CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #6

[artsy1]

SUMMARY:
On July 12, 2019, at 2:30 p.m., Barbara and her husband Robert were hiking in the Mohave desert approximately 20 miles north of the I-40 freeway east of Kelbaker Rd. During the hike, Barbara and Robert got separated and she has not been seen since.

July 22nd - The investigation continues into the whereabouts of missing person Barbara Thomas from SBSD - Colorado River Sheriffs Department : Nixle

 

[cazador]

I thought we had LE say something early on .. Sorry if I am wrong.

 

[10ofRods]

I am not sure what time RT called 911 to report BT missing, but think I have read people alluding to it being suspicious that he didn't call right away. Imho, calling right away would have made him seem much more suspicious. LE knows what the usual timeframe is for calling in missing persons under such circumstances, and if it varied greatly from that without some kind of a weird explanation, I think it would act as a red flag for them. jmo. (Is that correct that he told the relatives he'd gotten concerned around noon and called 911, but the report says it was actually hours later? - if so, that is a red flag to me in itself.)

Partly explained, maybe, by the fact that our VI heard the story from his sister, who was understandably upset when hearing the story from RT.

There's still a bit of a timeline problem (the police obviously have a better idea and have probably talked to him a few times). If he called dispatch at 3:26 pm after looking for Barbara for an hour, then Barbara went missing around 2:26 (between 2:16 and 2:26). Being that humans are involved, those are approximate. It's two hours from their house in Bullhead City to the intersection where LE met RT. They left at 8:15.

Most RVers gas up the evening or day before, without the trailer in tow. Barb had already dropped off the dog. The 2 mile hike would have taken about an hour, although let's say they had a lunch beforehand. Anyway, they would have started after noon. Still a couple of hours of time not accounted for by what the VI's sister said RT told her.

 

[artsy1]

I thought we had LE say something early on .. Sorry if I am wrong.

I know the confusion comes from RT telling our VI (who posted it publicly) that she went missing around noon. It was LE who said she went missing around 2:30 - which jives with the dispatch log since RT said he looked for her for an hour before calling LE.

No worries.

 

[10ofRods]

Called around noon and Le arrived around 3:30

No. The call came into dispatch at 3:36 and LE arrived around 5:30. You can check the dispatch log (which, I am told by LE here in my own locale, is a record of when the phone request came in).

Police-initiated actions do not go through the dispatch but public calls do. Public calls go to dispatch and are logged. SBC Sheriff publishes that log. It's automatically updated, apparently in SB (not the case where I live, not by a long shot).

To find the logs, go to the Colorado River division of the SBC Sheriff's call log system. FU means "Follow up." Some people (I think Pommy Mommy for sure) are checking those logs and occasionally posting when some FU occurs near Kelbaker and HH Road. I checked back over several months - Barbara Thomas is the only MP call that I see.

 

[10ofRods]

Respectfully snipped by me; YES; the “big nothing-burger” ...no evidence to sink our teeth into, although we all would like to help so much

Priscilla Delzell went missing on July 18, 2013. Search warrants issued August 21, 2013.

Authorities search home of missing Barstow woman

So, maybe we are getting a little closer in time to some SBCSO actions for MSM to report?

If in fact, as Barbara's son has said elsewhere and I believe VI has also mentioned, computers and such were taken from RT's home, it's way past time for MSM to report.

But, in California, MSM is collapsing. Very few newspapers actually have reporters. What's been reported by most area news agencies in Barbara's case was originally reported by just one reporter. I've been emailing news agencies in the Barstow to Needles area, and so far, only one independent news blogger has written back.

If you look on the last thread, you'll see Pommy Mommy's exhaustive list of news agencies. Perhaps if more of us email, they will dig deeper? Because getting the search warrant from the courts is a no-brainer for old school journalists, but seems to be mysterious to the young stringers who write for the newspapers near me. This is not a huge case. SB and Riverside County reporters are way up into last night's news story, with all the footage of the shoot-out.

Missing elderly woman is not going to get a lot of attention if people don't write to the various outlets. Please let us know if you hear from anyone!

 

[10ofRods]

Good question. I cannot find the arrival time of LE and SAR.
Hopefully someone else could answer this.

Typically, SAR doesn't arrive first. If there's a threat in the area, a bad guy, LE looks around first. SAR members are volunteers. They aren't around waiting for calls - they are at jobs, etc. So, it takes a while to get them there.

