CA CA - Barbara Thomas, 69, from Bullhead City AZ, disappeared in Mojave desert, 12 July 2019 #3

[kkdj]

What if it is?
Since Barbara likes to recreate in a bikini, she probably owns several bikinis and caps in all sorts of different colors.

They stopped to make pics of a big rock formation, Barbara in her black bikini and red baseballcap.
In the picture we see exactly that, her in front of a huge rockformation in her black bikini and wearing a red baseball cap.
All as described by Robert.
What are the chances of her posing in front of another huge rock formation in the exact same outfit and cap on another occasion?

If the picture is from that afternoon, time stamped, maybe from a half hour before she walked back to the trailer, then that explains why police says no foul play, and why they are still searching in that area.

BBM
What? How do you know this?

 

[kkdj]

It's obvious, think of the tiny love notes Barbara puts on his pillow at night.

Oh. I question those.
Thank you.

 

[ACE422]

Thank You for bringing this up, Ranch.

Those of us who have followed true crime for a length of time know that "passing" or "failing" polygraph examinations doesn't mean much one way or another.

Polygraphs results are only as good as the one who administers the test. In addition, polygraph results are influenced by many factors, including whether or not the subject is well rested prior to the test.

IIRC, RT said that he hadn't slept prior to undergoing the polygraph exam. If true, that would affect the readings.

LE will also admit that polygraphs are only an investigative tool.

Those of us who've followed cases over the years recognize that guilty subjects can pass a polygraph, and innocent subjects can fail a polygraph.

IMO, passing or failing a polygraph means little to nothing, especially in the absence of forensic evidence.

Police can also legally tell you that you “failed” or were “deceptive” on a polygraph, even if that isn’t the case...and they might do this if they think it would help pull more information from you. MOO

 

[Thelastleg]

I'm not in US and unfamiliar with 5th wheels. I'm guessing it is what I would call a towing caravan. Just say you got to your destination to go for a short walk to take photos but decided you wanted to go further into the desert. Would it be possible to unhook it from the vehicle and drive off. Could it he secured so that it couldn't be stolen by the time you got back? Would the vehicle be capable of driving on the desert terrain? Would there be evidence on the wheels or chassis of off road activity.?

 

[kiwi50]

Sorry if this has been covered earlier, but if LE brought dogs with them, did they alert to Barbara at all, if she had been there recently, sounds a perfect case for dogs, not like 100s of people had been tramping around, and with the RV on the spot so easy to get Barbara’s scent from something of hers.
The odds are very remote to me that she would be kidnapped just as she crossed a road in such a small window of opportunity.

 

[kkdj]

Sorry if this has been covered earlier, but if LE brought dogs with them, did they alert to Barbara at all, if she had been there recently, sounds a perfect case for dogs, not like 100s of people had been tramping around, and with the RV on the spot so easy to get Barbara’s scent from something of hers.
The odds are very remote to me that she would be kidnapped just as she crossed a road in such a small window of opportunity.

Yes. I'm familiar with this area.

 

[rosesfromangels]

bbm


What is that, please?

Deleted by me dbm
Bolded by me is bbm

 

[dbdb11]

If Robert committed a crime he for sure would not want to raise suspicion on himself by canceling her flight the same say, the next day or even prior to her disappearance.

Either way, no one can answer the when of the cancelation, same for the lie detector questions. IMO

american airlines can answer that if the right people are asking.

 

[ACE422]

Also they get a reading of his heart rate and then see what happens with the questions. I don't see why being tired would affect that. Maybe it could tho.

Lack of sleep and disrupting the circadian rhythm by being awake at night can produce a variety of physical symptoms. So can stress. One of the reasons I had to stop doing overnight nursing shifts was that my heart rate and blood pressure were elevated all the time, while they were completely normal when I worked day shift. MOO

 

[Cherwell]

Revisiting this topic because I still don’t understand. Why hide the key under the rock? If they were walking together, wouldn’t he be carrying the keys? He was apparently carrying water and a camera but doesn’t bring the keys? That part of his story is the most suspicious to me. It’s like he made it up so he wouldn’t need to have the keys be missing with BT.

No, all he would need to say was that she had her own key. Let me be clear, I'm not saying she DID have her own key, but if he said so, who would be able to prove that she didn't?

So to me, the detail about leaving the key in a hiding place rings true, especially as a few others here have said that they do something similar.

 

[OnlyFacts]

First we hear black bikini, then we hear she has boots, socks and a red hat, And last but not least we hear beer.

I'm so confused.

 

[Cherwell]

First we hear black bikini, then we hear she has boots, socks and a red hat, And last but not least we hear beer.
I'm so confused.

None of those items preclude any of the others, so I don't see what's confusing.

There's perhaps been too much focus on the beer. I think Robert was just trying to convey that she was carrying something/had something in her hand, as part of the description. He knew it was beer, so he said beer. If it was Coke, he'd have said Coke. But it was just something in her hand.

