Monday, July 26, 2010

Bob Harrod - Missing One Year


Some of you who know me or have read my stuff know about Bob Harrod. I won’t bore you with all the details, but I will recap. Bob was my neighbor across the street in CA. I knew him for seven years, from when he moved in until I moved out. I would have to say that during that time, we were each other’s best friend. Bob was there when I was out of work and when family problems arose. He was instrumental in me joining the Masons. I was there for him when his wife was sick and dying. I was one of the few people invited to her memorial at sea. I was also the one who drove him to the animal shelter to have their beloved dog put to sleep. I also buried the dog in the back yard for him so she would always be close by. I was one of the first people to find out about Fontelle, his new/old love from years back. They were reunited in early 2009. He shared with me about their marriage.

I can count on one hand how many people I miss from CA. Bob is definitely one of them. On the day before we left, I made a special trip to see Bob and say goodbye. We were both upset about the conditions under which I was leaving. I did not want to go and he did not want me to go.

Bob vanished from his home on July 27, 2009. I had left for VA the Monday before. I received an email from a neighbor about it on Tuesday. I was in East TN. I was shocked. Fontelle was supposed to arrive back in CA on Wednesday, July 29.

The police immediately showed their incompetence. The first story was the Bob was suffering from dementia and had wandered away while his son-in-law was at the store. Then, they said he had gotten cold feet and ran away from his new bride. The press was just as helpful. They printed these stories like they were gospel. Eventually, they got around to interviewing Bob’s children and new wife, Fontelle. I figured I would be getting a phone call next. I was one of his closest friends at the time. I had a lengthy conversation with him a week before. I could easily attest to his mental state and feelings for Fontelle. I never heard from them. I contacted the reporter that did the story. Never heard back from him, either.

I talked to Fontelle on and off to see how things were going. She said she gave my name and number to the police. She would ask if they ever called. They never did. Eventually, I did receive a phone call from a private investigator. He said he was hired by Bob’s daughters. I was so glad to hear from him. We talked to a couple of hours about what Bob was like, how I knew him, what I thought of the case, and what might have happened. I only talked to him that one time.

Then, I found a website of people discussing the case. I read the whole thing. It was only up for 60 days. Bob’s children had posted to the website. I tried to contact the one I knew well. She never returned any of my calls. One day, an attorney representing Fontelle called me. We had pretty much the same conversation as I had with the private investigator. I told him about the website. When it ended, I printed off every page of it and mailed it to Fontelle. She does not have access to a computer.

Around May, a reporter for the LA Times called me. She had also received my number from Fontelle. She said she was doing a follow up story on Bob. I was glad to talk to her. I asked her if she had talked to the daughters as well. She said they had not returned her messages. She had to go with the story without their input. It was a good story about Bob. I was glad to see there was still interest in the case.

In June, I was contacted by a woman who was part of an armchair detective website. They had a board about Bob’s case. They posted theories, questions, articles, etc. Last Friday she sent me a post where I was mentioned. I was intrigued and logged on. I spent most of the weekend posting on the site and answering questions. I was amazed at the interest in the case after a year. One of Bob’s daughters was watching also. She sent me a threatening message to stop posting. I continued to post anyway. Most of what I said was public knowledge. Sometimes I would correct what I perceived as errors in some of the articles. I was not saying anything about the case, itself. For one thing, I do not know much since the police never contacted me. Second, things that I do know, I was asked not to tell. So, I don’t.

It was a mixed blessing this weekend. I was happy to talk about Bob. At the same time, I was sad to think of how the police had mishandled this case from the start. They talk big about covering all angles and leaving no stone unturned. Well, if that is true, why I have I not been contacted? I have tried. They are not interested in me or what I may know about Bob. I am not sure if I could help now, but if I had been contacted at the beginning, I could have helped. Some people on the board said they are going to contact the police and ask why I was left out. I thank them, but I do not think it will do much good.

They ask what I think. I think a small town police department bungled a missing persons case to the point they were afraid to ask for help. It is my understanding they have not reached out to other law enforcement agencies for assistance. I guess they feel it is just some old man who wandered away. Well, he wasn’t. He was a friend, husband, father, and grandfather. He was also a good man. My opinion is if he had been some young, hot, blonde coed partying in some exotic, tropical paradise, everyone would still be on the case. We would have wall-to-wall media coverage of every aspect of this case. But, since that is not the case, this old man is destined to just fade away and be forgotten. Bob Harrod was too good a man for this to be his fate.


Thank you.

22 comments:

  1. One Year Ago Today - Bob Vanished-

    Where is Bob?

