CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #7

[lonetraveler]

I guess ice in a cooler would be more efficient than keeping the fridge running in the RV, but that is an uneducated guess.

I've always used a cooler to keep beer cold so that the refrigerator would not be crowded when ever I camped.

 

[rosesfromangels]

What a strange thing to want to think.

Well, perhaps in his mind it suggested he might be able to get her back vs. she perished out there.
It seems anything goes with this case!

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[lonetraveler]

Except that they boarded Lexi, Barb's dog, and they usually brought her along. MOO

I was wondering about that, if it was usual for the dog to be boarded or not. I'm also wondering if RT was refusing to care for the dog while she was away in Hong Kong. That would certainly make her agitated, IMO. He hasn't been in any hurry to take the dog out of boarding has he?

 

[10ofRods]

Are you referring to LE putting RT under the microscope or are you referring to WS members?

As for LE if RT was telling the truth about being deceptive on his polygraph and being LE's prime suspect, then I can understand them wanting to confirm any details RT gave them about that day. As for WS'ers well I guess RT's statement about the poly and prime suspect perked our ears up. I really wish LE would publicly clear RT as a suspect if they believe Barbara truly wandered off of her own free will.

Good point, Tillicum. It was reported in MSM by a reliable source (RT himself) that RT says the police consider him the prime suspect. So the idea was put on the table, by an eyewitness to the events (RT) and duly reported. All across the nation. LE has not confirmed or denied (naturally).

But in general, we're allowed to discuss MSM reports (and the reporting was not kooky nor did the reporter provide bias, they interviewed the only witness to her disappearance). He said what he said.

Maybe Dbdb11 can confirm, at some point, whether LE told him the time of the photo. I just remember some members were arguing about it and he said something about the timing. I can't find it right now. We need @PommyMommy

 

[cazador]

Did RT pick up the dog after BT went missing ?

 

[lonetraveler]

It was our VI's opinion she thought it might have been valuable. So not the word expensive.
CA - CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #5

"In any case, your sentiment above is all good. I felt she left the phone because she didn't want to take something which could have been very valuable, in her estimation. Both her son and my dad's wife claim Barb expressed wanting a phone, and she never got one... for what its worth."

BBM: This is what's getting me. She was reportedly a "free spirit, independent woman" and at the very least receiving Social Security due to her age but she couldn't even get her own cell phone. That to me shows just how controlling her other half is. JMO It makes it look as if she wasn't "allowed" to have a phone.

 

[MsBetsy]

Yes, I think if the police are asking you about something, it's quite natural to assume the subject may have been up to no good, and that might colour your recollections.


It would help if we knew more about times and places of the photos. They might have stopped earlier and taken another walk, and had lunch before going out again.


I don't know. Wouldn't it be something you would get as late as possible?

Maybe RT forgot to bring the ice from home and that's why he was so irritable.
Maybe he was annoyed because he had to park the truck across the road and he complained about his needing help from his wife to the guy working there.

 

[lonetraveler]

Do most people just disconnect the RV before pulling into the gas station to fill up their truck? Maybe that's what he needed help with?
I don't know much about trucks or RV's, but I had to climb into a truck when my car was towed and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
I can't imagine a 60 year old doing it that easily.
Imo

No, you do not disconnect the RV from the truck to go into a convenience store, however, you have to be very cognizant of the height requirement needed to pull under any roof or awning overhead.

 

[Cherwell]

We don't know if he thinks that now.
It is understandable that he might have wanted to think it after the early searching failed to find her.

What a strange thing to want to think.

Let me explain my thinking then.
If she was lost in the desert without water in intense heat, she wouldn't have survived very long.
Therefore abduction might have seemed the best hope for her still to be alive and well.
HTH.

 

[Cherwell]

I was wondering about that, if it was usual for the dog to be boarded or not. I'm also wondering if RT was refusing to care for the dog while she was away in Hong Kong. That would certainly make her agitated, IMO. He hasn't been in any hurry to take the dog out of boarding has he?

This was discussed earlier at some length and many of us thought that this time it was too hot to be practical and comfortable for the dog to go on the trip.