 

[10ofRods]

IF the mtn.lion took her, did he/she take the beer/container along or drink the beer, then take the container for a souvenir?

Depends on the container. In the three hours before police arrived, with the kind of winds that blow steadily down there, it would have moved westward, depending on what type it was. If it was a nice one, people stop to pick them up (hats, thermal cups, water jugs...get picked up and all of them blow or roll pretty well). If it was heavier, there's considerable slope to that road (downhill would be southbound, I believe). Did anyone check in that direction on the first night? I doubt it.

Also, there's no way they could check under every single cholla and bush for a beer coozie (if that's what it was). They were looking for a person in those first days. Later, I'm sure they did try to look for the alleged cup, but, again, it would be really hard to see in the desert, particularly this year.

I admit the mountain lion idea is weak (although if she saw it coming and threw her cup at it which would be my reflex, then perhaps it could still be found somewhere in that 1/2 mile between the creek bed area and the road...in which case...sure seems they'd have found it).

Since one of my theories is that Barbara went on the wrong trail after they wandered toward the creek bed, the cup could be a mile away.

 

[Stripehaven]

I know the confusion comes from RT telling our VI (who posted it publicly) that she went missing around noon. It was LE who said she went missing around 2:30 - which jives with the dispatch log since RT said he looked for her for an hour before calling LE.

No worries.

I still can’t imagine why RT would search for so long without calling LE for help - if he believed Barb was wandering the desert without water during all that time. I don’t care how much of a maverick self-sufficient problem solver he may be (no idea if that’s true - just saying), that would be negligent and irresponsible.

 

[GordianKnot]

I still can’t imagine why RT would search for so long without calling LE for help - if he believed Barb was wandering the desert without water during all that time. I don’t care how much of a maverick self-sufficient problem solver he may be (no idea if that’s true - just saying), that would be negligent and irresponsible.

BBM:

I'm quite interested in the fact that RT has indicated he spent some time searching for her himself before he contacted LE. Waving his arms around and hollerin', going back to a cave they both knew about, etc., etc.

The fact that he spent time searching for her himself at that location certainly helps to account for a chunk of the time that day between when they left the house shortly after 8 am and 3:26 pm, which is when the 911 call was placed.

JMO.

 

[rosesfromangels]

1) BT wandered off course, farther than anyone would expect and happened across an animal, mine shaft, cave or some feature from which she was unable to escape or BT succumbed to natural cause at a distance.

2) BT was abducted along the path between the rock formation(s) and the turnout.

3) BT disappeared and is remaining out of sight/quiet on purpose.

4) RT. Enough said for this item.

For which do you vote?

It is likely LE has been attempting to dig up every possible detail regarding time line, location and potential motive(s) but... silence silence silence.

1

 

[MassGuy]

1) BT wandered off course, farther than anyone would expect and happened across an animal, mine shaft, cave or some feature from which she was unable to escape or BT succumbed to natural cause at a distance.

2) BT was abducted along the path between the rock formation(s) and the turnout.

3) BT disappeared and is remaining out of sight/quiet on purpose.

4) RT. Enough said for this item.

For which do you vote?

It is likely LE has been attempting to dig up every possible detail regarding time line, location and potential motive(s) but... silence silence silence.

Ha! I’ll just say I don’t think she got lost, don’t believe she was abducted, nor do I believe she is missing voluntarily.

In a word, foulplay.

In two words, foul play.

 

[Jazzy5980]

1) BT wandered off course, farther than anyone would expect and happened across an animal, mine shaft, cave or some feature from which she was unable to escape or BT succumbed to natural cause at a distance.

2) BT was abducted along the path between the rock formation(s) and the turnout.

3) BT disappeared and is remaining out of sight/quiet on purpose.

4) RT. Enough said for this item.

For which do you vote?

It is likely LE has been attempting to dig up every possible detail regarding time line, location and potential motive(s) but... silence silence silence.

#1

 

[GordianKnot]

Ha! I’ll just say I don’t think she got lost, don’t believe she was abducted, nor do I believe she is missing voluntarily.

In a word, foulplay.

In two words, foul play.

BBM:

In three words: My thoughts precisely.

In four words: You and me both.

In five words: You and me both, sister.

JMO.

 

[rkendmar]

If in fact, as Barbara's son has said elsewhere and I believe VI has also mentioned, computers and such were taken from RT's home, it's way past time for MSM to report.

