Death of Nicola Bulley, Lancashire UK

AdrianG08

Don't know if anyone else here has been following this story in Lancashire in the UK.

Think it's day 11 of the search for her, she went missing after dropping her kids to school. She was on a video call for work at the time, her phone has been found and her dog was found wandering.

Police are satisfied she entered the river and are adamant there's no criminal aspect to the case, but the specialist underwater search team have now chimed in and are themselves adamant she is not in the river, and couldn't possibly have travelled so far as to reach the sea.

It's a baffling case, obviously the cops are privvy to info not known to the public, but how can they be so sure she entered the water?

Mod note - Sadly Nicola Bulley's body was found on Feb 19th

Seth Brundle

Not having the same info as the police, I'm just surprised that they are adamant that she is somewhere in the river and that no crime was committed.

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058283441/nicola-bulley-search-for-missing-woman-in-uk

Yeah something does seem odd about it. If she accidently fell into the river than why was her phone found on a bench?

If it was suicide than why did she bring the dog with her ? If she had planned this surely she would have left the dog at home.

Based on the above neither sounds plausible and as you said divers have said if she did enter the river she could have been found by now.

Suicides/accidental falls into rivers happen every day but this case in attracting alot of attention for some reason - I agree with you that the police may know more and although they are saying that there is no criminal aspect, thats not what they believe themselves.

Carol25

I agree, there' something really strange about this case. She's on CCTV at her own house, packing up to go on her walk with the dog as she always did. She's been picked up on school grounds again acting as normal. She sends texts while on the walk to organise playdates, meet with people and signs into her company's zoom meeting. There seems to be a ten minute window where she disappears - her phone, dog harness and dog are found with her phone still signed into the work call despite the meeting being finished. My guess is either foul play or a tragic accident. But if it's foul play, why has no one suspicious been seen? Why aren't the police following that line of enquiry? I read somewhere maybe they were trying to trick the possible attacker into thinking they weren't following this lead...but I see no evidence of the police pursuing this angle. The fact the specialist divers have come out and said she's not in the river is interesting - these guys have sonar equipment that found someone in the English Channel. It's all so bizarre and I hope she's found soon.

Princess Calla

I had assumed the dog had got into trouble while she was on a call and she left the phone down to deal with the dog and fell in herself.

However didn't realise the dog had been found.

I think I read that they were using special sensor/sonor equipment on loan , so maybe that's why they are confident she's not in the river.

With the amount of cctv , dashcams and doorbell cameras it's hard to think anyone can just disappear. Unless it was all preplanned with the help of a third party. Or a third party is involved criminally in this.

I think someone known to her is involved (either innocently helping or criminally) otherwise the dog would have gone mental if it was a random attack ....you would assume.

Very strange.

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215533#Comment_120215533

I had assumed the dog had got into trouble while she was on a call and she left the phone down to deal with the dog and fell in herself.

However didn't realise the dog had been found.

NOt only that but the dog was dry so it wasn't as if she went in to the water to rescue it or something

farmingquestion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215533#Comment_120215533

Apparantly the dog was dry when found.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215551#Comment_120215551

Yeah that's what really makes it weird

Seth Brundle

https://twitter.com/olivermiocic/status/1623309916701184002

https://twitter.com/RWindscheffel/status/1623321210107863041

So what are the police at?

TheValeyard

Absolutely horrific for the family left behind. The not knowing must be completely unbearable.

Hope the family get answers.

Leg End Reject

The BBC reported rumours of financial difficulties, whether that is true or even relevant hasn't been confirmed.

Her poor family are also dealing with idiots turning up for social media content and the police have asked these fools not to trespass onto private property to search for her.

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215690#Comment_120215690

Have you a link to the BBC report? I'd be surprised if the BBC reported on unfound rumours.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215724#Comment_120215724

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-lancashire-64529251

Apparently the social media detectives are on the case.

kippy

It's hard to believe that she isn't in the river somewhere.

The most plausible explaination is that she accidently or intentionally ended up in the river.

There's been plenty cases in the US (specific YouTube Channel on them - Adventures With Purpose) where people have ended up in bodies of water (usually in their vehicle) and haven't been found initially by expert search teams but bring in this specialist volunteer search team, they manage to find the person/their vehicle more often than not - so the fact that many are saying that she isn't in the river doesn't necessarily mean that she isnt.

