CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #5

[sumzero]

Assuming it's genuine, I would say he has a mental snapshot of her turning the corner and going out of sight, and he's just describing that last view.

You're probably right. Plus, a person's thought process, esp. under stress, is not always linear. Take a random person and examine how they recount a specific event. The recounting often contains stops and starts, backtracks, and the sudden insertion of unexpected (and sometimes unrelated) details. To expect linear thought and logical consistency is unreasonable, IMO. It's just not how people talk.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

There is a threshold point when a person guilty of having committed a crime begins to feel safe, that the feeling or pressure to confess diminishes, that LE seems to have no workable evidence and... the person begins to either wrongly or rightly believe they might just get away with it.

Has that threshold point come and gone?

 

[Tillicum]

If you took a polygraph test and it showed you could possibly be lying, wouldn't you want the test to be repeated at least so you could prove you were telling the truth?

Do we know if they did one or two tests, or if that is ever done, or he could have had an independent test, or maybe he was ruled out as a suspect straight away????

It's not uncommon for an attorney to set up a polygraph test with their client, especially if said client claims he failed one with LE.

 

[LAhiker]

There is a threshold point when a person guilty of having committed a crime begins to feel safe, that the feeling or pressure to confess diminishes, that LE seems to have no workable evidence and... the person begins to either wrongly or rightly believe they might just get away with it.

Has that threshold point come and gone?

I don't know. As far as I can tell, the SBCSO has been very close-mouthed. We don't know what lines of investigation LE is pursuing or how far they've gotten in their investigation. They could be close to arresting someone, or they might not be close at all. If LE had enough evidence that a crime had occurred, it might not matter whether the suspect was ready to confess or not.

Unless release a statement/hold a press conference with an update about the investigation, the next thing we're likely hear about is if a body is found or an arrest made.

That said, it's possible that the journalists that @PommyMommy is encouraging us to contact may find out more about the investigation or may get the SBCSO to clarify a few things. JMO.

 

[kay74]

The only reason I can think of LE, not having a press conference is she was taken (abducted) and they do not want that person to know what they are doing.

 

[charminglane]

dbdb11 -
May today be the day there are answers to all these questions.
Keep the faith.

 

[LAhiker]

The only reason I can think of LE, not having a press conference is she was taken (abducted) and they do not want that person to know what they are doing.

I think some other reasons are also possible:

1. They may still be pursuing various leads, without a clear suspect or suspects, and may not think a press conference or updates will get them any closer to figuring out what happened.

2. They may have a person or persons of interest in mind but may not have enough evidence to make an arrest. They might not want to tip off the suspect(s), which might lead the suspect(s) to destroy evidence, leave the area, or something like that. JMO

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

dbdb11 -
May today be the day there are answers to all these questions.
Keep the faith.

Or the day that BT is dropped off safe at a casino somewhere.

 

[firstsleuth]

I wonder if the dog was going to be boarded while she was in Hong Kong?

I wanted to clarify that dbdb11 replied to my miss- assumption regarding “5 days” at the kennel. He stated I was incorrect. My apologies for my 5 day error. I don’t want to cause people to be off track and I did. I’m deeply sorry

 

[kkdj]

I wanted to clarify that dbdb11 replied to my miss- assumption regarding “5 days” at the kennel. He stated I was incorrect. My apologies for my 5 day error. I don’t want to cause people to be off track and I did. I’m deeply sorry

You're cool!

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Do you know where the 1/2 mile came from, Kapua? I can't remember and I've seen it repeated a number of times, but dbdb11 told us 1/4 mile. Unless he changed that later? MOO

I knew I had heard 1/2 mile as well but could t remember where. I dug back and in the very first thread @Knox linked this story. I just copied her text because. I guess the family member could have been the one that joined here but never got verified and her posts were deleted? Or it was @dbdb11 I am not sure.

Here’s the post: maybe you can link it. It’s page 4 of first thread. I can’t on mobile.

KnoxWear Pink & Eat Cake ~ Lauren Giddings
Cat L. Smith
July 13 at 1:44 PM ·
California Authorities Continue Search For Missing BHC Woman

KELSO, California--The search continues for Barbara Thomas, 69, of Bullhead City, who reportedly went missing during a hike in the Mojave desert earlier this week.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office numerous Search & Rescue members, deputies, K9’s, Sheriff’s Aviation and Park Rangers are on scene assisting with the search. No additional resources from neighboring states have been requested at this time.

