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

[rosesfromangels]

I know RT sounded hokey when he talked but he was at wit's end where she went! This is all he could think of. His speech was unrehearsed.

Thank you! This man has not been named a POI, and deserves to be treated with the respect that separates Websleuths from the rest.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[10ofRods]

It is impossible not to find a body if she dropped here. That is why Many people showing up with drones is a good idea, as they can video the ground quickly so others can study photo and see where her body is located.. If found send in LE.. IF there is no body then that makes this a different story..
A run away.. A abduction.. A murder.
Simple as that.
jmho

Totally agree that if repeated searches do not locate her near Kelbaker/HH, it has to be something besides simple misadventure. However, a lot went on in the 9 days of the search and the first part of it was in the dark.

Quite a few mountain lions in that area. So, if they missed her in the first few hours, it's possible her body was taken elsewhere by a predator. I never say "impossible" when it comes to desert situations. And the number of ways people have apparently gotten lost out there are many. I agree it's likely the body will be found, but if she's under heavy brush, drones won't be as helpful. Drones missed the woman at Amboy Crater...and there wasn't much foliage in that area.

If Barbara is out there and not in a mountain lion's den, she will be found eventually (but if she's no where near Kelbaker Road/HH, then it might not be in my own lifetime, at least).

I too have stopped at the brick wall that is Barbara's husband. He could do so much more to aid a volunteer drone search, or a volunteer on ground search. A volunteer ATV search. He is not an official suspect, he may go out there any time he likes, there's nothing stopping him. I know he's grieving, but it's really unusual that he's not doing all he can to find her. Other family members, like her son and her family in Hong Kong, really want her to be found. She deserves to be found.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

three years ago this hiker vanished. OR - Found Deceased - Riley Zickel, 21, 03 Sept 2019

More than 300 searchers spent about 5,000 hours over seven days searching 350 square miles of the Willamette National Forest and the Jefferson Wilderness.

He was found on Tuesday.

IMO: Almost anything is possible.

 

[rosesfromangels]

three years ago this hiker vanished. OR - Found Deceased - Riley Zickel, 21, 03 Sept 2019

More than 300 searchers spent about 5,000 hours over seven days searching 350 square miles of the Willamette National Forest and the Jefferson Wilderness.

He was found on Tuesday.

IMO: Almost anything is possible.

Perfect example of how difficult it is to find people outdoors.

Barb is out there, more searches needed.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[CSIDreamer]

I know RT sounded hokey when he talked but he was at wit's end where she went! This is all he could think of. His speech was unrehearsed.

Do you know him personally? I honestly dont know the answer.

 

[bronbaby]

I know RT sounded hokey when he talked but he was at wit's end where she went! This is all he could think of. His speech was unrehearsed.

hi, just wondering how do you know his speech was unrehearsed?

 

[kay74]

Do you know him personally? I honestly dont know the answer.

No, of course not. It's everything I read on here about him.

 

[kay74]

hi, just wondering how do you know his speech was unrehearsed?

In his situation I don't think he had time to rehearse a speech. He was panicking about his wife!

 

[Yvettea]

In his situation I don't think he had time to rehearse a speech. He was panicking about his wife!

Well he did have the time it took SAR to arrive. In this case I believe it was two hours.

 

[GordianKnot]

In his situation I don't think he had time to rehearse a speech. He was panicking about his wife!

If BT's disappearance was planned in advance, there was unlimited time to rehearse.

JMO.

 

[cazador]

Totally agree that if repeated searches do not locate her near Kelbaker/HH, it has to be something besides simple misadventure. However, a lot went on in the 9 days of the search and the first part of it was in the dark.

Quite a few mountain lions in that area. So, if they missed her in the first few hours, it's possible her body was taken elsewhere by a predator. I never say "impossible" when it comes to desert situations. And the number of ways people have apparently gotten lost out there are many. I agree it's likely the body will be found, but if she's under heavy brush, drones won't be as helpful. Drones missed the woman at Amboy Crater...and there wasn't much foliage in that area.

If Barbara is out there and not in a mountain lion's den, she will be found eventually (but if she's no where near Kelbaker Road/HH, then it might not be in my own lifetime, at least).

I too have stopped at the brick wall that is Barbara's husband. He could do so much more to aid a volunteer drone search, or a volunteer on ground search. A volunteer ATV search. He is not an official suspect, he may go out there any time he likes, there's nothing stopping him. I know he's grieving, but it's really unusual that he's not doing all he can to find her. Other family members, like her son and her family in Hong Kong, really want her to be found. She deserves to be found.

