CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #11

[10ofRods]

Having read nearly every post in this and previous threads, # 4 is the option that least strains credulity.

#'s 2 and 3 would be nice to consider, as then there's a possibility she's alive.
But the mental gymnastics required would tax the minds of most seasoned investigators.

Not saying there isn't always hope; as long as she's still missing.
We just don't know exactly what happened.

And the abduction theory was not provided by the media/reporters ; however one wants to interpret msm.
Reporters and msm have at times 'screwed up' mightily; but not in this case.
An interview was conducted , and (quoting from what's in msm ) ... "that's it."
End of story.
MOO

This is absolutely accurate. The suggestion was made by RT and picked up by both the local LV station and Inside Edition when they edited and narrated their video of him.

I admire your hope and pluck, LietKynes, so much. I am not hopeful at all. Like all wilderness mysteries, I'm obsessed. No one really keeps track of missing persons in Mojave NP (as opposed to SB County) but perhaps we can collectively begin to do that work. Surely, there are risks to going out there (from all parts of nature - including human nature).

 

[squareandrabbet]

RT Interview(s)?


@MassGuy[/USER] sbm and Others

"In an interview with Inside Edition, Robert Thomas said..." A deceptive omission? Kinda, sorta.

"In an interview with an Inside Edition affiliate, Robert Thomas said..." Clearer w 2 addtional words.

"In an interview with an Inside Edition affiliate, KXXX-TV Robert Thomas said..." Much clearer.

Like much we read/hear in MSM, this kind of distinction get glossed over. May not be meaningful in many interviews (take your pick of %) except in the interests of disclosing The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth. Not saying it does not matter, because in a certain frame of mind, I can parse a distinction like this ^ all day long.

BTW, does anyone recall how or why this question came up - about the "IE interview."
(In early threads, I was puzzled for a few minutes about RT doing interview w Internet Explorer. )
jmo

Thank you for this post. Personally, I would say, based upon background classwork in radio and TV production classes, that the Associated Press principle is and always has been, quotes and direct verbiage are surrounded by, well, quotation marks (my apologies in advance for the obviousness of this statement!). Discussion not surrounded by quotation marks, represents the summary of the journalist/interviewer/transcriber. If there are no quotation marks, it is suspect to editorializing on the part of the drafter/journalist.

 

[Nikynoo]

I’ve seen in other cases where a spouse will make suggestions as to what could have happened to their missing spouse as to direct the investigation in a certain way, or more importantly away from themselves. Not saying that is the case here.

There are only a hand full of things that could have happened to Barbara.

1) She got lost or disoriented on the trail on the way back to the RV and succumbed to the elements. Not likely because she wasn’t that far from her husband, according to him and something of her would have been found by now.

2) She was abducted in a vehicle because she was a lone woman, out in the middle of nowhere. Not warmed up to this one. There are a lot of vehicles that travel that Interstate, so to be unseen isn’t likely. No sign of her beer bottle/can dropped in the abduction.

3) She disappeared on her own, but without a phone and out in the middle of nowhere, a rendezvous would be hard to plan, since the stop in the turnout was suppose to be a spur of the moment thing.

4) She was killed by someone and thrown down a mine or buried in the desert or never made it to that turnout. Maybe an earlier one is where pictures of BT were taken.

All this is just my opinion.

So, any other possibilities of what logically could have happened to Barbara Thomas?

Still saying numbero uno. From your post 'something of her would have been found by now', not quite correct. As far as we know, no further searches have been undertaken, so unless there were constant or regular searches over the last 3 months, Barbara is not likely to be found until further searches are undertaken.

I think 2,3 and 4 are unlikely. 2 is more probable than 3 and 4 - because there is a chance that she was picked up IF SHE MADE IT TO THE ROAD.
3 is unlikely for the reasons you state.
4, unlikely she was thrown down a mine, this would need foul play near enough to the RV/truck for RT to carry BT to it and then we have the journey to the mine itself - which would need to be by vehicle. With GPS at play here (RTs phone and possible the vehicle), I'm sure LE would have figured this out and an arrest made by now. Similar for a burial, which I am sure would have been spotted by LE and the SAR team on their extensive searches of the area and if burial not in the area, GPS would be at play and an arrest made etc.

