Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #9

[hedgetog]

So the witness who was in a hurry for a meeting who 'suddenly" couldn't remember who's dog Willow was, had string on her person to tie dog up then didn't alert anyone for over an hour to what she had found or done? Is this correct?

String being used hasn't been stated as fact, just on a SM post, there is an image that someone has posted earlier in the thread of the bench with string tied around it so wouldn't be out of the question, but police haven't clarified. I don't think an hour is that wild considering they wouldn't have a clue that this would turn out to be a missing person inquiry, and if they had an appointment that tallys up IMO. Probably thought someone would be back in a minute and perhaps were wary of leaving a loose dog by the water and then mentioned it after their appointment. I'm sure police have looked into the statement and as they have said, this person isn't a suspect but seems to be being treated like one on here.

 

[steelo]

One reason for there not being any signs of falling in, slipping down the bank etc. is that maybe she went into the water unvoluntarily? If she did go into the water was she even conscious when she went in? Is it possible to be crouching by the edge of the river and suffer a cardiac arrest? Maybe she was going to be sick, went to the edge of the river but passed out?
Surely someone would have heard something if an object weighing ~60+ kg hit the water?
Unless of course she carefully waded in to get something, lost her footing, went under, cold water shock and swept away?

 

[Sara11272]

Hi Sara11272, I don't know what the relevance is. This is what was said in the press conference (7 Feb) and I was just wondering if there was any more info in the press about it.

Reporter - In terms of CCTV, would that include The Cartford Inn which is further down river? I gather you only got that footage yesterday?

Superindendent - I'm not able to give very specific details of CCTV beyond the local village. I am aware what's been done in the local village, but everything of relevance to the river and the riverside is being considered, so I'm sure that is as well. Thank you.

UK - Nicola Bulley, St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire), Jan 27, 2023 *MEDIA, MAPS, & TIMELINES - NO DISCUSSION*

www.websleuths.com

Thank you - I had missed it, I need to not read so fast! I wonder too why they asked that particular question. Maybe only because they know/assume it has CCTV? Or maybe there’s some other significance we don’t know?

 

[Cluella DeVille]

RSBM

The location data on her phone likely corroborates where she was until 9.20am

They have the whole dog walk mapped until she puts her phone on the bench - IMO

02c

It corroborates where her phone was, I remain unconvinced as to where she herself was at 9.20am

 

[Fishwick]

MORE'S THE POINT .... how long was Nicola normally out for on her dog walks? At what point would PA have reported her missing? Was he expecting her home straight after?

Snipped for focus. My partner and I both WFH. I wouldn't necessarily notice when she's back after going out - we both have separate offices and are in/out of calls all day. Doesn't seem too strange to me.

 

[sriraaacha]

One reason for there not being any signs of falling in, slipping down the bank etc. is that maybe she went into the water unvoluntarily? If she did go into the water was she even conscious when she went in? Is it possible to be crouching by the edge of the river and suffer a cardiac arrest? Maybe she was going to be sick, went to the edge of the river but passed out?
Surely someone would have heard something if an object weighing ~60+ kg hit the water?
Unless of course she carefully waded in to get something, lost her footing, went under, cold water shock and swept away?

Not really relevant to the case, but she wouldn't be 60kg. Probably 52kg at most judging by her size (as someone who is shorter and weighing less than her).

 

[steelo]

There is no evidence to suggest NB put the phone on the bench. The last sighting of her was in the upper field.

 

[mrjitty]

It corroborates where her phone was, I remain unconvinced as to where she herself was at 9.20am

Well for instance, if the phone continuously 'walks' from the school dropoff, along the lane, and around the fields, before coming to rest at the bench - wouldn't that corroborate the witnesses, pretty much on a minute by minute, meter by meter basis?

Reading between the lines, I think corroborating the location with the known data points gives them a degree of confidence - they will see the dog walk pretty clearly

02c

 

[Deleted member 320164]

I am still not sure about eyewitness testimony. About a year ago my husband and I were in the car and we saw our daughter. I was about to roll down the car window and call her when she disappeared in a queue of people aoutside a shop. I was so sure it was her and was puzzled as she should have been in work over 75 miles away (she lives approx 80 miles away). I wondered why she was near our house and hadn't called in to see us - this was so unlike her. So I phoned her - and guess what? She was over 75 miles away at work. She thought I had gone off my rocker ringing her, thinking she was near my house. Yet the woman we saw looked and even walked like our daughter - she was her doppelganger - the spitting image. She was the same build, same hair, and from a distance the same face! The point is, God forbid my daughter had gone missing that day, both my hubby and I would have sworn blind to the police that she was less than a mile from our house when we last saw her at 11am that same day - but she wasn't! It wasn't her - but had I not called her I was 100% certain (mistakenly) that it was her. So we can assume things and eyewitnesses can be mistaken.

