Found Deceased CA - Kiely Rodni missing from Party Near Prosser Family Campground in Truckee #8

[getthefax]

Thanks - the Law & Crime interview was nice & concise. I don’t think we learned anything new but now I understand that because a few windows were open her car would sink very very fast.

MOO

Yes. Also—one thing we need to remember is that 14’-20’ of water is a tremendous amount of pressure to be suddenly under—and on top of that it would have been pitch black in her car underwater.

That kind of pressure can feel just crushing (any one of us who have dived without SCUBA gear to the bottom of a 10’ swimming pool can attest that holding breath and clearing pressure in the ears etc. can be a real challenge).

If the car sank with her in it, the pressure and the dark would have been incredibly disorienting—very hard to find an open window.

Add in inebriation and (assuming no foul play) it was not a survivable situation, MOO.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

Does the footage have open windows?

Just to clarify, only one back window was partially open: the rear driver's.

The other window that was open/out was the front passenger.

You mean on the roof of the cargo area? Here is the interior cargo area of the 2013 Honda CR-V. So I keep picturing her here on the floor, but she was on the ceiling? Unless secured?
View attachment 364923
This is the same vehicle but 2012 model.
View attachment 364925
So she was up there unless secured on floor.

Yes, I think we're on the same page.

 

[AggieLou]

Can you give us more of a hint how to find it? I searched pickup truck under water and a few other variations and didn't find it.

The title is "Myth busters - Turn Turtle Experiment- Inverted Underwater Car.
Wasn't sure it would be allowed! But it really shows exactly what it's like and even when someone knows and is prepared it is just about impossible

 

[EmmieA]

The title is "Myth busters - Turn Turtle Experiment- Inverted Underwater Car.
Wasn't sure it would be allowed! But it really shows exactly what it's like and even when someone knows and is prepared it is just about impossible

I think that’s key - in all the videos we’ve seen of underwater escapes, the people knew the situation they were headed into and they still have trouble escaping — it’s not easy no matter how prepared you are. Now imagine one second you’re driving on a dark dirt road and next second you no longer feel the road beneath you but see water coming through your windows.

I still see this as a tragic accident but Kiely being in the rear hatch does make me question that. If her car sank in a matter of seconds (because of the windows) and possibly didn’t go down engine first then how did she have enough time to get to the back

MOO

 

[getthefax]

I think that’s key - in all the videos we’ve seen of underwater escapes, the people knew the situation they were headed into and they still have trouble escaping — it’s not easy no matter how prepared you are. Now imagine one second you’re driving on a dark dirt road and next second you no longer feel the road beneath you but see water coming through your windows.

I still see this as a tragic accident but Kiely being in the rear hatch does make me question that. If her car sank in a matter of seconds (because of the windows) and possibly didn’t go down engine first then how did she have enough time to get to the back

MOO

If she managed to get her seatbelt off, she may have simply floated there. The investigation will tell a lot. Many of the remains found in water are found around the car.

 

[AggieLou]

I think that’s key - in all the videos we’ve seen of underwater escapes, the people knew the situation they were headed into and they still have trouble escaping — it’s not easy no matter how prepared you are. Now imagine one second you’re driving on a dark dirt road and next second you no longer feel the road beneath you but see water coming through your windows.

I still see this as a tragic accident but Kiely being in the rear hatch does make me question that. If her car sank in a matter of seconds (because of the windows) and possibly didn’t go down engine first then how did she have enough time to get to the back

MOO

If windows were down when she went in water she should have been able to swim out if she was not seriously impaired in some manner. The problem is when car is submerged and windows are not open one has to wait for car to totally fill with water and pressure is equalized. Then doors will open. But a lot of people can't hold breath that long. Even in experiments shown on line with prepared person as subjects. Even they get a little panicky and they feel the pressure of water on their body as well as the water level rises.

 

[getthefax]

From the AWP video of the CR-V being recovered it kind of looks like it has lower front end damage; perhaps it hit the water with some speed or was caused by nose hitting bottom.
Could Doug be wrong about direction it was facing? Roughly 20 foot depth and a nearly 15 foor long suv isn't much depth to roll over and or "turtle" IMO

It would have been 20’ of water on the night of the party, according to LE statements. The reservoir waterline dropped by 5’ in the time it took to find her.

