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

[LietKynes]

I wonder too. The only thing we have heard about RT searching, as far as I know, was in a July 18 post by the VI, @dbdb11 (CA - CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, Bullhead City, hiking wearing bikini in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019).

The post includes a text from dbdb11's sister about her recollection of what she heard RT say when he called to let her father (Barbara's brother) and his family know that BT was missing. She recalled that RT said "he keeps returning to the spot where he lost her and overturning rocks and searching and searching hoping to find something. he was there the day he called us although i think he said he shouldn’t really go back there as protocol says he’s the first suspect." She does state at the beginning of her text that she doesn't have the sharpest memory, so RT's exact words to them were likely somewhat different.

MOO

Thanks for reposting this, @anneg !
There were comments earlier in the first thread about the searching for her under the rocks....
As far as protocol -- you couldn't force me to stop searching.
It wouldn't matter what anyone said in person or online.
And with the fifth wheel one could drive it to different locations and have a camper there with you .
Just walking and looking for Barbara.

If possible, I'd get people with atv's and ask them to help look.
Starting from where the rock formation is and branching out.
I wouldn't care what anyone said --that would be the least of my worries.

 

[LietKynes]

Husband of Woman Who Vanished During Mojave Desert Hike: 'I Just Want Her Back'

Ok, so in this inside edition article (shortly after Barb disappeared) Robert states a red and white baseball cap.

The article also has a photo that shows her wearing these items, at least the hat and the black bikini top. It is not stated when this photo was taken.

He also says a “short trip” and “decided to pull up”
Sounds like this particular area was a last minute decision

from the article:
Robert says they had taken a short trip in their camper when they decided to pull up and go for a 2-mile walk to explore rock formations. They took a pack, beer and a gallon of water, and Barbara was wearing a bikini, hiking boots with black socks, and a red-and-white baseball cap.

They were on their way back to the camper when Bob said his wife started pulling ahead. He told her he wanted to take a picture of a rock formation and as he put his camera away, he saw her rounding a corner.

"That’s the last I ever saw of her," he said.

When he reached the corner and didn’t see her, he assumed he’d find her sitting outside their camper, he said. But when he got to the vehicle, the door was locked.

Was the key still in their hiding spot?
ETA. Per FB ...the key was still there

bbm
So she didn't go inside the camper.
We're left with the abduction scenario again.
That would be the least possible theory but the way she disappeared makes it seem like she left via a vehicle; i.e. taken.

 

[cazador]

Although anything is possible, An abduction scenario is so far out there it is hard to comprehend..
But I do agree she may be found in an alternate location.

 

[R.U.Kidding!]

Although anything is possible, An abduction scenario is so far out there it is hard to comprehend..
But I do agree she may be found in an alternate location.

After all this Time? Maybe" Alternate Universe"

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Didn't the police confirm that they had seen photos proved to have been taken shortly before the time Barbara went missing?
So presumably descriptions have been based on what they saw in the photos. One person's interpretation might be a bikini, another's might be underwear. There's not much difference on a superficial level.

As for the hat, I thought it had been established from photos that it was red AND white, perhaps appearing white from one angle and red from another.

Yes. Photos that were not released to the public for some reason. For a missing woman whose husband thought she may have been kidnapped, or who at that point might have been wandering the desert or walking down the road, or lying dead nearby.

As for the distinction between underwear and bikini, I agree there may not be any, other than that I seriously doubt LE looked at a photo of an adult woman in broad daylight wearing what looks like a bikini and automatically assumed it was underwear. More likely, it actually was underwear, and RT told them that, but maybe for the sake of delicacy, called it a bikini in interviews - especially if it was functionally a bikini in their daily lives.

 

[Detective Willy]

If a friend of mine got lost in a scenario like this I would have been looking for them Day and Night until every inch of ground had been covered. If it was a much loved family member you would be searching until the day you died leaving no stone unturned. <modsnip - no suspect has been named by LE at this time>

 

[LietKynes]

@Detective Willy : Occams' razor and all that...

RT's daughter told him he shouldn't search as he's the prime suspect-- according to RT himself , in msm.
But that's his words, not mine.
He said this from the beginning -- that this is what LE told him.
We don't know if LE told him that in those specific words and it's unusual if they did.
Not at all professional, and so it's not realistic that they said anything of the sort.

Wonder if he'll take up the kindness of WS, and the generous offer to make his side of the story heard via the podcast ?
Guess we'll have to wait and see.

If my missing loved one couldn't be found and I was offered a chance to speak via msm interview or podcast (TY, WS !!) -- you couldn't keep me away.
WS and other news outlets have done much for for him.
He should be grateful to most of us in this forum for giving him the benefit of the doubt .
Everyone out there who have unfortunately experienced loved ones going missing for months or even years in some cases have not had the generous offer made to RT.
Others aren't so lucky.

