Important message board posts about the Ronda Reynolds case, with responses from Ronda’s mother, Barbara Thompson:

Re: INSURANCE CLAIM:

Thu Nov 14 17:59:49 PST 2002: I have followed this case closely. I live in the Toledo area. From the beginning this case has not set right with me. When was the policy taken out on Ronda's life and who purchased the policy?

Response: Ronda worked in Security at Wal-Mart when she married Ron Reynolds. Her job had been to travel to different stores training the security personnel. When she left in Aug. of 98 and went to work at the Bon Marche, as part of her separation package she was offered the option to carry a $50,000 life insurance policy. She had a certain time frame (ending sometime in Dec.) to convert by sending in her acceptance card and premium. That payment and conversion card were received by the insurance company on 12-23-98. Ron Reynolds, by his own admission, sent the payment in on 12-16-98, just hours after Ronda's death. I am assuming that, along with that first and only payment ever made on the conversion policy, was the conversion agreement changing the beneficiary to -- you guessed it -- Ron Reynolds.

The Sheriff's Dept. has released the proof to me that only one payment was made, that it was, in fact, made by Ron Reynolds and received 12-23-98. But, strangely enough, they will not give me a copy of the conversion card with the handwriting on it of the person who signed Ronda's name, dating it and making Ron Reynolds the beneficiary. That can only be gotten from the insurance company with a subpoena and only by the executor, which I was not allowed to be. I believe Ron himself completed that card making himself the beneficiary and signing Ronda's name.

Fri Dec 6 12:51:51 PST 2002: Did the insurance company do its own investigation? It seems to me they would. Certainly they would have compared Ronda's signature with her signature on the card that changed her beneficiary. I would think they would check on that, before cutting Ron a check.

Response: The insurance company did not do their own investigation. When I talked to them, although they were sympathetic, they could not give me any confidential information because I was not the executor.

I do find it strange that if Ron awoke at 6 a.m., called 911 and was busy with the detectives until well after noon time, he found time to find the insurance information, make out a check, and get it postmarked before 3:30 the afternoon of Ronda's death.

When I questioned a representative of the insurance company’s investigations department, he admitted that he found that strange also, but he told me that, because they had already paid the policy, it wasn't financially feasible for the meager sum of $50,000 to investigate it. So, what he is telling us is that you can phony up an insurance beneficiary card and as long as it is $50,000 or less, they won't go back and investigate it once they’ve paid it, because that costs them too much money. Doesn't matter about right or wrong, murder or anything else, it is the almighty dollar. So people who murder for insurance appear to be safe if they stay under the $50,000 amount.

Re: ELECTRIC BLANKET:

Fri Dec 6 12:51:51 PST 2002: Did detectives ever think to do tests on the electric blanket to determine if it was there when the gun was fired OR placed there after the fact, which would show intent to cover up time of death? That seems an obvious thing to do.

Response: The crime scene photos I received show the blanket and show blood on the blanket. To my knowledge no tests were done on the blanket, and I wasn't told if the plug was tested for prints. We do know that an electric blanket changes the process of Rigor and Lividity, but to what degree is a variable that has evaded forensic scientists. Yes, there is a possibility that the electric blanket was turned on to attempt to cover up the actual time of death -- and that is one of the things we are investigating.