Rebecca Nalepa Zahau Found Hanging, Bound Mansion of Jonah Shacknai (Suicide)

[Puzzler]

Puzzler  ~  Wow!  Thanks for all the info and links.  I have my reading material set for the morning.....have to take my husband in for medical tests, so this will be a nice (bad choice of words) diversion . 

I appreciate all your work in here!

Thank you.  I sure wish more posters would chime in.

[Puzzler]

The sheriff's department has posted Jonah's letter to the Attorney General on their website:

http://www.sdsheriff.net/coronado/

[MuffyBee]

Thank you for the information and links Puzzler.  I will sit down and read through them after I catch up on some other things this morning.  I don't think Rebecca committed suicide, and I also find Max's death as an accident questionable. 

While the initial investigation into Rebecca's death was going on and before it was announced as a suicide, I remember reading an article (and I will try to find the article with link) that basically said the cause of death, whether murder or suicide would be determined with the knots that  were tied.  Does anyone remember this?  It was at the beginning of the case, and it's kind of stuck in my mind since.  We've had discussion about the knots and also about a number of other things, including the writing on the alleged suicide note.  As I said, I'll come back in here and read through again and look closely at the links you've posted this morning Puzzler.  I just wanted to reply to your request that more of us weigh in. 

[Puzzler]

Thank you for the information and links Puzzler.  I will sit down and read through them after I catch up on some other things this morning.  I don't think Rebecca committed suicide, and I also find Max's death as an accident questionable. 

While the initial investigation into Rebecca's death was going on and before it was announced as a suicide, I remember reading an article (and I will try to find the article with link) that basically said the cause of death, whether murder or suicide would be determined with the knots that  were tied.  Does anyone remember this?  It was at the beginning of the case, and it's kind of stuck in my mind since.  We've had discussion about the knots and also about a number of other things, including the writing on the alleged suicide note.  As I said, I'll come back in here and read through again and look closely at the links you've posted this morning Puzzler.  I just wanted to reply to your request that more of us weigh in. 

Muffy Bee - TY

Next post is Valhall's new blog - she gets everything in it - Jonah was not at Max's bedside when Rebecca said and LE told the public, Adam didn't technically pass his poly as LE told the public and "new" footprints.

[Puzzler]

Really good blog with lots of "facts" from the search warrants.

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/21/rebecca-zahau-case-new-documents-new-footprints/

Rebecca Zahau case: New documents…new footprints?

[cartfly]

I am still not buying it. The comments at the article link are interesting. There are errors in the dates in the article.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/20/shacknai-asks-coronado-mansion-death-be-reviewed/

Shacknai asks AG to review death investigation

12:40 p.m., Sept. 20, 2011
Updated 5:16 p.m.

 ::snipping2::

In his July 13 request for a warrant to search the mansion and a vehicle parked in the garage, Detective Brian Patterson wrote that based on the way Zahau was found he believed the death was a homicide.

“The circumstances being what they were he may have been of that opinion,” homicide Lt. Larry Nesbit said Tuesday. “Obviously, it didn’t turn out that way.”

Nesbit said the warrant laid out the facts after the detective had been at the home for one hour.

Asked if Patterson was still of that opinion, Nesbit said, “Absolutely not.”
 ::snipping2::

Investigators also obtained information from cellphones belonging to Shacknai and his ex-wife, Dina, used between July 11, when Max was injured, and July 13, when Zahau’s body was found.

An affidavit filed in support of one of the search warrants said the only people at the mansion the night before Zahau’s body was found were Zahau and Adam Shacknai, Jonah’s brother. The brother found her body. He was the only home at the time.

Adam Shacknai had arrived July 12 and was staying in a guest house on the property.

He was given a polygraph exam. The polygrapher said he couldn’t draw a conclusion based on an analysis of the polygraph charts, but he “felt Adam was being truthful during the examination,” according to the court documents.

Dina Shacknai was at the hospital with her son when her ex-husband called about 7 a.m. on July 13 to tell her Zahau had killed herself, according to the documents.

That day, detectives interviewed Jonah Shacknai, who said he hadn’t returned home since the early evening of July 11 when his son was injured. He said he showered, packed some clothes and returned to the hospital.

Two days later, he received a text message from his brother saying that Zahau had hanged herself.
 ::snipping2::

[cartfly]

Who sends a text to another person regarding the death of their loved one? 

[cartfly]

Puzzler, thanks again for keeping us updated on this case. 

http://www.10news.com/news/29253139/detail.html
Here is another article from on of Puzzlers earlier links:

Attorney Obtains New Info In Zahau Death Case
Anne Bremner Represents Rebecca Zahau's Family, Claims New Information Could Help Re-Open Probe

POSTED: 5:28 am PDT September 21, 2011
UPDATED: 4:39 pm PDT September 21, 2011

 ::snipping2::

On Wednesday, Bremmer said a witness provided her with new information -- which has not been confirmed -- that indicates Zahau died before midnight, contradicting facts released by the sheriff's department.

"Because police said she received a call at 12:30 in the morning stating that Max was gravely ill or injured, had taken a turn for the worse, and they say she retrieved that message at 12:50 and that's why she killed herself, because she was despondent about that information. So the timeframe is very important because this information indicates she may well have died before that. The phone records that we have, and that's new information, indicates there was no incoming call at 12:30. Also, the message that was retrieved at 12:50, which we don't know who retrieved it, was erased."

 ::snipping2::

[cartfly]

Renowned Polygrapher: Jonah Shacknai's Brother Needs To Take Another Lie Detector Test

Posted on Sep 21, 2011 @ 01:00PM

By Jen Heger
Radar Legal Editor
 ::snipping2::
Adam Shacknai needs to be given another lie detector test in connection with the death case involving Rebecca Zahau, according to famed polygraph expert Jack Tramarco, RadarOnline.come is exclusively reporting.

