by being in the wrong room or turning one's back. Or maybe it isn't like that.

Just musing since there's no news....

I completely agree with you. I had a few friends growing up who had houses like that in neighborhoods like that and being inside one is like being in your own little island. Even if you're in a room with a street view it's hard to hear or see anything. The yards are big and everything is far apart. It would be easy to miss a lot.

The nice homes like that that are built in this area (California) also have thick windows, and thick walls, making it really hard to hear anything outside the house.

May not be the case here, but that's what I suspect.

 

[happy409]

I don't believe Susie lives across the street. She mentioned having to run up a hill, so I think if you were FACING the Palmgren's house her house is the one on the right.

Just my opinion.

From...http://www.newschannel9.com/news/palmgren-1001248-button-gail.html

"Button lives across the street from Gail Palmgren and her husband on Ridgerock Drive."

If you google map it and go to street view, there is not a house exactly across the street (land, with what appears to be water in the back), but facing away from 40 Ridgerock Drive, a house just to the left and one to the right, in the building process. This map photo is not current, and St. Ives continued to develop. But as you head down the street, you can sense the hill Susie was talking about, even with the street-view camera. God love her, what she must be going through as well.

 

[JBean]

I don't know. The fact that she left her DL indicates to me that she may have intended to return. I really find it hard to believe that she was THAT fearful of Matt that she didn't go to a safe house, and to my knowledge didn't tell anyone "I'm leaving him, I'm finally leaving him". She was clearly in communication with friends and her sister up to that point so I think she would have said something along the lines if that had been her intention.

I think we are saying the same thing regarding not telling anyone if she was going to leave. I agree that if she was going to take off there is no reason that she could not have communicated that to her family and friends because she had been telling some of them what was going on already.

When I say I thought she may have planned on leaving,I am also saying that even if she was, the way it went down does not make sense.
I agree that she probably planned on returning at some point in time, I just don't think it was going to be immediate or that day.

As for the DL,maybe she did not have it from the night before and didn't even want to go in and get it. Maybe she wasn't thinking about it at all.

 

[TheDoormouse]

From...http://www.newschannel9.com/news/palmgren-1001248-button-gail.html

"Button lives across the street from Gail Palmgren and her husband on Ridgerock Drive."

If you google map it and go to street view, there is not a house exactly across the street (land, with what appears to be water in the back), but facing away from 40 Ridgerock Drive, a house just to the left and one to the right, in the building process. This map photo is not current, and St. Ives continued to develop. But as you head down the street, you can sense the hill Susie was talking about, even with the street-view camera. God love her, what she must be going through as well.

Thanks for clearing that up. I deleted my comment so I don't confuse readers. :innocent:

 

[happy409]

I went to Google maps to look at Rock Ridge--what a beautiful place to live! But the houses are huge and far apart and I am wondering how much effort it would take to really watch who is coming and going? It seems like one could miss a lot (like strange vehicles that don't belong there, or other neighbors coming and going) just by being in the wrong room or turning one's back. Or maybe it isn't like that.

Just musing since there's no news....

I don't know for sure, but their house is on a culdesac and there are very few houses. Could you miss a car or so? Sure, but I know the houses are not to hurricane code and unless you were in the very back, you may hear cars coming, turning around in the culdesac, and going back out (insert GP seeing strange cars down the road). I live in a remote area with very little traffic, you almost feel the need to look to see who's coming since there is so little traffic and you should expect to know who it is.


In the google straight down photo view of their house, ironically there is a black car in the middle of the road in the culdesac, and what appears to be two cars (not in the garage) one appears large and reddish in color and the other smaller and silver, a little creepy. But I don't know or could verify a date when the photo was actually taken. JMHO!

 

[TheDoormouse]

I don't know for sure, but their house is on a culdesac and there are very few houses. Could you miss a car or so? Sure, but I know the houses are not to hurricane code and unless you were in the very back, you may hear cars coming, turning around in the culdesac, and going back out (insert GP seeing strange cars down the road). I live in a remote area with very little traffic, you almost feel the need to look to see who's coming since there is so little traffic and you should expect to know who it is.


In the google straight down photo view of their house, ironically there is a black car in the middle of the road in the culdesac, and what appears to be two cars (not in the garage) one appears large and reddish in color and the other smaller and silver, a little creepy. But I don't know or could verify a date when the photo was actually taken. JMHO!

hahahaha what a coincidence.

 

[cj1132]

Although I haven't posted before on this case, I've been following it faithfully. In regards to Gail's DL, I would guess that it was probably kept in her purse, along with her credit cards. Is it possible she left with both the credit cards and DL and somebody else brought them back later?

 

[glorias]

Regarding who said Matt wanted to take the boat, I found this article, which is the one that made me personally think it was Matt's reasoning. The article from 5/11 quotes the police report and it sound like Matt is the one who told police he wanted to take the boat down with them to the lake house:

According to the incident report filed by police on the April 22 incident, Mr. Palmgren and his wife were in their car fighting over his refusal to ride with her and their two children “as a family” to their lake house in Alabama.

Mr. Palmgren “stated that she got mad because he wanted to take the boat down with them and he would have to take the jeep to haul it down there,” according to the incident report. “He stated that she took his jeep key and hid it from him.”

He got mad and got out of the vehicle and started to walk home, he told officers.

Investigators said Mrs. Palmgren told them she called 9-1-1 “because he wouldn’t get back into the car and started walking home.”​

The other news article Columbo linked does say Gail is the one who told police, though it also says "Matthew Palmgren told police he needed the Jeep to haul the boat and his wife got mad and decided to hide the key." So that again says Matt is the one who said he would take the Jeep and the boat.

