Just looked at this case.

This is the young Indian lady who disappeared on 9-10, a day before the 9-11 attacks.

It's been thought that she perished in the attacks, but there is evidence to include that something else may have happened to her.

I've been trying to find updates or sites on her. Any updates or thoughts.

I recently read info that she was thought to have gone to help the 9/11 victims (she was a doctor) without leaving word to anyone, then subsequently died and was never ID'd. It seems like her husband had accepted this theory, but of course, I can't remember. I need to look it up again.

When she first went missing, I assumed that it was completely unrelated to the 9/11 attacks and that she had been abducted on 9/10. The huge confusion of 9/11 in NY just made it impossible for investigators to focus on her disappearance.

Personally, I'm undecided on what happened to her, except that I definitely do not believe that she left willingly.

I went looking around this site for info. There are several threads, but no new info.

In one thread, mozartpc27's post pretty much sums up how I feel about it:
--------

I've thought about this case for half a day now, and, on balance, my guess is that she was murdered on September 10th.

The two things you've got to balance here are these: on the one hand, well over 1,000 people disappeared within a day and within a square mile of where Dr. Phillips disappeared who have never been officially "found." That, in my mind, makes it a whole lot more likely than it would be otherwise that she disappeared in the same incident, namely the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

On the other hand, there is the matter of her credit card use and what she took with her to shop that day. ALL she took was her husband's credit card, and it was never used after the purchases in the department store. If she did survive in the night of the tenth, where did she go on no money and no purchases? Are we to believe a random stranger she just met paid for all her drinks? And her food? Even if this was a friend, apprently this friend insisted that her doctor friend not pay for anything? That's quite a buddy.

This fact alone --- that she never spent another dime of her own money after her day in the department store --- makes me suspect she died before the night was out. The question is: who killed her?

I'd love to know how/why the police eventually cleared her husband. Most of what we know depends on his account, and he has got to be the likeliest suspect here.
--------

She left no money trail. That's one thing that stands out to me. There's been no activity on her credit cards? She didn't withdraw money from her savings account? Authorities didn't find a separate, secret bank account, or secret credit cards, that her husband was unaware of?

If she left willingly, she would have arranged to have some kind of financial support but it appears that she never used her credit cards, nor her husband's card (the one she shopped with on 9/10), nor accessed her accounts.

I think it was mentioned here that she was added to the 9/11 victims list. I really think she might have went into the WTC and got killed. If she left her husband something would have turned up like record of money/credit card use. Maybe she went into the WTC thinking that she would help people coming out injured. My theory is she went inside and told people she was a doctor and maybe a firefighter or cop overheard her and that took her up a few stories to help out with some injured people but the building ended up collapsing and killing her.

I recently read info that she was thought to have gone to help the 9/11 victims (she was a doctor) without leaving word to anyone, then subsequently died and was never ID'd. It seems like her husband had accepted this theory, but of course, I can't remember. I need to look it up again.

When she first went missing, I assumed that it was completely unrelated to the 9/11 attacks and that she had been abducted on 9/10. The huge confusion of 9/11 in NY just made it impossible for investigators to focus on her disappearance.

Personally, I'm undecided on what happened to her, except that I definitely do not believe that she left willingly.

I thought about that too. I bet at the time of 9/11 other crimes and disappearances in the city probably didn't get enough focus or attention because of the attacks. I haven't seen the segment of her in awhile. I kind of remember it being mentioned that her husband or family hired a private investigator.

I think at one point, her husband said that she would often stay over night with other people. He worked the night shift that night, but I don't know if he worked the night shift every night.

He said that when she stayed overnight with other people, her habit was to come home between 7am and 9am.

Their apartment was about 4 blocks from the WTC. I don't know if she would have walked home from the friend's place, or take a cab. Maybe as she was walking home from the friend's place, the attack on the towers happend and one of the buildings collapsed on her. (It wasn't just the two tallest towers that collapsed, but other nearby buildings fell, and rubble from the collapses of the bigger buildings caused other objects to be tossed around, making them deadly to people on the ground.)

So, imo, she could have been walking home from the friend's house, or even was in a cab, near the WTC, when the buildings fell and she was killed. Or she could have been on her way home near the buildings when the first one was attacked, and at that time she decided she would try to help, then the second building was attacked. Soon, the buildings fell and she was killed. Just a theory....

But, even if she had been planning on leaving her husband, as has been widely suggested, and then the attacks offered her a convenient way to get lost in the confusion, I think she would have left him a note at home stating that she was going down there to see if she could help victims. I don't think she would have left her apartment to help victims, legitimately or otherwise without leaving a note.

I'm going to bump up the other thread on this that has the most info. There's a lot of stuff in there on all sides of the issue. Very interesting stuff.

http://postsecretcollection.com/PostCards/1d06bb190182437fa8094d61b47006f7/Everyone-who-knew-me-before-9-11-believes-im-dead
With 9/11 this past week, I was reminded of Sneha. I remember seeing this postcard when it was on Post Secret. At the time I didn't think too much about it, but now I can't help but wonder if it's Sneha's secret...

Edit: The picture didn't post for some reason, unfortunately! The postcard says, "Everyone who knew me before 9/11 believes I'm dead."

http://postsecretcollection.com/PostCards/1d06bb190182437fa8094d61b47006f7/Everyone-who-knew-me-before-9-11-believes-im-dead
With 9/11 this past week, I was reminded of Sneha. I remember seeing this postcard when it was on Post Secret. At the time I didn't think too much about it, but now I can't help but wonder if it's Sneha's secret...

Edit: The picture didn't post for some reason, unfortunately! The postcard says, "Everyone who knew me before 9/11 believes I'm dead."


There's a documentary theatre project coming out about this post card. Dr. Sneha is one of the people listed on the project's website.
http://www.everyonewhoknew.com/

There's a documentary theatre project coming out about this post card. Dr. Sneha is one of the people listed on the project's website.
http://www.everyonewhoknew.com/

That is really fascinating! So is this article. Apologies if it's already been posted. http://nymag.com/news/features/17336/index1.html

This should be the correct image. I wonder if this is a real postcard or just something the documentary people made up to launch their project?

http://static.wixstatic.com/media/9a1def_eaf0cde91b122cc576170e7b33c54114.jpg_srz_p_465_310_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz

If it is legit, I wonder if they could compare a sample of Sneha's handwriting to it.

It was a legit submission sent into PostSecret YEARS ago. I can find internet references to it going back to at least 2006 and that was talking about it being seen in a book a while before that. So it was pretty early on in the PostSecret project which launched, online at least, January 1, 2005.

Now, whether or not it was true is a whole other issue. I do wonder about the addressed side of the postcard, but the side shown is printed, I think, it looks like a font to me.

Could it really be true that she did die on September 10th or in the early morning of September 11th before the tragedy happen?

At this point, I feel like she most likely did die at the WTC.

It's been so many years and no evidence that she lived (or was murdered) has surfaced.

The one mystery to me is why the woman she was with the night before has never come forward. The only explanation I can come up with for that is that she could have been having an affair with Sneha and didn't want that to be revealed.

It honestly bothers me that there is no trace of her (credit card, phone call) after she left the shop on September 10th. Why wouldn't the friend she spent the night come forward and say she was with her? Especially after the 9/11 attacks. Not one friend, family member, acquaintance, coworker has ever come forward and said "Yes, she spent the night with me on the 10th". I think even an affair would've come out by now, especially after the attacks the next day and her family was scrambling to find her. I think most people would've admitted to it to help find her given the gravity of the 9/11 attacks. I'm also sure if she was having an affair (lesbian or straight) it would've come out by now. People talk and it's been years. I'm sure her husband and family would have appreciated the closure at least by confirming she was safe and well Monday night and then was killed in the attacks on 9/11. Again, it just really bothers me that nobody has come forward to say she was with them the night of the 10th. Wouldn't this friend or lover be concerned for her welfare on 9/11 and have went searching for her in the days, weeks after the attacks? It doesn't make much sense to me.

Could it really be true that she did die on September 10th or in the early morning of September 11th before the tragedy happen?

It's possible. It's also possible that she took off during the night of Sept 10th. Maybe that's why she bought some new things but never took them home. She was leaving to start a new life somewhere else. Or maybe she was just going to stay with a friend for a few days, but when she saw what happened on 9/11, she decided that it would be a good chance to make a clean break from all the drama in her life.

I admit I have nothing to base this on . However; I think it's possible that Dr. Sneha may have met with an unknown person on September 10th and spent the night with said person before going with the person to at least close proximity if not the WTC grounds proper on 9/11- and the two of them may have perished together in the collapses. As for differing last sightings? I think this this unknown person MAY have been known to interact with others on the morning of 9/11 [and hence, could be on the list of KNOWN 9/11 fatalities] but failed to mention Dr. Sneha's presence to others and that's why Dr. Sneha's Date of Disappearance is a day earlier than the others'.

From what I understand though is that she loved bring a Doctor. So, even if she was unhappy with her married life ect, if she chose to disappear and start a new never to be found again, if she even wanted to practice medicine somewhere in the US she would've been located. I seriously doubt she woke up on Sept 11th saw the attacks and chaos and never once wanted to check to see if her family/friends were okay or not. Instead in that moment deciding to run away and start a new life never to be heard from again. That makes little sense to me. Also, the person she stayed with on Sept 10th again would've had to keep silent all this time. That scenario has never made sense to me.

Re: Sneha loved being a doctor:

I don't know about that. Her Wikipedia entry says that she had been dismissed from an internship for alcohol and tardiness related issues. And before anybody says anything, I know Wikipedia isn't the bestest most accurate source in the world. It's just that if it's true, it gives doubt to the claim that she might have died giving aid in the 9/11 attacks. Though, it is possible she wasn't very reliable yet still went to help in a time of crisis, so file me under flummoxed.

I think this is a very intriguing mystery, as I do not believe Sneha died in the WTC attacks. Sorry in advance for the long post, I just think this case is extremely interesting!

There are video clips online of some of the initial rescue personnel/firefighters going into the WTC buildings. These guys were VERY adamant that random people on the streets be kept AWAY from the buildings. You can see these guys screaming at reporters and telling passersby to get the f*ck out and get away from the buildings. The ONLY people going "in" were fighters and police; everyone else was urged rather strongly to get OUT and get AWAY.

Even if Sneha had rushed in off the streets in a burst of humanitarian fervor, and could somehow prove to these stressed and angry firefighters that she was indeed a physician, do you think they would have let her stay in the buildings? To do what, treat people with no medical equipment? In a building about to collapse? In my opinion, no way. They would have yelled at her to get away and go help people on the streets or in a local hospital.

In other words, I simply do not believe Sneha would have been able to gain access/get inside any of the WTC buildings after the attacks began. If she wasn't inside the buildings, I highly doubt she perished in the attacks. By the time of the building collapses, most of the people standing on the street outside had been cleared away.

From what I've read about 9/11, the WTC attacks' loss of life was composed of (and this is rather obvious, I know, bear with me) the people on the planes as well as people physically inside the twin towers when they collapsed. I have not heard of deaths of passersby from the tower collapses -- I could be wrong (won't be the first time, won't be the last) but I think the vast majority, or possibly ALL, of the deaths were people who were physically inside the buildings, whether they were workers or rescue personnel. I think that, by the time the buildings came down, it would have been nearly impossible to be standing right next to either of the twin towers at the time -- like I mentioned earlier, the police and firefighters were doing their best to get people outta there and made it very difficult for any non-rescue people to even approach the buildings.

Yes, that's the postcard!

I think this is a very intriguing mystery, as I do not believe Sneha died in the WTC attacks. Sorry in advance for the long post, I just think this case is extremely interesting!

There are video clips online of some of the initial rescue personnel/firefighters going into the WTC buildings. These guys were VERY adamant that random people on the streets be kept AWAY from the buildings. You can see these guys screaming at reporters and telling passersby to get the f*ck out and get away from the buildings. The ONLY people going "in" were fighters and police; everyone else was urged rather strongly to get OUT and get AWAY.

Even if Sneha had rushed in off the streets in a burst of humanitarian fervor, and could somehow prove to these stressed and angry firefighters that she was indeed a physician, do you think they would have let her stay in the buildings? To do what, treat people with no medical equipment? In a building about to collapse? In my opinion, no way. They would have yelled at her to get away and go help people on the streets or in a local hospital.

In other words, I simply do not believe Sneha would have been able to gain access/get inside any of the WTC buildings after the attacks began. If she wasn't inside the buildings, I highly doubt she perished in the attacks. By the time of the building collapses, most of the people standing on the street outside had been cleared away.

From what I've read about 9/11, the WTC attacks' loss of life was composed of (and this is rather obvious, I know, bear with me) the people on the planes as well as people physically inside the twin towers when they collapsed. I have not heard of deaths of passersby from the tower collapses -- I could be wrong (won't be the first time, won't be the last) but I think the vast majority, or possibly ALL, of the deaths were people who were physically inside the buildings, whether they were workers or rescue personnel. I think that, by the time the buildings came down, it would have been nearly impossible to be standing right next to either of the twin towers at the time -- like I mentioned earlier, the police and firefighters were doing their best to get people outta there and made it very difficult for any non-rescue people to even approach the buildings.

Good post, SheRaaa. Definitely some things to consider.

I think this is a very intriguing mystery, as I do not believe Sneha died in the WTC attacks. Sorry in advance for the long post, I just think this case is extremely interesting!

There are video clips online of some of the initial rescue personnel/firefighters going into the WTC buildings. These guys were VERY adamant that random people on the streets be kept AWAY from the buildings. You can see these guys screaming at reporters and telling passersby to get the f*ck out and get away from the buildings. The ONLY people going "in" were fighters and police; everyone else was urged rather strongly to get OUT and get AWAY.

Even if Sneha had rushed in off the streets in a burst of humanitarian fervor, and could somehow prove to these stressed and angry firefighters that she was indeed a physician, do you think they would have let her stay in the buildings? To do what, treat people with no medical equipment? In a building about to collapse? In my opinion, no way. They would have yelled at her to get away and go help people on the streets or in a local hospital.

In other words, I simply do not believe Sneha would have been able to gain access/get inside any of the WTC buildings after the attacks began. If she wasn't inside the buildings, I highly doubt she perished in the attacks. By the time of the building collapses, most of the people standing on the street outside had been cleared away.

From what I've read about 9/11, the WTC attacks' loss of life was composed of (and this is rather obvious, I know, bear with me) the people on the planes as well as people physically inside the twin towers when they collapsed. I have not heard of deaths of passersby from the tower collapses -- I could be wrong (won't be the first time, won't be the last) but I think the vast majority, or possibly ALL, of the deaths were people who were physically inside the buildings, whether they were workers or rescue personnel. I think that, by the time the buildings came down, it would have been nearly impossible to be standing right next to either of the twin towers at the time -- like I mentioned earlier, the police and firefighters were doing their best to get people outta there and made it very difficult for any non-rescue people to even approach the buildings.

She could have easily gotten into the complex, especially after the first plane hit and before the second, which was 20 minutes. The FDNY and NYPD did not instantly appear en masse. There were still people arriving via the subway and the PATH station. I know people who arrived after the first plane hit.

There were people outside the towers who were killed. One woman was missing for several weeks after calling her family to tell them she was ok and had gotten out of the building. Her remains were found in October on an overpass in the complex.

Also, remember how LARGE the WTC complex is. Everyone focuses on the Twin Towers (aka WTC1 and WTC2) but they are not the only buildings that were destroyed. WTC 3 (aka the Marriott World Trade Center) was destroyed when the towers fell. WTC 7 fell in the evening on Sept 11th. WTC 4 was damaged beyond repair and taken down. WTC 5 partially collapsed on Sept 11th and was taken down in 2002. WTC 6 was heavily damaged and was demolished in 2001. So all 7 WTC buildings ended up being demolished, 4 on Sept 11th and the other 3 were deemed unsalvageable and taken down later. That's a HUGE area.

She could have easily gotten into the complex, especially after the first plane hit and before the second,


But why would she? As a doctor, she would know that her skills are much better used at a hospital. Without an operating theatre or any equipment, all she could offer casualties is basic first aid - which all cops and firefighters are trained in anyway.

The idea that she died in the WTC just strikes me as wishful thinking on the part of her loved ones...there is no evidence to support it. All evidence demonstrates a woman going through a period of profound personal crisis at the time she vanished. I suspect that - not the 9/11 attacks - explains her disapperance.

She could have been in one of the other buildings for whatever reason. It just seems like a HUGE coincidence that she decided to leave for another life due to the massive tragedy.

Additional concerns I have about the conclusion that was drawn in this case:

We have no idea where she was the night of the 10th. Was she even in New York City? She could have been in Jersey, Brooklyn, anywhere around there. All we know is that she was probably in her apartment sometime late that night or early that morning. Other than that we have no idea if she was on any sort of route that would have taken her past or even near the "collapse-proximity" area of the WTC buildings...let alone during the window of time between the first tower hit and the second hit (when, by that time, it seems no one was being allowed near anymore.)

*I do think the grainy surveillance at her apartment complex is compelling and is probably Sneha. Still, there's zero evidence that points to her going anywhere specific after that. Did she go to the WTC? Did she get the heck outta Manhattan in a panic? Did she go back to wherever she spent the night of the 10th?

Another element is the fact that, as a doctor, Sneha was probably more sensible in an emergency than the average Joe. As someone with a physician's training I think she would have understood that rushing into a building was not the best way to help; I think that if the "Sneha-passes-by-and-decides-to-help" theory is true, she would have been escorted to a location further away from the buildings.

I wonder how much effort was put into talking to EVERY rescue personnel person who was in the area at the time. Does anyone at all remember a young Indian woman rushing in to help? It would seem that a civilian-dressed person claiming credentials as a doctor would be memorable to someone, maybe?

as a doctor, Sneha was probably more sensible in an emergency than the average Joe. As someone with a physician's training I think she would have understood that rushing into a building was not the best way to help; I think that if the "Sneha-passes-by-and-decides-to-help" theory is true, she would have been escorted to a location further away from the buildings.

^ This.

I wonder how many of you read this portion of the article that was posted earlier?

http://nymag.com/news/features/17336/index3.html

"Sneha was also experiencing “marital problems” in the months after she was fired from Cabrini, according to court papers, and “often stayed out all night with individuals (not known to her husband) whom she met at various bars.” She favored the loungy midtown lesbian bar Julie’s, the rocker-dyke bar Henrietta Hudson’s, and the divey gay rock club Meow Mix. According to the investigations, Sneha’s indiscretions appear to have reached a low point in the month prior to her disappearance. A police report says that her brother John walked in on her and his girlfriend—now the mother of his son—having sex. Her alleged struggles with depression, alcohol, and her sexuality spilled over into her new job as well. Staten Island’s St. Vincent’s Medical Center suspended her for failing to meet with her substance-abuse counselor."

It seems that Sneha had a secret lesbian or bisexual lifestyle that got in the way of her marriage and professional life. There's a very strong possibility that she simply decided to leave and start a new life somewhere else.

I've always felt that there are only two logical possibilities for this situation:

1) She met with foul play somewhere within the NYC sexual underground before the events of the morning of September 11th (and there's a theory she was murdered by her husband and/or brother because of her behavior).

2) Her decision to take off was extremely coincidental with the events of September 11th.

When you weigh all the known evidence and take into account her unhappy life, only these two things can fit the situation.

At least that makes sense to me. :)

I agree with Necco - this was a large area, and individuals didn't have to be inside the buildings to be killed that day. She lived within blocks of Wtc complex, she shopped at the Century 21 store the evening of the 10th, and she had told her mother that she was planning to look at Windows of the World (in 1 Wtc). A large number of the first responders died that day so it's difficult to second guess how they would have responded to a doctor offering assistance in such a catastrophic event, where getting multiple victims to the hospitals amid all of the chaos and evacuation would have been a huge task.

What issues she was struggling with (at the least, it appears she did have problems with alcohol) and the theory that she was caught up in the events at the WTC complex don't have to be mutually exclusive. She wasn't attempting to be terribly discreet about things, *if* she was having outside flings or relationships. She wasn't calling her husband about her whereabouts as he'd requested, but her never returning or contacting her mother on the 11th (it sounds like they were in daily contact) was highly atypical. None of the people she was socializing with ever came forward, at least not publicly, so it's impossible to determine if she was seeing any of these individuals on a regular basis or engaging in high risk behavior.

Sneha's brother Ashwin wrote an article (http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-still-hoping-she-will-come-back/20110915.htm) about her.

