CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #4

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Can someone tell me how far Robert and Barbara walked?
From the RV to the rock etc.
Please also where the info is originating, TIA.
See BBM
FIND ATTACHED and definitely take a look on your own if you'd like.

They parked the camper on the pull off, just speculating here of course, hid truck/RV key under a rock they both would be able to find quite easily, they crossed over Kelbaker road (with a camera?, a gallon of water, at least one beer in a travel mug or coozie?, Barb in either bikini top or possibly bra? Robbie carrying a pack of some kind?), once on the other side of the road they proceeded to walk (NOT HIKE) approx 2 miles (exactly 2.2 miles according to Robbie's correspondence with us) towards a hill that could be seen from the parking area just ahead of where they pulled off the road.

Once on this hill Barb decided to take a panorama photo of their surroundings (which I assume includes Robbie in the panorama. If it is a 360 photo as Rob initially suggested they likely brought a 360 camera, and Barb and Robbie should both be in this image). Robbie claims the 360/panorama photo Barb took from this hill includes cars in the parking lot below, potentially even license plate numbers? and was very upset police were not looking into the owners of these cars as potential suspects (and were instead suspecting him, and seemingly ignoring his statements on the day she went missing). I assume if the cars were clearly visible in the picture, surely Rob and Barb would have been plainly visible to anyone in a car in the parking lot below the hill as well.

As they were on the way back from the hill, towards their RV, there was a rock formation Robbie implies they were both interested in. He stopped to take a photo of this rock formation and "asked Barb to stay with me," but she went on ahead anyway. Sounds quite stubborn of her. Perhaps they had some kind of disagreement? In any case, he says she wanted to get back to the RV.

This is where Barb rounds a corner, we can assume she rounds a boulder outcrop that puts her out of Robbie's sight. Robbie has never specified how long he spent taking photos of this rock formation, but he claimed to us that police have photos of Barb on the walk, that day, and that police have photos of the rock formation as well. Robbie and Barb have no known social media accounts where they share photos of their adventures with friends/family.

As Robbie made his way back to the RV he did not have any concerns. The RV was less than 1/4 mile (1000 ft) away from where he last saw her, he has claimed, and was never concerned about how far ahead she could have gotten, between him and the RV. He made his way back to the RV and was not immediately concerned that he didn't see her there. He was hot, he has told us, and poured some water on a towel and put it on his head. After a few minutes of her not turning up he began to grow concerned. He did not immediately look for any signs of tire tracks, or signs of abduction/kidnapping. He proceeded to shout and wave his arms, as well as backtrack to a cave they both knew was in the area. His thinking was, perhaps she went there to get out of the sun (between when she left him and the few minutes it took him to get back to the RV from the rock formation).

According to public records he called the police around 3pm?, and according to Robbie they arrived two hours after he called? On arrival the search and rescue crews destroyed any evidence of a potential crime scene, according to Robbie. If this account is accurate, what did Robbie do in those two hours?

Robbie served in Vietnam, and also has years of experience visiting the Mojave desert, including familiarity with Kelbaker's immediate geological features, and, I would assume, a keen sense for his surroundings. He didn't think to look for signs of abduction, or a struggle? He didn't follow up with the cars parked in the parking lot just down the road (but did check in a cave???)? He didn't look for signs of a struggle around the RV but concludes she must have been abducted? That abduction is the ONLY logical conclusion?

I think we are missing some vital information here and would like to hear a much more detailed account of what Robbie did between taking photos of the rock formation, returning to the RV, searching the area for Barb, calling police, and search and rescue finally arriving. I think our timeline of events could do with clarification.

FOR REFERENCE:

Walking speed 1000 meters or 1 kilometer per 10 minutes ( m/min – km/min ), converted to foot per 10 minutes equals 3280.84 feet per 10 minutes ( ft/min ).

According to the above generalisation Robbie was approx 3 plus MINUTES away from the RV.