I am not saying that NB was not by the riverside that day walking her dog, but the people who thought they saw her at certain times may have been mistaken, so the timeline may be off quite a bit. We know she was on the Teams call, sent texts etc, but can we really be 100% sure she was where people think they saw her at those specific times. We sometimes see things and our brain deduces what they are based on previous knowledge etc, but we can be totally wrong.

JMO

I agree with this. I made a similar point last night.

My sister did a dissertation on the reliability of eye witness testimony for her psychology degree - it was eye opening. Memory, recognition is far more fallible than is popularly believed.

 

[DickieDumDum]

Well for instance, if the phone continuously 'walks' from the school dropoff, along the lane, and around the fields, before coming to rest at the bench - wouldn't that corroborate the witnesses, pretty much on a minute by minute, meter by meter basis?

This is almost certainly the case, imo, and part of the reason LE are so sure of their theory. If the phone data shows consistent movement along her normal route, it was almost certainly her who took the phone to the bench, imo.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

Snipped for focus. My partner and I both WFH. I wouldn't necessarily notice when she's back after going out - we both have separate offices and are in/out of calls all day. Doesn't seem too strange to me.

Good point, although I suppose you might be used to a dog returning from a walk. Just wondered where this walk would've ended.
Maybe Willow and NB got separated or Willow was spooked/chasing something which led to whatever happened ... either an accident or confrontation.

 

[steelo]

Not really relevant to the case, but she wouldn't be 60kg. Probably 50kg at most judging by her size (as someone who is shorter and weighing less than her).

My OH is 5'0, slight build and is 62kg.

Why do you say it's not relevant to the case? I thought the whole point of this forum is to raise, consider and discuss theories? How on earth can you suggest that something is not relevant?

Maybe the fact that no one was around to hear something large making a splash in the water?
What about the wash created?

Again, it makes you think that maybe she didn't go into the water at all?

If she went in and was struggling to get out then why did no one hear any shouting? Surely people at the campsite would've heard?

Unless she was unable to shout!

 

[mrjitty]

There is no evidence to suggest NB put the phone on the bench. The last sighting of her was in the upper field.

None we have.

But we can infer the phone's location data will show it travel to the bench, because it remained continuously connected to the teams meeting.

Maybe someone was with her, we don't know, but it would be hard to abduct her and take her phone to the bench.

 

[SanT88]

A sad read but again another extensive search in a nearby location that proved fruitless until months after.

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/nicola-bulley-we-know-her-familys-pain-say-preston-family-who-lost-a-son-in-the-same-stretch-of-river-on-the-same-day-45-years-ago-4019028

 

[Cluella DeVille]

Is there confirmed clarity on where Willow was when NB's partner arrived on the scene? Was the dog still tied to the bench with string, or had she broken away and was running around nearby, or elsewhere? No other sightings of Willow running alone?

 

[Tone]

Imo she was last seen by the campsite, cctv not working by the campsite… campsite owner finds dog and phone by bench but is in a hurry due to appointment! Not pointing fingers but the answers must lie between far field and campsite Have they searched the lake in the campsite?

 

[Seattle1]

It sounds like the witness was already in a hurry once they found the dog. I'm sure if they thought someone's life was in danger they would have called right away.

Tying the dog probably seemed like a better option rather than risk the dog running off and getting lost or hurt. Keeping him restrained also might have made it easier for the dog's human to find it.

Maybe that's what they were thinking. Finding an unleashed dog is not an indication that the person it belongs to is in trouble.

The mortgage adviser was last seen 10 days ago walking her dog along the riverbank after dropping her two young daughters off at school as usual in the northwestern village of St Michael's on Wyre.

Soon after, her dog was found running loose "in an agitated state" prompting a member of the public to raise the alarm.

^^rsbm

No mention of string or restraining dog in MSM.

Photos at quoted link show steep drops along the riverbank. This time of year, debris and downed branches abound to catch up a body. Sending strength and warmth to NB's family and children. So many share their concerns for the missing mum.

British mother vanishes "into thin air" after dropping two daughters off at school

Family and friends of Nicola Bulley, 45, have questioned the police theory that she fell into the river in a tragic accident.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[steelo]

Imo she was last seen by the campsite, cctv not working by the campsite… campsite owner finds dog and phone by bench but is in a hurry due to appointment! Not pointing fingers but the answers must lie between far field and campsite Have they searched the lake in the campsite?

There is no lake at the campsite. There is a lake in Rowanwater. The last sighting was in the upper field adjacent to Rowanwater.

 

[todders]

Amateur sleuths looking for Nicola Bulley stopped from searching house

More on the the story about a group searching for NB at the abandoned house last night.

 

[Tone]

There is no lake at the campsite. There is a lake in Rowanwater. The last sighting was in the upper field adjacent to Rowanwater.

That’s what I meant, so the answers must lie there