One thing that really confuses me about this case: (Keep in mind I haven't seen the actual UM episode in a while)

According to wikipedia (I know.....), it says someone placed a call from inside Sneha's apartment to Sneha's husband's cell phone around 4-something a.m. However, it also says her husband was there that night, woke up and left for work around 6-something a.m.

I can see if Sneha snuck back into the apt. while her husband was asleep -- to get something, maybe, before leaving again -- but why would she call his cell phone, from the apt., if he was obviously there in the apt. sleeping?

Did I miss something? Very confused....

I believe that if Sneha did die from the WTC attacks, she was either already there or in the vicinity. I agree that she wouldn't have just rushed into the building. She had told her mother that she was going to the Windows on the World, so it's possible she was there or shopping nearby. I think the other likely alternative is that something bad happened to her on September 10th. I just don't believe that she pretended to be dead and used the attacks as an escape route to a new life.

There's information online that Sneha was bisexual and was having flings. It's possible that the woman she was shopping with was a love interest and that would be precisely why no one in her family or friendship circle knew who the woman was. It's very possible that this woman died in the attacks as well. I think Sneha also could have been harmed after shopping with the mystery woman. Something could have happened at a party the night before, after her shopping with the mystery woman.

I feel really bad for her family and husband. Even if there were troubles, it sounds like she really was loved and it's terrible that they'll likely never have answers, especially if she did die in the WTC chaos. Unless someone steps forward and says where she was on September 10th/11th, it will be a mystery.

One thing that really confuses me about this case: (Keep in mind I haven't seen the actual UM episode in a while)

According to wikipedia (I know.....), it says someone placed a call from inside Sneha's apartment to Sneha's husband's cell phone around 4-something a.m. However, it also says her husband was there that night, woke up and left for work around 6-something a.m.

I can see if Sneha snuck back into the apt. while her husband was asleep -- to get something, maybe, before leaving again -- but why would she call his cell phone, from the apt., if he was obviously there in the apt. sleeping?

Did I miss something? Very confused....

I think that her husband claimed that he might have accidentally called his cell phone while he was sleepy. Sneha didn't have a cell phone.

Edit: Here's the quote from the New York article:

Although Ron was the only one home on the night of the 10th, someone made a call from their home phone to his cell at about 4 A.M. Tuesday, he discovered. He doesn’t remember making the call but figures he may have sleepily checked his messages.

One thing that really confuses me about this case: (Keep in mind I haven't seen the actual UM episode in a while)

According to wikipedia (I know.....), it says someone placed a call from inside Sneha's apartment to Sneha's husband's cell phone around 4-something a.m. However, it also says her husband was there that night, woke up and left for work around 6-something a.m.

I can see if Sneha snuck back into the apt. while her husband was asleep -- to get something, maybe, before leaving again -- but why would she call his cell phone, from the apt., if he was obviously there in the apt. sleeping?

Did I miss something? Very confused....
This is really disturbing and from my best recollection, not mentioned in the UM segment. It may be a mistake on Wikipedia, and makes little sense if it's true. Why call his phone if he was right there sleeping? The only way I could see this happening is if she initially thought he wasn't home, started to call, then looked and saw he was and hung up. But even then, why not just look in the bedroom?:confused:

This is really disturbing and from my best recollection, not mentioned in the UM segment. It may be a mistake on Wikipedia, and makes little sense if it's true. Why call his phone if he was right there sleeping? The only way I could see this happening is if she initially thought he wasn't home, started to call, then looked and saw he was and hung up. But even then, why not just look in the bedroom?:confused:

Sneha's husband said he may have checked his cell phone messages in a sleepy stupor from his apartment phone.

Sneha's husband said he may have checked his cell phone messages in a sleepy stupor from his apartment phone.
This is a much more logical and less creepy explanation.

According to wikipedia (I know.....), it says someone placed a call from inside Sneha's apartment to Sneha's husband's cell phone around 4-something a.m. However, it also says her husband was there that night, woke up and left for work around 6-something a.m.

I can see if Sneha snuck back into the apt. while her husband was asleep -- to get something, maybe, before leaving again -- but why would she call his cell phone, from the apt., if he was obviously there in the apt. sleeping?

Did I miss something? Very confused....

The husband said he might have sleepily called his own phone to check his messages, but he's not sure.

More questions popping into my head:

If the husband called his own cellphone to check his messages, would there be some sort of phone record of him having to hit certain keys on the home phone to get into his voicemail on a cell phone? It seems like if it was a question of "calling to check voicemail" vs. "just calling," it could be figured-out somehow by looking at phone records (maybe?)

Also, where was the house phone located? Right next to their bed? Or in another room? Was it a cordless phone? If it was right next to the bed I could see the "sleepy stupor" explanation, but if it was in another room the husband's potential explanation seems a little strange.

This was a very interesting case to me.

I wonder if her husband may have killed her. If so, he "got lucky" when the 9/11 attacks happened the next day because he could make people believe she died while trying to help people there. If 9/11 had never occurred, I'm sure he would have been the main suspect in her disappearance.

I always assumed she died in the 9/11 attacks as a result of either being in the building pre-attack, or trying to help someone after the attacks began.

However, in my sporadic former contact on the board, I missed this thread in its entirety. Some VERY interesting points being brought up, especially the postcard. I don't think its from Dr. Philip, but I certainly think it's an interesting twist in an already complex tale.

If I remember correctly, Sneha's family believes she died trying to help someone. If that's the case, I am glad she was finally ruled to be a victim of 9/11 and included in the memorials.

i think NYPD Blue had a very similar storyline to this. in that episode husband murdered wife on morning of 9/11 simultaneously with attacks and then tried to tell cops she was in towers.

If I remember correctly, Sneha's family believes she died trying to help someone. If that's the case, I am glad she was finally ruled to be a victim of 9/11 and included in the memorials.

The judgment was in their favor mostly because of another circumstantial case was approved (Juan Lafuente). Sadly, a case that had more evidence than either of Sneha's or Lafuente's of being near the buildings that day was denied - Fernando Molinar.

I thought the 9/11 card was done by an attention seeker; it reminds me of the murder confession that was hoaxed by the two radio idiots.

I've never considered her husband a strong suspect, although we only have his word that Sneha didn't come home the night of the 10th. Both he and the P.I. he hired initially believed that something may have happened to her on the evening of the 10th. The impression I did get is that her family were protective of her reputation and their privacy (can't think of many families that would want their issues publicized).

I thought the 9/11 card was done by an attention seeker; it reminds me of the murder confession that was hoaxed by the two radio idiots.

Those sonsabitches....

I think it's crazy that all these years later, I'm STILL fuming mad over that one. Kevin and Bean are a-holes. Even if I move to the LA area, I will never listen to their show.

I think it's crazy that all these years later, I'm STILL fuming mad over that one.

Ironic that they were on KROQ, since their story was a crock. At least they and the station were forced to pay the bill for the investigation.

Sadly, a case that had more evidence than either of Sneha's or Lafuente's of being near the buildings that day was denied - Fernando Molinar.

Here's a denial for the issuance of death certificates for both Sneha and Molinar: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court/1304654.html

Molinar's name, as well as a couple from Texas (Kacinga Kabeya and Kapinga Nglula) whose names were removed around the time that Philip's was, now show up on many 9/11 memorial lists. I don't think Molinar or Kabeya and Nglula are officially listed, though.

Ironic that they were on KROQ, since their story was a crock. At least they and the station were forced to pay the bill for the investigation.



Here's a denial for the issuance of death certificates for both Sneha and Molinar: http://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court/1304654.html

Molinar's name, as well as a couple from Texas (Kacinga Kabeya and Kapinga Nglula) whose names were removed around the time that Philip's was, now show up on many 9/11 memorial lists. I don't think Molinar or Kabeya and Nglula are officially listed, though.

I firmly believe that Dr. Sneha died in the attacks. She lived blocks away. She was a doctor. She was know to shop in the WTC mall. To me, Ockham's razor says she died at the towers.

I'm inclined to believed Molinar did as well. I have no trouble believing that he was in a packed, cramped apartment, maybe even where single guys here illegally hot cot. I have no trouble that someone, likely another Mexican in similar circumstances would make the effort to let his mother know. Because moms.

The couple from Texas… nope. Just not enough evidence for me.

531 people who were below the floors that were hit died apart from 110 most of this number were emergency personnel responding to the attacks, of course we don't know where Sneha was, if she was visiting the building and above the floors that were hit her chance of survival would be very low if she went to help she would be very unlucky to die because at least 2,000 first responders were injured but survived and there must have been many uninjured survivors, 17,400 people are estimated to have evacuated the buildings safely, the sad fact is that if she was one of the first to go and help then she may not have been barred from entering and reached a floor of the building to high to escape from and everyone who had contact with her died on the other hand there were 960 murders in New York in 2001 and possibly after practically losing her job her husband flew into a rage when he saw she had been shopping killed her dumped the body and an accomplice who cleaned the apartment called him from the apartment on his cell phone.

Bumping for the 15th year mark.

I strongly believe that Sneha is deceased, whether she perished in the 9/11 attacks or something happened to her the day before. I think the former scenario is more likely.

Sneha had apparently expressed interest in visiting the Windows of the World restaurant. She may have been there or because she lived so near the WTC, she may have been on her way home and ran into the buildings to help or was killed by being so nearby. I don't think we'll ever know exactly what happened, but it seems most likely she is no longer with us.

I think it's likely the woman she was with at the department store perished as well.

This has never sit well with me. I feel bad because it's very possible Sneha was a 9/11 hero who went in to help victims of the initial attack. If she was, she should be honored for it.

But there is zero concrete proof she was even there. Hell, she could be alive in the US or some other country. She could have died in NYC totally unrelated to 9/11. I agree there is reason to believe she was at the WTC, but nothing proves she was even in the area at the time.

Like I said, if she is a hero she should be honored. But at the same time, I don't like the idea of assuming she helped and that she was a 9/11 victim just because no one knows where she is. That is a big leap. She showed enough odd behavior that running away was certainly possible for her. Making her a victim because there is no better answer doesn't sit well with me. I feel like it cheapens the legacy of all the victims who were there.

This has never sit well with me. I feel bad because it's very possible Sneha was a 9/11 hero who went in to help victims of the initial attack. If she was, she should be honored for it.

But there is zero concrete proof she was even there. Hell, she could be alive in the US or some other country. She could have died in NYC totally unrelated to 9/11. I agree there is reason to believe she was at the WTC, but nothing proves she was even in the area at the time.

Like I said, if she is a hero she should be honored. But at the same time, I don't like the idea of assuming she helped and that she was a 9/11 victim just because no one knows where she is. That is a big leap. She showed enough odd behavior that running away was certainly possible for her. Making her a victim because there is no better answer doesn't sit well with me. I feel like it cheapens the legacy of all the victims who were there.

i agree and you have to add to the fact, her being a doctor and all that smoke in the area she probably knew she had to get away quickly. A lot of first responders probably were unaware of this but I am sure a doctor would know.

i agree and you have to add to the fact, her being a doctor and all that smoke in the area she probably knew she had to get away quickly. A lot of first responders probably were unaware of this but I am sure a doctor would know.

It is probably irrelevant, so many rescuers like firefighters, doctors etc went into that building knowing the risks of smoke, asbestos, dust, fire, the building collapsing on them etc. Human instinct to save lives took over & any thoughts for their own safety not just for that day but for the decades ahead when inhalation of substances would cause them problems took a back seat. After all this was 2001 & not 1961, all these people knew full well about lung diseases from airborne particles. The smart thing to do would have been for everybody nearby to stay indoors with their windows closed & everybody else to stay away, but of course there was no chance that was going to happen.

I remember watching this segment for the first time in 2003. I was always intrigued that UM did cases that involved historical events. One of my favorite aspects of the show. With that said I feel so bad for sneha's family and many others who had that helpless feeling on 9-11 of not knowing what happened to their loved ones. I wonder how many people experienced this same type of scenario. Imagine the people in town on business. Tourists from out of town etc. All of the missing posters....not everyone got to talk to their loved one and say goodbye to get the closure of knowing for sure what happened.

Ok as far as sneha there is no evidence that she was a victim of 9-11 other than she was last known to be in the area. There was no evidence that she met with foul play. She appeared to be shopping and moving around on her own will. As far as the lady(s) that were with her I assume she knew them eventhough they may have not been known to her family. or perhaps met them recently. It's not impossible to think that she could have met them that day. Think of how densely populated that area is and the way people socialize there. As far as why they never came forward it is possible they too could have been victims of the attack or they just never knew that sneha went missing due to the chaos of the circumstances. Think of all the missing posters that were posted and the mass chaos that existed in ground zero for several months. Who knows what happened to all of those people that were potential witnesses and where they temporarily or permanently relocated. This is why UM was such a great show
That could still help solve cases like this if it were in demand by a large audience like is was in the late 80s early 90s.

A couple of things on this case:

1. Was Sneha officially listed as a victim of the 9/11 attacks permanently? I've read that she was and that her name was removed.

2. Common thought seems to be that she perished in the 9/11 attacks as she was rendering aid to the victims given her background as a medical professional. I don't want to sound rude or cold hearted, but I don't think we should just assume that because she was a doctor, she rushed into a burning building to help.

3. Her husband, Ron, mentioned that when he returned home the night of 9/10/01, he was not surprised that Sneha was not home, even though it was around midnight. He mentioned that she would sometimes stay out late. This leads me to believe that she frequently stayed out late, either at a friends house or out partying/goofing off. There is also a report that she was chatting online with her mom around 5pm on 9/10/01 and mentioned that she was going to check out Windows on the World in tower 1. She does not mention a specific date or time that she will be doing this. For all we know, she went and visited it on 9/10/01. Some have drawn the conclusion that since she mentioned this to her mom, that she must have gone to visit the restaurant on the morning of 9/11/01. I find it hard to believe that she would stay out late or all night on 9/10/01 and then get up bright and early to visit the restaurant before the first plane hit at 8:46am.

4. Sneha was seen on video at Century 21 shopping with a female companion. Both of them are seen on the surveillance video carrying large bags as they exit the store. The bags have never been found and neither has this supposed companion of Sneha's. This was on 9/10/01. Those bags had to of been dropped off somewhere. Ron states that these were not left at their apartment in Battery Park. The attacks were the next day. I doubt Sneha ran into the buildings to help people while carrying these bags. Even if you take this companion out of the mix (as we all know how reliable eyewitness accounts are), the mystery of where the bags went is still there. If the companion is real, its possible she died in the attacks as well. Its also possible that she is alive and well and not coming forward. It's also possible that the person on the surveillance video that they suspect of being her companion, was just a random shopper.

5. I do not believe Ron had anything to do with this. The man hired a former FBI agent as a PI to investigate what happened to his wife. If he killed his wife, why would he do this? Ron flat out denies the evidence the NYPD found that their marriage was on the rocks and that there had been excessive drug and alcohol abuse. I have no clue if any of that is true.

6. Sneha may have very well died in the attacks but I think a lot of the reasoning (medical background, restaurant, etc.) is given without any proof that she actually did either of these things. I think we would all like to think of our family or loved ones as brave but who knows what went through her head on 9/11/01 or if she was even still alive. Couple this with the fact that Ron and Sneha's cousin both said in the segment that Sneha would never stay out all night without telling someone, it makes me believe she was either abducted/murdered on 9/10/01 or flat out disappeared on her own and had been planning to do this for some time.

One thing that doesn't often get mentioned is that it's possible that Sneha possibly came back to the apartment complex the morning of 9/11 and waited for an elevator before leaving again. We don't know for sure if it's her since we don't get a clear view of her face in the video. If it's her though, she wasn't carrying the bags from her Century 21 purchase. That fact makes me think it's not her, but I can't help but wonder what if it was?

One thing that doesn't often get mentioned is that it's possible that Sneha possibly came back to the apartment complex the morning of 9/11 and waited for an elevator before leaving again. We don't know for sure if it's her since we don't get a clear view of her face in the video. If it's her though, she wasn't carrying the bags from her Century 21 purchase. That fact makes me think it's not her, but I can't help but wonder what if it was?

I agree. I read where all you can really see is a silhouette but that the family said the person in the video had the same mannerisms. My first question would be, were residents of the building asked if it was them in the video? This was a high priority case. It seems like they would have left no stone unturned. But like you said, where were the bags? If that was Sneha in the video, I would say that she was having an affair and the stuff she bought (which included lingerie) were left at her significant others home.

The one thing I keep coming back to is the fact that Sneha would not have stayed out all night without telling someone. If she got drunk or high and passed out, then why not call your husband when you were on your way home?

A couple of things on this case:

1. Was Sneha officially listed as a victim of the 9/11 attacks permanently? I've read that she was and that her name was removed.
I haven't heard of her name being removed. It is visible in the park that stands on Ground Zero now. Wiki (great source, I know) mentions that this process required an appeal, as one judge did not find sufficient evidence to declare her a victim.


2. Common thought seems to be that she perished in the 9/11 attacks as she was rendering aid to the victims given her background as a medical professional. I don't want to sound rude or cold hearted, but I don't think we should just assume that because she was a doctor, she rushed into a burning building to help.

This is very valid and not heartless at all. She may well have been killed just by being in the vicinity.


3. Her husband, Ron, mentioned that when he returned home the night of 9/10/01, he was not surprised that Sneha was not home, even though it was around midnight. He mentioned that she would sometimes stay out late. This leads me to believe that she frequently stayed out late, either at a friends house or out partying/goofing off. There is also a report that she was chatting online with her mom around 5pm on 9/10/01 and mentioned that she was going to check out Windows on the World in tower 1. She does not mention a specific date or time that she will be doing this. For all we know, she went and visited it on 9/10/01. Some have drawn the conclusion that since she mentioned this to her mom, that she must have gone to visit the restaurant on the morning of 9/11/01. I find it hard to believe that she would stay out late or all night on 9/10/01 and then get up bright and early to visit the restaurant before the first plane hit at 8:46am.
It's too bad we'll never know. I'd like clarification about when she was going to check the restaurant out. We don't know how late she stayed up on 9/10 since we don't know where she was. She could have spent the night at the mystery woman's place without going to bed all that late.


4. Sneha was seen on video at Century 21 shopping with a female companion. Both of them are seen on the surveillance video carrying large bags as they exit the store. The bags have never been found and neither has this supposed companion of Sneha's. This was on 9/10/01. Those bags had to of been dropped off somewhere. Ron states that these were not left at their apartment in Battery Park. The attacks were the next day. I doubt Sneha ran into the buildings to help people while carrying these bags. Even if you take this companion out of the mix (as we all know how reliable eyewitness accounts are), the mystery of where the bags went is still there. If the companion is real, its possible she died in the attacks as well. Its also possible that she is alive and well and not coming forward. It's also possible that the person on the surveillance video that they suspect of being her companion, was just a random shopper.

This has crossed my mind as well. I wonder if Sneha stayed with this alleged friend for the night and then carried the bags to breakfast at the Windows of the World? That could explain why the bags were never found.


5. I do not believe Ron had anything to do with this.
Agree 100% about Ron. I always felt very bad for the guy.


6. Sneha may have very well died in the attacks but I think a lot of the reasoning (medical background, restaurant, etc.) is given without any proof that she actually did either of these things. I think we would all like to think of our family or loved ones as brave but who knows what went through her head on 9/11/01 or if she was even still alive. Couple this with the fact that Ron and Sneha's cousin both said in the segment that Sneha would never stay out all night without telling someone, it makes me believe she was either abducted/murdered on 9/10/01 or flat out disappeared on her own and had been planning to do this for some time.

I've always wondered about the theory of foul play happening on 9/10. This is a definite possibility, and one I wouldn't discount at all. The chaos of 9/11 may have an attacker out there very pleased with getting suspicion thrown off of him.

But as you say, there is so much speculation surrounding this case. Some people on reddit have mentioned postcards that say "People who knew me before 9/11 think I'm dead" or something like that and are theorizing that it was written by her. I feel the postcard is likely a hoax.