The conundrum here, is the searches did not find BT - but by all accounts, search teams do not always successfully locate a body. Is there an earlier post that has the success rates of SARs, I seem to recall there was, but cannot locate it.

 

[Nikynoo]

Exactly. Occam’s Razor. The simplest explanation with the least amount of assumptions. #4.

There are just too many hoops to jump through for the other options to be correct. IMO

I'm curious. Can you please apply Occam's Razor to no 4?

 

[Nikynoo]

I wonder if there is anyone who would have a grudge against both BT and RT.

I am also sitting on my hands! Though I think my theory is unlikely

 

[Nikynoo]

But here's the thing:

If, stressing IF, this is a crime, that's not the crime scene.

That explains why no evidence of a crime has been found.

That explains why nothing at all has been found to support her being there.

Occam would say that the simplest explanation for there being zero evidence of BT being there is that she wasn't there.

JMO.

I think my difficulty with this is the length of time that the searches were carried out (9 days I believe?). I do not believe that LE would have continued to search if they did not believe that BT was in that area when RT said they were (both time and location). IMO, LE statements were misleading when they stated they could find no evidence of BT, leading some to think that BT was never there. There must be some evidence she was there, hence the length of the searches.

 

[anneg]

Exactly. Occam’s Razor. The simplest explanation with the least amount of assumptions. #4.

There are just too many hoops to jump through for the other options to be correct. IMO

It seems to me that the simplest explanation is #1, and I hope Barbara will eventually be found. But I do understand why people are having trouble accepting #1 as the likeliest answer.

 

[Cherwell]

It seems to me that the simplest explanation is #1, and I hope Barbara will eventually be found. But I do understand why people are having trouble accepting #1 as the likeliest answer.

Same here. It's easier to understand if you consider that the circumstances of their parting company may not have been exactly as understood. We only have a minimal first-hand account from RT to go on, and if he was holding anything back in the public interview, he may have opened up more to the police.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Same here. It's easier to understand if you consider that the circumstances of their parting company may not have been exactly as understood. We only have a minimal first-hand account from RT to go on, and if he was holding anything back in the public interview, he may have opened up more to the police.

Yes. Perhaps they had a tiff and she stormed off, although the portrayals of BT make that seem unlikely. I still believe she is out there waiting to be found.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[PaulR]

It seems to me that the simplest explanation is #1, and I hope Barbara will eventually be found. But I do understand why people are having trouble accepting #1 as the likeliest answer.

Einstein once said, "everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."

Meaning it has to take into account all the evidence. You don't throw away evidence because it doesn't suit your theory.

 

[Stripehaven]

I would be a lot more likely to go with “she got lost” if we saw ANY efforts from RT to keep her in the news, keep the community aware, etc.

I watch way too much ID but it seems most common for the friends and family of missing loved ones to devote themselves to keeping the case in the public and community eye. For many it becomes their life work to continue publicizing their loved one and to go on searching, bugging the police, etc.

Sadly, she seems to have no friends to help, either. I wonder why she seems to have been so isolated.

There is not even a Missing page for Barb on FB - literally just about the least RT could do. If he doesn’t know how to do that, I’m sure he knows or could hire someone to help him.

I’m also put off by the VI’s report that RT has lied to them and that he isn’t keeping anyone posted and seems to dodge attempts to reach him. I don’t care if his feelings are hurt or whatever due to Barb’s family not liking or, apparently, trusting him - he doesn’t “own” Barb and I think it’s very weird that he doesn’t keep her family informed. There may be nothing new to report but they are already going through suffering re: VI’s dad - do they need to be kept in the dark about Barb also? Even just periodic calls to say “unfortunately there’s been no progress” would seem appropriate and typical under the circumstances. I understand this is not a close-knit clan but this is not the time to let that get in the way.

