NV RONNIE & BEVERLY BARKER: Missing from Stagecoach, NV - 27 March 2022 - Age 72 & 69 *Ronnie Deceased / Beverly Alive*

Searchers look for Indianapolis couple missing in Nevada desert

Ronnie and Beverly Barker were last seen in their RV buying gas in Stagecoach, Nevada on March 27, 2022.

www.wthr.com

The search is on for an Indianapolis couple that has been missing in the Nevada desert somewhere between Reno and Las Vegas for a week.

Family members say Ronnie and Beverly Barker were on an RV trip from from Albany, Oregon to Tucson, Arizona when they disappeared. The couple was last seen at a gas station in Stagecoach, Nevada around 6:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

MEDIA - RONNIE & BEVERLY BARKER: Missing from Stagecoach, NV since 27 March 2022 - Age 72 & 69

 

[Kimster]

I was just thinking about my GPS. When I'm programming an address in my driveway, it insists I need to drive through my garage to get started.

Another thing I wonder is if there is an issue when you're out in the boonies with a GPS? Does it have a problem getting signal? I know it's not as bad as a cell phone, but what kind of GPS were they using?

 

[Guess Who]

I agree with you all but that's what I mean that they almost had to be looking for a camp site or going to an attraction like the ghost town or something because why would you get off of 95? And I imagine you'd know if you got off of 95 onto one of those more minor looking roads going the wrong direction?

I thought they were going to stay at Nellis Air Force Base one night, was it that night? Why wouldn't you continue on they were so close and stay there as planned? Or was that for the next night and they were ahead on their trip (having passed Fallon) and they couldn't stay at Nellis a night early? That's what I'm trying to fathom. I just figured with a place to stay I thought already why would they be looking for a place to stay... And if they were just sightseeing, why not park and unhook the car I guess...? I'm not doubting anything, just looking for more of the reasons and specifics I guess.

I think they were to be there the next night. So many campgrounds are full without prior reservations, which might be why they didn't stay at the previous place and why they didn't go on to the next place.

 

[Guess Who]

I was just thinking about my GPS. When I'm programming an address in my driveway, it insists I need to drive through my garage to get started.

Another thing I wonder is if there is an issue when you're out in the boonies with a GPS? Does it have a problem getting signal? I know it's not as bad as a cell phone, but what kind of GPS were they using?

That's what I was asking earlier is what type of gps. It makes a vast difference out in the boonies.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Family: Missing Indiana couple located in Nevada desert; man found dead

Police are searching for an Indiana couple reported missing in the Nevada desert in late March.

www.fox5vegas.com

Missing Indiana couple last seen in Nevada desert, police say​

According to the Esmeralda County Sheriff’s Office, 72-year-old Ronnie Barker and 69-year-old Beverly Barker were on road trip on the west coast when they disappeared. Their trip took them from Albany, Oregon to Tucson, Arizona on March 26 to visit friends. Based on cellphone data, the two were near Dyer, Nevada, about 3.5 hours northwest of Las Vegas on March 27.

The ECSO said they may have also visited the Coaldale area on March 28, a mining town about 40 miles west of Tonopah, but a family member posted on social media that this account is unsubstantiated.

“They went dark the evening of Sunday the 27th,” their nephew, Travis Peters wrote on Facebook.

“After leaving Oregon they were going to stay in the Fallon, NV area however their cell signals/computer tablet signals last ‘pinged’ in an area near Dyer, NV which is nearly 170 miles farther south than where they were planning on staying. Their next planned stop was overnighting at Nellis, AFB outside Las Vegas, then they were continuing to meet their friends in Tucson on Tuesday evening,” Peters wrote.

Bringing this one forward as it does say they were to stay in Fallon that night and Nellis the next. Was Nellis camping though or staying with/seeing friends? I'm not saying they couldn't have been parking/camping there but I guess I didn't know you could do that. Of course he was in the service I think... I assumed they were going to see friends there and stay with them/park at their place.

 

[Guess Who]

Bringing this one forward as it does say they were to stay in Fallon that night and Nellis the next. Was Nellis camping though or staying with/seeing friends? I'm not saying they couldn't have been parking/camping there but I guess I didn't know you could do that. Of course he was in the service I think... I assumed they were going to see friends there and stay with them/park at their place.

There are places on base that have camp sites for current/former service members.

 

[Regina]

I agree with you all but that's what I mean that they almost had to be looking for a camp site or going to an attraction like the ghost town or something because why would you get off of 95? And I imagine you'd know if you got off of 95 onto one of those more minor looking roads going the wrong direction?

Oh yeah, I think it had to have been a conscious decision to have made that turn, and I can't make sense of it, despite what the GPS directions were or may have been.

I thought they were going to stay at Nellis Air Force Base one night, was it that night?

No, that's where they'd planned to stay in Las Vegas the following Tuesday.