Honestly I don't look too far into the materialistic side. Her bags were probably somewhere among the rubble or abandoned somewhere along with everything else. Sept 10th she was probably enjoying herself letting loose on her day off doing what people do to unwind. Sept 11 was all about survival and I doubt people were thinking about what they did before that day (I.E. Witnesses that may have seen her). This was a devastating attack and people were in complete shock when the planes hit and then running for their lives when the towers fell. People were scattered around that area for days maybe months. I honestly do not think foul play was a factor and I Dont know about her having an affair, but you never know. All we can conclude is that they must have a had a loving and trusting relationship because he wasn't freaking by her being out late and he went through a lot of effort to find her. As far as her helping others etc I don't think that is far fetched. When we heard the stories from survivors basically there were people everywhere trying to escape with their lives, but also helping others at the same time. Not just the first responders...so given the fact that she was a doctor I can see why her family believes that she did help out. With that said we will never know what happened. Anything is possible it just stinks that her family will likely never know unless someone comes forward with information.

keep in mind the buildings did not collapse right away, it took a bit of time and a lot of people were cleared out by the NYPD. Unlikely she died when the buildings came down.

maybe she wanted to start a new life and met somebody else? A lot of people who study medicine get burned out. They still face real world problems and might not know how to cope.

keep in mind the buildings did not collapse right away, it took a bit of time and a lot of people were cleared out by the NYPD. Unlikely she died when the buildings came down.

maybe she wanted to start a new life and met somebody else? A lot of people who study medicine get burned out. They still face real world problems and might not know how to cope.
That sounds like a true Hollywood story. An attack like that happens right in front of your eyes where people are literally dying jumping out of bldgs but someone is going to stop and scheme a runaway with their lover? You could probably make a good movie off of that though. See the latest Pearl Harbor or titanic....but hey anything is possible. I read a story recently where a lady did runaway from it all only to be found decades later. I just find it hard to beieve someone would survive something that traumatic and just leave without reaching out to any family or friends for comfort. It doesn't add up. Watching it on tv is not the same as being in a war zone watching so many people die like that up close. No disrespect to your post just giving my thoughts.

As far as her having a secret affair I don't see the point in going down that road now. And if I were her husband or family member that would be difficult for me to read if I ever stumbled across these boards. IIRC UM did not bring it up? but I see the reason why it is brought up now. She was very successful and was attractive and she stayed out late.

I'll Argue against the affair theory. If her husband was flying off the handle sep 10 calling her and not able to contact her maybe then I'd suspect that she was doing something that was secretive. But that doesn't appear to be the case. I get the sense based off of watching the segment that they had a trusting relationship and in order to do that there has to be a lot of sincerity in a relationship. It doesn't mean there were not secrets or possible aspects that were left out...just going by what I saw and my opinion.

As far as her having a secret affair I don't see the point in going down that road now. And if I were her husband or family member that would be difficult for me to read if I ever stumbled across these boards. IIRC UM did not bring it up? but I see the reason why it is brought up now. She was very successful and was attractive and she stayed out late.

Her family is well aware of the theory. The NYPD investigation is what brought up the affair theory. They found "evidence" that concluded she had affairs with other women and I believe a few men. Her family denies this and called the entire investigation baseless.

No one on the boards is making up the affair theory.

I've always wondered about the theory of foul play happening on 9/10. This is a definite possibility, and one I wouldn't discount at all. The chaos of 9/11 may have an attacker out there very pleased with getting suspicion thrown off of him.

But as you say, there is so much speculation surrounding this case. Some people on reddit have mentioned postcards that say "People who knew me before 9/11 think I'm dead" or something like that and are theorizing that it was written by her. I feel the postcard is likely a hoax.

I wasn't aware of this postcard story. Do you have a link to it?

I just keep coming back to foul play because of the fact that her family was adamant that she would not have stayed out all night without telling someone. However, the silhouette of a woman in the lobby of the building her and Ron lived in, is somewhat credible. Especially if her family believes that the woman displayed some of the same mannerisms. But if it was her, where were the bags of clothes/bed linens she had just purchased?

http://postsecretcollection.com/PostCards/1d06bb190182437fa8094d61b47006f7/Everyone-who-knew-me-before-9-11-believes-im-dead

http://postsecretcollection.com/PostCards/1d06bb190182437fa8094d61b47006f7/Everyone-who-knew-me-before-9-11-believes-im-dead

What makes people believe that it came from Sneha?

Her family is well aware of the theory. The NYPD investigation is what brought up the affair theory. They found "evidence" that concluded she had affairs with other women and I believe a few men. Her family denies this and called the entire investigation baseless.

No one on the boards is making up the affair theory.
I had not heard that until now. That must be tough for her family to hear that.

Sorry about the Astros I'm a huge Rangers supporter.

Sorry about the Astros I'm a huge Rangers supporter.


I hate you.

I hate you.
I deserve that.

What makes people believe that it came from Sneha?
Because she's one of the missing who vanished the day before and wasn't proven to be in the vicinity at the time of the attacks, it seems like people believe she's a viable candidate.

Personally, I don't think anyone who would use the attacks as a way to fake their death would risk sending a postcard like that. It sounds like a hoax to get people riled up and speculating.

Because she's one of the missing who vanished the day before and wasn't proven to be in the vicinity at the time of the attacks, it seems like people believe she's a viable candidate.

Personally, I don't think anyone who would use the attacks as a way to fake their death would risk sending a postcard like that. It sounds like a hoax to get people riled up and speculating.

Where was the post card sent?

Where was the post card sent?
The postcard was sent to the PostSecret website creator. He has the address on his website for people to anonymously mail in postcards with secrets.

http://postsecret.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PostSecret

That sounds like a true Hollywood story. An attack like that happens right in front of your eyes where people are literally dying jumping out of bldgs but someone is going to stop and scheme a runaway with their lover? You could probably make a good movie off of that though. See the latest Pearl Harbor or titanic....but hey anything is possible. I read a story recently where a lady did runaway from it all only to be found decades later. I just find it hard to beieve someone would survive something that traumatic and just leave without reaching out to any family or friends for comfort. It doesn't add up. Watching it on tv is not the same as being in a war zone watching so many people die like that up close. No disrespect to your post just giving my thoughts.

I meant she might have ran away with a lover the day before not during the attacks. I think suicide is the most likely. Most Indians (Iam one to) get into the medical field for money- not some sorta calling to help humanity so I do not buy the helping theory. By all accounts she was depressed and had alcohol problems- never a good combo. Her skills as a doctor were questionable to.

I meant she might have ran away with a lover the day before not during the attacks. I think suicide is the most likely. Most Indians (Iam one to) get into the medical field for money- not some sorta calling to help humanity so I do not buy the helping theory. By all accounts she was depressed and had alcohol problems- never a good combo. Her skills as a doctor were questionable to.
If she had depression combined with alcoholism suicide is possible. It is strange that she never once called anyone. It is also odd that a body was never found if she did die on the eve of the attacks and stayed in that area. But I find it equally strange that if she left the area and was alive that she would not have contacted her family after such a tragic event. I would be interested to know what happened to everything in and around that area in the aftermath. So many people cleared out I wonder how they cleared the other establishments in that area after the towers collapsed. I guess if she left the area the night before with someone it's possible that she met with foul play somewhere else and someone used the attacks to their advantage cover up their crime.

Most Indians (Iam one to) get into the medical field for money- not some sorta calling to help humanity so I do not buy the helping theory. By all accounts she was depressed and had alcohol problems- never a good combo. Her skills as a doctor were questionable to.

I don't discount that something might have happened to her the evening of the 10th, but her heading to the Wtc complex to observe/help out or going to the restaurant on the 11th (the apt. building video, if it is her, lends more credence to a spur of the moment decision) is the most logical explanation imo. Just like Fernando Molinar, who told his family that he was starting work in a restaurant near the trade center: there's no concrete evidence that he was there, but it's the likeliest scenario. Nothing strongly indicates that Sneha was orchestrating a disappearance, she was already staying out overnights and not calling her husband. It's not uncommon for medical professionals to have substance abuse problems and getting kicked out of her residency at Cabrini didn't mean that her career was over.

I think that Sneha's character, like most people's, was somewhere between her family's depiction of a heroic doctor simply going through a rough patch and the guardian ad litem report of an out of control, promiscuous alcoholic who was damaging both her career and her marriage. Her brother John lied about being on the phone with her that day, which probably didn't help matters with investigators. Some of the information in the report was credible but there was also hearsay and sensationalizing (the description of her patronizing 'rough' and 'raunchy' bars). Someone having problems in their personal and professional lives can still be a victim of unforeseen circumstances.

Her brother John lied about being on the phone with her that day, which probably didn't help matters with investigators. Some of the information in the report was credible but there was also hearsay and sensationalizing (the description of her patronizing 'rough' and 'raunchy' bars). Someone having problems in their personal and professional lives can still be a victim of unforeseen circumstances.

What did he lie about and where did you read this at? Not discounting what you're saying, I'm just curious. Also, I'm curious which leads the police came up with were credible?

I don't think she left voluntarily to start a new life. If that's the case, wouldn't you wait until you're in your new destination before buying clothes and bedsheets? Buying them the day before just means you have more stuff to pack.

What did he lie about and where did you read this at? Not discounting what you're saying, I'm just curious. Also, I'm curious which leads the police came up with were credible?

I don't think she left voluntarily to start a new life. If that's the case, wouldn't you wait until you're in your new destination before buying clothes and bedsheets? Buying them the day before just means you have more stuff to pack.

I don't think she ran off to start a new life either, but it's possible that she left her purchases at a friend's home, potentially someone her family didn't know about. Her brother lying about talking on the phone with Sneha on the 11th comes from the New York Magazine article (http://nymag.com/news/features/17336/index1.html) about her disappearance:

John took it one step further. Although he had been fighting with Sneha and had not spoken with her in two weeks, he concocted a scenario of her final moments, live on WABC. Staring mournfully into the camera, he said, “I was on the phone with her, and she told me she couldn’t leave because people were hurt. She said, ‘I have to help this person,’ and that’s the last thing I heard from her.”

The lie worked, and WABC ran a picture of the flyer. But no leads were uncovered, no witnesses found. As time passed, John began to worry that he had led investigators down the wrong path, preventing her from being found. “Maybe if I didn’t do it . . . maybe it would have gone another way,” he told me. “It became a hero story.”

As far as the information in the GAL report (which I'm unable to find), it was true that she lost her residency at Cabrini due to substance abuse and attendance issues, patronized lesbian oriented bars and filed a complaint against another resident, after he allegedly groped her at a bar (which eventually led to her arrest when she refused to retract her statements to police). The information about the infidelity and fight at the courthouse might be accurate, but it's still hearsay. No one who socialized with her at the bars, her brother John's girlfriend or the woman who might have been seen with her on the 10th has ever came forward to substantiate those claims. Still, I think her family were in denial or omitting information about her (claiming that she was let go from her residency due to racial bias, rather than for her alcohol/attendance issues).

I don't think she ran off to start a new life either, but it's possible that she left her purchases at a friend's home, potentially someone her family didn't know about. Her brother lying about talking on the phone with Sneha on the 11th comes from the New York Magazine article (http://nymag.com/news/features/17336/index1.html) about her disappearance:



As far as the information in the GAL report (which I'm unable to find), it was true that she lost her residency at Cabrini due to substance abuse and attendance issues, patronized lesbian oriented bars and filed a complaint against another resident, after he allegedly groped her at a bar (which eventually led to her arrest when she refused to retract her statements to police). The information about the infidelity and fight at the courthouse might be accurate, but it's still hearsay. No one who socialized with her at the bars, her brother John's girlfriend or the woman who might have been seen with her on the 10th has ever came forward to substantiate those claims. Still, I think her family were in denial or omitting information about her (claiming that she was let go from her residency due to racial bias, rather than for her alcohol/attendance issues).

Thanks for passing this along. I agree with you on her family being either in denial or just wanting to paint her in a positive light.

The big thing for me, as you pointed out, is that no one has come forward. I figured the person she was supposedly with at Century 21 would, but that person never did. I don't think that person was ever fully tied to Sneha. Yes, they walk out of the store next to each other, but we all do that with random strangers all the time.

I found the following passage in the link that soilentgreen posted in post #74:

Resolving to talk to Sneha once more about her habit of staying out all night without checking in, he sleepily made his way to the Bowling Green subway station, where he caught an uptown 5 train in time for his 8 A.M. meeting at Jacobi in the Bronx.

So apparently, Sneha DID indeed make it a habit to stay out all night without telling a friend or family member. This goes against what her family said in the segment. I'll try not to be too judgmental with what I'm about to say but given her brother John's lie about speaking with her and her sister on the UM segment, saying that Sneha would never stay out all night without telling someone, it sure seems that this family said whatever they wanted about Sneha, even if it were a complete lie.

I found the following passage in the link that soilentgreen posted in post #74:

Resolving to talk to Sneha once more about her habit of staying out all night without checking in, he sleepily made his way to the Bowling Green subway station, where he caught an uptown 5 train in time for his 8 A.M. meeting at Jacobi in the Bronx.

So apparently, Sneha DID indeed make it a habit to stay out all night without telling a friend or family member. This goes against what her family said in the segment. I'll try not to be too judgmental with what I'm about to say but given her brother John's lie about speaking with her and her sister on the UM segment, saying that Sneha would never stay out all night without telling someone, it sure seems that this family said whatever they wanted about Sneha, even if it were a complete lie.
Based on the fact that her husband was not alarmed by her being out so late I would not be surprised by that if it were true. It doesn't make her less of a victim whether or not she died in the attacks or was a victim of foul play.

Based on the fact that her husband was not alarmed by her being out so late I would not be surprised by that if it were true. It doesn't make her less of a victim whether or not she died in the attacks or was a victim of foul play.

I agree. I just think it makes this case difficult to solve due to all the lies/untruths her family has told.

I just re-watched this one when I was binging PlutoTV this weekend...

I still believe Sneha died somewhere on the WTC site. I know there was attention brought to her recent purchases from the store, but I’m going to venture a guess that she left those bags at the home of the unknown companion. I believe the unknown companion likely died in the attacks, too, which would explain why they were not accounted for...

I just re-watched this one when I was binging PlutoTV this weekend...

I still believe Sneha died somewhere on the WTC site. I know there was attention brought to her recent purchases from the store, but I’m going to venture a guess that she left those bags at the home of the unknown companion. I believe the unknown companion likely died in the attacks, too, which would explain why they were not accounted for...

I think they also could have been completely destroyed had she been in the WTC. I know it's been speculated that Sneha could have been dining at Windows on the World restaurant because of comments she had made prior to her disappearance. No one in the restaurant at the time of impact survived. The bottom line is that this attack was so catastrophic, if she was in the WTC, I could see all traces of her presence being destroyed.

I don't entirely discount that something bad could have happened to her on 9/10, but I really lean toward the WTC theory. And I find it much more likely that she was in the WTC dining than that she ran in to help. And I could totally see her companion being one of the victims as well, which is why she has never come forward.

I know cell phones were becoming more popular in 2001, but Sneha didn't have one according to sources I've seen online. Imagine if she had and had texted her family of her of her whereabouts or at the least the phone could have been pinged? The mystery might be solved--at least partially--right there. I feel terrible for her family, as they have to deal with the void of not knowing for sure what has happened to her.

I think they also could have been completely destroyed had she been in the WTC. I know it's been speculated that Sneha could have been dining at Windows on the World restaurant because of comments she had made prior to her disappearance. No one in the restaurant at the time of impact survived. The bottom line is that this attack was so catastrophic, if she was in the WTC, I could see all traces of her presence being destroyed.

I don't entirely discount that something bad could have happened to her on 9/10, but I really lean toward the WTC theory. And I find it much more likely that she was in the WTC dining than that she ran in to help. And I could totally see her companion being one of the victims as well, which is why she has never come forward.

I know cell phones were becoming more popular in 2001, but Sneha didn't have one according to sources I've seen online. Imagine if she had and had texted her family of her of her whereabouts or at the least the phone could have been pinged? The mystery might be solved--at least partially--right there. I feel terrible for her family, as they have to deal with the void of not knowing for sure what has happened to her.

This case always intrigued me. I also believe she was in the WTC but as for her companion who was with her the on the 10th .. I know this is a bit tough but I wonder if there is a woman that meets her description that is a missing person. I know the NYPD was probably slammed at this time but if she was with Sneha, there has to be another family looking for her as well.

This case always intrigued me. I also believe she was in the WTC but as for her companion who was with her the on the 10th .. I know this is a bit tough but I wonder if there is a woman that meets her description that is a missing person. I know the NYPD was probably slammed at this time but if she was with Sneha, there has to be another family looking for her as well.

Have I welcomed you yet? If so, ignore me. If not, hi! Welcome! :wave:

You make a good point about the companion. I wonder if authorities were ever able to identify the mystery woman. I’m guessing not. But then, as you said, if she also perished in the attacks, did she have anyone looking for her?

I don't entirely discount that something bad could have happened to her on 9/10, but I really lean toward the WTC theory.

If she was murdered by some psycho on September 10th, I would loathe the thought of one of the biggest American tragedies being the perfect coverup for his crime. With the country in complete chaos and in a panic on the 11th, nobody would be investigating a missing person from several hours earlier. It could literally be a get out of jail free card for a killer.

I feel terrible for her family, as they have to deal with the void of not knowing for sure what has happened to her.

What her family has gone through, I wouldn't wish on anyone. Can you imagine the horror of seeing what was going on in NYC and not knowing for sure if your loved one was somewhere in there or not?

Another very dark path would be her choosing to hide away somewhere and letting her family think she was dead somewhere in the rubble, which would be beyond evil. But while she sounded irresponsible, I don't know if she would have had it in her to be THAT cruel.

Since this is the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I thought I'd bump this thread. I think that Sneha, and whoever she spent the night of 9/10 with, went to the Towers for breakfast that morning, and unfortunately died in the attacks.

I saw this episode again last week on HULU. That is another possibility of what could’ve happened to her.

Since this is the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I thought I'd bump this thread. I think that Sneha, and whoever she spent the night of 9/10 with, went to the Towers for breakfast that morning, and unfortunately died in the attacks.

I do believe this is the most likely scenario. She had allegedly mentioned wanting to go to Windows on the World, and no one in the restaurant at the time of impact survived. The restaurant was open to both general patrons and a conference that morning, so she could have been there.

I don't really buy the theory that she ran in to help people. Yes, she was a physician, but plenty of people outside were hurt that she would have been more likely to aid.

I also don't believe the "ran off to start a new life" theory. A lot of people speculate that because of issues in her life, she saw the attacks as a great excuse to fake her death. This would have been nearly impossible without detection. Running off to start a new life takes money and a great deal of effort/luck. I doubt that's the case here.

I still don't entirely discount that something bad happened to her on 9/10, but I do lean toward her being in the WTC at the time of impact. Had the attacks not occurred, her whereabouts on the morning of 9/11 and evening prior might not have been so mysterious at all. She could have been with a friend who also perished in the attacks--we just don't know because of how catastrophic the scene was.

They are still identifying remains all these years later. Hopefully someday Sneha's family will get a call that at least ends the void of not knowing.

It's an interesting case, and although i'm an avid UM viewer, i only heard about this case on the trace evidence podcast. A lot of people seem to think she was living a secret life, her marriage was already a pretence and she was spending most nights at gay bars and bringing women home, theres so many cases on UM where you get the sensation that if people were more honest about their loved ones then certain paths could be gone down, making cases more solvable.

But does her "secret" life affect her disappearence? i dunno, i think a theory a lot of people have is that she used 911 has some kind of smoke screen to be able to runaway and start another life. but it happened all so quickly, wouldn't she have had to plan something? and why is there no trail? her credit cards and bank accounts show no activity, how would she make a living? a doctor, which she was, would need a lot of ID to get work, something which would give her identity away, and with the case being big enough to be on UM....

Some people say she would have been too inteligent to go running into the towers, and i agree, she wasn't a firefighter, she was a doctor, but the twin towers were much more than offices, there were shops, restaurants... she could have had breakfast there, or even been trying to help people as they were brought out of the towers. hundreds of people were brought out with limbs missing, burns....

While helping people lets say in the lobby or outside, could one of the towers have came down on top of her? in a weird way it's sort of romantic to imagine her quietly leaving NY starting another life, it appeals to anyone who really loves what UM is all about. But the fact she just happened to go missing on 911, living very very close to the towers, being a doctor, leaving no trail on her bank accounts, credit cards, leaving a job she loved and never could have resumed with a fake identity.

It's too improbable, too much of a stretch, i'd have to say she somehow died in the towers, if she was in there doing something or tried to help people as they were brought out. thats the only realistic scenario.