 

[Ravenmoon]

AWP never asks a family that they are helping for money.
They have a need for donations in order for them to be able to serve as many families as they possibly can.
I assume that their equipment, travel and stays are not cheap.
If not for donations none of the 24 people would likely have been found, forever leaving families and friends wondering if they are alive or dead. At least by finding them, families can grieve and they know the truth.
Why should they NOT get paid? They do a job VERY worthy of a paycheck.
Personally, I hope they get paid well. I have no problem with that at all.

JMO

 

[borndem]

If she managed to get her seatbelt off, she may have simply floated there. The investigation will tell a lot. Many of the remains found in water are found around the car.

Do we know for sure she was using her seatbelt? She probably was, seems so me. If so, she at least knew to un-belt herself. How about airbags?
I have either missed info or discussion about those two items.

 

[getthefax]

Do we know for sure she was using her seatbelt? She probably was, seems so me. If so, she at least knew to un-belt herself. How about airbags?
I have either missed info or discussion about those two items.

I don’t know the answer to that, but the car’s onboard EDR device should function as a black box and will tell the investigators a great deal about what was happening with the car when it went into the water, if the power was on/engine was running.

 

[getthefax]

Either sides of this should still entail picking up the crime scene. Even if they think it’s an accident, it still holds value in an investigation. When’s was it last on/searched/ when did it die

They missed the car, they miss a ton of her belongings visible from a paddle board. Makes you wonder what else they missed. You’d be surprised on how everyone in govt jobs believes it’s someone else’s responsibility. These departments need to learn about actual police work again, it’s pretty embarrassing.

Yes, totally agree it is embarrassing that they didn’t dive. The water levels have dropped significantly since the night of the party but no excuse for not finding these items—especially after the embarrassment of AWP locating the car.

JMHO There should absolutely have been a full inventorying of the vehicle contents and a dive to ensure everything was recovered —I personally would fault the FBI for this one since they did the extraction. MOO.

No excuse for leaving those things in the water.

 

[customCF]

Reconstructing her every possible move while the car entered the lake, turtled and/or nose-dived, and landed upside-down won't be possible, even for the CHP. Immediately after death, her body would have sunk and settled to the lowest point in the vehicle roof, absent an impediment.
The body would refloat after a few days, but would again sink by the time of recovery. My impression was that she was on the roof when found. Unless she was securely restrained, her body ended up where it was found due to the movements of the car, the laws of gravity, and decomposition.

"A victim may be on the surface and then be on the bottom less than 10 seconds later"

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d1bf693cbbe87000194cc34/t/5f597f40b2b1b954b64ca791/1599700800346/Time-Required-For-a-Drowning-Victim-to-Reach-Bottom.pdf

I don't think the rear of the SUV was the lowest point though. I'll explain why, the recovery video shows the aerial for the radio still in place; not broken or damaged in any way. Large dent above where driver and passenger sit and damage on leading edge of hood/bonnet and also some windshield damage.
If I could edit a picture I would try to and show a visual reference for what I mean.
Given this hypothesis: For me at least it stands to reason that Kiely would have been more likely to be found near the windshield given that the headliner of the SUV is fairly free of obstructions.
I cannot see a body "floating" past obstructions (seats) to get to the higher point in the rear given gravitational pull that would occur.
MOO here.

I would be remiss (I think) if I didn't say that I'd bet since she had been two weeks in the water; with decomp and other "inconsistencies" I will call them; I personally would be very surprised if anything actual ever gets "proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
Calling it an accidental drowning would be much easier than proving any thing else happened IMO. Especially since water would enter the body during that two weeks submerged.

 

[getthefax]

I don't think the rear of the SUV was the lowest point though. I'll explain why, the recovery video shows the aerial for the radio still in place; not broken or damaged in any way. Large dent above where driver and passenger sit and damage on leading edge of hood/bonnet and also some windshield damage.
If I could edit a picture I would try to and show a visual reference for what I mean.
Given this hypothesis: For me at least it stands to reason that Kiely would have been more likely to be found near the windshield given that the headliner of the SUV is fairly free of obstructions.
I cannot see a body "floating" past obstructions (seats) to get to the higher point in the rear given gravitational pull that would occur.
MOO here.

I would be remiss (I think) if I didn't say that I'd bet since she had been two weeks in the water; with decomp and other "inconsistencies" I will call them; I personally would be very surprised if anything actual ever gets "proven beyond a reasonable doubt."
Calling it an accidental drowning would be much easier than proving any thing else happened IMO. Especially since water would enter the body during that two weeks submerged.

To me, if she floated up in back as she tried to escape, while the car was nose-down, it’s possible that she stopped breathing there and remained there when the car came to rest upside down. The rear would be the most likely place to find her, MOO.