Her last known location was approximately 20 miles north of the I-40 freeway and east of Kelbaker Road in the area of Kelso.

She is 5'9, around 130 pounds with blond hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing shorts, a black bikini top, red baseball cap, socks and hiking boots.

According to a post by a family member, the duo are use to hiking in the desert in the summer and Barbara was reportedly walking back to their trailer about a half a mile ahead of her husband. At some point, the family member wrote, Barbara would've crossed the highway to get back to their campsite. A short time later the husband arrived at the trailer, however, there was no sign of his wife.

SBCSO confirmed there have been no sightings of her at this time and updates will be released publicly as they become available.

Photo by SBCSO

Ok this puts a bit of context to the story, they were camping in the area.

Jul 15, 2019Report
Like

 

[rosesfromangels]

There is a threshold point when a person guilty of having committed a crime begins to feel safe, that the feeling or pressure to confess diminishes, that LE seems to have no workable evidence and... the person begins to either wrongly or rightly believe they might just get away with it.

Has that threshold point come and gone?

Not yet

 

[Officer Dibble]

The only thing about the fact that she had been drinking beer that is significant to me is the affect it may have had on her.

Older adults can become dehydrated quickly because they naturally have less water in their bodies and they are more likely to have conditions that can cause them to become dehydrated easily. (electrolyte imbalance, UTI's, vitamin deficiencies, etc.)
Higher elevations and heat can cause symptoms to come on rapidly.
So if she started to feel symptoms, she may have become confused and may not have been able to find the road or the RV.

I wouldn't think she would have gotten too far, but she may have fallen or be in a place not easily visable to the searchers. We have heard many cases of searchers not locating victims before who were in the area they had searched previously. Imo

Are there only rocks and bushes in the dessert or are there trees too? The reason I ask, is someone once said to me that the perfect way to hide a body is to put it up high in a tree and let the birds peck at it. They said no-one looks up. I can't envisage trees in a dessert though; but I admit I have no idea what fauna is involved.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I knew I had heard 1/2 mile as well but could t remember where. I dug back and in the very first thread @Knox linked this story. I just copied her text because. I guess the family member could have been the one that joined here but never got verified and her posts were deleted? Or it was @dbdb11 I am not sure.

Here’s the post: maybe you can link it. It’s page 4 of first thread. I can’t on mobile.

KnoxWear Pink & Eat Cake ~ Lauren Giddings
Cat L. Smith
July 13 at 1:44 PM ·
California Authorities Continue Search For Missing BHC Woman

KELSO, California--The search continues for Barbara Thomas, 69, of Bullhead City, who reportedly went missing during a hike in the Mojave desert earlier this week.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office numerous Search & Rescue members, deputies, K9’s, Sheriff’s Aviation and Park Rangers are on scene assisting with the search. No additional resources from neighboring states have been requested at this time.

Her last known location was approximately 20 miles north of the I-40 freeway and east of Kelbaker Road in the area of Kelso.

She is 5'9, around 130 pounds with blond hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing shorts, a black bikini top, red baseball cap, socks and hiking boots.

According to a post by a family member, the duo are use to hiking in the desert in the summer and Barbara was reportedly walking back to their trailer about a half a mile ahead of her husband. At some point, the family member wrote, Barbara would've crossed the highway to get back to their campsite. A short time later the husband arrived at the trailer, however, there was no sign of his wife.

SBCSO confirmed there have been no sightings of her at this time and updates will be released publicly as they become available.

Photo by SBCSO

Ok this puts a bit of context to the story, they were camping in the area.

Jul 15, 2019Report
Like

I didn’t understand she was 1/2 mile ahead of him?! That is plenty of time/distance for something to happen

 

[al66pine]

Beer in What?
Someone posted about BT carrying a beer-filled insulated travel mug.

RT said her beer was in a "travel container." Struck me as funny phrase. In early interview I saw, no mention of 'insulated;' sorry, no link. Possibly reporter used ^ term, but I believe RT said it.
In recent pix, did BT hold drink in travel container'? Does LE have pix from that day, w 'travel container' like any below?
- beer can or bottle, in a kuzi/coozie, foam or neoprene insulating holder, often w brand, text, images, etc.
- Solo brand plastic cup, no lid, open to bugs & debris floating in air: Yuck.
- stadium cup, a heavy duty plastic cup. Ditto ^ no-lid & bugs/debris: Yuck.
- commuter cup, for truck drink holder. Drinking/straw hole: lid keeps out bugs.
- ceramic mug w hinged metal lid (think trad'l German beer stein. Doubtful. Okay, very doubtful. Very. Very.
^ is relevant mostly/only if searches are resumed, either in same place or other locations. Finding the specific 'travel container' where-ever it is, could show where she is or had been. Probably lots of cans in coozies, Solo cups, and stadium cups along highways and out in the desert. We could hope for fingerprints or DNA.