 

[OnlyFacts]

I don't associate walking or hiking in the desert with beer. Or a bikini for that matter.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

MOO follow:

Points to ponder and possibilities in order of expected likelihood of what occurs in a disappearance case given similar circumstances:

1) The person who reported there is a person missing is asked the who, when, where and what of the situation.

2) The last person to see the missing person is questioned by LE regarding what they were doing, where, when, duration, what was done prior and where they were heading and did any/all of that involve with the missing person. In this case, the same person who reported the missing person is also the last person to have seen them.

3) A significant other is questioned for research purposes during initial investigation. In this case, the SO is person who reported the person as being missing, also is the last person to have seen the missing person and also is the last person to have been directly involved in activities with the missing person.

4) LE follows where the initial information takes them, while also maintaining possibilities based against statistics and experience:

a) a missing person may have 'disappeared' on purpose or accidentally (forgot to tell someone they were going somewhere or doing something).

b) a missing person may have encountered an issue like having become disoriented, confused, lost or had an accident such as, fell into a mine shaft, a well, a rock formation crevice (any of which might prevent others from easily locating them).

c) the last person with the missing person may become a person of interest based on if initial information does not encompass logic of the situation/scenario.

d)same as the above except the person is a significant other or other family member.

e) foul play such as kidnapping, abduction and/or murder.


What do we have with this case?

The SO reported BT missing.

The SO is the last person to have seen BT.

The SO is the last person to have been directly involved in activities with BT.

The SO provided information that appears to encompass logic of the situation/scenario.

I am not sure (beyond the SO reporting LE 'told' them they were deceptive in their polygraph testing) what the situation-reporter/last person/SO has said or done that would make LE suspicious of their character (not "characters" plural because all of those persons are the same person) regarding this case.

IMO, with RT being all of those people (reported it, last person seen with/activities with/SO) it makes the situation appear suspicious but, without evidence to bolster that suspicion LE must consider all possibilities beyond the statistical "the spouse did it" scenario.

We are not privy to all information LE has gathered and even with a VI providing their own input we have no solid basis on which to come to any conclusions.

IOW, at this stage in the investigation, with no evidence (AFAIK) of RT having committed a crime, an abduction situation is likely.

OTOH, the needle on my hinky meter is not laying across the zero mark...........

 

[Cherwell]

I don't associate walking or hiking in the desert with beer. Or a bikini for that matter.

Nevertheless, a number of people on these threads have assured us that this is the norm for many people who are at home in that climate and terrain. Barbara's nephew has also confirmed that it's her style.

 

[ChuckMaureen]

Did BT and RT encounter others during their outing, such as come across other hikers/travelers in the area or leading up to the area? Evil-doer(s) might assume the T's to have been carrying cash/valuables with them during an extended outing.

Could someone have followed the T's along their journey, without having been noticed?

Who else knew about BT and RT's outing for that day, before the disappearance event?

Could RT have done something to make BT want to disappear (via her own choice/power) or want to make her disappear (via his own choice/power)?

Would BT have conspired with someone to facilitate her 'disappearance'? She would have needed a method to remove herself from the scene, unnoticed ("around the corner" plays well with this thought).

What facts exist that might bolster any of those possibilities?

 

[Cherwell]

What I DO find strange is the husband making these facts paint a picture of her probably being in Las Vegas...?

I don't think he did. It sounds like spin from a Las Vegas reporter to get local interest.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I don't think he did. It sounds like spin from a Las Vegas reporter to get local interest.

We don't know that, either. The reporter said he said it. The voiceover (rather than his own) may have been for a reason other than spin, such as clarity or brevity. It doesn't make his stated certainty that she was kidnapped because she was wearing a bikini and carrying a beer any less sketchy to me.

 

[Cherwell]

We don't know that, either. The reporter said he said it. The voiceover (rather than his own) may have been for a reason other than spin, such as clarity or brevity. It doesn't make his stated certainty that she was kidnapped because she was wearing a bikini and carrying a beer any less sketchy to me.

I didn't get that sense from what he said. I heard a man who is under stress and probably not the most articulate. The image of how he last saw her is foremost in his mind. She's an attractive lady who might catch the wrong kind of attention, and there was a road she had to cross. He's not expressed it too clearly but I got his meaning. Remember this was after a period of fruitless searching, so it would be natural to cling on to a scenario in which she might still be alive and well.

 

[whatizzinit]

I mentioned this elsewhere but, after hearing Robbie's story I was forced to consider Barb had been taken to the spirit world... that is how unbelievable it was to me. She turned a corner and... that was it.

I appreciate the sentiments and prayers you shared above.

I suppose I am forced to admit, a scorpion, mountain lion and coyote tag team is about as believable as 'she was abducted and taken to Vegas because she was wearing a bikini, had a beer in her hand, and she had to cross that road'.

I agree. It was a great sentiment, well thought out and remotely possible. There would have been some trace of scent, clothing, etc. one would think though?