 

[MysterySage]

Have been a long-time lurker. This case puzzles me. Occam’s razor tells me it was an accident, however, in light of AWP’s video (as well as statements made in subsequent F/U interviews) I continue to have a nagging feeling this case might be different. Given AWP’s experience with car retrievals, I’m perplexed as to why AWP would continue to imply foul play was involved unless they had compelling evidence (i.e. knowledge/proof car gear was in neutral IMHO). In Doug Bishop’s interview on the Duty Ron YouTube channel, he makes a point to state he “does a really good job of making sure we [AWP] have answers for LE/representatives“ regarding answers that need to be known, specifically referencing position of the gear shift. He even goes so far as to state that gear shift position is considered one of the pieces of “critical information” he trains his AWP crew to observe & report. The part described above I’m paraphrasing begins at roughly minute 32:00, however, I’m not sure if I can link it since it may not be considered an approved source?

We know from prior interviews AWP stated they indeed have more video footage they’ve threatened to release “depending on the direction LE takes the investigation” to paraphrase…MOO bold statements have been made so my default is to assume they have something/evidence to back it up until LE publicly states otherwise? MOO the gear position is critical information & could drastically impact manner of death.

<modsnip>

Maybe this has already been fully hashed out on here, but can anyone out there with former LE experience speak on the likelihood that AWP may have let LE (FBI?) preview their video content & vet it prior to release to ensure the integrity of the investigation? @OldCop?

 

[customCF]

To me, if she floated up in back as she tried to escape, while the car was nose-down, it’s possible that she stopped breathing there and remained there when the car came to rest upside down. The rear would be the most likely place to find her, MOO.

We'll never know for certain in any case. Would a dead body not move to a lower point given gravity? Unless impeded/entangled by something?
I seriously do not know so I ask.

 

[getthefax]

We'll never know for certain in any case. Would a dead body not move to a lower point given gravity? Unless impeded/entangled by something?
I seriously do not know so I ask.

It would. The car was flat on its roof, upside down, when it was found. So within a minute or so, (IMO) the car could have entered the water, moving quickly nose-down. IMO she followed the air as the car filled with water (the air would have been rising to the back/water filling the driver area while she tried to escape. As the car was sinking, she would have been moving upward (rearward in the vehicle), and didn’t make it out, leaving her in the very back when rhe car came to rear. All MOO of how it could have happened that she would be found back there.

 

[customCF]

It would. The car was flat on its roof, upside down, when it was found. So within a minute or so, (IMO) the car could have entered the water, moving quickly nose-down. IMO she followed the air as the car filled with water (the air would have been rising to the back/water filling the driver area while she tried to escape. As the car was sinking, she would have been moving upward (rearward in the vehicle), and didn’t make it out, leaving her in the very back when rhe car came to rear. All MOO of how it could have happened that she would be found back there.

BBM
If the CR-V was actually "flat on its roof" as you claim. How was the radio antenna not broken off or damaged? They are only plastic.
Curious as to why you feel like that. picture for roof picture. If a 3500 pound SUV was flat on its roof; how did the roof bars not bend either. Look at leading edge of hood and front edge of roof. Looks like a fairly straight line to me.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Posts have been removed. SF Investigates and Checkit TV are not approved sources at Websleuths.

 

[getthefax]

BBM
If the CR-V was actually "flat on its roof" as you claim. How was the radio antenna not broken off or damaged? They are only plastic.
Curious as to why you feel like that. picture for roof picture. If a 3500 pound SUV was flat on its roof; how did the roof bars not bend either. Look at leading edge of hood and front edge of roof. Looks like a fairly straight line to me.
View attachment 364994

I don’t think this is disputed information. It’s widely available everywhere.

I meant it came to rest on a level surface, on its roof, as pictured in the AWP video. The diver reported the car was upside down, and those of us who watched the extraction live watched them turn it right-side-up before dragging it out wheels down, rear-first.

Edited for typos.

 

[CuriousObserver1]

We'll never know for certain in any case. Would a dead body not move to a lower point given gravity? Unless impeded/entangled by something?
I seriously do not know so I ask.

If she scrambled to the back following any trapped air, or if she was in the trunk already, once the car flips then given the size/shape of the gap between the headrests into trunk and the car was upside down…whether her body sunk lower or floated higher within the trunk/very back area it is unlikely to go through the gap.

In theory if it was foul play and she was dead in the trunk, someone might try to secure her body in case the rear window smashes somehow when the car sinks so the body does not float up and out.