I still don't entirely discount that something bad happened to her on 9/10, but I do lean toward her being in the WTC at the time of impact. Had the attacks not occurred, her whereabouts on the morning of 9/11 and evening prior might not have been so mysterious at all. She could have been with a friend who also perished in the attacks--we just don't know because of how catastrophic the scene was.
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Yeah, thats the thing, I also don't believe that she used 9-11 as some smoke screen to runaway, it doesn't make sense. but NY is and always has been a relatively dangerous city. people get murdered, people can get murdered the same day or the day before a terrorist attack. with the 911 terror attacks this case could be looked at very differently. according to a statistics website theres pretty much just over a homicide everyday in NY. and she could have been one of those, or maybe she ran over to the towers when she heard what had happened, and tried assisting people who were brought out, then the towers came down..

We'll never know, but i'd say it's more than likely she died in or around the towers.

... but NY is and always has been a relatively dangerous city. people get murdered, people can get murdered the same day or the day before a terrorist attack.s.


From the mid 60s to the early 90s, NYC was a dangerous city. By 2001, it was about the safest big city in the US.

Its impossible to say what happened to Sneda. There IS however, a definite unsolved homicide from NYC on 9/11 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Henryk_Siwiak) - police resources obviously being required elsewhere that day.

Since this is the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, I thought I'd bump this thread. I think that Sneha, and whoever she spent the night of 9/10 with, went to the Towers for breakfast that morning, and unfortunately died in the attacks.

Wouldn't they have found trace DNA evidence of her like they did the other victims?

Wouldn't they have found trace DNA evidence of her like they did the other victims?

There are still about 40% of the victims of 9/11 that have yet to be identified or any trace of them found.

I also think Sneha probably died in the Towers

The assistant at the Century 21 store said that Sneha was with another Asian woman

Maybe Sneha's companion worked in the towers and they went for breakfast in Windows of the World together before she started her shift in the office ?

So her companion could be in this list somewhere..
https://www.indiaabroad.com/indian-americans/memorializing-south-asians-who-died-in-the-twin-towers-and-beyond/article_810c6d52-b644-11e8-9661-7f30a79c34fd.html

I also think Sneha probably died in the Towers

The assistant at the Century 21 store said that Sneha was with another Asian woman

Maybe Sneha's companion worked in the towers and they went for breakfast in Windows of the World together before she started her shift in the office ?




I watched a documentary recently on 9-11 and one of the firefighters says that a lot of people who evacuated the towers actually on escaping the buildings were killed by being hit by things coming down on them, and not a few people, but hundreds.

A lot of people say that Shenha wouldn't have entered into the towers, knowing she couldn't have helped people, and although i agree she could have been having breakfast in the towers or something similar. But she also could have rushed to scene to help people there, not inside but in the streets below, i think too many people underestimate how many people were actually killed outside the towers.

Good point about the possibility of being killed outdoors from the collapsing tower.

I watched a documentary recently on 9-11 and one of the firefighters says that a lot of people who evacuated the towers actually on escaping the buildings were killed by being hit by things coming down on them, and not a few people, but hundreds.

A lot of people say that Shenha wouldn't have entered into the towers, knowing she couldn't have helped people, and although i agree she could have been having breakfast in the towers or something similar. But she also could have rushed to scene to help people there, not inside but in the streets below, i think too many people underestimate how many people were actually killed outside the towers.

Yep, I could never understand why people were rushing toward it & going there in the aftermath-not only as you say the danger of a building collapsing meaning you are liable to be hit by falling building materials & things inside the building like desks, chairs, filing cabinets etc, but also the long-term problems to the lungs from things used in its construction like asbestos, fibre glass & of course dust that is going to be pouring out & staying in the atmosphere for ages. If I was anywhere near that it would either be stay indoors with all windows shut, or get your essentials together fast, jump in your car & get as far away as possible.

I suspect the final death toll from Mesothelioma & other COPD problems in the decades to come will be huge-no doubt this has been the case for other fires like the MGM Grand fire of 1980.

Maybe Sneha's companion worked in the towers and they went for breakfast in Windows of the World together

I never thought of this possibility. I have always kind of leaned more toward thinking she probably wasn't there, but this....this is extraordinarily plausible. The companion needn't even have worked in the towers. They could've just decided to go there for breakfast.

Yep, I could never understand why people were rushing toward it & going there in the aftermath-not only as you say the danger of a building collapsing meaning you are liable to be hit by falling building materials & things inside the building like desks, chairs, filing cabinets etc, but also the long-term problems to the lungs from things used in its construction like asbestos, fibre glass & of course dust that is going to be pouring out & staying in the atmosphere for ages. If I was anywhere near that it would either be stay indoors with all windows shut, or get your essentials together fast, jump in your car & get as far away as possible.

I suspect the final death toll from Mesothelioma & other COPD problems in the decades to come will be huge-no doubt this has been the case for other fires like the MGM Grand fire of 1980.

Well.. Remember.. Noone REALLY thought the towers would come down. And yesm there were a number of people killed by falling debris and people. The FDNY Chaplain was one of them.. Mike Judge, I think was his name.

I never thought of this possibility. I have always kind of leaned more toward thinking she probably wasn't there, but this....this is extraordinarily plausible. The companion needn't even have worked in the towers. They could've just decided to go there for breakfast.

There's good arguments that can be made in many different directions on this. I mean, arguments that she was abducted/killed, died in the collapse.. All of them are, in my mind at least.. Equally valid.

Well.. Remember.. Noone REALLY thought the towers would come down. And yesm there were a number of people killed by falling debris and people. The FDNY Chaplain was one of them.. Mike Judge, I think was his name.



There's good arguments that can be made in many different directions on this. I mean, arguments that she was abducted/killed, died in the collapse.. All of them are, in my mind at least.. Equally valid.

Unfortunately two planes full of fuel, being flown at high velocity is going to collapse any building-it is like calling a building bomb or tank proof.

There's good arguments that can be made in many different directions on this. I mean, arguments that she was abducted/killed, died in the collapse.. All of them are, in my mind at least.. Equally valid.

No, I wholeheartedly agree. Whatever happened, though, it's terrible that her loved ones don't have definite closure. :(

Unfortunately two planes full of fuel, being flown at high velocity is going to collapse any building-it is like calling a building bomb or tank proof.

I'm, of course, speaking towards the day. You wouldn't have had 300+ firemen in the building if they thought the collapse was imminent.

I'm assuming all of us here were old enough to fully comprehend that day when it happened.. After all, we're all discussing cases from an 80's and 90's TV show.

But, everyone was shocked when the first tower came down. Maybe not overall that a collapse happened, but how quickly it did and how total it was..

Most people, other than structural engineers thought that the impact floors and above had a chance of collapse, but the entire buildings pancaking like they did and as quickly as they did.. I think took most everyone totally by surprise.

I'm, of course, speaking towards the day. You wouldn't have had 300+ firemen in the building if they thought the collapse was imminent.

I'm assuming all of us here were old enough to fully comprehend that day when it happened.. After all, we're all discussing cases from an 80's and 90's TV show.

But, everyone was shocked when the first tower came down. Maybe not overall that a collapse happened, but how quickly it did and how total it was..

Most people, other than structural engineers thought that the impact floors and above had a chance of collapse, but the entire buildings pancaking like they did and as quickly as they did.. I think took most everyone totally by surprise.

It was hard for me to gauge it-because I was at work when it happened & somebody from the floor below came up to tell us around 2 PM UK time-I thought it was somebody had lost control, then she came up again not long after to say another plane had hit. Got home around 4.30 & was watching it on the news, so time was kind of a blur. Not remotely surprised it came down though-even as a 25 year old I couldn't believe somebody had actually sold a building as being resistant to a 707 flying into it, or that anybody in power bought into that.

I just re-watched this one when I was binging PlutoTV this weekend...

I still believe Sneha died somewhere on the WTC site. I know there was attention brought to her recent purchases from the store, but I’m going to venture a guess that she left those bags at the home of the unknown companion. I believe the unknown companion likely died in the attacks, too, which would explain why they were not accounted for...

I've always thought the same thing. It would explain why her purchases are unaccounted for and why no one has come forward with an explanation of their time with Sneha, even after all these years.

With the 20-year anniversary of 9/11 rapidly approaching, I thought I would recommend the podcast "Missing on 9/11" by Jon Walczak. I'm about halfway through the series and it's all about the disappearance of Sneha Philip.

The podcast is pretty good, and some interesting elements brought up so far include:

-The host interviews Sneha's old boss at Cabrini Hospital (the workplace that basically fired her, i.e. did not renew her contract). The boss says that Sneha absolutely did not want to be a doctor, behaved very inappropriately and erratically, and the boss also says that she believes Sneha ran off to start a new life. She said Sneha was brilliant and manipulative and that if anyone could accomplish such a thing, it would be Sneha.

-Sneha and her husband at the time, Ron, lived REALLY close to the WTC. It is mentioned at one point in the podcast that parts of debris were actually found inside that apartment building (presumably it came flying in through a window or something). As a result, it's certainly not hard to imagine someone getting injured standing around outside that apartment building on 9/11.

-The NYPD detective who worked Sneha's case is interviewed, and it's very clear he did not investigate the case very well. He seems disinterested, almost lazy, and basically assumes Sneha died on 9/11 as a result of the terror attacks.

*Re: the detective: obviously his investigation happened 20 years ago so I wouldn't expect him to remember every tiny detail, but if you listen I think it's pretty clear he didn't do a very thorough job, especially considering it did eventually become a relatively high-profile case.

-Sneha's brother is caught lying several times about Sneha. First, he mentioned to a TV news crew that Sneha was in the towers (he later admits he made this up to get her name on the news...seems legit, to an extent). However, he also lied and said he was never interviewed by the detective investigating Sneha's case. The podcast host, though, says that he has the NYPD report that indicates that Sneha's brother did indeed have an interview with the detective. (Also: this is one of the few parts where the detective "perks up" and says pretty adamantly that he did interview Sneha's brother.)

This podcast is pretty addicting and I definitely recommend it for anyone interested in this case!

Thanks!!! Bout to listen to this now

Making a second post for non-podcast thoughts on this case:

I'm in the camp of "totally unsure" if she died as a result of the WTC attacks, or if she's even dead at all -- which is why I find this case so fascinating.

I do believe one thing: that she did not run into the towers after either plane struck.

The first plane struck at 8:46am. The second plane struck at 9:03am. That is 17 minutes of people believing that the first plane was just an accident and 17 minutes before the real terror/hysteria kicked-in. Assuming no one in their right mind was running into the towers after the second plane hit, Sneha still would have had a short window of time (less than 20 minutes) to execute her family's "hero narrative" of rushing into the first tower to render aid at the site of a presumed accident.

We don't have any solid evidence she was in the area on the morning of 9/11. We do know she was not happy being a doctor, she was essentially fired from one hospital and she did not spend her free time volunteering with medically-related projects. In other words she was clearly not super into the whole medical thing. To me, this points away from the "rushing into the towers/hero narrative" as a likely theory (though certainly not impossible.)

When I found out how close her apartment was to the WTC, I could see how she could have easily been struck by debris, maybe if she was lingering around outside her apartment building. Maybe she came home from a hookup the night before, went outside to see the spectacle, and was struck by debris.

However, we still don't know if she was even in that general area on the morning of 9/11 because we have no idea where she was the night of 9/10.

Do we know if Sneha was scheduled to work the morning of 9/11? Was she normally an early riser or someone who slept in if they did not have to work that day?

Do we know how many people died on the ground in Manhattan who were not in the towers when they collapsed?

Do we know if there are any other missing residents of Manhattan who were not in the towers when they collapsed?

Do we know the approximate "radius" of the falling debris?

So intrigued by this segment!

If she was in one of the buildings or very close to them I think one day her remains will be identified. Something like 40% of the human remains recovered from ground zero have yet to be identified.

With the 20-year anniversary of 9/11 rapidly approaching, I thought I would recommend the podcast "Missing on 9/11" by Jon Walczak. I'm about halfway through the series and it's all about the disappearance of Sneha Philip.

The podcast is pretty good, and some interesting elements brought up so far include:

-The host interviews Sneha's old boss at Cabrini Hospital (the workplace that basically fired her, i.e. did not renew her contract). The boss says that Sneha absolutely did not want to be a doctor, behaved very inappropriately and erratically, and the boss also says that she believes Sneha ran off to start a new life. She said Sneha was brilliant and manipulative and that if anyone could accomplish such a thing, it would be Sneha.

-Sneha and her husband at the time, Ron, lived REALLY close to the WTC. It is mentioned at one point in the podcast that parts of debris were actually found inside that apartment building (presumably it came flying in through a window or something). As a result, it's certainly not hard to imagine someone getting injured standing around outside that apartment building on 9/11.

-The NYPD detective who worked Sneha's case is interviewed, and it's very clear he did not investigate the case very well. He seems disinterested, almost lazy, and basically assumes Sneha died on 9/11 as a result of the terror attacks.

*Re: the detective: obviously his investigation happened 20 years ago so I wouldn't expect him to remember every tiny detail, but if you listen I think it's pretty clear he didn't do a very thorough job, especially considering it did eventually become a relatively high-profile case.

-Sneha's brother is caught lying several times about Sneha. First, he mentioned to a TV news crew that Sneha was in the towers (he later admits he made this up to get her name on the news...seems legit, to an extent). However, he also lied and said he was never interviewed by the detective investigating Sneha's case. The podcast host, though, says that he has the NYPD report that indicates that Sneha's brother did indeed have an interview with the detective. (Also: this is one of the few parts where the detective "perks up" and says pretty adamantly that he did interview Sneha's brother.)

This podcast is pretty addicting and I definitely recommend it for anyone interested in this case!

I listen to the first episode of the podcast last night, great episode. A lot of details so far, I never knew. Also, never knew Century 21 was an actual clothing store, I only know it as a Real Estate company lol

Also, never knew Century 21 was an actual clothing store, I only know it as a Real Estate company lol

I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't know that until this case :lol:

Part 1 of my thoughts/opinions on the SP missing persons case:

I heard about the SP case earlier this year via the S12 UM segment & "Trace Evidence" podcast. Very poignant & unsettling, given that she "vanished" right before the 9/11 attacks & the search for her was complicated by the horrific events of that day & the subsequent days that followed.

This is one of these few cases that has really gotten under my skin:

1) Yes, IMHO it's extremely likely that she died as either a direct result of the 9/11 attacks, or the aftermath. Even 20 years later, I believe there are still people that are missing & are presumed still lost in the debris that occurred as a result of the attacks.

2) There's also a slight possibility she met with foul play the day before the attacks (9/10), and for whatever reason the body still hasn't been found.

3) Who was the female friend that SP was seen with at a clothing/shoe store on 9/10?! A store clerk saw them together. I wonder if authorities ever tried to track her down?! Probably not. And, without a name - it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

4) If SP had been injured (but not killed) during the 9/11 attacks, is it possible she experienced head trauma/amnesia as a result, which would explain why she didn't contact anyone?! However, if this had happened - you would think that a hospital, etc. would eventually have been able to track down her friends/family members - after all, it's been 20 years.

5) Conversely, if SP was planning on "starting a new life" somewhere & survived the 9/11 attacks, I find it unlikely that she wouldn't have eventually contacted those closest to her to at least let them know she was OK. Yes, she seemed to be having problems/issues prior to her disappearance. But, would she have left everything behind & not let anyone in her family/circle of friends know if she was alive or dead?! I guess it's possible, but I still find it extremely unlikely.

I saw one conspiracy theory on YouTube a long time ago, that she was part of the 9/11 attacks. That’s crazy… right???

Part 2:

The Trace Evidence" podcast was excellent. Excellent research & observations made here, which have given me a lot more insight into this case:

1) What I find interesting (but ultimately may not mean much) is that SP did buy some bed linens & other clothes?! at a store on 9/10. However, these items were not found in RL & SP's apartment later. So, presumably they were somewhere else - possibly she brought them back to the place of the woman she was seen in the clothing store with?! Again, who was this woman?!

2) Also interesting are the additional details re: RL & SP's marriage. RL said that he would frequently come home from work & SP was not there, but that he wasn't worried about it because she would typically be staying with friends/family. This is why he wasn't too worried about her not being home the evening of 9/10, because this had happened before (possibly on a regular basis). This may not mean much, or it may mean that she was dissatisfied in the marriage & her evening absences may have been a prelude to her leaving him.

3) The issue I have with the idea that she just "skipped town" is one of timing. I.e., the podcast mentioned that the last time she was "seen" was when cameras captured her leaving her apartment on 9/10 - IIRC, it was in the evening. So, if this is correct - then she was still in NYC the evening of 9/10. And, if she was planning on leaving town (with her friend that she was seen with, or alone) - she would needed to have left that evening (or at the latest, very early the next morning) to have avoided the chaos that occurred on 9/11. Sure, it's possible this is what happened - but I don't find it probable.

4) So, discounting the possibility that she met with foul play the evening of 9/10 - I find it much more likely that she was still in NYC on 9/11 (possibly preparing to leave soon) and unfortunately got caught up in the chaos of what happened that day. It's even possible she was in one of the buildings that got hit.

I saw one conspiracy theory on YouTube a long time ago, that she was part of the 9/11 attacks. That’s crazy… right???

Yes, it's a ludicrous theory. I do believe that SP is one of many that died as a result of the 9/11 attacks - either directly or indirectly. That's the most reasonable explanation as to why she hasn't turned up since that time.

I saw one conspiracy theory on YouTube a long time ago, that she was part of the 9/11 attacks. That’s crazy… right???

Just goes to show you exactly how ridiculous these conspiracy theorists are :rolleyes:

I saw one conspiracy theory on YouTube a long time ago, that she was part of the 9/11 attacks. That’s crazy… right???

Straight up racism.

Straight up racism.

You are 100% correct. People should be ashamed for even suggesting this. She was born in India and was an American citizen, so why would this even be implied? It wouldn't if she were a white woman.

With the 20-year anniversary of 9/11 rapidly approaching, I thought I would recommend the podcast "Missing on 9/11" by Jon Walczak. I'm about halfway through the series and it's all about the disappearance of Sneha Philip.

Thanks for recommending this! It was a really good podcast. It wondered a bit, especially in the last few episodes, but it was still interesting. I'm glad I listened to it, so thank you SheRaaa.

To expand on what others have said:

- Her one brother not only lied, but it's pretty clear he is covering something up and not sharing all he knows. The part where he said he went to dinner with his girlfriend and Sneha and then refused to say what they did after is a RED FLAG. I said out loud, "Wait... WHAT THE HELL?" This is the same girlfriend that he apparently caught having sex with Sneha, but then tried to deny he said it.

- The same brother lied about ever talking to the police. Why? What is the point of denying something so obviously verifiable?

- I have the feeling her brother knows something about where Sneha was on 9/10. The fact that she bought LINGERIE and SHEETS makes me think she had a romantic encounter planned, and it may well have been with the girlfriend. Sneha was also somewhat dressed up and not just in casual "errand running" clothes. I don't necessarily think her brother's info is nefarious (as in, she may have left that night) but I think the brother is covering up to save face.

- She obviously had alcohol and drug issues. I think this is glossed over way too easily. She could have gone to buy drugs and something went wrong, or she could have ODed. Doesn't explain why her body wasn't found, but I think this got blown off without enough thought.

- Her relationship with her husband was odd and strained. You could tell from his testimony that he was really bugged by her staying out all night and him not knowing where she was (who wouldn't be?!?). They also had a blow up earlier on 9/10 at court. She may have been looking to blow off steam and didn't seem to give two craps about Ron at that point.

- I did think the podcast host did a good job of debunking the probability that she went to help as a doctor at ground zero. She was a mediocre doctor at the time and she didn't seem to like it. Even if she went to help, I don't think she would have ever been in the WTC buildings or in the immediate fall zone. If she was killed by the collapse, it's far more likely she was just there watching or in the wrong place at the wrong time.

- I've always been bugged by the fact that she was ultimately included as a 9/11 victim (or "hero" as her family says). While it's very likely she was killed at the WTC, there is ZERO evidence she was anywhere near that area on 9/11. It's just as likely she was many blocks away. You can't prove a negative, so I'm really surprised they defaulted to this. It's really odd.

- I don't think she ran off to start a new life. But it is very possible she got caught up with someone else who did her harm, and/or she ODed and her body was dumped somewhere nowhere near the WTC.

- I'm bothered by Ron not remembering that he called his cell from the home phone at 4am. First, you'd remember doing that, especially if you were worried about your wife. Even in 2001, when phones were basic, you could tell you had a message by looking at the phone. Why would you need to call it? That whole story is just really odd.

I think her family has more info they are not sharing, or suspects something that they are not sharing. It's probably just easier for them to have her remembered as a hero than what she really was. (I don't think she was a bad person -- but I definitely think she was going through some bad stuff and was likely bipolar.)

