Tiffany Hartley: Murder & Mexican Borders in Real Time

Everyone from CNN to NBC's Todays Show has interviewed Tiffany Hartley, 29, the young woman  now widowed after she and her husband jet skied on the waters of Mexico along the border just 6 weeks ago. She has been tagged "courageous" and a "hero" by the media for her actions in saving her life and being able to talk about it afterwards.  Killer's are always the masters at painting the canvas. 

David Hartley's body, jet ski, life vest and camera vanished the day this woman returned to tell the world her story.  For me, this tragedy is no different than others who are involved, or ultimately arrested in intimate partner homicide, or who are suspects and persons of interest.  In my opinion, working for over 20 years on these cases, the real tragedy is the truth and how the media is presenting this story all because the person responsible is a woman.

I know what you are thinking; this beautiful girl nextdoor  is not capable of killing anyone.   Afterall, she and David were high school sweethearts who married and traveled the world together as if they were joined at the hip.  That is the perception, but, it is not reality. It is what Tiffany Hartley wants the world to believe.

First, Tiffany Hartley returned unscathed.  Under the circumstances, as she told her story (they are 2 or 3 versions ) she would have never escaped alive.  Tiffany herself would have been taken by the so called pirates or drug cartel, then held hostage, and when they were finished sharing her among the other men she would have been sold to the sex slave trade in another country.  That is a fact.

Another fact is the "pirate" or drug boats can out run a jet ski.  Tiffany looked fairly calm, no blood anywhere on her own vest, hair or face.  As a matter of fact, she was in pretty good condition as she gave her live on air interviews.  She said she jumped in the water to save her husband; that is not possible.  Tiffany had nothing under her feet on the water for balance to even do this and she weighs 100 lbs against a man that is double that weight, now dead weight, not possible to be turned over. David was outfitted with a life vest and he wouldn't dare get in the water with bad equipment so how could he have been face down in the water?  Maybe he was never in the water in the first place?  No one saw the couple together, it is possible, all we have is her account.

Then we have the person who called the 911 operater after Tiffany ran up to him. The person called into CNN to give their account again.  Wow, amazing it does not add up.  If the caller is in so much fear why does he bother calling to give an interview?  Does the caller even have television service or reception?  Is the caller a faithful follower of CNN to know to even call into the show?

CNN CALLER:
It was my second weekly round. I usually make one. And I was just checking out the property, making sure my plants get enough water and what have you, when I noticed there was this boat behind a jet ski. I was, like I said, watering the plants when I see this jet ski start coming towards me. I noticed the boat behind it turned around and left the area. And as that boat gets closer, I can see the lady in distress looking back over her shoulders, and she looked frantic, sobbing. And she asked me -- the first words out of her mouth were like, "Can you speak English?"


And I nodded while I said, "Yes." And she right away asked me to call 911.

BALDWIN: Did she explain what had happened to her husband?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's when she said, "My husband's been shot," been shot in the head. And it sent chills down my spine. It changed my mood. I was scared. I went ahead right away and started dialing 911 as she got off the jet ski. She kept explaining to me that all they were doing was taking pictures. They weren't doing anything wrong out there, just taking pictures when. 

Here all the caller is doing is recounting what Tiffany Hartley has told him so he repeated it to the 911 operater.  This is a staged killers dream to have a performance believed by others.  Abusers are masters at manipulating the truth. 


BALDWIN: These three boats come upon them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they went ahead and surrounded them, started waving guns, from what she was telling me. As they started to take off, because they got scared themselves, the bullets start coming in.


Again, a statement from what Tiffany was telling him.  So this is no different than Drew Peterson saying "my wife Stacy ran off with another man," or Josh Powell saying "Susan Powell  just took off and you will have to believe me until you can prove otherwise."  Tiffany Hartley is in my opinion far more elborate and creative then the men we see who committ these crimes.

Stay with me and return for Part 2- Saturday, November 20, 2010

(Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction & Public Pathology  Education.  For more information visit http://www.saferelationships.com/  She is the author of  "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.  Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on http://www.herewomentalk.com/ and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr. Laurie Roth on http://www.therothshow.com/)

Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit by Susan Murphy Milano from the Book "Time's Up" from Courage Network on Vimeo.