We don't know where the dog is. It's quite common for people to leave their dog with a daytime carer if they are going to be out all day and there will be nobody else at home, so no reason to think the dog has been permanently boarded out.

 

[MsBetsy]

Ironically enough - RT doesn't think she did as you suggest whatsoever...

He thinks she was abducted

LE doesn't

That's what he said at the beginning but it would be interesting to know what he thinks now, six weeks later.
His lawyer said they were working furiously trying to find Barbara.
We don't know what they have found.
Maybe they have no evidence of a kidnapping and he has given up that theory. Imo

 

[Leney]

I don't recall seeing any posts from our VI confirming the time as around 2 PM. I saw one that said that LE had confirmed that RT was at that location at the time he said he was - but he told the family around noon, IIRC, and he told LE that he searched for an hour or so. I don't think we know for sure when those photos were taken. We only know that they exist.

SBM

The VI posted it then deleted the 2 PM photo information.
Only he can answer as to the reason.

 

[CSIDreamer]

This is all new to me..
Looking at their member list I found 2 people who live in the area we want searched and I will call both of them. I called the owner of SWARM this morning.. I have no experience with this Drone myself but I have purchased one and I am practicing with it each night when I get home. I would prefer experienced operators. So it takes time to get volunteers to come together unless it is a LE request. He told me about custom software designed by one of his volunteers they use on any video taken, even by the helicopter used by SAR group who has already searched. So if allowed by the sheriff he could start with that. Other then that the request is on their web site and on their Facebook page.. This is where we begin..

Its fabulous you're learning that.

 

[LietKynes]

What does it matter what RT's actions were at the gas station? His wife wandered off into the middle of the desert of her own free will. Why put RT under the microscope for something he had nothing to do with?

BBM

Re. the bolded : Respectfully--- we don't know that for certain.

No one here at WS has placed RT 'under the microscope'.
He's done that fairly well all by his lonesome.

From the first interviews and the fact that he called himself the 'prime suspect', to his failing the poly (in and of itself proof of nothing suspicious, innocent people also fail polys) ; questions have arisen that refuse to be quelled.
Nothing substantive that points to wrongdoing.

But since we're allowed to discuss what's public information ... and there hasn't been an overabundance of that, either.
Imo.

Sorry if this comes across as a gloom cookie... but after all of this time, it's not looking like someone has her in captivity.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Did LE check the dumpsters of the local gas station and convenience store during the 9-10 day search period?

 

[gsleuth]

What does it matter what RT's actions were at the gas station? His wife wandered off into the middle of the desert of her own free will. Why put RT under the microscope for something he had nothing to do with?

highlighted for your attention.
How did you come to this conclusion? Is this fact?

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Being a photographer enthusiast, I must reveal this: the EXIF data of an image file (photograph) may be edited to change the date and time that shows 'when' a photograph was taken. It isn't difficult. In fact, it's quite easy. That someone appears in a photograph does not necessarily prove that that someone was at the location shown in the photograph on the date/time recorded in the EXIF metadata.

Gas station. Ice. Assist in/out truck. Photograph(s). Walk ahead. Beer.

A jigsaw puzzle with blurred edges................

 

[gsleuth]

I don't recall seeing any posts from our VI confirming the time as around 2 PM. I saw one that said that LE had confirmed that RT was at that location at the time he said he was - but he told the family around noon, IIRC, and he told LE that he searched for an hour or so. I don't think we know for sure when those photos were taken. We only know that they exist.

There's definitely a chunk of time missing from the timeline, no matter how you slice it.

And yes, RT would have known that LE does not patrol the area, but rather responds when called. IMHO

highlighted by me.
2pm? That sure does leave a chunk of time missing.

 

[CharlestonGal]

Did LE check the dumpsters of the local gas station and convenience store during the 9-10 day search period?

Looking for...?

 

[gsleuth]

Well, perhaps in his mind it suggested he might be able to get her back vs. she perished out there.
It seems anything goes with this case!

Amateur opinion and speculation

With the help of his attorney?