 

[Cherwell]

Yes. Perhaps they had a tiff and she stormed off, although the portrayals of BT make that seem unlikely.

On the contrary, we were told that the couple were in the habit of bickering , and that family members found it amusing. So going by that, a minor tiff sounds very much in character.

 

[cazador]

Stripehaven quote:

"Sadly, she seems to have no friends to help, either. I wonder why she seems to have been so isolated."

They have had 14 years together, you would think they would have lots of friends, especially a female like Barbara.
It is strange indeed
jmho

 

[LietKynes]

Yes. Perhaps they had a tiff and she stormed off, although the portrayals of BT make that seem unlikely. I still believe she is out there waiting to be found.

Amateur opinion and speculation

LBM

Agreed. I believe she is out there somewhere.
So heartbreaking.

 

[Jade]

On the contrary, we were told that the couple were in the habit of bickering , and that family members found it amusing. So going by that, a minor tiff sounds very much in character.

That’s horrifying.

What family would find a couple bickering amusing?

I have been following all along and I have never seen that statement could you please link?

That was not my impression of the dynamics of the couple at all so that is interesting information but then why would RT then not just say we were fussing as usual and she took off?

It is ominous and sad to hear, imo.


all imo

 

[anneg]

That’s horrifying.

What family would find a couple bickering amusing?

I have been following all along and I have never seen that statement could you please link?

That was not my impression of the dynamics of the couple at all so that is interesting information but then why would RT then not just say we were fussing as usual and she took off?

It is ominous and sad to hear, imo.


all imo

The comment from @dbdb11 about RT and BT bickering was in this post he made in July:
CA - CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #2

He was replying to a question (-Did they always get along?) and wrote:
"In my experience no one always gets along. They're both very human, had arguments and were able to get through them. My father and his wife refer to their arguments as comical and a notable part of their relationship. ie. It was entertaining watching them stubbornly bicker over something."

This doesn't sound ominous to me. It sounds like what happens in lots of marriages, IMO, with two stubborn people. It's possible the VI's thoughts about the bickering could have changed since he made that post, of course, but it's been a while since we heard from him.

 

[Leney]

Stripehaven quote:

"Sadly, she seems to have no friends to help, either. I wonder why she seems to have been so isolated."

They have had 14 years together, you would think they would have lots of friends, especially a female like Barbara.
It is strange indeed
jmho

My parents had a great deal of friends from their RV clubs, various work and volunteer organizations. As time passes friends pass away, move away, children begin their own life with their own interests. I don't believe they were "friendless". I believe his is a fallacy that has grown legs.

The VI stated themselves that they had little contact over the past decade. (Link will be in one of the past 11 threads). Their family lives in HK. Other family members by the VI's own words are estranged.

Quite frankly, I wonder how much this family truly knew about the relationship/friends of BT and RT in the past years.

For all we know they could of been meeting up with other desert rats prior to BT going missing.

 

[Kapua]

Yes. Perhaps they had a tiff and she stormed off, although the portrayals of BT make that seem unlikely. I still believe she is out there waiting to be found.

Amateur opinion and speculation

RBBM
I wholeheartedly agree that BT is findable. Yesterday, a hiker found a skeleton on the second highest peak in CA, quite by accident. I have previously mentioned Erin Corwin and the McStays. The former was found due to great detective work and the latter by an off road motorcyclist. However it happens, may she be found soon.

 

[Leney]

That’s horrifying.

That was not my impression of the dynamics of the couple at all so that is interesting information but then why would RT then not just say we were fussing as usual and she took off?

It is ominous and sad to hear, imo.


all imo

SBM BBM

Perhaps they were NOT bickering. For all we know BT could of seen something that caught her eye and did not immediately head back to the RV, instead taking what she may of thought was a minor detour.

 

[cazador]

Where is this dog now? Apologies if asked and answered previously.

Called the kennel .. Robert has Lexi ..