    Paul- since you mention the message board that was only up for 60 days, then perhaps you might recall all the collective culling and posting of information and links to try to help the family find Bob- with info posted about search and rescue dogs, scent dogs, Texas Equusearch, etc. Since you went to the trouble to print out all the pages of posts- do you know if Fontelle and her family acted at all and tried to contact any of the professional sites listed, or even the psychics that were suggested?

    You moved away from the area, but I’m curious if you can explain why the missing poster for Bob was removed from the front of Bob’s house that Fontelle resides in after just a matter of days?

    Can you explain why the new wife would have the chair lift that you mentioned Bob had installed for his first wife dismantled and removed from the home and tossed out in the back yard?

    Can you tell me how soon after his disappearance that his new bride considered herself a ‘widow’?

    Or why she and her family felt compelled to throw several of Bob’s belongings and his family’s personal items in trash bins visible to passersby?

    You posted that Bob kept many things, and many things still in the home were Georgia’s. As his friend, do you think Bob would’ve been comfortable with his new wife pitching things from the home- and how would she know which items were Bob’s, Georgia’s, the son-in-law’s, the daughters, the grandson’s or a neighbor’s?

    Do you know when the relationship between Fontelle and the hair dresser really started?

    Do you accept everything told to you by Fontelle as an absolute, someone who was a virtual stranger to you prior to meeting her-or do you only have “good vibes” from her?

    Have you been told by anyone that they plan to profit financially by the disappearance of Mr. Harrod?

    Do you feel that Mr. Harrod’s current wife and her family trumps any rights over any fiduciary duty on behalf of Bob and Georgia’s estate?

    If the roles were reversed and it was Bob that moved to Missouri- and his new bride disappeared, do you feel that he would be entitled to his wife’s home and all her and her previous spouses possessions that she accrued for almost 60 decades that her family should not have anything that was acquired prior to the marriage – because she intended to write Bob’s names on accounts but just never got around to meeting with her attorney?

    If anyone reading this has information as to the location of Robert Harrod or witnessed anything- contact

    Investigative Agency: Placentia Police Department
    Agency Phone: (714) 993-8164
    Investigative Case #: 09-3263

    http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/h/harrod_robert.html

    http://projectjason.org/forums/index.php?topic=6671.0

    Missing Persons Poster for Robert Harrod
    http://www.projectjason.org/aan/AAN_RobertHarrod.pdf

    America’s Most Wanted
    Report a Tip Tip Line 1-800-CRIME-TV
    (tips can also be emailed)

    http://www.amw.com/missing_persons/case.cfm?id=67544
    NamUs Profile for Bob Harrod
    NCIC number M088264467

    https://www.findthemissing.org/cases/2706

    There are many of us out there that do care and want Mr. Harrod found.

    Love, Blessings and Resolution for the family and friends of Robert Harrod

    ~I Still Care~

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    1. 60 decades? That's 600 years, I don't think any of us will live that long.

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  2. Paul I want to thank you for the information about Bob and for letting us know that there was someone decent in his life. I have been following this case from the beginning and felt certain that there were enough clues that it would be resolved.

    Research only generated more questions. What should be ironclad facts instead end up being fluid. Basic identifiers, such as eye color and weight, cannot even be nailed down. Was misinformation deliberate?

    The daughters accounts of the day Bob went missing are confusing and contradictory. I really did not want to believe that a daughter could plot,or possibly commit, the cold blooded execution of her elderly father but now I am not so certain.

    The accounts of the fairytale reunion are equally fluid. If you were to read every account you will find multiple discrepancies regarding details of their earlier romance. I cannot imagine the reporters taking the liberty to change reported facts, therefore I am left with the assumption that they were lied to. That blatant dishonesty reflects on the wife's character. She may well just be a person who has fudged little inconvenient facts her whole life or maybe it points to something bigger?

    The barber is equally troubling.

    The bottom line is that Bob seemed to be primarily a "meal ticket" for everyone and that is heartbreaking. If he had been an uninspired loaf, living month to month on social security, he would not have gone missing. His years of hard work and sacrifices generated the perfect storm of suspicious, greedy and dishonest characters.

    The local police inspire no confidence. If I had not spend all my good years working for a pension and investing for retirement income, had no conscience, I could hit it big in that town. Move my elderly father to Placentia, or marry or befriend an elderly man there and then murder them. The only penalty seems to be having to listen to Det. Loomis's sports metaphors.



    Thank you for letting me vent whether you choose to publish my rant or not. I lack the social grace and tact to post on boards without getting "warnings" but I do care about Bob and justice would provide comfort.

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  3. To Stubby and Diamond Lil,

    I am hoping most of your questions are rhetorical. I have no idea what Fontelle or Bob's daughters have in mind for Bob's things. That is for the legal system and whoever has the slimiest attorney to decide.