DB MAP 1.PNG DB MAP 2.PNG DB MAP 3.PNG

I would like to include some further speculation for everyone to consider. Robbie drove across state lines to the only S on a quiet road, the first stage of an otherwise undefined camping trip. He hasn't told any of us anymore about what this trip entailed, or what they were initially planning. They pulled off the road in a place with enough room for other cars to pull off as well. They began their walk in the Mojave around/ or not long after HIGH NOON, in RECORD HEAT. This all happened on a Friday, a weekday, when many others who might otherwise be hiking and exploring the desert area, would have more likely been at work. Regular hikers familiar with the area, and other locals have expressed it would be foolish and naive to wander into the Mojave for a casual walk at this time of day (unless of course your plans required not being seen by anyone else).
 
Is it just me or does it seem a guy who is her husband, ( the usual suspects) failed a polygraph, and seems focused on getting across a "bikini "and a "beer", where the police say there is no trace of her ever being there, then begs to have her come home on TV ( who does that? Do the kidnappers think," snap, he wants her home,guess I better give up?") which makes me think he wants people to think she's been kidnapped when she has not, ( see above, no trace) is the only suspect?
It’s apparently not just you, but most people on the thread and it’s been repeated ad infinitum. Whether you feel he’s focused on it or stating the facts of what she was wearing as he thought it was pertinent, and was thinking clearly in this moment if he in fact had just lost his wife and was desperate is a matter of perception.

He’s not a suspect or POI. That makes him at this point a victim until we know more.
 
<snipped / BBM for focus>

Now, you would do due diligence in case he was extremely cunning and managed to kill and hide her in that short time frame, knowing he had a couple of hours until help would arrive. Anything is possible.

It’s just when considering the likelihood, they also need to hear about sufficient motive along with having some evidence. Until we hear more (and we’ve heard nothing substantial here), it’s impossible to make that call. At least in my mind.
I don't think someone needs to be "extremely cunning" to do something with a person they were alone with for 7 hours before calling 911, nor do I think that is a "short time frame" to do something to / with someone at all.

They were seen leaving home at 8:15 am and he called LE at 3:26 pm, and they arrived at the scene between 5:30 and 6:00 pm.

That's 7 + hours they were alone, and 9 + hours before LE arrived at the scene. JMO.

ETA: And they traveled 80 - 90 miles from home to the pull off that day, so there are 7 - 9 + hours and 80 - 90 miles of yet unaccounted for time and territory during which no one but her husband has anything to say about what occurred.
 
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Is it just me or does it seem a guy who is her husband, ( the usual suspects) failed a polygraph, and seems focused on getting across a "bikini "and a "beer", where the police say there is no trace of her ever being there, then begs to have her come home on TV ( who does that? Do the kidnappers think," snap, he wants her home,guess I better give up?") which makes me think he wants people to think she's been kidnapped when she has not, ( see above, no trace) is the only suspect?

It's not just you ;)

On another note: a mountain lion attack - at noon? Hmmm. Near roads?

I have friends who also have had near death experiences with said kitties. Bad kitty.

It's at night though, or evening. Apparently, you don't want them above you on a steep rocky cliff growling at you....(editing to add: they were biologists: tracking disease in, I think big horn sheep, anyway, here they are with this dead animal & then kitty appears above them: they were NOT invited to dinner - they pretty much soiled their pants.)

Still on fence @ it all.

Cheers, BT. Hope I'm in a bikini at 69 walking in wild nature with a beer in my hand! Hope she's found, and soon

JMO
 
I remember the mountain lion theory from DeOrr's disappearance. :(
It's a possibility .
Just hoping BT is somewhere alive.
As far as people speculating on the husband, I don't think anyone is saying he's guilty of anything.
Last person we know of who saw her. Claims to have failed a polygraph.
*there are many reasons one may fail or be inconclusive that have nothing to do with guilt*
Jmo
Chi
 
I don't think someone needs to be "extremely cunning" to do something with a person they were alone with for 7 hours before calling 911, nor do I think that is a "short time frame" to do something to / with someone at all.

They were seen leaving home at 8:15 am and he called LE at 3:26 pm, and they arrived at the scene between 5:30 and 6:00 pm.