 

[Regina]

So many campgrounds are full without prior reservations, which might be why they didn't stay at the previous place and why they didn't go on to the next place.

Just prior to hearing about their disappearance, I watched a video from a YouTuber who travelled with a camper and he was forewarning others that due to gas prices, people in RV parks are staying put/staying longer, therefore, finding a place to park has been difficult.

 

[Guess Who]

Just prior to hearing about their disappearance, I watched a video from a YouTuber who travelled with a camper and he was forewarning others that due to gas prices, people in RV parks are staying put/staying longer, therefore, finding a place to park has been difficult.

That's just made a problem that has existed since 2020 much worse. The last two years it's taken advanced planning to get campsites at lots of places. So many people bought camping gear and campers/rv's since then. I made our reservations as soon as I could, which was 6 months out, by the time it was 2 months out, there were no sites available.

 

[GrandmaBear]

That's just made a problem that has existed since 2020 much worse. The last two years it's taken advanced planning to get campsites at lots of places. So many people bought camping gear and campers/rv's since then. I made our reservations as soon as I could, which was 6 months out, by the time it was 2 months out, there were no sites available.

Covid added to camping as a desirable thing I think, somewhere to go, something to do even. Reasonable cost of living in some cases if necessary. And add things in like YT and people documenting travel and life on the road or the "van life" and yes, it sure has become a big thing... Like you I camped long before but many act as if they just discovered it. And add now the gas hike and it does make sense parks, etc. would be fuller... I wouldn't call it though the most touristy time of year out west, etc. though...

Conversely, it also seems for sightseeing, if they could find a place, they'd almost be better to park the RV in a parking lot for a few hours and unhook the vehicle to use for travel with gas prices, mountain roads and such...

 

[SheWhoMustNotBeNamed]

Irion, Barker families call for change to Nevada's missing person procedures after deaths

As both the Irion family mourns for Naomi and the Barker family mourns for Ronnie, their loved ones are calling for change to how officials initially respond to missing person reports. They say they felt powerless after contacting authorities for help. Casey Valley, Naomi's brother, told News...

mynews4.com

Irion, Barker families call for change to Nevada's missing person procedures after deaths
As both the Irion family mourns for Naomi and the Barker family mourns for Ronnie, their loved ones are calling for change to how officials initially respond to missing person reports. They say they felt powerless after contacting authorities for help.


During searches, officials say time is important. In Naomi's case, Valley said it took 36 hours for a detective to pick up her case. Although the family still does not know the time of death for Naomi, they believe a quicker response should have been standard practice.

The nephew of Ronnie Barker, Travis Peters, sat down with News 4-Fox 11 on Thursday. Peters said the couple was missing in the Nevada desert for a week before his uncle died. Rescue crews made it to his aunt on April 5, just 26 hours after her husband's death.

Peters added that an initial missing person report by the family happened 8 days prior on the 29th of March. He said, to his knowledge, the search did not start until 4 days later on April 2 and this was three days before Ronnie and Beverly Barker were found.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Irion, Barker families call for change to Nevada's missing person procedures after deaths

As both the Irion family mourns for Naomi and the Barker family mourns for Ronnie, their loved ones are calling for change to how officials initially respond to missing person reports. They say they felt powerless after contacting authorities for help. Casey Valley, Naomi's brother, told News...

mynews4.com

Irion, Barker families call for change to Nevada's missing person procedures after deaths
As both the Irion family mourns for Naomi and the Barker family mourns for Ronnie, their loved ones are calling for change to how officials initially respond to missing person reports. They say they felt powerless after contacting authorities for help.


During searches, officials say time is important. In Naomi's case, Valley said it took 36 hours for a detective to pick up her case. Although the family still does not know the time of death for Naomi, they believe a quicker response should have been standard practice.

The nephew of Ronnie Barker, Travis Peters, sat down with News 4-Fox 11 on Thursday. Peters said the couple was missing in the Nevada desert for a week before his uncle died. Rescue crews made it to his aunt on April 5, just 26 hours after her husband's death.

Peters added that an initial missing person report by the family happened 8 days prior on the 29th of March. He said, to his knowledge, the search did not start until 4 days later on April 2 and this was three days before Ronnie and Beverly Barker were found.

Good for THEM. The days I think are over where authorities are going to get away with well she'll be home, call us back in 48 hours, etc., oh they probably just didn't let you know and forgot, give it some time, you'll hear from them...

At minimum, info should be taken and a basic check done and in both of these cases that should have resulted in okay, something isn't right here... Barkers BOTH cell phones weren't pinging... Naomi was going to work and online and minutes before the shuttle was due WENT missing... AND it was not the norm for her. Get off YOUR butts and just check it out. It was at WALMART for goodness sakes. Go take a look.