Yes, We Have Deer (and Mountain Lions) in the Mojave Desert
Fatal mountain lion attacks in California: Map and details

I would hope a new drone search finds items she had with her.. Her Hat or Her Cup would be a great find and put live searchers back in an area to look further.

 

[Richmond]

I know RT sounded hokey when he talked but he was at wit's end where she went! This is all he could think of. His speech was unrehearsed.

Hmmm...I saw two different interviews and remember thinking how rehearsed it sounded--exact same words and "emotions" (or lack thereof) to tell his story. IMO. I'm not sure how one can make a definitive statement that his "speech" was unrehearsed. MOO

 

[bronbaby]

Hmmm...I saw two different interviews and remember thinking how rehearsed it sounded--exact same words and "emotions" (or lack thereof) to tell his story. IMO. I'm not sure how you know his "speech" was unrehearsed.

exactly my thoughts Richmond

 

[Richmond]

exactly my thoughts Richmond

I edited my post to depersonalize it. But we're on the same page. IMO, there was nothing unrehearsed about his interviews.

 

[10ofRods]

Well he did have the time it took SAR to arrive. In this case I believe it was two hours.

But not the same as "rehearsing." Most people revert to natural speech patterns, unless they have given a speech dozens of times. Even then. He would have needed to script a speech during those 2 hours. Scripting takes time, rehearsing takes longer.

Thinking over what one is going to say is not rehearsing. That being said, it seems to me that what he said on camera was not rehearsed or else he would have used his time to give way more specifics that could lead to finding Barbara. Such as showing exactly where they parted and saying when they left, whether she had food and water beforehand, whether she drank on the trail, and which hill they climbed. He could share the photos. If he can't, because LE has his only digital camera, he could say that too. Put some pressure on.

 

[al66pine]

Drone-Searching for BT

It is impossible not to find a body if she dropped here. That is why Many people showing up with drones is a good idea, as they can video the ground quickly so others can study photo and see where her body is located.. If found send in LE.. IF there is no body then that makes this a different story.. A run away.. A abduction.. A murder. Simple as that. jmho

@cazador bbm Thanks for your post, even more for getting a drone, prep'ing to search for BT and/or others who are missing.
"If she dropped there" is a big if. I wonder if BT is within SAR's designated search perimeter or if she had enough stamina in that heat & circumstance to wander beyond. Articles about long missing ppl often end w remains being found far past the original and even expanded search areas.

I think you linked to a 50 min, 2013 documentary about Tim Miller/Equusearch and the battle to get FAA clearance for civilians to conduct SAR w drones. Found it again:

(Civilian Drones Search and Rescue Documentary)

Highlights an amazing ^ story about 6 y/o boy in Liberty TX, missing ~ 1 wk, and a drone added to re-survey swampy areas, already covered by searchers in kayaks, choppers, etc. There the person reviewing vid on big screen/monitor was the one who identified the likely remains of the little tyke, leading LE to return to that spot and effect the recovery. Not the drone operator who was watching drone's work real-time on his smallish monitor in the field. The map showed how close the boy was to the very point where he disappeared. Hard to believe.

Takes special experience & skills to spot these human forms in the midst of all the visual distractions. And ditto for drone operators to cover areas in question. You are volunteering for a wonderful cause. Wishing you the best of luck.

 

[distracted]

But not the same as "rehearsing." Most people revert to natural speech patterns, unless they have given a speech dozens of times. Even then. He would have needed to script a speech during those 2 hours. Scripting takes time, rehearsing takes longer.

Thinking over what one is going to say is not rehearsing. That being said, it seems to me that what he said on camera was not rehearsed or else he would have used his time to give way more specifics that could lead to finding Barbara. Such as showing exactly where they parted and saying when they left, whether she had food and water beforehand, whether she drank on the trail, and which hill they climbed. He could share the photos. If he can't, because LE has his only digital camera, he could say that too. Put some pressure on.

Respectfully, I think you outlined exactly why it sounds rehearsed - if not rehearsed, at least well thought out.
He could have taken that opportunity to appeal to the public to help find her. He could have been very specific about the details of how he lost sight of her. Instead, we heard "why" he thought she went missing.

I understand that he was edited by an oftentimes sensational television show but there should have been some hint from him that he is desperate to "find" her instead of explaining away her disappearance.

His inaction since has not helped either.

 

[iscaremyself]

I was out there walking around today and took a couple pics.
Here's one from the paved parking area up the road a half mile or so north of the rock pile.

 

[iscaremyself]

I walked south of the pile and took a pic of the foliage to show how dense it is in spots.
And tall, some of that greenery was 8, 10 feet tall.

 

[Yvettea]

I don’t imagine RT needing much preparation time or rehearsal. He’s probably an off-the-cuff speaker. Remember he’s a salesman.