That's 7 + hours they were alone, and 9 + hours before LE arrived at the scene. JMO.
Well if LE are claiming no foul play and haven’t named him a POI despite him according to you having 7 hours unaccounted for (this is highly highly unlikely), then he is even more cunning.

RT has time stamped photos by all accounts and there are cameras on the route they took.

In fact in this day it is difficult to kill your spouse and get away with it because we leave a digital trace of so many things. Even taking this long to be declared a POI would mean he is very cunning if he is in fact a murderer.
 
Well if LE are claiming no foul play and haven’t named him a POI despite him according to you having 7 hours unaccounted for (this is highly highly unlikely), then he is even more cunning.

RT has time stamped photos by all accounts and there are cameras on the route they took.

In fact in this day it is difficult to kill your spouse and get away with it because we leave a digital trace of so many things. Even taking this long to be declared a POI would mean he is very cunning if he is in fact a murderer.
In general, not this case specifically...
It may be more difficult to get away with killing one's spouse, but it sure hasn't become more rare.
 
It’s funny how different perception is. You say you feel everyone on the thread really wants to believe the husband whereas I feel that the majority are focusing entirely on the husband as having murdered BT and finding very (to me) unusual theories to support the belief. I know it’s a thing here to try to notice any inconsistency, but there’s a lot of innuendo. Especially as he is not a suspect and still a victim until the police say otherwise.

Secondly I feel plenty of people question the other victim for her choices in beverage and outfit for her age, which is again mentioned here. That can feel to me like victim shaming unless simply discussing the survival aspects or the possibility of abduction and whether or not it did make her more likely to be abducted.

What do you think the statistics are for being lost vs murdered? As has been stated many times, missing people, particularly in these harsh climes is common. Probably more common than spousal murder.

I’m not trying to be offensive. I am new here. It’s more that I’m struggling with the objectivity aspect. I would hope that if my husband went missing that I would be given the benefit of the doubt. So much more than has been brought up against RT could be used against me by my relatives (we’ve had struggles, come close to divorce before). I don’t get along with all of them and can imagine some in their fear, grief and upset thinking anything.
I didn't know you were a "newbie" as your post seemed like a rather seasoned sleuther. Welcome aboard! I don't see the super critical posts because I have those posters on "ignore". I like to read all theories and opinions, as long as they aren't mean spirited.
So glad you're here and keep posting - great thoughts!

Amateur opinion and speculation
 
in those travels, i also crossed paths with some individuals who made me very uncomfortable, and instinctually i considered dangerous.
the type who when you see them, you suddenly feel like youre in the wrong place at the wrong time. because that is where these dangerous types lurk, imo.
i also felt like i heard a bear next to my tent once, but that could have all been my imagination.
nothing ever came of those dangerous feeling encounters except memories of my danger alarm ringing.
Can you explain why you got a feeling that these desert spots are where dangerous types lurk?
 
Well if LE are claiming no foul play and haven’t named him a POI despite him according to you having 7 hours unaccounted for (this is highly highly unlikely), then he is even more cunning.

RT has time stamped photos by all accounts and there are cameras on the route they took.

In fact in this day it is difficult to kill your spouse and get away with it because we leave a digital trace of so many things. Even taking this long to be declared a POI would mean he is very cunning if he is in fact a murderer.
Well, I have to respectfully disagree. There is no proof of 7 hours unaccounted for being highly highly unlikely, no proof that RT has time stamped photos, and no proof that there is a digital trace of anything. Neither RT, LE or MSM have stated any of these things. JMO
 
This isn’t likely but it’s in the realm of possibilities - it could have been a hit and run with her going through the windshield beer container landing in the car. I’m not sure how well traveled that area is but I guess they could veer off somewhere and leave her. Not likely, just another theory to add to the fray.

I have this case stuck in my head about a nurse that hits a homeless man and drives home with him stuck in the windshield. She parks in her garage and waits two or three days for him to die. She would go out to the garage periodically and apologize to him.
 
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