A Ronald Barbour AKA Ronbo Update: The Mystery Deepens

11 Mar, 2008 by John Hawkins

Print this article Font size -16+

Remember Ronald Barbour AKA Ronbo? He was the blogger from Freedom Fighter’s Journal, who wrote the following on his blog back on Feb 17,

I understand the ______ building is more than 150 feet tall. At the time of my last recon I noticed easy access to the roof that would allow someone to leap to their death to the parking lot below. I’m not an expert in these matters, but if I recall from my physics classes in college at 100 feet a falling object reaches a speed of about 100 MPH. This means that the falling man would hit the pavement at a speed great enough to cause instant death. I understand that over the years since the construction of this building several persons have died by jumping from this structure.

I plan to make such a leap. I do this in memory of the several hundred victims on 9/11 who jumped off the World Trade Center as a means of avoiding burning to death, and the over 3,000 American soldiers killed fighting Islamofascism in Iraq and Afghanistan. A parallel reason is a protest against the American Left and the Democrat Party who have stabbed the Armed Forces in the back in the early stages of what is shaping up to be The Third World War.

This is an excellent time to make a final statement – a dying declaration – about an event that resulted in my life being ruined.

On Feb 19, there was a funeral notice in the Cleveland Plain Dealer,

RONALD BARBOUR, age 47, passed away Feb. 19, 2008. Beloved son of Marleen (nee Puckett) and the late Ronald; father of Brandy Szachkas; dear brother of Deborah Phillips (Douglas), Robin Lynn Barbour, Michael W., Richard Alan (Teri) and Tonya Phillips (Rodney); loving uncle of 11. Funeral Service Sunday, Feb. 24 in the CORENO FUNERAL HOME, 13115 LORAIN AVE. AT 8:00 PM. Family will receive friends SUNDAY, 2-4 and 6-8 PM 216-941-3434

Many people thought that was the Barbour from the blog post, but there were a couple of hitches. “Ronbo” lived in Florida and was 59, while the Ronald Barbour mentioned in the Cleveland Plain Dealer was 47 and died in Cleveland.

Was it a hoax? Was it real? It was hard to be sure. In any case, on Feb 26th, I shot an email to the address on Freedom Fighter’s Journal. Here’s how it read,

Ronald

I am hoping there is somebody on the other end of this who hasn’t killed himself. If so, shoot me an email back because I’d like to talk to you.

If not and this is a friend or family member reading Ronald’s email, I’m sorry for your loss.

Best wishes

John Hawkins
https://rightwingnews1.wpenginepowered.com
http://www.conservativegrapevine.com
http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnHawkins
http://slatecard.com/slatecards/rightwingnews

Yesterday, I received a response to that email, one that makes for gripping reading, even if, unfortunately, it doesn’t tie this whole issue situation up in a neat little bow.

I am printing the email in its entirety, with some names x’d out to protect the privacy of the people involved,

Dear John:

This is from a friend of Ronbo and I live in Central Florida.

On Feb. 17, 2008 while I was at work, he slipped his PWs to his EMail and Blog under my front door with certain instructions and a copy of his last article.

When I read the blog article, I was naturally very upset and called the Orlando PD who had no information on him. The next day I drove to XXXXXXXXXXXXXX where Ronbo worked as a counselor and maintained a residence. I talked to a “XXXXXXXXXXXXX” who had been Ronbo’s supervisor. We talked for about half an hour and pumped each other for information. I gave him a brief and censored version of what I knew about Ronbo and in return he shared some information he had about Ronbo, which I’m sure was quite limited as was mine.

In any event, XXXXXXXX said that Ronbo had suddenly disappeared one afternoon in late October, 2007 from XXXXXXXXXXX and had abandoned all his property including his cell phone. He was last seen driving from the CCM parking lot in one of the company vehicles. This vehicle was found abandoned at the Universal Studios’ parking lot and discovered there the next day with the key in the ignition. There was no sign or foul play and a note in Ronbo’s handwriting was found on the dashboard saying that the vehicle was disabled and for Security to call XXXXXXXXXXXXX for further instructions.

XXXXXXXXXXX had no more contact with Ronbo until approximately two weeks later when he saw Ronbo walking in gym togs on Major Blvd. in Orlando. He said he pulled over and attempted to talk to Ronbo, but that Ronbo had quickly disappeared. This was the last Ronbo sighting. XXXXXXXXXX did say that he looked the picture of health and did not appear to be depressed. He went on to say that some clients of Ronbo had seen him on Kirkman Road several weeks after XXXXXXXX had seen him on Major Blvd, so in XXXXXXXXX’s opinion Ronbo had been in Orlando at least until early December very likely staying at a hotel near Universal Studios.

After leaving XXXXXXXXXXXX I drove to Major Blvd, which is only several blocks long, I started asking about Ronbo at various hotels. On the third hotel I hit pay dirt. The clerk not only remembered Ronbo but said he had disappeared on Feb. 17th leaving behind everything (clothes, baggage and an icebox full of food) and a nearly new Dell laptop and lots of computer software. This appeared strange to the hotel clerk, since a few days before Ronbo had given her a note that he would be leaving on Feb. 17th and she had assumed that the room would be cleared of personal effects. I later talked to the manager of the hotel by phone who told me that he had filed a “Missing Persons” report on Ronbo with the Orlando PD. The name of this hotel was “In Town Suites” on Major Blvd (I forget the street number)

I hope this helps. The number for XXXXXXXXXXXX is XXXXXXXXXXX.

Could this be a hoax? Could this be Ronbo on the other end? Sure. Could everything be just as this friend of Ronbo’s is saying? Sure.

But, if so, what happened to Ronbo?

Update #1 Here’s a 2nd email from Ronbo’s friend that I received today,

Dear John:

The Cleveland Ronald Barbour who died on Feb. 19th and the late California Hiker Ronald Barbour are not the Ronald Barbour of Orlando who I believe is very much alive somewhere. I believe this particular Ronald Barbour’s main motive was to goad the Secret Service and tempt them into ill advised actions against him that he could use against them.

I recall Ronbo saying over the phone that his main purpose in life was to get an indictment against at least one Secret Service agent in revenge for his arrest in 1994 on what he considers bogus charges.

Sincerely,

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx