CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #8

[Steelslady]

if it were me, it would be 'how many b**&^% photos can you take of a rock!'

Bahahaha- same here! Off topic, but I have in-laws that take about 40 pictures of a birthday cake from several angles. I am not joking, either. I am missing from quite a few miserable photo shoots at their gatherings because I don't have the patience to stand there for an hour for the same photo being taken. Hubby has God knows how many boxes of photos of things like plants, rocks, water, that he doesn't have a clue as to where and when he took them. Yet, he won't part with them.

 

[10ofRods]

The attached aerial image is a slightly different view of the overall scene. Given the 'obvious' condition of the west-east trail from the larger rock formation to the Kelbaker Rd/Hidden Hill Rd turnout it does not seem possible that BT could 'get lost' unless she experienced a cognitive issue during her walk toward the truck/rv.

Even if BT had experienced such an episode she likely would not have gotten very far; certainly within the confines of the expansive SAR search area.

The other attached image shows cellular coverage.

Do we know which carrier RT uses?
Was RT carrying his cell phone on his person while he and BT were out and about in the desert? It might be possible that LE has already or at least is in the process of attempting to obtain a cellular track. Hoping....

If he wasn't carrying it, that is by far the most unbelievable detail in this story - way stranger than her wearing a bikini.

Someone in the desert without a cell phone?

If they didn't take their phone, they were clearly in the "holiday-maker" mode where they were no longer careful, thought nothing could happen to them.

Also, LE would have known, early on, that his phone stayed in the truck/trailer while they walked. They would have asked him during that polygraph if that's what the records showed, I'd think.

"I forgot," is one answer he would give, but then I question his "experience" as a desert hiker. Did he wear his watch? Or was that left behind too? He's immediately suspicious of the people parked down the road (okay, it's a desolate, fairly high crime area) but he doesn't know what time they were there? (Or he relies entirely on a camera for this? Which he says he packs up into his bag?)

What if one of them broke an ankle? Phone is a major thing to forget. Makes his memory harder to trust, along with the other reasons to inspect his narrative.

 

[RANCH]

I think it's possible that BT became disorientated and walked away from the RV instead of towards it. We don't know how much alcohol she consumed or if she was dehydrated.

Disorientation is an altered mental state. A person who’s disoriented may not know their location and identity, or the time and date.

It’s often accompanied with other symptoms such as:

• confusion, or being unable to think with your normal level of clarity
• delirium, or being confused and having disrupted attention
• delusions, or believing things even if they’re false
• agitation, or feelings of aggressiveness and restlessness
• hallucinations, or seeing or hearing things that aren’t there
• wandering around

What Caused My Disorientation?

 

[MsBetsy]

RT adamantly stating what his wife was wearing and drinking irked me. it felt scarily close to victim shaming. IMO
just going to throw this out again...
The husband of a woman who disappeared while hiking in the California desert a week ago insisted he is innocent after failing a lie detector test
"I hollered her name and I waved my arms, and I looked around the area and I saw that she wasn't anywhere around. She didn't respond. I got really panicky," he told Inside Edition.

Well, LE described her as wearing underwear so if he had said that I would think it would sound even worse.
Barbara seemed pretty open about drinking beer so it seems natural that he would mention it. If it was something she tried to keep others from knowing I might think it was suspicious.

LE probably asked him to tell them everything that she wearing and had with her. Imo

 

[crussell821]

I just submitted Barbara’s case to The Vanished podcast. The host generally covers more recent cases that haven’t seen lots of media attention. Maybe something will come of it.

 

[bronbaby]

Well, LE described her as wearing underwear so if he had said that I would think it would sound even worse.
Barbara seemed pretty open about drinking beer so it seems natural that he would mention it. If it was something she tried to keep others from knowing I might think it was suspicious.

LE probably asked him to tell them everything that she wearing and had with her. Imo

true.
personally, i have no negative judgement on what BT was wearing or drinking at all. it was the emphasis placed on those details in tv interview. maybe i'm over-thinking/reading too much into how he spoke.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Our VI has mentioned that the dog kennel people saw Barbara that morning around 8-10 am, and the neighbor captured her getting into the truck that morning around 8:15. She had been speaking with family in Hong Kong about her trip, prior to that day, and told them she'd be out of touch for a few days (during the camping trip).

It sure seems like it started out like a regular day. One kennel staff member told Dbdb that Barbara seemed a little stressed (or something like that). I think she was supposed to fly to Hong Kong on the 23rd. Then, the convenience store person told Dbdb that RT seemed a little "naggy" (irritable).

After that, it's just RT's view on what happened next. Kelbaker/HH is 2 hours from their house, plus time for convenience stop. They should have been there by 11.

Were they out on that walk from 11 am to 2:30 (when RT says he last saw her)? Temps would have been in the 90's when they started out...probably 102/103 or so by 2:30. Did she drink from his gallon of water?

I too have lots of questions for RT (and I know Dbdb has tried to get the answers - so far, no luck).

“Then, the convenience store person told Dbdb that RT seemed a little "naggy" (irritable)
“ That’s strange on an outing with your new Truck and RV. Should have been the opposite, excited and happy.

 

[Chingaling]

You could even read the opposite into it: that she wasn't there. As I understand it, he may have meant that he had difficulty manoeuvring the RV into the gas station without her assistance, and that was why he parked across the road - because she wasn't there. Now I don't think it meant that she wasn't there to help, I'm sure he parked across the road merely because it was more convenient. I'm just saying that it could be interpreted that way, but we don't know exactly what he said and we don't know if the clerk misunderstood.

However if the police are satisfied that there are photos proving her presence in the desert later that day, she must have been with him at the gas station.

That is how I interpreted his statement too.

 

[Steelslady]

I just submitted Barbara’s case to The Vanished podcast. The host generally covers more recent cases that haven’t seen lots of media attention. Maybe something will come of it.

That's awesome. That would be great if they would do a segment on Barbara. Fingers crossed!

 

[155etta]

Another theory: what if he was the one who wanted to get back to "use" the RV and he left her out there?

 

[gsleuth]

deleted by me

 

[k-mac]

I think it's possible that BT became disorientated and walked away from the RV instead of towards it. We don't know how much alcohol she consumed or if she was dehydrated.


What Caused My Disorientation?

we have somebodys word that BT drank alcohol.
there should not be an assumption of HOW MUCH?
there is zero proof BT had ANY ALCOHOL.

it paints a reckless and unfair picture imo that is not proven.

 

[Tripod]

Yes, they did search east of the turnout as well those last two days I was there. But this was not their primary search focus, as a SAR member told me, this was more about making sure "all bases were covered". That area would be good to include in a drone flight, as there are not many places to hide there, as opposed to west of the turnout and road where they allegedly hiked.

How long is Hidden Hills Rd.? ( a few miles, or more?) You answered one of the questions I had, re: ease of driving vehicles on it Would someone be able to fairly easily take a 5th wheel on Hidden Hills, and do you know if there are any parking areas or turn-outs on it? Thanks!

 

[katydid23]

You could even read the opposite into it: that she wasn't there. As I understand it, he may have meant that he had difficulty manoeuvring the RV into the gas station without her assistance, and that was why he parked across the road - because she wasn't there. Now I don't think it meant that she wasn't there to help, I'm sure he parked across the road merely because it was more convenient. I'm just saying that it could be interpreted that way, but we don't know exactly what he said and we don't know if the clerk misunderstood.

However if the police are satisfied that there are photos proving her presence in the desert later that day, she must have been with him at the gas station.

As to the bolded above, I don't agree that she had to have been with him at the gas station.

When we go on road trips, when we have to get gas, sometimes my husband will drop me off at the diner, or somewhere, while he fills up. I can get us a table and order the food, so we keep things moving.


We don't know for sure that she was in the truck while he filled up.

ETA: I mention that because it could bring some other suspects into the mix. Maybe she met some people or a person, while waiting for RT to return? Could they have been followed?

 

[Nikynoo]

It's possible, of course. I think they spent some time at the "main rock feature." The foliage out there this season was denser than what google shows (judging by SAR and Sroads's pictures) so I still doubt that she walked through that with bare legs.

LE has said they aren't organizing further searches right now (said Dbdb recently). For a good search (and Dbdb has contacted a search company), they need permission from LE (because if it does turn out to be a crime scene, there are protocols to follow). We on websleuths would have a really hard time organizing a search without local contacts and aids (community groups, churches, etc).

Is permission required from LE to conduct a drone search?

 

[Nikynoo]

As to the bolded above, I don't agree that she had to have been with him at the gas station.

When we go on road trips, when we have to get gas, sometimes my husband will drop me off at the diner, or somewhere, while he fills up. I can get us a table and order the food, so we keep things moving.


We don't know for sure that she was in the truck while he filled up.

ETA: I mention that because it could bring some other suspects into the mix. Maybe she met some people or a person, while waiting for RT to return? Could they have been followed?

They didn't stop for gas. They stopped on the opposite side of the road to the gas station and purchased ice.

 

[katydid23]

They didn't stop for gas. They stopped on the opposite side of the road to the gas station and purchased ice.

Oh, ok, got it. thanks

 

[Cherwell]

As to the bolded above, I don't agree that she had to have been with him at the gas station.
When we go on road trips, when we have to get gas, sometimes my husband will drop me off at the diner, or somewhere, while he fills up. I can get us a table and order the food, so we keep things moving.
We don't know for sure that she was in the truck while he filled up.

ETA: I mention that because it could bring some other suspects into the mix. Maybe she met some people or a person, while waiting for RT to return? Could they have been followed?

I meant that she was there, travelling with him.

 

[Cherwell]

we have somebodys word that BT drank alcohol.
there should not be an assumption of HOW MUCH?
there is zero proof BT had ANY ALCOHOL.
it paints a reckless and unfair picture imo that is not proven.

It is still a possibility, and it could be a factor in whatever happened.
Barbara was perfectly entitled to drink alcohol if she chose to, and we are entitled to discuss it as a hypothesis.

 

[K9Enzo]

It is still a possibility, and it could be a factor in whatever happened.
Barbara was perfectly entitled to drink alcohol if she chose to, and we are entitled to discuss it as a hypothesis.

Agreed. IMO, LE and SAR would have asked more questions regarding the amount of alcohol she consumed, at what time, etc. This information (true or not) would have mattered to them and the search for her.