 

[PommyMommy]

If a friend of mine got lost in a scenario like this I would have been looking for them Day and Night until every inch of ground had been covered. If it was a much loved family member you would be searching until the day you died leaving no stone unturned. The number 1 suspect does not seem to have spent much time searching after the initial reports and it would be good to know if he spends much time looking for answers or really knows what happened therefore spending no time searching?

I wish Barbara had more friends like you.

MOO

 

[Stripehaven]

I think it’s possible LE told RT not to search, but that wouldn’t preclude generating publicity, distributing flyers, hounding investigators, etc. Would love to know he was doing all these things.

 

[katydid23]

Drinking alcohol and hiking in the dessert is never a good idea. I think the same drone technology that found Paul Miller can find Barb.

amateur opinion and speculation

We have no idea if she was drinking alcohol that day. Only two people know if that was true, and one of them is missing.

 

[rosesfromangels]

We have no idea if she was drinking alcohol that day. Only two people know if that was true, and one of them is missing.

Very good point

 

[Seajay]

We have no idea if she was drinking alcohol that day. Only two people know if that was true, and one of them is missing.

AND we have no idea of she was hiking in her underwear. We have the same person stating that as well.

Ya know, it’s almost like he’s trying to put her down for some reason.

Claims last he saw her she was holding a beer
Claims last he saw her she was hiking back to the RV in her underwear
AND suggests that because of those two things, she was possibly abducted and taken to Las Vegas. How disparaging. MOO

 

[LietKynes]

AND we have no idea of she was hiking in her underwear. We have the same person stating that as well.

Ya know, it’s almost like he’s trying to put her down for some reason.

Claims last he saw her she was holding a beer
Claims last he saw her she was hiking back to the RV in her underwear
AND suggests that because of those two things, she was possibly abducted and taken to Las Vegas. How disparaging. MOO

Ita.

I think Barbara was experienced enough to not drink while on a long hike from when the arrived in the desert (9:30- 10:00 am ?) to nearly 3:26 when RT called 911 after putting away his camera from photographing the rock formation.
It would be interesting to see the rock formations pics.
That is a lengthy time to stay out in the blistering heat dressed in her underwear.
If she was -- which is doubtful.
A possible embellishment or fabrication.

I realize for the sake of the investigation that LE aren't releasing pics of Barbara taken that that and in that exact spot (if there are any).
But other photos taken would be significant in zeroing in on the spot where he says she became lost.

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>

How long does it take to put a camera away ?
A few seconds ?

Eta: If she was within sight before he put his camera away and then walked around the corner -- on flat land with no cliffs or crags, no less -- she shouldn't have walked far enough away in the time it took to stick his camera in it's case.
Puzzling.

 

[Snoopster]

Waiting. waiting. waiting.

 

[Seajay]

Why hasn’t there been anything turn up that Barbara could have left behind? I know she had the minimum on. Undies, bra, socks, boots, hat. Maybe a beer. What about sunglasses? How come nothing was found to show Barbara was ever there, that she ever was at that trail?

 

[Lilibet]

Why hasn’t there been anything turn up that Barbara could have left behind? I know she had the minimum on. Undies, bra, socks, boots, hat. Maybe a beer. What about sunglasses? How come nothing was found to show Barbara was ever there, that she ever was at that trail?

And that’s the million dollar question. At least sunglasses and hat you’d think.

 

[HongKongPhooey]

And that’s the million dollar question. At least sunglasses and hat you’d think.

Something, anything....

I'm always open to ideas but I dont think the "provocative pics" is too convincing for me. Apart from anything else because I would think there would be some photos amongst them which would be ok to share, trying to be objective about it. JMO

 

[katydid23]

And that’s the million dollar question. At least sunglasses and hat you’d think.

The plastic cup...why would she keep holding that? It should have shown up....

 

[LaborDayRN]

Why hasn’t there been anything turn up that Barbara could have left behind? I know she had the minimum on. Undies, bra, socks, boots, hat. Maybe a beer. What about sunglasses? How come nothing was found to show Barbara was ever there, that she ever was at that trail?

I can think of one reason............

 

[Leney]

The plastic cup...why would she keep holding that? It should have shown up....

There were no items of Paul Miller found during his search.

They realized they were within 50 Feet of him during the initial search.

Many on this forum refused to believe the hiker that saw him. In fact LE never informed the family of this sighting.
The hiker informed the family around 6 months iirc.

Snip

Now, they realized in the initial search they were only 50 feet from where Paul died.

“He still had water in his pack. He still had food in his pack. So whatever happened, happened quickly,” says Miller’s wife, Stephanie.

Guelph man’s remains found in California