I get it might be the way, the norm or even lack of funding or personnel and may be more to some situations BUT no excuse for some things in either of these two cases imo. Not a Nevada resident with Barker.... The state is glad to have tourist's money though right? Just can't spend any of it on looking for a tourist that could be in trouble...

Nevada has a pretty big black eye at the moment...

 

[Kimster]

I almost feel like Nevada is behind in the times when it comes to handling missing persons cases.

 

[Kimster]

Heavy D recovered the vehicles for the family. This video shows the remote area where they went and how they got stuck. It is really sad! I don’t understand why he went so far on those dirt roads. I guess he didn’t know where he could turn around? I had no idea he was that far up in the area. Very very sad and it breaks my heart.

 

[Guess Who]

Heavy D recovered the vehicles for the family. This video shows the remote area where they went and how they got stuck. It is really sad! I don’t understand why he went so far on those dirt roads. I guess he didn’t know where he could turn around? I had no idea he was that far up in the area. Very very sad and it breaks my heart.

That setup would take a Lott to turn around.

 

[Kimster]

That setup would take a Lott to turn around.

Nothing went right. In fact, they were less than half a mile from their RV but they didn’t know it. If they could’ve got back to the RV, they could’ve sustained themselves until help found them.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Heavy D recovered the vehicles for the family. This video shows the remote area where they went and how they got stuck. It is really sad! I don’t understand why he went so far on those dirt roads. I guess he didn’t know where he could turn around? I had no idea he was that far up in the area. Very very sad and it breaks my heart.

I haven't watched it all yet but am several minutes in. I just don't get it either. It seems all are assuming the GPS did it but I wonder if they can determine that--I imagine they can. And where the GPS was taking them/the destination. I would imagine that is known as she did survive. This video was likely prior to her getting back home. It is heartbreaking. Not just one thing went wrong but several.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Heavy D recovered the vehicles for the family. This video shows the remote area where they went and how they got stuck. It is really sad! I don’t understand why he went so far on those dirt roads. I guess he didn’t know where he could turn around? I had no idea he was that far up in the area. Very very sad and it breaks my heart.

I am watching this in increments. So they said on the way up they were on roads like this for hours or several hours... And I get that they didn't take water or things when they got in the Kia as they thought they were just headed back to town as they say a bit later in the vehicle but that's one thing if you are just 1/2 hour out of your way but hours? Is there a town they maybe came through on the way up so they would have had somewhere to stop? And then I guess I'd have to wonder with medical conditions, etc. why you wouldn't take such things or at least some.

That isn't a judgment, Lord knows we all do things that in hindsight we wonder or ask ourselves "what were you thinking", I know I sure have. But they have to have figured they were going to go back down the same tight windy roads.

I guess I am just wondering some answers yet. I'm not questioning that it was a tragedy, just wondering the hows and whys. Was it GPS directions? Where did they think they were headed, etc.?

And I'm not done with the video yet either. It just looks so remote with no one around and no traffic, buildings, etc...

 

[Kimster]

Heavy D thinks Ronnie was determined to get out of the situation and I’m thinking in his frustration, he may have gotten disoriented. So sad!!!

 

[Guess Who]

Heavy D thinks Ronnie was determined to get out of the situation and I’m thinking in his frustration, he may have gotten disoriented. So sad!!!

It says that they took a wrong turn when trying to go back.

 

[GrandmaBear]

I was stuck recently and it is a reminder of how hard it can be to get a car out even. One could look at it and know if we had just one extra person and hopefully a strong one, we could have pushed it out in probably seconds. We were able to barely budge it but a centimeter and that took all we had. A little lightweight car, barely stuck.

I look at that motorhome stuck and no way in heck was anyone getting that out of there much less two older people not in the best health. Two of the same couldn't do it with my car.

Whatever got a rig that length and size onto narrow tight mountain roads is the question here and why. Only once in my life did we end up on a terrible mountain road with no turning around in a compact rental car. We all thought we were dead for miles on end. Hairpin sheer drops one lane switchbacks no turning around and if someone had come the other direction they'd be gone as well as myself, the driver and my children. It was HORRIBLE and the most FRIGHTENING THING ever.

We didn't know, we picked the scene route off of a PAPER state map or Atlas. Needless to say when we reached our destination (thank GOD), we came back the highway route. This can't be exactly the same as they are in bare spots that aren't drops but I can see how it cane happen, except they had been driving this long rig awhile and I would think had already realized even on normal roads and in towns, it isn't easy to park, turn, don't go down one ways or narrow alleys, etc.

I guess I come back to the same thing again and that mainly is if they were heading to a certain destination and changed plans or if it was the GPS. Articles and videos seem to think it was the GPS but it hasn't been confirmed in any manner that I've seen.

If it was, maybe GPS needs to come up with a way directions are locked on the safest route and can be changed but not bumped or easily changed--maybe some lock or code so you know you are changing them without a doubt to a scenic route or shortcut etc...