Obviously not being familiar with the river (depth, speed, bottom surface etc) it's difficult to guess as to what happened her after ending up in the river.

The other options don't really add up. There were a number of people along the river that morning who reported seeing here and each other, and I think they have been accounted for.

Again, we aren't privy to everything the police are so it is a strange one.

farmingquestion

It is very strange but I do believe it's most likely she entered the river.

The bench is very close to the river. She could have been over near the edge and somehow fallen in.

I'd be curious to know the answers to a few things though:

• Could she swim?
• Would a swimmer be likely to survive if they fell in or would there be some kind of cold water shock chance?
• The ping at 9:20 they say is proof the phone was at the bench, was there other pings or how does this work?
• Fitbit syncing - how often is it? Did her fitbit have GPS?
• Did the last witness to see her, know her. Where are they from and their background?
• Also very curious if they can check phones to see when activity occurred. When was the last time she used her phone, unlocked it or whatever.

She was last seen at 9:10am

Her phone was recovered at 9:33am

That means there's a 20 minute window where whatever happened, happened. The phone is at the bench at 9:20am but that doesn't necessarily mean she made it to the bench, though I think she did.

I find it hard to believe there's 20 minute window where she could have been snatched. Also surely the dog would follow her if she was dragged or carried somewhere. I think it's more likely someone approached her, she turned them down and they pushed her into the river than being snatched.

Leg End Reject

In the article I linked above her friend said Nicola was a strong swimmer.

farmingquestion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215797#Comment_120215797

If she was on a work call, it's very possible she left it beside her to be able to access quickly if she needed to unmute or something.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215819#Comment_120215819

Being strong swimmer means little if you end up suddenly submerged in cold water. Cold water shock can kill you instantly, or be enough to stop you from being able to swim.

There was a guy who died in the Grand Canal in 2016. He partially fell into the water - not enough to even be submerged, and the cold water unfortunately killed him by stopping his heart without drowning:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/coroner-s-court/inquest-hears-man-died-after-slipping-on-way-home-from-pub-1.2931748

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215999#Comment_120215999

I meant to quote another poster who asked if Nicola could swim. Even without the shock of cold water Nicola could have had a medical emergency and fallen into the water.

Seth Brundle

notes from a family friend apparently to nip some of the misinformation out there...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216012#Comment_120216012

All that needs to happen is a trip, slip and knocking yourself out briefly to initiate an accidental drowning.

Overheal

I don't think this is one the internet can sleuth with the amount of data available, and immediate loved ones have asked that speculation not happen - indicating themselves they may be keeping an eye on this across social media incl here.

Just anxious to hear what investigators report back.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215797#Comment_120215797

No doubt the police will have investigated or be investigating her work environment as a matter of elimination.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120215791#Comment_120215791

Why would the assailant leave her phone there live and in action and not at the very least throw it into the river? Also if she were on a video call might the assailant have been seen by her office colleagues? As others say here there’s probably a lot of things already been detected, but not the whole picture.

StrawbsM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216157#Comment_120216157

Would the ground not be disturbed if she slipped on it?

I really hope she’s found. Must be awful for her family and friends

Deeec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216253#Comment_120216253

I see the phone as being significant though. Either:

• She left the phone because she knew she had to go into the water for whatever reason.
• She had to run, flee or was grabbed and she couldnt get phone.
• Left the phone as a decoy to make people think shes in the water

If she had simply been walking along or looking at the water surely she would have had the phone in her hand or pocket etc.

Also there was very little time (20 mins) between Nicola being seen and phone being found

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/07/nicola-bulley-police-urge-public-not-to-take-law-into-their-own-hands-in-search

Just looking at this, and Google Maps, the River Wyre enters the sea at Morecambe Bay where some of the strongest tides in the world are to be found. There are tidal bores pushing up into the rivers which enter this vast bay, I witnessed this in a holiday in the region. The bay is laced with quicksands and takes expert local knowledge to negotiate. Going by the article there seems to be a number of people trying to do their own detective work, and I kind of don’t blame them as people want to find answers, especially if they believe she might still be alive.