This ranks up there with Jon Benet Ramsey for cases where there is evidence that could go either way, and nothing that really proves it conclusively. I think the fact that she was obviously with someone or going to see someone on 9/10 but that person has never been IDed or come forward is really weird. That is the key to this whole story.

Couple more things I just thought of... :D

- Did anyone else think it was weird that Ron took pictures of his apartment when he came back to it on 9/12? I get that it was probably weird with the WTC dust all over, but if my wife was missing, taking pictures would have been way down on the list. It's almost like he had some other reason for doing it.

- Sneha was potting plants in the bathtub, and the materials were still in the tub when her mom came to the apartment after 9/11. That would imply that Sneha hadn't showered since she did all the replanting. That seems odd. She went out and appeared to be dressed up, so wouldn't she shower before going out? Also, the mom mentioned that but I don't think Ron ever did. That should have stuck out to him as well.

- She bought $500 worth of stuff on 9/10. That is a lot, especially considering it was 2001. I would have to assume with what she bought that she had some large bags to carry it all in. That would imply that wherever she was going, she wasn't going that far, as I can't imagine she would want to carry that all over the city. The fact that she didn't go home is HUGE. Her apartment wasn't that far away, and she had lots of stuff. That totally implies she was going somewhere else close or taking a cab/getting a ride to meet someone.

- What does the person she was with on 9/10 have to hide in not coming forward? The only things I can think of are: criminal activity, they themselves died, and/or it would have been really embarrassing to admit Sneha was with them. Maybe she was with that person and they walked together by the WTC when they came down. But again, for reasons the podcast pointed out, that is very unlikely. Not many random people were killed that way.

- The idea of Sneha jumping in to help is overblown for two reasons. First, even though she was a doctor, she didn't have any medical equipment with her nor was she near her hospital. The people that needed treatment mostly needed trauma care (wounds, broken bones, etc.). There's not much she could have done to help with that. There was a LOT of EMS on scene, and they were equipped to help. The idea that a random doctor on her own would be saving people and no one witnessed this is a huge stretch. Secondly, there weren't that many severely injured victims. As they pointed out in the podcast, most people were either dead or walking wounded. Hospitals were prepared for a huge influx of trauma victims that mostly never came. Now, it is possible she went there to watch, offered to help, and then just hung out only to be crushed to death. But again, the podcast gave lots of reasons why that isn't likely.

So... yeah. This one is pretty baffling in my opinion. I'd love to here from others like SheRaaa and Latka Gravas who listened to the podcast.

Wasn't it theorized she'd gone for breakfast in the restaurant in the WTC?

Wasn't it theorized she'd gone for breakfast in the restaurant in the WTC?

It's been stated that the last time Sneha spoke to her mother, she had mentioned wanting to dine at Windows on the World (the restaurant at the top of the North Tower). We have no way of knowing if Sneha was, in fact, dining at the restaurant that morning, but to me, I think this would be the reason for her to be at the WTC (not running in to help on her way home). No one in Windows on the World at the time of impact had any chance of surviving, and the restaurant was unfortunately open for both the general public and conferences. If Sneha was there, any evidence of her presence would have been destroyed (including any of the purchases she made the day before). If this is truly what happened to Sneha, then I believe the person she was with on 9/10 died there as well and that's why no one came forward to claim that she was with Sneha the day before the attacks.

I've mentioned it farther back in this thread, but I don't entirely dismiss that something bad could have happened to Sneha on 9/10; however, I think the restaurant theory is the most likely. It's just a huge shame her family will never know for sure exactly what happened.

If Sneha was there, any evidence of her presence would have been destroyed (including any of the purchases she made the day before). If this is truly what happened to Sneha, then I believe the person she was with on 9/10 died there as well and that's why no one came forward to claim that she was with Sneha the day before the attacks.

I've mentioned it farther back in this thread, but I don't entirely dismiss that something bad could have happened to Sneha on 9/10; however, I think the restaurant theory is the most likely. It's just a huge shame her family will never know for sure exactly what happened.

This is basically the scenario I find most likely. It explains why nothing was ever found of her, anywhere. No remains, no purse, no cards, no purchases, nothing. It explains why no one ever came forward as being with her. Unfortunately, the chances that it will ever be proven hover around 0%. I'm not saying that I'm 100% convinced this is what happened to her, I just feel like this is a very likely answer.

Wasn't it theorized she'd gone for breakfast in the restaurant in the WTC?

This is unlikely, as discussed in the podcast. She said she wanted to check out Windows on the World because a friend had an upcoming wedding there. But the friend's wedding wasn't until April 2002. It wasn't like it was coming up in the next month or two.

The problem with the restaurant theory is that it still doesn't answer where was she the night of 9/10. Why would she have lugged all her purchases with her without stopping home first, as it was very near the WTC?

I'm not saying should couldn't have been there on 9/11, but it would be odd because of what happened on 9/10. Her husband said they "never went to the World Trade Center" even though they lived right next to it. So she could have gone there, but it would have been out of character.

Also, she didn't have her glasses, ID, or other credit cards with her. They were all found in her apartment. The only thing she was known to have had was her husband's Amex card. You'd think she would have taken that with her or come back for it if she were planning to be out all night.

Until we know where she was on the night of 9/10 after she left Century 21, nothing on 9/11 really matters. For all we know, she wasn't even in New York on 9/11.

So... yeah. This one is pretty baffling in my opinion. I'd love to here from others like SheRaaa and Latka Gravas who listened to the podcast.

The "Without a Trace" podcast was interesting. But, I don't have anything to really add to what's already been discussed. However, to follow up on some elements that have been touched on:

1) Yes, SP allegedly did have some sort of argument/altercation with her husband on 9/10 @ court. And, it's evident that their marriage was on the rocks. I.e., her husband mentioned that she would sometimes spend the night at someone else's house, so it wasn't unusual if she never came home at night. This definitely does not sound like a healthy marriage. In fact, it sounds like a marriage that is probably on the verge of ending (maybe).

2) Yes, she didn't seem to be that enthusiastic about being a doctor & it didn't look like she was going to go down that career path. If she had lived (and, yes, I do think she's deceased - unfortunately) I don't see that she would have continued in this profession for that much longer.

3) It was also mentioned that SP may have been having a love affair with a woman. The woman she was seen with on 9/10 in the clothing store may have been someone she was having an affair with, or it may have just been a friend.

4) The reason the woman SP was seen with on 9/10 has never come forward is very possibly because she also died on 9/11. Or, the woman could still be alive & hasn't come forward due to privacy issues, etc. However, I think it's more likely that she's deceased because she was probably with SP on 9/10 & probably on 9/11 as well.

In any case, nothing leads me to believe that SP "skipped town" the day before 9/11 & cut off all contact with her family & friends for 20 years. I just don't see it.

This is unlikely, as discussed in the podcast. She said she wanted to check out Windows on the World because a friend had an upcoming wedding there. But the friend's wedding wasn't until April 2002. It wasn't like it was coming up in the next month or two.

The problem with the restaurant theory is that it still doesn't answer where was she the night of 9/10. Why would she have lugged all her purchases with her without stopping home first, as it was very near the WTC?

I'm not saying should couldn't have been there on 9/11, but it would be odd because of what happened on 9/10. Her husband said they "never went to the World Trade Center" even though they lived right next to it. So she could have gone there, but it would have been out of character.

Also, she didn't have her glasses, ID, or other credit cards with her. They were all found in her apartment. The only thing she was known to have had was her husband's Amex card. You'd think she would have taken that with her or come back for it if she were planning to be out all night.

Until we know where she was on the night of 9/10 after she left Century 21, nothing on 9/11 really matters. For all we know, she wasn't even in New York on 9/11.

I haven't listened to the podcast so I'm not disputing any of this when I ask this, did she buy the bedding etc on the husband's card? It's been so long I can't remember.

Theoretically if she had the husband's card on her she could have still bought breakfast at the restaurant, if they were using the old school paper slip imprint method they wouldn't have had a chance to send it for payment.

This is unlikely, as discussed in the podcast. She said she wanted to check out Windows on the World because a friend had an upcoming wedding there. But the friend's wedding wasn't until April 2002. It wasn't like it was coming up in the next month or two.



Haven't listened to this particular podcast, but had read elsewhere that she had expressed interest in going there for breakfast in the near future. Which could, of course, be totally skewed from what she actually said to her mother and be a total red herring. I still believe that if she was in the WTC, this would be the most logical reason for it. The observation deck was closed, it was a beautiful day weather wise, and she had mentioned the restaurant. But you're right that we really have no proof one way or another that she actually was at ground zero at all.

I'm almost completely done with the "Missing on 9/11" Podcast about Sneha's disappearance. I highly recommend one of the final episodes called "Phantasm," which really breaks-down the likelihood (or lack thereof) of Sneha dying in the towers' collapse. Interesting points brought up in this episode include:

1. The vast majority of civilians who were below the impact zone of the planes were successfully evacuated from the towers before they collapsed. The overwhelming majority of people who died in the collapse were ABOVE the impact zones and therefore could not escape the buildings.

2. There is an audio recording of a nurse calling-in (to 911 maybe?) asking to volunteer or help out at the towers before they collapsed. The person who answers specifically tells the nurse NOT to come to the towers, and to instead go to local hospitals which were expecting an influx of injured people

3. Around 18 people were killed on the ground, including one man (a firefighter, I believe) who was standing on the ground and killed by a falling body. This is a comparatively very small percentage of the total of those who were killed in Manhattan on 9/11. This is the group I'm most interested in -- I haven't been able to find many details online. How did the others die on the ground? Were they all identified? Were they killed before the collapse (by falling debris, bodies, etc.) or in the collapse itself (smoke inhalation)? Unfortunately they don't go into much more detail about this group of victims, which I think would be the most reasonable to include Sneha in IF she was in the area on 9/11.

Another random thought about the Podcast:

I disagree with the host re: the likelihood of suicide. Sneha's life was going pretty badly as of 9/10. She'd been dismissed from one hospital, was already having problems at another, was having issues with alcohol and drugs, problems in her marriage, and had a history of erratic behavior. On 9/10, not only did she have to go to court but she also reportedly fought with her husband.

Someone who already has erratic tendencies might have been pushed over the edge by unexpected chaos breaking-out right after a hellacious day.

I'm almost completely done with the "Missing on 9/11" Podcast about Sneha's disappearance. I highly recommend one of the final episodes called "Phantasm," which really breaks-down the likelihood (or lack thereof) of Sneha dying in the towers' collapse. Interesting points brought up in this episode include:

1. The vast majority of civilians who were below the impact zone of the planes were successfully evacuated from the towers before they collapsed. The overwhelming majority of people who died in the collapse were ABOVE the impact zones and therefore could not escape the buildings.

2. There is an audio recording of a nurse calling-in (to 911 maybe?) asking to volunteer or help out at the towers before they collapsed. The person who answers specifically tells the nurse NOT to come to the towers, and to instead go to local hospitals which were expecting an influx of injured people

3. Around 18 people were killed on the ground, including one man (a firefighter, I believe) who was standing on the ground and killed by a falling body. This is a comparatively very small percentage of the total of those who were killed in Manhattan on 9/11. This is the group I'm most interested in -- I haven't been able to find many details online. How did the others die on the ground? Were they all identified? Were they killed before the collapse (by falling debris, bodies, etc.) or in the collapse itself (smoke inhalation)? Unfortunately they don't go into much more detail about this group of victims, which I think would be the most reasonable to include Sneha in IF she was in the area on 9/11.

You hit on some big points. There really weren't that many people who died on the ground when the buildings fell. Most of them were in the buildings trying to get out. Of those who died, the vast majority were identified. It's not like hundreds of people watching from the ground were killed and nobody knows who they are.

Also, she had no uniform, no medical equipment, and no ID with her (she left that at her apartment). So this idea that she somehow became this big hero triage doctor at the WTC is a bit ludicrous. They were trying to get people away from the buildings. The only ones they were allowing in were cops and firefighters. They were shooing everyone else away, and all medical personnel were being sent to triage sites. There were paramedics and EMTs who died, but most of them were there with their ambulances. So just on Sneha's word that she was a doctor they were going to let her help? I really doubt it.

I get that her family wants her to be remembered as a hero. It is a much better way to go than running off on your husband. Sure it's possible that she went there to help, but let's remember she was not in the best spot in her life and seemed to be having issues with her husband. I just don't see her running in there. If anything, self preservation kept most people away. If she hadn't been a doctor, this wouldn't even be a consideration IMHO.

I disagree with the host re: the likelihood of suicide. Sneha's life was going pretty badly as of 9/10. She'd been dismissed from one hospital, was already having problems at another, was having issues with alcohol and drugs, problems in her marriage, and had a history of erratic behavior. On 9/10, not only did she have to go to court but she also reportedly fought with her husband.

Someone who already has erratic tendencies might have been pushed over the edge by unexpected chaos breaking-out right after a hellacious day.

Yes! I get so frustrated when I hear people say in any case that "he/she had so much going for them" and "There were no signs they were depressed." Lots seem totally normal and/or happy only to kill themselves, and they often leave no note or clues behind. It happens a lot. Plus, as you said, Sneha did have a lot of negative things going on in her life at that time. She had lost her job, she was using alcohol and drugs, she was having issues with her husband, and according to her brother, they hadn't spoken in weeks. She left that night without giving her husband any idea where she was going, and she left her glasses, ID, and other essentials at home. So... yeah.

I think she could have committed suicide. Maybe she jumped off a bridge and her body was carried out to sea. Maybe she was killed, her body was put in a dumpster, and she ended up in a landfill. Or maybe she really did die at the WTC. I don't think she ran off and started a new life. While possible, there are no signs she was preparing for that and again, she left a lot behind. I think whatever happened, she died on 9/10 or 9/11. I have the feeling she was meeting someone on 9/10 -- possibly her brother's girlfriend. Again, what she did on the night of 9/10 after leaving Century 21 is the key to this whole thing.

I know I'm beating a dead horse, :horse: but there is no evidence she was anywhere near the WTC on 9/11. She very well could have been there -- but she also could have been a long way from there. I hope for her family's sake that she really was there helping. We'll never know that for sure, but if they can ID any of her remains at least they'll know she was there. (I just read that two more victims were ID'd yesterday, so there's hope.)

FWIW, the only two things I didn't like about the podcast were the host issuing "homework" after each episode. I was like WTF? "If you were the person who was with Sneha on 9/10, please call us." Uhh... ok. The last two episodes really had nothing to do with Sneha at all. The camera one was slightly interesting but the host got more into a 9/11 redux mode than anything about Sneha. But I agree that Phantasm was good. I was SHOCKED her brother agreed to talk to the host. But I was even more bugged that he is hiding something, which doesn't exactly help Sneha's story or legacy.

The "Without a Trace" podcast was interesting. But, I don't have anything to really add to what's already been discussed. However, to follow up on some elements that have been touched on:

1) Yes, SP allegedly did have some sort of argument/altercation with her husband on 9/10 @ court. And, it's evident that their marriage was on the rocks. I.e., her husband mentioned that she would sometimes spend the night at someone else's house, so it wasn't unusual if she never came home at night. This definitely does not sound like a healthy marriage. In fact, it sounds like a marriage that is probably on the verge of ending (maybe).

I think Ron was super naive or he was rationalizing a lot for her. He tried to pass off what she did as perfectly normal. She met strangers at bars and they went home with them and stayed all night and didn't let her husband know. That is NOT normal, especially for a married person. I'm not saying she was having sex, but let's be honest... His "they were just talking and listening to music" or "they were painting all night" explanations are not likely at all. He also seemed to get more upset with the implication she might be bisexual than she was having an affair at all. I get that it was 2001, but does it matter if she is cheating on you with men or women?

I don't know if Sneha was having sexual identity crisis, if she was just experimenting, or if she didn't want to be married. Whatever she was doing, it was really rude and disrespectful to Ron. The fact that he made excuses for her really makes me wonder about their relationship and I agree it doesn't seem healthy. Couple that with her alcohol and drug use and I think she was in a really bad spot.

Haven't listened to this particular podcast, but had read elsewhere that she had expressed interest in going there for breakfast in the near future. Which could, of course, be totally skewed from what she actually said to her mother and be a total red herring. I still believe that if she was in the WTC, this would be the most logical reason for it. The observation deck was closed, it was a beautiful day weather wise, and she had mentioned the restaurant. But you're right that we really have no proof one way or another that she actually was at ground zero at all.

You are correct. At the appeal to have Sneha declared dead at the WTC, her mom testified "that on September 7, 2001, her daughter said that during the coming days she planned to visit Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top of one of the World Trade Center towers, in advance of a relative's plan to hold her wedding reception there." [Taken from the judge's ruling transcript.] So yes, that definitely puts it closer to 9/11, but still not definite, and that is also what her mom said after the fact. I'm not accusing her mom of lying, but she did have a vested interest in giving Sneha a reason to be at the WTC.

I think Ron was super naive or he was rationalizing a lot for her. He tried to pass off what she did as perfectly normal. She met strangers at bars and they went home with them and stayed all night and didn't let her husband know. That is NOT normal, especially for a married person. I'm not saying she was having sex, but let's be honest... His "they were just talking and listening to music" or "they were painting all night" explanations are not likely at all. He also seemed to get more upset with the implication she might be bisexual than she was having an affair at all. I get that it was 2001, but does it matter if she is cheating on you with men or women?

I don't know if Sneha was having sexual identity crisis, if she was just experimenting, or if she didn't want to be married. Whatever she was doing, it was really rude and disrespectful to Ron. The fact that he made excuses for her really makes me wonder about their relationship and I agree it doesn't seem healthy. Couple that with her alcohol and drug use and I think she was in a really bad spot.

What does it being 2001 have to do with anything. I ask out of genuine curiosity. I was an adult back then, and people the world over cheated on spouses left and right with men and women. Or did you mean something else?

Ron was like any grieving spouse; didn't want people to think ill of his wife because he still loved her. And the fact is she did disappear right around the time, and in the vicinity of a terrorist attack. I think I would be upset and heart broken and wonder; "Did they leave me? Or did they get killed during the attack somehow?"

When your spouse is running around with other people, doesn't want to be with you, whether they're having sex with these people or not, you feel bad and insecure. You don't want to believe it. Sometimes you wonder how much you contributed to that crap. You blame yourself. Ron downplaying what Sneha did reflects someone in denial, believing what he wanted to, protecting his wife whom he still loved and missed, etc. Poor guy...

What does it being 2001 have to do with anything. I ask out of genuine curiosity. I was an adult back then, and people the world over cheated on spouses left and right with men and women. Or did you mean something else?

Ron was like any grieving spouse; didn't want people to think ill of his wife because he still loved her. And the fact is she did disappear right around the time, and in the vicinity of a terrorist attack. I think I would be upset and heart broken and wonder; "Did they leave me? Or did they get killed during the attack somehow?"

When your spouse is running around with other people, doesn't want to be with you, whether they're having sex with these people or not, you feel bad and insecure. You don't want to believe it. Sometimes you wonder how much you contributed to that crap. You blame yourself. Ron downplaying what Sneha did reflects someone in denial, believing what he wanted to, protecting his wife whom he still loved and missed, etc. Poor guy...

Literally all of this. I'd say doubly so when your spouse completely vanishes and there's absolutely no resolution of any kind.

Saw on the news earlier that they have just identified two more sets of remains from 9/11-I held my breath thinking one of them may have been hers, but they weren't. It just shows this mystery might be solved conclusively one day if she was in that building.

https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035046778/9-11-victims-identified-using-new-technology?t=1631128153581

Saw on the news earlier that they have just identified two more sets of remains from 9/11-I held my breath thinking one of them may have been hers, but they weren't. It just shows this mystery might be solved conclusively one day if she was in that building.

I saw that too! I too was literally holding my breath reading that article.

Even though I personally believe it's not highly likely that Sneha died in the towers on 9/11, I definitely would not rule it out and would be amazed if they could identify her all this time later.

Listening to more of the "Missing on 9/11" Podcast this morning:

In the final episode, the host interviews an FBI agent who was actually at the WTC (the Marriott Hotel, to be exact) at the moment the planes hit. The FBI agent was there interviewing a witness for another case when the first plane struck, so he has a really interesting and valuable perspective.