 

[MimosaMornings]

Travel cup to me - Yeti, Rtic container to keep it cold.

 

[RANCH]

If you took a polygraph test and it showed you could possibly be lying, wouldn't you want the test to be repeated at least so you could prove you were telling the truth?

Do we know if they did one or two tests, or if that is ever done, or he could have had an independent test, or maybe he was ruled out as a suspect straight away????

I didn't know that polygraphs are reliable enough to prove if someone is lying or not.

If they were I would think that the results would routinely used in court. JMO


Admissability of Polygraph Tests in Court

It is important to remember that you are never under any obligation, legal or otherwise, to take a polygraph test during a criminal investigation. Because of the inaccuracy of these tests, voluntarily taking one to prove your innocence could backfire.

Admissability of Polygraph Tests in Court

 

[Dion]

I didn’t understand she was 1/2 mile ahead of him?! That is plenty of time/distance for something to happen

Didn't he say he stopped for 5-10 minutes. She wouldn't be able to walk half a mile in that time. She was almost 70 and walking in the desert.

His supposed time of 5-10 minutes was already too long to take a picture anyway, but that's what he claims, and gave as his reason for their "separation". What was so urgent that Barbara couldn't wait a few seconds that it would take for him to press "click".

If she had to pee, she could squat down by some rocks - it's not like she would be overseen. But to claim that she took off like a speeding bullet in the desert the minute he said he wanted to stop to take a picture, strains credulity. JMO
==

 

[rosesfromangels]

Didn't he say he stopped for 5-10 minutes. She wouldn't be able to walk half a mile in that time.

His supposed time of 5-10 minutes was already too long to take a picture anyway, but that's what he claims, and gave as his reason for their "separation". What was so urgent that Barbara couldn't wait a few seconds that it would take for him to press "click".

If she had to pee, she could squat down by some rocks - it's not like she would be overseen. But to claim that she took off like a speeding bullet in the desert the minute he said he wanted to stop to take a picture, strains credulity. JMO
==

Not if she were feeling heat exhaustion or needed more fluids. It doesn’t sound that wild to me. Just the thought of air conditioning might have been an incentive, DYT?

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[PommyMommy]

I knew I had heard 1/2 mile as well but could t remember where. I dug back and in the very first thread @Knox linked this story. I just copied her text because. I guess the family member could have been the one that joined here but never got verified and her posts were deleted? Or it was @dbdb11 I am not sure.

Here’s the post: maybe you can link it. It’s page 4 of first thread. I can’t on mobile.

KnoxWear Pink & Eat Cake ~ Lauren Giddings
Cat L. Smith
July 13 at 1:44 PM ·
California Authorities Continue Search For Missing BHC Woman

KELSO, California--The search continues for Barbara Thomas, 69, of Bullhead City, who reportedly went missing during a hike in the Mojave desert earlier this week.

According to the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office numerous Search & Rescue members, deputies, K9’s, Sheriff’s Aviation and Park Rangers are on scene assisting with the search. No additional resources from neighboring states have been requested at this time.

Her last known location was approximately 20 miles north of the I-40 freeway and east of Kelbaker Road in the area of Kelso.

She is 5'9, around 130 pounds with blond hair and green eyes. She was last seen wearing shorts, a black bikini top, red baseball cap, socks and hiking boots.

According to a post by a family member, the duo are use to hiking in the desert in the summer and Barbara was reportedly walking back to their trailer about a half a mile ahead of her husband. At some point, the family member wrote, Barbara would've crossed the highway to get back to their campsite. A short time later the husband arrived at the trailer, however, there was no sign of his wife.

SBCSO confirmed there have been no sightings of her at this time and updates will be released publicly as they become available.

Photo by SBCSO

Ok this puts a bit of context to the story, they were camping in the area.

Jul 15, 2019Report
Like

Same person (a former reporter) that said Barbara was wearing shorts. The ONLY reporter, in fact. Hmmmm...

Thank you for taking the time to find that. MOO