 ::snipping2::

On July 15, 2011, Adam Shacknai was given a lie detector test. Search warrants that were unsealed by a San Diego judge reveal, that "Detective Lebitski and Detective Hillen facilitated a polygraph examination of Adam Shacknai with Polygrapher Paul Redden. Redden said based on the analysis of the polygraph charts he couldn't draw a conclusion, but felt Adam was being truthful during the examination."
 ::snipping2::

"For someone with Paul Redden's credentials and reputation, to say that he wasn't able to draw a conclusion, but FELT Adam Shacknai was telling the truth, simply isn't acceptable. Polygraphers don't let emotions or gut feeling or observations to include body language, and verbalizations taint the results," Trimarco says.
 ::snipping2::
"If the test is inconclusive, as it was in this case, you state that you have no opinion, period, end of discussion. This means you run another test, with new questions. Polygraphers aren't trained to judge people's feelings, it's just not something we do, or have the capability of doing. Adam Shacknai needs to be given another polygraph test," Trimarco says.
 ::snipping2::

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/09/renowned-polygrapher-jonah-shacknais-brother-needs-take-another-lie-detector-test

[cartfly]

Rebecca's family set up a website (according to bnet.com http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/cellphone-records-leave-medicis-shacknai-stuck-in-catch-22/9758)

http://rebeccazahaufund.com/Rebecca_Zahau_Case.html

[Puzzler]

"FELT" - that word used in a sentence by a polygrapher to say that they FELT that Adam was telling the truth is tantamount to "voo doo" IMO.  I was totally digusted when I read and am still shaking my head over it.  I'm hoping the public will pick up on it and it will "backfire" on the Coronado Police/San Deigo Sheriff's departments.

Also, how coincidental can things be before someone says there can't be this much coincidence:

Rebecca/sailor's knots, tow rope - Adam/works on a tow boat

Rebecca/death between 1:00 - 3:00 a.m., police called 6:38 a.m. - Jonah/away from hospital from 1:00 - 7:00 a.m.

[Puzzler]

http://www.10news.com/news/29253139/detail.html

Attorney Obtains New Info In Zahau Death Case

Anne Bremner Represents Rebecca Zahau's Family, Claims New Information Could Help Re-Open Probe

September 21, 2011

(snip)  On Wednesday, Bremmer said a witness provided her with new information -- which has not been confirmed -- that indicates Zahau died before midnight, contradicting facts released by the sheriff's department.

[Puzzler]

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2011/09/rebecca-zahau-death-timeline-key-players

Timeline Of Key Players In Rebecca Zahau Death Mystery
Sep 21, 2011

(snip)  A new timeline is emerging in the Rebecca Zahau death case, that is creating more questions than answers, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.

[Puzzler]

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15520745/sheriff-launches-forensic-exam-of-zahaus-cell-phone-new-witnesses-accounts-reported

Sheriff launches forensic exam of Zahau’s cell phone; new witness accounts reported

SAN DIEGO (CBS8) - The San Diego County Sheriff's Department has opened a new examination of data contained in the cell phone of Rebecca Zahau, the woman found hanging at the Spreckels mansion July 13.
 
Sheriff's homicide Lt. Larry Nesbit said that within the past week technology experts from his department started using newly-identified software to download data from Zahau's phone for forensic review.
 
"It constitutes a new examination of the evidence," Lt. Nesbit told News 8.
 
Sheriff investigators want to copy and save all the data contained in the smart phone used by Zahau, 32, in the days and weeks before she was found hanging from a balcony at the Coronado mansion.
 
"If it leads us to new information that's relevant to the case, then yes, you could consider that a re-opening of the case," Nesbit said.

[Puzzler]

http://www.cbs8.com/story/15520745/sheriff-launches-forensic-exam-of-zahaus-cell-phone-new-witnesses-accounts-reported

Sheriff launches forensic exam of Zahau’s cell phone; new witness accounts reported

(snip)  "We are now confirming information from a witness that there may have been a cry for help from a woman in the mansion around 11:30 p.m. the evening prior (to Zahau's death)," Bremner said. "So that's important in terms of the time of death and in terms of the surrounding circumstances."


Wow! That's long before any alleged phone call/voice mail message from Jonah about Max.

[Puzzler]

Excellent!

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/22/rebecca-zahau-case-a-case-of-assumptions-and-factoids/

Rebecca Zahau case: A case of assumptions and factoids

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Valhall

[Buckeye]

How well did Adam know Dina's twin sister?

Is Jonah saying he was told (no evidence) that Max's death was imminent....he text that message...and then went to the Ronald McDonald house?  I would think if you believe your son's death is imminent, you don't leave the room???

[MuffyBee]

Excellent!

http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2011/09/22/rebecca-zahau-case-a-case-of-assumptions-and-factoids/

Rebecca Zahau case: A case of assumptions and factoids

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Valhall

 

It would appear there were a lot of azz-umptions made on the part of the investigators.   

[Puzzler]

Search Warrant for Mansion Items
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/warrant_41290.pdf
Search Warrant for Mansion phone records:
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/warrant_41373.pdf
Search Warrant for Survelliance Video:
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/kfmb/misc/warrant_41432.pdf

[darla]

Good Evening Monkeys,

Just checking in to see if anything new had been found. I have a question about the Ronald McDonald house or rather a statement. I think when parents are staying at the house they have to sign in and out so they will know who is there.  I wonder if they even checked to find out. If that was my child I would not have left his side to go sleep.