The FBI agent says that when the first plane hit, debris went flying and some people on the ground were struck and injured. So if Sneha was milling about the ground in this area at that moment, she may have been hit. However, that was at 8:46 am and South Tower (the first to collapse) did not collapse until 9:59am. Most likely if Sneha (on the ground) had been struck by debris from the first plane strike, I believe she would have been rescued/identified/dragged away on the ground before the collapse(s).

The podcast host also asks the FBI agent if civilians were allowed into the buildings at that time. The agent says generally no, only uniformed first responders were entering and many first responders were actually told to instead go to the local hospitals/triage centers.

Again, I'm so curious to know what is known about people who died at ground zero who were NOT in the towers at the time they fell (nor plane passengers, nor people who later died of diseases, etc.). I am going to keep digging!

Theres a really good documentary called "the 911 hotel" it's about the people who were either working or staying at the WTC marriott on 911 and their stories that day. This documentary while it's based more on the hotel, it really gives you a good a idea of how much the falling debris was just as dangerous, as much as a problem as was what was happening inside the towers themselves.

I've read a lot into this case, listened to podcasts and obviously the unsolved mystery episode, it seems to me that her let's say "colorful social life" makes people look for things that more than likely don't affect what happened to her that day.

She lived right there in battery park, she went for breakfast that very morning, more than likely putting her right there, maybe being a doctor she went to see what she could do, that was her job. we have to remember that 40% of all victims still haven't been identifed forensically, so it's not crazy that nothing has been found of her.

She had even mentioned wanting to visit/eat at the windows on the world restaurant.

She had bought things that day, things for the apartment, things for herself, things that wouldn't suggest she was about to run away, also her bank accounts, credit cards were never touched, so she didn't run away, could she have been murdered? maybe, but theres nothing to suggest that, i see no evidence. and even if she was, the whole back drop of 911, the events of that day and the passing of time make it pretty much imposible for us to ever know if she was.

It's pretty obvious she died due to the terror attacks.

Listening to more of the "Missing on 9/11" Podcast this morning:

In the final episode, the host interviews an FBI agent who was actually at the WTC (the Marriott Hotel, to be exact) at the moment the planes hit. The FBI agent was there interviewing a witness for another case when the first plane struck, so he has a really interesting and valuable perspective.

The FBI agent says that when the first plane hit, debris went flying and some people on the ground were struck and injured. So if Sneha was milling about the ground in this area at that moment, she may have been hit. However, that was at 8:46 am and South Tower (the first to collapse) did not collapse until 9:59am. Most likely if Sneha (on the ground) had been struck by debris from the first plane strike, I believe she would have been rescued/identified/dragged away on the ground before the collapse(s).

The podcast host also asks the FBI agent if civilians were allowed into the buildings at that time. The agent says generally no, only uniformed first responders were entering and many first responders were actually told to instead go to the local hospitals/triage centers.

Again, I'm so curious to know what is known about people who died at ground zero who were NOT in the towers at the time they fell (nor plane passengers, nor people who later died of diseases, etc.). I am going to keep digging!

I doubt there was any real control at the scene as it was just so chaotic-not that many civilians would have wanted to enter, but say loved ones of people in there may well have rushed in trying to find them, somebody like Sneha might have even got there before any attempt at controlling who entered the building & gone in to save lives. We see these mock exercises to 'prepare' for attacks etc, but the reality is when it is real & the scale is so much bigger that training means pretty much nothing & human nature kicks in & all those rules go out the window.

For all we know, she wasn't even in New York on 9/11.

Well, where was she then?

On the 10th, a Monday, she planned on spending the day cleaning up her apartment because her cousin was planning on visiting on the 12th, that Wednesday. She also chatted with her mother on the 10th for two hours online, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., which she specifically brought up visiting (https://nymag.com/news/features/17336/) the Windows on the World that week. The detective assigned to the case also says that her mother told him (https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court-appellate-division/1329195.html) that she had planned to go "shopping" to the WTC that morning (the 11th). Her last known movements were buying lingerie, a dress, shoes, and linens.

Here (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/21+Dey+St,+New+York,+NY+10007/225+Rector+Place,+225+Rector+Pl,+New+York,+NY+10280/@40.7104401,-74.0155012,17z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x89c25a106584c0bd:0xa5d7200c9e8646f!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a19bf5d13b3:0xe7f0fc30822abec3!2m2!1d-74.0105193!2d40.7106162!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a106840384d:0xd21c00d8d8a9311!2m2!1d-74.0161057!2d40.709427) is the distance from her apartment to the shopping complex where she was last seen alive shortly after 6 p.m. on the 10th. This is the financial district of Long Island, on a Monday. I highly doubt if she was planning on simply returning to her apartment after the shopping trip that she would have never made it back. She was on foot, within walking distance. Her bags with her purchases were never found. She was last seen less than a half a mile away from her apartment. And when you factor in that her husband described her staying out all night without calling him a "habit", I think it's safe to assume that she was planning on meeting someone else for the evening. It may or may not have been the mystery woman seen on the surveillance footage with her.

Her brother continually lying or being evasive is a huge red flag. IMO, she spent the night with the woman who was described as "her friend" by a worker at the Century 21 store who actually called her husband to tell him that she remembered seeing Sneha in the store on the 10th accompanied with another woman. Surveillance footage does show what appears to be Sneha leaving the store closely followed by another woman. The next logical scenario, was that the next morning, they went to the Windows of the World restaurant and tragically died in the attacks. The woman never being identified was simply because she too was a 9/11 victim.

Sneha's case reminds me of Juan Lafuente (https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/09/nyregion/9-11-a-man-went-to-work-his-fate-is-a-mystery.html), who also mysteriously vanished on 9/11. His last known movements were when he swiped his metro card at Grand Central Station at 8:06 a.m. His destination was 2 blocks south of the World Trade Center. Guess what was distributed at the office where he worked? Leaflets advertising a trade show with free breakfast. Guess where it was? Windows on the World. Juan's wife was the mayor of Poughkeepsie at the time, and described him as "frugal". And, like Sneha, we have no real evidence that he actually went into the Towers that day. But we do not have any movement from him after 8:06 that morning. Roughly 30 minutes later is when the first plane hit the north tower. Juan never arrived at work. He was never heard from again. He has never been found. And, just like Sneha, the most likely scenario is that he too died because of the 9/11 attacks.

2 people are last seen within close proximity to the World Trade Center. One within 12 hours of the attacks, and the other within 30 minutes. Neither of their movements suggest leaving to start a new life. All of their movements prior to their disappearance show no abnormal behavior. There is evidence that both of them would have gone to Windows on the World. Not necessarily on 9/11, but evidence exists which ties these two people to that restaurant. IMO, it's the most logical scenario that both of them were either at or going to the restaurant when the first plane struck the north tower.

Well, where was she then?

On the 10th, a Monday, she planned on spending the day cleaning up her apartment because her cousin was planning on visiting on the 12th, that Wednesday. She also chatted with her mother on the 10th for two hours online, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., which she specifically brought up visiting (https://nymag.com/news/features/17336/) the Windows on the World that week. The detective assigned to the case also says that her mother told him (https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-supreme-court-appellate-division/1329195.html) that she had planned to go "shopping" to the WTC that morning (the 11th). Her last known movements were buying lingerie, a dress, shoes, and linens.

Here (https://www.google.com/maps/dir/21+Dey+St,+New+York,+NY+10007/225+Rector+Place,+225+Rector+Pl,+New+York,+NY+10280/@40.7104401,-74.0155012,17z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x89c25a106584c0bd:0xa5d7200c9e8646f!4m13!4m12!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a19bf5d13b3:0xe7f0fc30822abec3!2m2!1d-74.0105193!2d40.7106162!1m5!1m1!1s0x89c25a106840384d:0xd21c00d8d8a9311!2m2!1d-74.0161057!2d40.709427) is the distance from her apartment to the shopping complex where she was last seen alive shortly after 6 p.m. on the 10th. This is the financial district of Long Island, on a Monday. I highly doubt if she was planning on simply returning to her apartment after the shopping trip that she would have never made it back. She was on foot, within walking distance. Her bags with her purchases were never found. She was last seen less than a half a mile away from her apartment. And when you factor in that her husband described her staying out all night without calling him a "habit", I think it's safe to assume that she was planning on meeting someone else for the evening. It may or may not have been the mystery woman seen on the surveillance footage with her.

Her brother continually lying or being evasive is a huge red flag. IMO, she spent the night with the woman who was described as "her friend" by a worker at the Century 21 store who actually called her husband to tell him that she remembered seeing Sneha in the store on the 10th accompanied with another woman. Surveillance footage does show what appears to be Sneha leaving the store closely followed by another woman. The next logical scenario, was that the next morning, they went to the Windows of the World restaurant and tragically died in the attacks. The woman never being identified was simply because she too was a 9/11 victim.

Sneha's case reminds me of Juan Lafuente (https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/09/nyregion/9-11-a-man-went-to-work-his-fate-is-a-mystery.html), who also mysteriously vanished on 9/11. His last known movements were when he swiped his metro card at Grand Central Station at 8:06 a.m. His destination was 2 blocks south of the World Trade Center. Guess what was distributed at the office where he worked? Leaflets advertising a trade show with free breakfast. Guess where it was? Windows on the World. Juan's wife was the mayor of Poughkeepsie at the time, and described him as "frugal". And, like Sneha, we have no real evidence that he actually went into the Towers that day. But we do not have any movement from him after 8:06 that morning. Roughly 30 minutes later is when the first plane hit the north tower. Juan never arrived at work. He was never heard from again. He has never been found. And, just like Sneha, the most likely scenario is that he too died because of the 9/11 attacks.

2 people are last seen within close proximity to the World Trade Center. One within 12 hours of the attacks, and the other within 30 minutes. Neither of their movements suggest leaving to start a new life. All of their movements prior to their disappearance show no abnormal behavior. There is evidence that both of them would have gone to Windows on the World. Not necessarily on 9/11, but evidence exists which ties these two people to that restaurant. IMO, it's the most logical scenario that both of them were either at or going to the restaurant when the first plane struck the north tower.

:clap

Very well thought out, researched, and written.

Yes, good discussion(s) on this SP case. With the 20th anniversary of the attacks quickly approaching, this mystery/segment has obviously captured/re-captured the interest of many of us. Several points:

Never thought about the suicide "theory" before. But, I don't believe that SP took her life on 9/10 (or 9/11). Of course we don't have any real way of knowing her state of mind before the attacks. However, on 9/10 she talked to her mother about going shopping, was seen buying clothes/linens with a friend, etc. That doesn't seem like something someone would do if they're thinking of ending their life. Also, if she did kill herself on 9/10 (which I doubt), where is the body? Yes, it may have gotten lost in the chaos that occurred on 9/11. However, again - I still don't believe this happened.

I also don't believe that SP was outside the building(s) and then ran towards the buildings to help people after the attacks occurred. And, I don't see this as a criticism against her by any means. The survival instinct is strong in most of us, and when these horrible, unexpected attacks happened I strongly believe that most civilians (non LE, non Firefighters, etc.) ran as far away as possible from the chaos/destruction/damage to try to ensure their survival....and did not try get closer to the damage/buildings/etc.

Sneha's case reminds me of Juan Lafuente (https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/09/nyregion/9-11-a-man-went-to-work-his-fate-is-a-mystery.html), who also mysteriously vanished on 9/11. His last known movements were when he swiped his metro card at Grand Central Station at 8:06 a.m. His destination was 2 blocks south of the World Trade Center. Guess what was distributed at the office where he worked? Leaflets advertising a trade show with free breakfast. Guess where it was? Windows on the World. Juan's wife was the mayor of Poughkeepsie at the time, and described him as "frugal". And, like Sneha, we have no real evidence that he actually went into the Towers that day. But we do not have any movement from him after 8:06 that morning. Roughly 30 minutes later is when the first plane hit the north tower. Juan never arrived at work. He was never heard from again. He has never been found. And, just like Sneha, the most likely scenario is that he too died because of the 9/11 attacks.

2 people are last seen within close proximity to the World Trade Center. One within 12 hours of the attacks, and the other within 30 minutes. Neither of their movements suggest leaving to start a new life. All of their movements prior to their disappearance show no abnormal behavior. There is evidence that both of them would have gone to Windows on the World. Not necessarily on 9/11, but evidence exists which ties these two people to that restaurant. IMO, it's the most logical scenario that both of them were either at or going to the restaurant when the first plane struck the north tower.

Exactly! I haven't heard of the JL case before, but I agree it also sounds like he was killed during the 9/11 attacks - for all of the reasons mentioned.

Well, where was she then?

Really? That is the point on this whole case. No one knows. The last time she was seen was the night of September 10th so she could have been anywhere in NYC (a huge city), or she could have taken a train to New Jersey or Connecticut or almost anywhere. The point is, there is literally nothing putting her in NYC, let alone the area of the WTC, after the evening of 9/10/01.

Now, if I had to bet my retirement on where she was, I do think she was probably somewhere in lower Manhattan because that makes the most sense. But my issue is that for a court to certify her as having died at the WTC on 9/11/01 when she can't be accounted for after 9/10 doesn't seem right.

On the 10th, a Monday, she planned on spending the day cleaning up her apartment because her cousin was planning on visiting on the 12th, that Wednesday. She also chatted with her mother on the 10th for two hours online, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., which she specifically brought up the Windows on the World that week. The detective assigned to the case also says that her mother told him that she had planned to go "shopping" to the WTC that morning (the 11th).

I don't doubt her mom said this to the detective. But this was after the fact and at a time when her family had reason to want to believe Sneha was at the WTC. Part of this could come down to semantics. She could have said "I'm going to visit Windows of the World in the next day or two". But she could have said "I want to check out Windows of the World this week" or "I want to check it out sometime soon." None of those statements, if true, would say she was going to have breakfast there. She also said she wanted to see it in advance of the wedding -- not necessarily eat there.

Here is the distance from her apartment to the shopping complex where she was last seen alive shortly after 6 p.m. on the 10th. This is the financial district of Long Island, on a Monday. I highly doubt if she was planning on simply returning to her apartment after the shopping trip that she would have never made it back. She was on foot, within walking distance. Her bags with her purchases were never found. She was last seen less than a half a mile away from her apartment. And when you factor in that her husband described her staying out all night without calling him a "habit", I think it's safe to assume that she was planning on meeting someone else for the evening. It may or may not have been the mystery woman seen on the surveillance footage with her.

I disagree here. While I think it was very possible, even likely, she was going to meet someone, I don't know if she intended on being there all night. First of all, all she had with her was Ron's Amex card. She didn't take her ID, her own credit cards, or her glasses. (Ron testified that Sneha wore contacts and they had been irritating her eyes in the days before 9/11. If she knew she was going to be gone for that long, why didn't she take her glasses?) She also didn't take an overnight bag. No toothbrush, no hair brush, no contact solution, no fresh underwear -- nothing. As far as we know, the other times Sneha stayed out all night were after she went to bars or met friends and just stayed late. These were not planned overnight stays -- they were just things that happened.

Her brother continually lying or being evasive is a huge red flag.

Yes it is. He is hiding something and/or protecting someone. Really odd.

IMO, she spent the night with the woman who was described as "her friend" by a worker at the Century 21 store who actually called her husband to tell him that she remembered seeing Sneha in the store on the 10th accompanied with another woman. Surveillance footage does show what appears to be Sneha leaving the store closely followed by another woman.

The problem with this is that the video is less than conclusive (the lady is near her but not necessarily together) and the Century 21 worker changed her story a few times. She told Ron one thing, but then told the police something else. It's weird because she apparently knew Sneha from coming into the store before, so I'm not sure why she would be evasive like that. It's possible she thought they were together, but then on second thought maybe wasn't so sure. But I do think it would make sense that she met someone there to go shopping and they left together.

There is also really bad video of a woman briefly entering Sneha's apartment building right before the attacks happened. The woman comes in, stands by the elevator, and then leaves. It was theorized this was Sneha and she came home but left after she heard the first plane crash. The problem is the video is apparently obstructed by the sun. The woman has similar hair to Sneha and appears to have a similar dress, and her mannerisms were similar (per the NYPD detective). Oddly enough, the detective thinks it was Sneha but her husband thinks it wasn't. The biggest issue is that she had no bags with her, so did she leave $500 of new purchases with someone else? Not likely.

The next logical scenario, was that the next morning, they went to the Windows of the World restaurant and tragically died in the attacks. The woman never being identified was simply because she too was a 9/11 victim.

I disagree here as well. Yes, it is very possible this happened. But again, she didn't have anything with her, so if she stayed over, she would have had to put on the same clothes she wore on 9/10 and then go to the restaurant which wasn't a casual place. I can't see her coming in like that, especially because she was in no hurry to visit WOTW. But yes, this could have happened. It's just one more theory though.

There is some debate on whether WOTW was even open for regular business that day. There was the trade show event there with a private company so there was speculation that they only had limited business that day, and other reports said only people who worked in the building had access to the restaurant that day. It's very possible she wouldn't even have been able to eat there. She still may have gone just to look though.

Sneha's case reminds me of Juan Lafuente, who also mysteriously vanished on 9/11. His last known movements were when he swiped his metro card at Grand Central Station at 8:06 a.m. His destination was 2 blocks south of the World Trade Center. Guess what was distributed at the office where he worked? Leaflets advertising a trade show with free breakfast. Guess where it was? Windows on the World. Juan's wife was the mayor of Poughkeepsie at the time, and described him as "frugal". And, like Sneha, we have no real evidence that he actually went into the Towers that day. But we do not have any movement from him after 8:06 that morning. Roughly 30 minutes later is when the first plane hit the north tower. Juan never arrived at work. He was never heard from again. He has never been found. And, just like Sneha, the most likely scenario is that he too died because of the 9/11 attacks.

Now this I agree with. I completely agree that it is more likely than not that Juan Lafuente died at the WTC. The biggest difference is that we KNOW he was in Manhattan that day, we KNOW his destination was near the WTC at near the time of the attacks, we KNOW he was frugal and had a habit of getting free food, and we KNOW he was aware of free food at WOTW. If this was Sneha's story, I would say 99.9% that's what happened and case closed.

But again, there's lots of evidence that Sneha COULD have been there, but to say Sneha WAS there is a huge leap. It is a theory and frankly it is no different than the theory that she went there to help victims.

IMO, it's the most logical scenario that both of them were either at or going to the restaurant when the first plane struck the north tower.

I think it is certainly a possible scenario, but I don't know how you can say it is the most likely, for the reasons above. The fact that it was so close to her apartment makes me wonder why didn't she just walk home, drop off her stuff, freshen up, and then go to WOTW (if that's what the plan was)? She met Person X and left $500 of stuff at their apartment? Or did she lug those big shopping bags with her up to WOTW? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

The biggest problem I have with her family's explanation is that they are making her out to be a "hero" where there is no evidence she was. There was a young EMT who died on 9/11 doing just that. But he was seen returning to his office to grab medical supplies and telling people he was headed back to help. Sneha had no ID or medical equipment with her, so what was she going to do other than triage? There were many other people with medical training who showed up to help and they were directed to go to hospitals and/or the staging area.

Everyone who died at the WTC was a victim but not everyone was a hero. The firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, and others who were there KNOWING they were in harms way and choosing to stay there and help are heroes. This isn't meant to slight 9/11 victims in any way... It's just that the term "hero" gets thrown around too much. What those first responders did that day was truly heroic. What Welles Crowther (https://www.911memorial.org/connect/blog/remembering-man-red-bandana) did that day was amazingly heroic. There are other stories of regular people who chose to stay and try to help others, only to lose their lives in the process.

So it rubs me the wrong way to say Sneha died heroically when there is only a chance that happened. For her family's sake, I really hope that is what happened. I don't blame them for wanting to think that's what happened either. But for them to so confidently state that IS what happened is wrong.

I would love nothing more than for Sneha's remains to be identified so we'd know at least that she died at the WTC on 9/11. However, I still think it's as likely she wasn't there, and the key to her fate is where she was and what she was doing after she left Century 21 on 9/10. It still blows my mind that there is no trace of her in anyway after that. If only it was a few years later and she had a cell phone, we probably would know. I think it's less than 1% she left to start a new life. There is no evidence of this and she took nothing with her, so that is really unlikely. I also think something would have turned up after all this time and no, the postcard is not from her. :rolleyes:

In any event, I hope Sneha is at peace. She had some trouble in her life but I don't think she was a bad person. Just a person going through a bad time.

Really? That is the point on this whole case. No one knows. The last time she was seen was the night of September 10th so she could have been anywhere in NYC (a huge city), or she could have taken a train to New Jersey or Connecticut or almost anywhere. The point is, there is literally nothing putting her in NYC, let alone the area of the WTC, after the evening of 9/10/01.