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216204#Comment_120216204

I read that on the call she had her video off and was muted. So really no one knew if she was 'on' the call once she'd logged in.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216528#Comment_120216528

I've spent many an online meeting being anything but present, just log in and switch off.

micar

Was reading reddit page set up under her name.

The conspiracy theories are wild wild wild.

miamee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120216536#Comment_120216536

Exactly so the last time someone physically saw her was at 09.10 in the upper field, nowhere near the river. I'm going by the time line that her friend shared on Facebook which Seth Brundle shared earlier in the thread.

ratracer

It was really very very odd, and extremely unprofessional, of the water search lad to be speaking out so much in public.

Even though he was investigating privately, it is very poor form for him to be making statements like he did, while an active investigation is still ongoing.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217089#Comment_120217089

They probably need to agree not to talk about an ongoing case before starting, but I'm not sure if that's realistic. I doubt there were too many available with the required equipment.

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217105#Comment_120217105

It seemed a desperate attempt to promote his company and ‘look at me’ type stuff as opposed to any care at all for the client/ family.

Just very unprofessional IMO

denismc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217202#Comment_120217202

Most of these search and rescue organizations are made up of volunteers so there isn't much to promote.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217350#Comment_120217350

The guy has specialised sonar equipment, he was brought in and I presume paid by the police.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217359#Comment_120217359

I think he offered his services on Facebook to the family and they requested the police to use him , so I don't think he's being paid.

That said he's getting publicity and if they found her it would have been great. Which is why I think he's so adamant that she's not in the river as his technology couldn't find her.

denismc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217359#Comment_120217359

There are organizations like that in Ireland with the best of equipment, they are often better equipped than the police divers.

Most of the divers that carried out the the Thai cave rescue a number of years back were amateur divers.

Carol25

If the police are wrong re the fall into the river theory, valuable time has been lost, forensic areas tampered with and apparently the old abandoned house close by not searched? Doesn’t sound like they’re on top of things to me.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217384#Comment_120217384

The most he can say is that she’s not in the section of river that he searched (And that’s assuming his equipment and methodology is infallible). He wasn’t involved in searching the full river out to sea, he only did a limited section - whereas the Police are searching much further.

Two men went missing in Ennis the other week, within a day of each other. One body was found the following Sunday in the river in the town (by sub aqua club volunteer divers). The other was found by a member of the public washed up on a beach in the Shannon estuary near Carrigaholt 60km away on the Saturday, where no one was searching. Same river, same timeframe and conditions, 60km difference in where they were found.

It would be irresponsible to rule out the river.

Hungry Burger

Unfortunately I’d say that the most likely scenario is she fell in the river somehow and was washed out to sea.

BorneTobyWilde

The old house on the hill needs to be searched, I find it hard to believe that he family didn't look there, if the police wasn't bothered. I know I'd not be waiting for someone else to search it, I'd do it myself.

Leg End Reject

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217756#Comment_120217756

Apparently people have trespassed and searched nearby properties. The problem is that if there was foul play they could have contaminated a crime scene.

Armchair detectives should stay on their armchairs.

freshpopcorn

I don't know what happened to her. There's lots of speculation online about it and lots of people trying to get their five minutes of fame on TikTok.

The one thing I would say is The Police often more than they tell the public at this stage.

BorneTobyWilde

https://twitter.com/peter_faulding/status/1621515578140921857?cxt=HHwWgsDQjfj044AtAAAA

Launches book, next day offers to find Nicola,

pinned tweet of book

Yea he got his publicity .

BorneTobyWilde

https://twitter.com/ScarcityStudios/status/1623406229555933186

So crazy how people go out there thinking they're Sherlock Holmes

farmingquestion

Interesting article about a 16 year old boy who crashed their motorbike on the same day 45 years ago and entered the river not far from where Nicolas phone was found. He wasn't found until 2 months later.

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

BorneTobyWilde

https://www.youtube.com/live/NNgENzTQ-W0?feature=share&t=1231

A run down

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217756#Comment_120217756

So crazy how people go out there thinking they're Sherlock Holmes

Make up your mind mate.

hamburgham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217536#Comment_120217536

Sad to hear. I used to spend a lot of time by a river and always dreaded coming across a body.

hamburgham

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120217920#Comment_120217920

Would a spaniel follow its owner into a river?