    As far as the marriage goes, I believe CA is a community property state. Since their marriage is legal and valid, Fontelle is entitled to whatever the law entitles her to. If Bob had gone to MO. They would have to abide by whatever state law in MO says.

    To be brutally honest, I DO NOT CARE ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH FONTELLE AND BOB'S DAUGHTERS! That is as plain as I can put it. I talk to Fontelle and I have started talking on one of Bob's daughters. They both know I am only concerned about what happened to Bob. The rest is for them and the courts to work out. It is none of my business and I am not taking sides.

    I like Fontelle. She seems to be a nice person to me. I like Bob's daughters. They seem to be good people as well. The story about Bob and Fontelle was not from Fontelle or the media. They were from Bob. It was what Bob told me, himself. I did not see any need in verifying it with anyone else. So, I never asked anyone else.

    As far as Bob's family goes, I do not think any of them had anything to do with his disappearance. I am not privy to their finances. Bob never discussed his finances with me and I never asked.

    I knew his daughter and son-in-law as neighbors. They were and are good people. I know their children and grandchildren. They are good people as well. Until someone can show me some type of proof to the contrary, I will support them as being innocent.

    As far as the barber goes, I met her. I did not like her. I felt she was taking advantage of Bob as a lonely widower with a lot of money. I have not proof of her guilt or innocence. I only have my opinion and my experience with her to go by. And neither of which are favorable to her.

    Paul

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  5. The sad truth, Paul is in most cases if you follow the money you usually find the reason someone is missing/dead. It would be nice if this was not true..but everything you say about this man indicates he was cognitive. So his being missing seems to point to a motive other than loss of memory on Bob's part.

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  6. Every now and then I look on line to see if there are any updates. So sad, I hope it's solved. Please keep us up to date on your blog. I certainly don't know any of these people, but the story touched me.

    Someone knows something, no doubt about that.

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  8. Sad sad story...god Bless Me. Bob Harris..

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  9. I mean God Bless Mr. Bob Harrod...

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  10. I honestly have a sick and unnerving feeling that poor Bobs son in law may have had something to do with his disappearance. I base this off of the last person to see him, whom couldn't account for all his time besides his store visits, his awkward and strange displays once house keeper arrived that day, and his financial motive as well. Hmmmmmm...... RIP Bob, you are missed

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    1. I have that same feeling also. I saw the Disappeared episode of Mr Bob Harrod's case. After seeing that episode, I have to conclude that the daughters are involved and it's because they were annoyed by the fact Bob's new wife was going to have access to his money and his home. They tried to frame the barber lady. The police need to look closely at the daughters and son-in-law!

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  11. Hi....

    Im from the Uk and have watched a programme regarding Bob being missing. Im writing to ask whether he has been found?

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  12. HI, just watched the Disappeared episode and my prayers go out to his friends and family.

    It just seems strange to me that he disappeared, yet his car was in the driveway. So this begs the question, where did he go without his car? In my opinion? Nowhere. I think whatever caused his disappearance happened in the house.

    I am not sure what my opinion is of his daughters. I will say this, though. If anyone in his will did away with him for his money, wouldn't they want him to be found deceased rather than disappear? When someone disappears, don't you have to wait a certain number of years to be declared dead before the will monies etc are distributed? If someone in his will did this, they are being very patient.

    I found a news clip where his wife suggested that whatever happened to him, happened in the upstairs bathroom. Did the police every spray that blood spotting spray in the house anywhere?

    Well, just my two cents. You're in my prayers :)

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  13. Just watched the programme on the disappeared channel. It's so sad.

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  14. I don't think there are many updates but I know Bob is not forgotten.

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  15. - May 2019 update - Placentia PD did arrest two persons of interest in April that were "associates" of Mr. Harrod.  Neither are related to Mr. Harrod.  Check the PPD Facebook link for their press release, people.com, ktla, and here's another local station that reported it
    https://abc7.com/reward-offered-for-placentia-millionaire-missing-for-10-years/5283278/
    Read the link if you care to know more of the news story.

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  16. Im leaning towards the daughters and son inlaw also?

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  17. I learn some new stuff from it too, thanks for sharing your information. agencia detectives Madrid

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    1. Hello, I just saw the program, "Disappeared" a few moments ago and found out about this case. I am sad to also find out that Bob remains missing and no sign of him has been found at all. I read a follow up article stating that the two unnamed individuals who were listed as "persons of interest" were released. I wondered if the author of this still reads it, I hope so! I really appreciate reading about Bob from a close friend of his. This man sounds as if he really cares about Bob. I would love to know what he thinks happened, if he has an opinion about that.
      Lynn

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