A paper trail would have been left behind had she left the city. The credit card purchase, her shopping bags never being found, and her close proximity to the WTC on the evening of 9/10 put her in NYC. She's last seen (on camera) leaving with another woman shortly after 6:00 p.m., and then the first plane hit the north tower at 8:46 a.m. the next morning. Her husband woke up and went to work at 6:40 a.m. on 9/11, and Sneha still was not home at that point. There is nothing to suggest that she ever left NYC or the area in which she was last seen (she was on foot).

I don't doubt her mom said this to the detective. But this was after the fact and at a time when her family had reason to want to believe Sneha was at the WTC. Part of this could come down to semantics. She could have said "I'm going to visit Windows of the World in the next day or two". But she could have said "I want to check out Windows of the World this week" or "I want to check it out sometime soon." None of those statements, if true, would say she was going to have breakfast there. She also said she wanted to see it in advance of the wedding -- not necessarily eat there.

Her family would have rather she been alive at that point, not a victim of 9/11. This was in the immediate investigation of her disappearance, not years later. Early on the family was adamant (http://nataliepompilio.com/?page_id=502) that she wasn't the victim of 9/11, and it was only when growing frustrated with the media's lack of interest in the case that her brother invented the ridiculous "she went there to save people" theory.

I disagree here. While I think it was very possible, even likely, she was going to meet someone, I don't know if she intended on being there all night. First of all, all she had with her was Ron's Amex card. She didn't take her ID, her own credit cards, or her glasses. (Ron testified that Sneha wore contacts and they had been irritating her eyes in the days before 9/11. If she knew she was going to be gone for that long, why didn't she take her glasses?) She also didn't take an overnight bag. No toothbrush, no hair brush, no contact solution, no fresh underwear -- nothing. As far as we know, the other times Sneha stayed out all night were after she went to bars or met friends and just stayed late. These were not planned overnight stays -- they were just things that happened.

Since she only had Ron's American Express card, she couldn't have hailed a taxi, couldn't have taken a train, couldn't have taken the subway, because all of these things (even if she used the card to get a cash advance) would have left behind a paper trail. There is nothing. She didn't leave NYC because she did not have the means to do so. It is virtually impossible that she did not leave the NYC area, or lower Manhattan. As for not having an overnight bag...why do you think she bought lingerie, a dress, and linens? And perhaps she had no issue using her friends toiletries? What's to say that she wasn't chatting with this friend on AIM at the same time she was chatting with her mother and made plans to spend the evening and night with her?

The problem with this is that the video is less than conclusive (the lady is near her but not necessarily together) and the Century 21 worker changed her story a few times. She told Ron one thing, but then told the police something else. It's weird because she apparently knew Sneha from coming into the store before, so I'm not sure why she would be evasive like that. It's possible she thought they were together, but then on second thought maybe wasn't so sure. But I do think it would make sense that she met someone there to go shopping and they left together.

The worker specifically remembered asking Sneha if the woman with her was her sister, and even if the worker was mistaken about the date, why has this woman never been identified?

I disagree here as well. Yes, it is very possible this happened. But again, she didn't have anything with her, so if she stayed over, she would have had to put on the same clothes she wore on 9/10 and then go to the restaurant which wasn't a casual place. I can't see her coming in like that, especially because she was in no hurry to visit WOTW. But yes, this could have happened. It's just one more theory though.

She bought a new dress and new shoes at Century 21. Her husband described her staying out all night, not checking in, and not coming home until 9:00 a.m. the next morning as a "habit". That's not a word you throw out there if this is something that she's done once or twice in the past.

There is some debate on whether WOTW was even open for regular business that day. There was the trade show event there with a private company so there was speculation that they only had limited business that day, and other reports said only people who worked in the building had access to the restaurant that day. It's very possible she wouldn't even have been able to eat there. She still may have gone just to look though.

Three survivors did an interview (https://www.npr.org/2011/09/11/140378323/last-elevator-down) with NPR, who said they had breakfast there every day at 7:30 a.m., including 9/11. It was open to the public.

I think it is certainly a possible scenario, but I don't know how you can say it is the most likely, for the reasons above. The fact that it was so close to her apartment makes me wonder why didn't she just walk home, drop off her stuff, freshen up, and then go to WOTW (if that's what the plan was)? She met Person X and left $500 of stuff at their apartment? Or did she lug those big shopping bags with her up to WOTW? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

It was probably 2 or 3 bags at the most. Certainly not something you couldn't carry with you if you were going to breakfast before heading home.

So it rubs me the wrong way to say Sneha died heroically when there is only a chance that happened. For her family's sake, I really hope that is what happened. I don't blame them for wanting to think that's what happened either. But for them to so confidently state that IS what happened is wrong.

I don't think she died heroically. I believe she died tragically along with thousands of others on that day.

It should also be noted that this (https://groups.google.com/g/alt.true-crime/c/7vKmy74gv9o/m/1ZXGeC1P2CwJ?pli=1) older article mentions that the last credit card purchase was at a shoe store across the street from Century 21, and that purchase was logged in at 7:18 p.m. on the 10th.

A paper trail would have been left behind had she left the city. The credit card purchase, her shopping bags never being found, and her close proximity to the WTC on the evening of 9/10 put her in NYC. She's last seen (on camera) leaving with another woman shortly after 6:00 p.m., and then the first plane hit the north tower at 8:46 a.m. the next morning. Her husband woke up and went to work at 6:40 a.m. on 9/11, and Sneha still was not home at that point. There is nothing to suggest that she ever left NYC or the area in which she was last seen (she was on foot).

In 2001, credit cards were not used nearly as much, especially for small transactions. Cash was still king, especially for things like taking the subway or getting a cab. This was way before most places like that even took credit cards, and certainly before they were frequently used for transactions like that. What we don't know is how much cash (if any) Sneha had with her. She may very well have brought cash from home. She could have easily taken a train uptown. In 2001, you could go a long way in NYC or beyond for not much money. Commuters in NYC did that every day from places like New Jersey, Long Island, or Connecticut. In the podcast, the host said Sneha had allegedly said to the Century 21 worker that she was planning to go shopping at Victoria's Secret and another store (it's popular but I can't remember the name off hand). Those stores may or may not have been in the immediate area -- the podcast host tried but couldn't verify this. Sneha and Ron didn't own a car because they used public transportation a lot, and I highly doubt in 2001 they used a credit card to do that. They probably either used cash or a multi-use pass, neither of which would have required a credit card that day.

The other possibility is that the person she met (assuming she did) could have had a car or paid for Sneha's ride (cab, train, bus, etc.). The point being she could have been miles away that night. I agree that she was most likely in lower Manhattan, but you can't say a "paper trail would have been left behind" because that's not true, especially in 2001.

Since she only had Ron's American Express card, she couldn't have hailed a taxi, couldn't have taken a train, couldn't have taken the subway, because all of these things (even if she used the card to get a cash advance) would have left behind a paper trail. There is nothing. She didn't leave NYC because she did not have the means to do so. It is virtually impossible that she did not leave the NYC area, or lower Manhattan.

See above.

As for not having an overnight bag...why do you think she bought lingerie, a dress, and linens? And perhaps she had no issue using her friends toiletries? What's to say that she wasn't chatting with this friend on AIM at the same time she was chatting with her mother and made plans to spend the evening and night with her?

True, but it was all new and not even washed yet. I assume most people wash their new stuff like underwear before they wear it. (At least I do... :)) But even with that, she had no toiletries with her -- no deodorant, no perfume, no toothbrush, no toothpaste, no hair brush, no makeup, and no contact solution. There isn't a woman I know who wouldn't have taken at least SOME of that with her for a planned overnight. She could have borrowed or purchased those things, but that's not likely. (Who borrows a toothbrush, especially if you are planning to be gone?) If she did purchase them, it would have been after Century 21 and should would have had to borrow funds or use cash.

The bigger question though is why would you not take that with you if you KNEW you were going to be gone all night, especially for a potential intimate encounter? Not even a tooth brush? She also left her ID, credit cards, and glasses. If you KNEW you were going to be gone all night, you wouldn't bring that with you?

I agree she likely hooked up with someone, but to me it seems likely it was not meant to be all night or she intended to come back home first.

The worker specifically remembered asking Sneha if the woman with her was her sister, and even if the worker was mistaken about the date, why has this woman never been identified?

That's a very good question. Again, the worker changed her story a couple times, then refused to be interviewed again. What has mostly been reported is what she told Ron. I don't think she's lying -- I just don't know why she changed her story. Maybe in hindsight Sneha wasn't as specific as the worker let on. Like the brother's statements, this is just really weird to me. It shouldn't be controversial at all, but somehow it is. It's possible Sneha bumped into a friend or acquaintance by chance and that they didn't go there or leave together. I think they were probably there together by choice. I just don't get why the worker is being evasive.

She bought a new dress and new shoes at Century 21. Her husband described her staying out all night, not checking in, and not coming home until 9:00 a.m. the next morning as a "habit". That's not a word you throw out there if this is something that she's done once or twice in the past.

Yes -- but this was usually after she went out to the bar with friends or alone. It's more like she crashed somewhere after drinking. This is way different than a planned romantic encounter. That doesn't mean it didn't happen -- it probably did. But if it was planned, where were her other things?

Three survivors did an interview (https://www.npr.org/2011/09/11/140378323/last-elevator-down) with NPR, who said they had breakfast there every day at 7:30 a.m., including 9/11. It was open to the public.

I love that story and interview... So freaky. Those people all worked in the World Trade Center. Their offices were there. The reason they ate there every day is because their offices were in the WTC (the Port Authority of New York and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council) -- it's right there in the interview you linked. You can read about "The Port Authority, which was headquartered in the World Trade Center and lost 84 employees..." (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/09/nyregion/port-authority-archive.html) and "On September 11, 2001, when the World Trade Center was destroyed, LMCC lost a home..." (https://lmcc.net/about/history/)

This means they did have access to WOTW because they worked in the building. There were not members of the public. We don't have confirmation if WOTW was open to the public that day or not.

It was probably 2 or 3 bags at the most. Certainly not something you couldn't carry with you if you were going to breakfast before heading home.

She bought a dress, lingerie, panty hose, linens, and three pairs of shoes (which came in boxes). The NYPD detective described them as "two large shopping bags." Of course she could have taken them with her -- buy why do that when your apartment is a couple blocks away? Isn't it easier to drop it off and then go to breakfast, especially since it was the next day? Wouldn't she want to freshen up first? Wouldn't she want to at least brush her teeth?

I don't think she died heroically. I believe she died tragically along with thousands of others on that day.

I agree this is possible, and I also agree this is even the most likely scenario. There's just no proof of it -- it's all speculation. Also, what is her brother covering up? His behavior really makes me think he knows where she was (or might have been) on 9/10 and he's covering for her. Maybe it was just to protect her reputation, but 20 years later, does that even really matter, especially if it helps explain what happened?

It should also be noted that this (https://groups.google.com/g/alt.true-crime/c/7vKmy74gv9o/m/1ZXGeC1P2CwJ?pli=1) older article mentions that the last credit card purchase was at a shoe store across the street from Century 21, and that purchase was logged in at 7:18 p.m. on the 10th.

This is splitting hairs, but the NYPD detective said the shoe store was part of Century 21, but it was in a separate section next door. It was apparently a huge store with several different sections. The shoe part could be accessed from inside the other part of Century 21 where Sneha was, but it wasn't easy to find so most people went outside to access the shoe section of the store.

The detective said he believes Sneha died at the WTC and that her family, especially Ron, had trouble accepting that when he talked to him, which he did several times. The problem is that the NYPD was obviously overwhelmed following 9/11. so this wasn't really investigated like it should have been. I also think because there were no signs of foul play, they didn't do that much initially. It was easy to just assume she died at the WTC.

I don't think she died heroically. I believe she died tragically along with thousands of others on that day.



Same, and that's not me trying to discredit her character at all. First responders were telling people frantically to get away from the scene. Survivors have recounted being told to run, not to come any closer, etc. I really doubt Sneha would have randomly run inside to help, as she would have only been impeding the first responders and would possibly have been turned away had she tried. Not to mention, there were plenty of injured people whom she could have tried helping in the complex rather than by running inside.

Another thing of note--people were blown out of/leaping from the buildings as they burned AND debris was falling from the buildings. Those who were not first responders would not have likely wanted to get any closer, they would have wanted to get away.

Anything is possible, but speaking of likelihood, I believe if Sneha perished there, it was in the restaurant.

I have read that the restaurant was open to the general public that day, but am looking for a source on that to link here.

I have read that the restaurant was open to the general public that day, but am looking for a source on that to link here.

From an article I found here (https://unpublishedarticles.com/windows-on-the-world-the-unwritten-story/):

Windows On The World was a world famous 40,000 square foot restaurant near the top of the North tower on the 107th Floor at 1 World Trade Center. It boasted a popular “New American” style menu and had a first class wine list that included Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1928 for $3000.00. The 107th floor was also occupied by “The Greatest Bar on Earth”, aka GBOE. This 13,000 square foot happy hour bar was popular with tourists and Wall Street types alike. It was a traditional for New Yorkers to often complain about its “poor quality” and “expensive” drinks, but its location spoke volumes with amazing panoramic views of Manhattan and the tri-state area that was pretty hard to beat. The 107th floor was also occupied by Wild Blue, a romantic and quieter restaurant and bar in the space formerly occupied by Cellar in the Sky. A popular misconception is that Windows on the World was at the very top of the North tower, when in fact the top enclosed floor was the 110th floor, where CNN and some other television companies sited equipment and staff.

The South tower, across the square, was home to the public glass-enclosed observatory located on the 107th floor and the world’s highest open-air deck on the 110th floor, that the tourists could visit. On the fateful day of 9/11 2001 the Windows on The World Conference Facility on the 106th floor was playing host to the Risk Waters Financial seminar. One floor above, on the 107th floor, the main restaurant and the bar were closed. Wild Blue, however was the only thing open on that floor and was serving breakfast to a number of WTC tenants and occupants. [emphasis added]

Take this with a grain of salt as this isn't exactly an "official" source. But it sounds legit and similar to other things I've read. It's odd that this seems so difficult to verify, one way or the other.

It's also weird because the people from the "Last Elevator" story said they were eating at WOTW. I wonder if that is a generic term that includes Wild Blue or not. It's possible they called the whole floor that but who knows.

So this is interesting... While looking up information about this, I found there is a book out called "The Most Spectacular Restaurant in the World: The Twin Towers, Windows on the World, and the Rebirth of New York" (https://www.amazon.com/Most-Spectacular-Restaurant-World-Windows-ebook/dp/B07NZ14W1D) by Tom Roston. I thought if anything, he would know if the restaurant was open on 9/11 or not, so I emailed him. I specifically mentioned Sneha and if it would have been possible for her to have been at Windows on the World on 9/11.

Here is his reply:

Thanks for reaching out. In addition to the Risk Waters event on the 106th floor, the restaurant was open but it was the morning so it was just Club member guests who were there for breakfast. They were regulars, not entirely but mostly people who worked in the building. I tell their story in the book.

Best,

Tom

Again, this is not 100% but it sure seems to eliminate the idea of Sneha having breakfast there on 9/11. I don't know if the public could still make it to that floor just to check it out or not, but they apparently weren't able to dine there -- at least that day.

Thanks for doing that, Todd! I'm having trouble finding anything definitive one way or another on how restrictive it was for breakfast in 2001. I've been curious myself to know what happened if you wanted access to WOTW. I know general visitors needed a photograph and badge, but I figure that those visiting the restaurant and observation deck in the other tower would typically be excluded from needing that actual badge. I would imagine that they still needed to speak to security in the lobby in order to access those elevators. And if the restaurant was not open to non club members for breakfast/those attending the conference, would security have turned people away?

More conjecture and speculation…

It isn’t unlikely that on Mon. 9/10 Sneha stayed out all night again. What’s to say she didn’t buy the stuff at Century 21 and go to the apartment of someone she knew. Sure, she would meet strangers and “go home” with them. Should we assume she never became “friends” with one of these people and visit them more than once? I think when she left the store that day, she ended up going with someone she knew or went to visit someone. She may have had plans to go out all night. Again. This might explain where she left the bags at least.

And as someone who is married (almost 20 years) and has spent nights at the homes of single friends (men and women) many times, I can say that when you spend the nights and days on one particular friend’s couch, more than others, you end up with a spare set of basic toiletries and clothes there. Or you borrow some of theirs.

I go back and forth, but lately, I’m really starting to believe her lifestyle caught up with her on 9/10. :(

The NYPD detective assigned to Sneha’s case sounds pretty sure that the woman shown on the apartment surveillance video is Sneha. Whether she ended up at the mall under the WTC or at Windows on the World, the fact is it is all but confirmed that she was very close to the WTC before the first plane hit.

I understand that this detective is not impervious to suffering from a case of mistaken identity, but this guy has the experience and training to reasonably conclude whether this was Sneha or not. Ron denying that it was Sneha means nothing to me. The poor guy was in understandable denial and the hope she simply disappeared on 9/10 would leave a small sliver of hope to cling on to.

The other possibility is that the person she met (assuming she did) could have had a car or paid for Sneha's ride (cab, train, bus, etc.). The point being she could have been miles away that night. I agree that she was most likely in lower Manhattan, but you can't say a "paper trail would have been left behind" because that's not true, especially in 2001.

She had a credit card in her possession. Had she used this anywhere other than the department stores, a paper trail would have been left behind. Someone else paying for her travel would have come forward by now. There is literally not trace of Sneha from roughly 7:00 p.m. on September 10th.

True, but it was all new and not even washed yet. I assume most people wash their new stuff like underwear before they wear it. (At least I do... :)) But even with that, she had no toiletries with her -- no deodorant, no perfume, no toothbrush, no toothpaste, no hair brush, no makeup, and no contact solution. There isn't a woman I know who wouldn't have taken at least SOME of that with her for a planned overnight. She could have borrowed or purchased those things, but that's not likely. (Who borrows a toothbrush, especially if you are planning to be gone?) If she did purchase them, it would have been after Century 21 and should would have had to borrow funds or use cash.

She also was a married woman who made a "habit" out of staying out all night and spending the night with "friends" without calling her husband to tell him where she was at, and wouldn't surface until 9 or 10 the next morning.

The bigger question though is why would you not take that with you if you KNEW you were going to be gone all night, especially for a potential intimate encounter? Not even a tooth brush? She also left her ID, credit cards, and glasses. If you KNEW you were going to be gone all night, you wouldn't bring that with you?

IMO, she did it on a whim.

That's a very good question. Again, the worker changed her story a couple times, then refused to be interviewed again. What has mostly been reported is what she told Ron. I don't think she's lying -- I just don't know why she changed her story. Maybe in hindsight Sneha wasn't as specific as the worker let on. Like the brother's statements, this is just really weird to me. It shouldn't be controversial at all, but somehow it is. It's possible Sneha bumped into a friend or acquaintance by chance and that they didn't go there or leave together. I think they were probably there together by choice. I just don't get why the worker is being evasive.

I haven't found anything that says the coworker changed her story. Multiple articles say she reached out to Ron after she saw the fliers, and that she had sold Sneha shoes on the 10th, and that she was accompanied with a short haired Indian woman.

Yes -- but this was usually after she went out to the bar with friends or alone. It's more like she crashed somewhere after drinking. This is way different than a planned romantic encounter. That doesn't mean it didn't happen -- it probably did. But if it was planned, where were her other things?

Her husband said (https://groups.google.com/g/alt.true-crime/c/7vKmy74gv9o/m/1ZXGeC1P2CwJ) that when he woke up on the 11th, he figured she would be at her brother's house or her cousin's house. So she wouldn't just stay out all night without calling going out to the bar.

This means they did have access to WOTW because they worked in the building. There were not members of the public. We don't have confirmation if WOTW was open to the public that day or not.

They worked in the building does not mean they had exclusive access to the restaurant. This (https://amhistory.si.edu/september11/collection/record.asp?ID=81) says the restaurant was on the 107th floor, and the conference area was on the 106th. This (https://gen.medium.com/the-restaurant-that-died-on-9-11-906ac340ee1f) article confirms this and says that "most" of the restaurant guests were on the 106th floor for the conference.