Personally, just my opinion, but it sounds like Matt was making an excuse saying he wanted to take the boat. And if Arlene is right and the boat was already down there, then maybe he WAS trying to bring the boat back up to TN? Is there room at their TN home for a boat in the driveway, and are there good places to take a boat out near where they live, does anyone know?

 

[glorias]

Although I haven't posted before on this case, I've been following it faithfully. In regards to Gail's DL, I would guess that it was probably kept in her purse, along with her credit cards. Is it possible she left with both the credit cards and DL and somebody else brought them back later?

I have wondered that exact thing many times. If all her stuff was in her purse, including the cell phone, maybe someone else had it and brought it back then on the 2nd had to get rid of the phone, which is where the ping came from. Entirely speculation though.

 

[Columbo]

Regarding who said Matt wanted to take the boat, I found this article, which is the one that made me personally think it was Matt's reasoning. The article from 5/11 quotes the police report and it sound like Matt is the one who told police he wanted to take the boat down with them to the lake house:

According to the incident report filed by police on the April 22 incident, Mr. Palmgren and his wife were in their car fighting over his refusal to ride with her and their two children “as a family” to their lake house in Alabama.

Mr. Palmgren “stated that she got mad because he wanted to take the boat down with them and he would have to take the jeep to haul it down there,” according to the incident report. “He stated that she took his jeep key and hid it from him.”

He got mad and got out of the vehicle and started to walk home, he told officers.

Investigators said Mrs. Palmgren told them she called 9-1-1 “because he wouldn’t get back into the car and started walking home.”​

The other news article Columbo linked does say Gail is the one who told police, though it also says "Matthew Palmgren told police he needed the Jeep to haul the boat and his wife got mad and decided to hide the key." So that again says Matt is the one who said he would take the Jeep and the boat.

Personally, just my opinion, but it sounds like Matt was making an excuse saying he wanted to take the boat. And if Arlene is right and the boat was already down there, then maybe he WAS trying to bring the boat back up to TN? Is there room at their TN home for a boat in the driveway, and are there good places to take a boat out near where they live, does anyone know?

I don't know anything about places to take a boat out where they live, but it looks like their driveway or lot would have plenty of room for a boat. There might be HOA rules against that, if there's an HOA there.

I wish it weren't so confusing about where the boat was located although I doubt it's that crucial to the case, except to clarify the argument between Matt and Gail! I have a feeling it might be the news reporting that is messed up...

It's just weird that they were already in the car apparently, setting off on their trip to the lake "as a family" and MP must have still been whining and being contentious about wanting to take the Jeep. Can you picture it? Sounds like he wanted his own "wheels" so he could leave the lake when he wanted to.

 

[Columbo]

Although I haven't posted before on this case, I've been following it faithfully. In regards to Gail's DL, I would guess that it was probably kept in her purse, along with her credit cards. Is it possible she left with both the credit cards and DL and somebody else brought them back later?

Welcome, cj1132, glad you are here.

Could you explain a little further about her purse. Are you considering the possibility that she took it to the lake but left it there,and someone else, such as AD, brought it to her later?

 

[happy409]

<snipped for space>
Personally, just my opinion, but it sounds like Matt was making an excuse saying he wanted to take the boat. And if Arlene is right and the boat was already down there, then maybe he WAS trying to bring the boat back up to TN? Is there room at their TN home for a boat in the driveway, and are there good places to take a boat out near where they live, does anyone know?

There is plenty of room in the driveway, off toward the back yard, and quite a few boat launches even at the bottom of the mountain on Suck Creek. Riverbend is June 10-18 and a lot of boats anchor in the river and listen to music. He may have had those type of plans. I assume he can go down and get it, but wait, he doesn't have the jeep!

I am disturbed why he even wanted the boat here! IMO

 

[Columbo]

There is plenty of room in the driveway, off toward the back yard, and quite a few boat launches even at the bottom of the mountain on Suck Creek. Riverbend is June 10-18 and a lot of boats anchor in the river and listen to music. He may have had those type of plans. I assume he can go down and get it, but wait, he doesn't have the jeep!

I am disturbed why he even wanted the boat here! IMO

bolded by me.

Are you thinking what I am thinking? omg

 

[happy409]

I don't know anything about places to take a boat out where they live, but it looks like their driveway or lot would have plenty of room for a boat. There might be HOA rules against that, if there's an HOA there.

I wish it weren't so confusing about where the boat was located although I doubt it's that crucial to the case, except to clarify the argument between Matt and Gail! I have a feeling it might be the news reporting that is messed up...

It's just weird that they were already in the car apparently, setting off on their trip to the lake "as a family" and MP must have still been whining and being contentious about wanting to take the Jeep. Can you picture it? Sounds like he wanted his own "wheels" so he could leave the lake when he wanted to.

I concur he wanted his own wheels, but I wonder if they ended up going or not, and who got their way? That was Friday the week before she went down the last time before her disappearance, and the kids were in school (except for the storms 27th-29th) so only weekends available until after the 24th of May.

 

[Columbo]

I don't know for sure, but their house is on a culdesac and there are very few houses. Could you miss a car or so? Sure, but I know the houses are not to hurricane code and unless you were in the very back, you may hear cars coming, turning around in the culdesac, and going back out (insert GP seeing strange cars down the road). I live in a remote area with very little traffic, you almost feel the need to look to see who's coming since there is so little traffic and you should expect to know who it is.


In the google straight down photo view of their house, ironically there is a black car in the middle of the road in the culdesac, and what appears to be two cars (not in the garage) one appears large and reddish in color and the other smaller and silver, a little creepy. But I don't know or could verify a date when the photo was actually taken. JMHO!

bolded by me.

So possibly their second car (or is it their 3rd car?) is small and silver?