But, in California, MSM is collapsing. Very few newspapers actually have reporters. What's been reported by most area news agencies in Barbara's case was originally reported by just one reporter. I've been emailing news agencies in the Barstow to Needles area, and so far, only one independent news blogger has written back.

If you look on the last thread, you'll see Pommy Mommy's exhaustive list of news agencies. Perhaps if more of us email, they will dig deeper? Because getting the search warrant from the courts is a no-brainer for old school journalists, but seems to be mysterious to the young stringers who write for the newspapers near me. This is not a huge case. SB and Riverside County reporters are way up into last night's news story, with all the footage of the shoot-out.

Missing elderly woman is not going to get a lot of attention if people don't write to the various outlets. Please let us know if you hear from anyone!

Two 'old school' journalists who cover police/crime in the area:

1) Joe Nelson covers San Bernardino for 'The Sun.' jnelson@scng.com; Twitter: @GumShoeJoe
2) Richard Winton at 'The LA Times': richard.winton@latimes.com; Twitter: @lacrimes

 

[Gardener1850]

If in fact, as Barbara's son has said elsewhere and I believe VI has also mentioned, computers and such were taken from RT's home, it's way past time for MSM to report.

But, in California, MSM is collapsing. Very few newspapers actually have reporters. What's been reported by most area news agencies in Barbara's case was originally reported by just one reporter. I've been emailing news agencies in the Barstow to Needles area, and so far, only one independent news blogger has written back.

If you look on the last thread, you'll see Pommy Mommy's exhaustive list of news agencies. Perhaps if more of us email, they will dig deeper? Because getting the search warrant from the courts is a no-brainer for old school journalists, but seems to be mysterious to the young stringers who write for the newspapers near me. This is not a huge case. SB and Riverside County reporters are way up into last night's news story, with all the footage of the shoot-out.

Missing elderly woman is not going to get a lot of attention if people don't write to the various outlets. Please let us know if you hear from anyone!

BBM. Can a non-journalist file an FOIA request or something similar to get the 911 call recording and copies of any warrants served so far? Or at the very least maybe someone could try to get a copy of the police report filed when Barb was reported missing? I'm not sure if it is an option at this point in the investigation (LE may want to keep their cards close to their vests and may contest it) but I have seen it done by private bloggers or family members of a missing person in other cases (cold cases mostly). Do we have any verified attorneys following here that would know if that's a possibility? Or anyone here who has experience filing an FOIA and/or wants to try it? Once someone gets the documents, they can be forwarded to a few reporters. At the very least it might get Barbara in the news cycle again.

MOO.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Called around noon and Le arrived around 3:30

That is what RT said in the beginning.

 

[?mysterian?]

BBM:

In three words: My thoughts precisely.

In four words: You and me both.

In five words: You and me both, sister.

JMO.

In five other words: Y'all ain't the only ones.

In six words: Trying to follow the rules here.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Here's what's needed to find Barb (amateur suggestion):
Waterproof PTZ Heavy Duty Mine Camera | Pipeline CCTV Camera
Drones being used to scan for dead bodies

 

[?mysterian?]

Depends on the container. In the three hours before police arrived, with the kind of winds that blow steadily down there, it would have moved westward, depending on what type it was. If it was a nice one, people stop to pick them up (hats, thermal cups, water jugs...get picked up and all of them blow or roll pretty well). If it was heavier, there's considerable slope to that road (downhill would be southbound, I believe). Did anyone check in that direction on the first night? I doubt it.

Also, there's no way they could check under every single cholla and bush for a beer coozie (if that's what it was). They were looking for a person in those first days. Later, I'm sure they did try to look for the alleged cup, but, again, it would be really hard to see in the desert, particularly this year.

I admit the mountain lion idea is weak (although if she saw it coming and threw her cup at it which would be my reflex, then perhaps it could still be found somewhere in that 1/2 mile between the creek bed area and the road...in which case...sure seems they'd have found it).

Since one of my theories is that Barbara went on the wrong trail after they wandered toward the creek bed, the cup could be a mile away.

OK, I figured maybe he/she would take it back to the den to the babies.

Well, not really. I was mostly pulling your leg, and let my smart-@$$3&ness get the better of me. Sorry 'bout that.

I know we have to believe RT's account, but it sure is hard because of his behavior afterward, and what he has/hasn't done.