She bought a dress, lingerie, panty hose, linens, and three pairs of shoes (which came in boxes). The NYPD detective described them as "two large shopping bags." Of course she could have taken them with her -- buy why do that when your apartment is a couple blocks away? Isn't it easier to drop it off and then go to breakfast, especially since it was the next day? Wouldn't she want to freshen up first? Wouldn't she want to at least brush her teeth?

If she passed the WTC on her way to the apartment, it would make all the sense in the world that she was going to go there first before heading home, meaning the bags were with her.

It was easy to just assume she died at the WTC.

The more that time passes, this assumption becomes more and more likely that it's the correct one.

Again, this is not 100% but it sure seems to eliminate the idea of Sneha having breakfast there on 9/11. I don't know if the public could still make it to that floor just to check it out or not, but they apparently weren't able to dine there -- at least that day.


This (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/windows-on-the-world-chef-on-his-near-miss-on-9-11-he-stopped-off-at-the-world-trade-center-concourse-to-repair-his-glasses-11631223081) article, which interviewed a surviving chef of the restaurant, says that 91 restaurant guests died in the attacks, and "the dining spot had it's a.m. regulars". This (https://lithub.com/september-10-2001-at-the-world-trade-centers-windows-on-the-world/) article says that breakfast was being served in the Wild Blue portion of the restaurant. This (https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-surrogates-court/1328657.html) case establishes that while there were indeed registered guests for the breakfast conference that day, "walk-ins were permitted". This (https://unpublishedarticles.com/windows-on-the-world-the-unwritten-story/) article says that there were a total of 69 people at the breakfast conference, which means there were 22 people on the 107th floor. Even if these people were workers from within the WTC, I seriously doubt they would have denied Sneha the opportunity to check the restaurant out that morning. She told her mother she wanted to check out the restaurant, the day before the attack. No one above the 92nd floor in the North Tower survived.

This (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/windows-on-the-world-chef-on-his-near-miss-on-9-11-he-stopped-off-at-the-world-trade-center-concourse-to-repair-his-glasses-11631223081) article, which interviewed a surviving chef of the restaurant, says that 91 restaurant guests died in the attacks, and "the dining spot had it's a.m. regulars". This (https://lithub.com/september-10-2001-at-the-world-trade-centers-windows-on-the-world/) article says that breakfast was being served in the Wild Blue portion of the restaurant. This (https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ny-surrogates-court/1328657.html) case establishes that while there were indeed registered guests for the breakfast conference that day, "walk-ins were permitted". This (https://unpublishedarticles.com/windows-on-the-world-the-unwritten-story/) article says that there were a total of 69 people at the breakfast conference, which means there were 22 people on the 107th floor. Even if these people were workers from within the WTC, I seriously doubt they would have denied Sneha the opportunity to check the restaurant out that morning. She told her mother she wanted to check out the restaurant, the day before the attack. No one above the 92nd floor in the North Tower survived.

The guy who literally wrote the book on Windows on the World says it was not open to the general public on 9/11 -- only regulars (club members and their guests) were there. Those are the people who died there on 9/11, along with those attending the conference and the employees.

Sneha told her mom she wanted to check out Windows on the World "in the coming days." Soon but not necessarily the very next morning. We know she would not have been able to eat breakfast there as she wasn't a club member. Could she have known or run into a club member who took her up there? I suppose. Could she have gone up just to check it out? I suppose. Could she have gotten stuck in an elevator on her way up or down? I suppose.

Anything is possible...

The guy who literally wrote the book on Windows on the World says it was not open to the general public on 9/11 -- only regulars (club members and their guests) were there. Those are the people who died there on 9/11, along with those attending the conference and the employees.

And I am saying that there are multiple sources from various articles and people, who contend that it would have been easy for someone to go up to the restaurant area and/or conference. If the place was sealed off from anyone other than people who worked in the WTC, how did Juan Lafuente in all likelihood make it there? Because in both his case and Sneha's, there is circumstantial evidence to suggest that this is where both of them ended up that morning. The New York courts agreed (https://law.justia.com/cases/new-york/appellate-division-first-department/2008/2008-00630.html).

The NYPD detective assigned to Sneha’s case sounds pretty sure that the woman shown on the apartment surveillance video is Sneha. Whether she ended up at the mall under the WTC or at Windows on the World, the fact is it is all but confirmed that she was very close to the WTC before the first plane hit.

I respectfully disagree; I think the NYPD detective sounded like he did not do a very thorough job on Sneha's case; for example, he seemed to have a hard time remembering basic facts that most UM viewers would know about the case. (I do leave open the possibility that, as a detective, his "lazy, relaxed affect" could be a tool into fooling others into letting their guard down, haha).

I think the detective just wanted to be done with this case, and after living through 9/11 in NYC you can't really blame the guy.

That being said, I don't believe there's a lot of evidence one way or another that the woman on the surveillance video is Sneha. Sneha was an attractive, in-shape Indian woman -- not a rare sight in Manhattan. Her hairstyle, clothes, etc. were not particularly distinctive, and there were like a million other women in NYC in her age group who would have looked similar to Sneha on grainy surveillance.

I do think it's very possible that Sneha died from debris after the WTC was attacked, but I also think it's very possible she perished in another way that had nothing to do with 9/11.

That being said, I don't believe there's a lot of evidence one way or another that the woman on the surveillance video is Sneha. Sneha was an attractive, in-shape Indian woman -- not a rare sight in Manhattan. Her hairstyle, clothes, etc. were not particularly distinctive, and there were like a million other women in NYC in her age group who would have looked similar to Sneha on grainy surveillance.

How likely is it that another woman with her frame and her distinct mannerisms (from which Stark could compare in video from Century 21) just happened to walk out of the lobby of Sneha’s apartment building minutes before the attack? My guess is it is not a million that could fit that description. Even if it were 10-20 those are still better odds than random violence elsewhere that caused her to disappear totally.

I also think it's very possible she perished in another way that had nothing to do with 9/11.

There’s no evidence of that. None. In all these years not a shred of evidence has surfaced to support that. The only event we know happened that day that caused others to effectively disappear without a trace just happened to occur a few hundred feet from her residence.

There’s no evidence of that. None. In all these years not a shred of evidence has surfaced to support that. The only event we know happened that day that caused others to effectively disappear without a trace just happened to occur a few hundred feet from her residence.

Bingo.

I also think it would have been near impossible for her to have ran to the building after hearing the attacks in an attempt to help. For one, no one knew exactly what had happened after the first crash. And by the team emergency personnel would have arrived on the scene (roughly a few minutes before the second crash), they would have been trying to evacuate people from the buildings and the area...not letting them pass by to go up and help.

Bingo.

I also think it would have been near impossible for her to have ran to the building after hearing the attacks in an attempt to help. For one, no one knew exactly what had happened after the first crash. And by the team emergency personnel would have arrived on the scene (roughly a few minutes before the second crash), they would have been trying to evacuate people from the buildings and the area...not letting them pass by to go up and help.

Agree completely. For the first time since the 9/11 attacks, I recently started watching a lot of the documentaries that have been made about these horrific events - i.e., The iconic Naudet Brothers documentary (initially about the NYC firefighters, but then quickly became a first-hand doc. about the attacks), "9/11 - the Falling Man", etc. I honestly had never seen much of this horrible footage before due to not having a TV back in 2001 & only dial-up Internet access. And, in the ensuing years I avoided watching much about the events due to their being so disturbing, etc. However, because of the 20th anniversary I decided to get out of my "comfort zone" and watch some of these.

And, it is extremely obvious that anyone who was on the ground near the WTC was not only discouraged/stopped from getting near the building(s) after the attack(s), but actively made a point of running as far as possible from these building(s). Note that there was a lot of dust/smoke billowing from the site(s) that people were running away from as well.

So, I do think SP perished in the 9/11 attacks. However, we just may never know the exact circumstances.

I watched the Hulu Documentary "9/11: One Day in America" over the weekend, and it included footage from the Naudet brothers in the lobby of the North tower in addition to tons of footage from the streets of first responders trying to get everyone as far away from the buildings as they could. EMTs were helping people outside who were gravely injured, so I don't see why Sneha would have ignored them to rush into the towers. She was a physician, not a firefighter, and she would have not only been blocked by other first responders, but also in their way to have rushed in. I just don't see it happening.

I thought about Windows on the World a lot watching this one (each time they panned to the North Tower). The people above impact were trapped with no way out. Remains from people in Windows on the World have been identified (but not from all who were known to be there). The sheer destruction of the collapse could have easily pulverized any evidence of Sneha being present. My bet is still on Sneha and her companion being there and dying, which would explain why no one ever came forward to say they were with Sneha at the department store.

Highly recommended documentary (but of course, be prepared for it to be extremely heartbreaking to watch). That day had so many near hits and misses. There were those lucky enough to have avoided death by simply being a little late or choosing to go to a certain area without realizing it would save them--but there were also countless others who died not realizing the choices they made were putting them directly in danger. Sneha may well have been one of them simply because she wanted to check out a trendy restaurant with a great view for breakfast.

Bingo.

I also think it would have been near impossible for her to have ran to the building after hearing the attacks in an attempt to help. For one, no one knew exactly what had happened after the first crash. And by the team emergency personnel would have arrived on the scene (roughly a few minutes before the second crash), they would have been trying to evacuate people from the buildings and the area...not letting them pass by to go up and help.

You're forgetting the nature of first responders and doctors. Many of them, their first instinct is generally to render aid.

So, from that standpoint, it makes sense. For her to get INSIDE the building.. A bit more of a stretch, because you'd think SOMEONE would have stopped her.

Her being outside the building.. Makes alot of sense. And many people did die on the outside. The FDNY priest is one that comes to mind. His name escapes me (Though I recall it being shared with someone famous.. Now I gotta look it up.. Mike Judge. That was it).. He was, either hit by falling debris or a falling person.. I've heard both stories. But.. There's the famous image of him being carried out. So, for someone outside to die and not be recovered at all.. Is a little strange.

Don't get me wrong.. I believe she most likely died in the collapse as well. But.. That's how you get mysteries. When there's juuuust enough doubt or the smallest of possibilities of something other than the obvious.

But.. There's the famous image of him being carried out. So, for someone outside to die and not be recovered at all.. Is a little strange.

Not very. He was killed during the first collapse, and there were men all around him. They recovered him because they were already right there with him.

Not very. He was killed during the first collapse, and there were men all around him. They recovered him because they were already right there with him.

Maybe.. It'd be interesting to know how many of the still missing were inside the building vs outside.

Are there any firefighters still 'missing'? The people outside that were killed, I would suspect that many of them when they saw the building coming down started running, so they weren't as.. damaged.. as some of the people in the building who were crushed under many many tons of debris.

Maybe.. It'd be interesting to know how many of the still missing were inside the building vs outside.

Are there any firefighters still 'missing'? The people outside that were killed, I would suspect that many of them when they saw the building coming down started running, so they weren't as.. damaged.. as some of the people in the building who were crushed under many many tons of debris.

Roughly 40% (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/06/nyregion/9-11-ground-zero-victims-remains.html) of the victims in 9/11 have remains that have never been found or positively identified.

Roughly 40% (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/06/nyregion/9-11-ground-zero-victims-remains.html) of the victims in 9/11 have remains that have never been found or positively identified.

Yep.

Now, for the actual questions I asked and alluded to.. How many firefighters are still missing, how many people who were outside the building are still missing and not identified..

Now, for the actual questions I asked and alluded to.. How many firefighters are still missing, how many people who were outside the building are still missing and not identified..

That has nothing to do with anything because of the 343 firefighters that were killed on 9/11, we do not know how many were where and when during the collapse. We do know that 1,402 people died in the building who were trapped above the plane's impact.

That has nothing to do with anything because of the 343 firefighters that were killed on 9/11, we do not know how many were where and when during the collapse. We do know that 1,402 people died in the building who were trapped above the plane's impact.

It does make a difference. Because, we know that no firefighters made it above that line.

Which also means that Sneha didn't make it above that. Unless you're wanting to assume that she was spiderwoman or something.

If there are no firefighters left unidentified.. I cannot imagine that she made it further than they did. If the unidentified are all, or largely, from the floors above impact.. That tells us that it would be unlikely that she would be unidentified.

If there are a large number of firefighters unidentified, then we ask the question, were the unidentified inside or outside the building? If they were outside.. Then that tells us that there's a very good chance that Sneha could be one of the yet to be identified.

If there are many firefighters unidentified, but they were all inside the building.. Then it's something of a wash. We can't infer a whole lot from this, because.. We ASSUME that she likely didn't make it inside the building. At least I do. I can totally see her providing aid outside, but I can't see her getting inside. At least, no further than the lobby. BUT.. It was chaos, so, we can't say for certain. It's certainly more likely than not that she didn't make it inside. But not definite.

I have no question that she wouldn't make it further than the firefighters. Is it absolute and scientific? Of course not, there's too many variables. but.. If there are no firefighters left unidentified.. Then I would very much start to question whether she actually died at the site.

Which also means that Sneha didn't make it above that. Unless you're wanting to assume that she was spiderwoman or something.

You are making the assumption that she wasn't already above the 92nd floor when the first plane hit.

You are making the assumption that she wasn't already above the 92nd floor when the first plane hit.

You are still assuming she was spiderwoman.

Now, I'm taking @johnnyd's word here about her being on video leaving her apartment a few minutes before the first plane hit. I vaguely remember hearing something about this.

But, her apartment was 2 blocks away. That's.. 10 minutes to get to the site. At best, she'd have been walking to the lobby.

Now, I'm taking @johnnyd's word here about her being on video leaving her apartment a few minutes before the first plane hit. I vaguely remember hearing something about this.



There is no guarantee this woman was Sneha. The identity of the woman on that security camera footage is still undetermined, and even her husband wasn't certain it was her. Apparently, the quality of this footage was nowhere near as clear as the department store videos in which her husband positively identified her.

Now, I'm taking @johnnyd's word here about her being on video leaving her apartment a few minutes before the first plane hit. I vaguely remember hearing something about this.

But, her apartment was 2 blocks away. That's.. 10 minutes to get to the site. At best, she'd have been walking to the lobby.

Why didn't the video capture her carrying bags? Her own husband couldn't positively identify her from that video.

I've also considered that her and her "friend" spent the evening at the Marriott hotel, located right below the Twin Towers. There are still eleven (https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/two-decades-911-near-miss-still-haunts-law-school-admissions-community-2021-09-10/) registered guests who are still "missing". Sneha and this friend could have died in the Marriott after the collapse of the South Tower. And if the friend registered the room in her name, then Sneha's name wouldn't have been on the record.

Why didn't the video capture her carrying bags? Her own husband couldn't positively identify her from that video.

She left them wherever she spent the night with the intent of visiting the person again and retrieving them later.

The sunlight coming in through the windows made it impossible for anyone to see more than the silhouette of this woman. She waited for the elevator before turning around and abruptly walking out. This was at 8:43. The North Tower, which is where Windows on the World was located, was hit first just three minutes later.

If Sneha was the woman in the video, it's impossible she made it up to the restaurant for breakfast in three minutes. I know that's obvious but I figured I'd point it out anyway.

Now, I'm taking @johnnyd's word here about her being on video leaving her apartment a few minutes before the first plane hit. I vaguely remember hearing something about this.

Much to my chagrin I’ve never seen the surveillance video from her apartment. I don’t think anyone outside of law enforcement, the judicial system, or her family has. It was mentioned in both The Trail Went Cold and Missing on 9/11 podcasts. Richard Stark, who was the NYPD detective who investigated Sneha’s case, was interviewed on Missing on 9/11 and sounds convinced the video shows her leaving the building shortly before the first plane hit the tower. Apparently Ron also believes this woman’s dress looked like one owed by Sneha.

If this amounted to a positive ID then this case wouldn’t be the great mystery it’s become. But even discounting the video - how many people disappeared in NYC that day without a trace other than Sneha and it wasn’t connected to 9/11? Frankly I’m surprised there aren’t more examples of this type of case that day.

This case imo has been tangled up in a PR operation to rehabilitate Sneha’s image - unfairly earned or not. Sneha’s cousin alleges in the UM segment that Sneha would never just stay out all night without telling anyone. Well, that was later proven to be false. If her family was trying to discount her habit of disappearing for entire evenings to rehab her image, then by necessity her family would have to say she MUST have been subject to foul play on 9/10 because she would NEVER just disappear all night. Thus the mystery is created. So while all we have then is just speculation, the fact is, however she ended up at the WTC, it’s an explanation that is very possible due to the fact she lived nearby, it’s conceivable she would return home around that time in the morning based on past behavior, and she was known to have had reasons for being at the WTC that day.

If Sneha was the woman in the video, it's impossible she made it up to the restaurant for breakfast in three minutes. I know that's obvious but I figured I'd point it out anyway.

I don't think she was the woman in the video. For one, she has no bags in the video. Also, the detective says that this video shows the woman leaving the apartment building, not entering. Meaning that the woman was in the building before the attacks. Sneha's husband left for work at 6:30 a.m. that morning and she wasn't there.

I've also considered that her and her "friend" spent the evening at the Marriott hotel, located right below the Twin Towers. There are still eleven (https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/two-decades-911-near-miss-still-haunts-law-school-admissions-community-2021-09-10/) registered guests who are still "missing". Sneha and this friend could have died in the Marriott after the collapse of the South Tower. And if the friend registered the room in her name, then Sneha's name wouldn't have been on the record.

I recently watched a documentary that centered around guests who were staying at the Marriott. I definitely suggest for all interested in this case to watch it if you have not seen it already. It really paints a picture of the chaos and confusion in and around the WTC area, particularly people who were not in the towers, but people who were in the general area. Point being, you did not have to be in the towers to be killed.

I recently watched a documentary that centered around guests who were staying at the Marriott. I definitely suggest for all interested in this case to watch it if you have not seen it already. It really paints a picture of the chaos and confusion in and around the WTC area, particularly people who were not in the towers, but people who were in the general area. Point being, you did not have to be in the towers to be killed.

This same documentary also shows at least one scene of a random person (not a uniformed EMT/Firefighter/Police officer) walking past a police cordon into the site before the towers fell, without showing ID, being stopped, or anything else. I'm not saying EVERY cordon was like that, because we know they weren't. There's plenty of footage of police/firefighters telling onlookers to get out of there. This does leave open the possibility (however remote) that she did, in fact, get through to the WTC before the collapses, but after the attacks. I'm not saying that's what she did, I'm simply saying that it IS a possibility.

It does make a difference. Because, we know that no firefighters made it above that line.

Which also means that Sneha didn't make it above that. Unless you're wanting to assume that she was spiderwoman or something.

If there are no firefighters left unidentified.. I cannot imagine that she made it further than they did. If the unidentified are all, or largely, from the floors above impact.. That tells us that it would be unlikely that she would be unidentified.

If there are a large number of firefighters unidentified, then we ask the question, were the unidentified inside or outside the building? If they were outside.. Then that tells us that there's a very good chance that Sneha could be one of the yet to be identified.

If there are many firefighters unidentified, but they were all inside the building.. Then it's something of a wash. We can't infer a whole lot from this, because.. We ASSUME that she likely didn't make it inside the building. At least I do. I can totally see her providing aid outside, but I can't see her getting inside. At least, no further than the lobby. BUT.. It was chaos, so, we can't say for certain. It's certainly more likely than not that she didn't make it inside. But not definite.

I have no question that she wouldn't make it further than the firefighters. Is it absolute and scientific? Of course not, there's too many variables. but.. If there are no firefighters left unidentified.. Then I would very much start to question whether she actually died at the site.
A couple of posts prior to your's here, WD and Latka Gravas mentioned the 9-11 documentary that was captured by the Nadau brothers. On that day, they were embedded with an NYFD battalion and were documenting a reality film regarding the challenges of being a rookie firefighter. It truly is a must watch if you have not seen it yet, and yes it is disturbing and emotional. IIRC they are the only ones who captured footage of the first plane's impact. If you watch the documentary it really captures the chaos and confusion of the moment, particularly before and after the first tower collapsed. No one in the moment thought of the towers collapsing, so there was no dire urgency to leave the lower Manhattan area until after the first tower collapsed and killed or trapped a lot of people. IIRC there were also a handful(or less) of firefighters who did make it up to the impact site and reported the dire scenes...I don't think that their bodies were recovered. This was documented in NYFD radio traffic.

Even after the first tower collapsed there was still a lot of confusion for people who were in Lower Manhattan. Unlike many others who were at home watching the events unfolding on television, many people who were in Lower Manhattan did not fully understand what was happening and/or the extreme danger that existed. I recently went to that area and it is not possible to see much from the ground level other than the buildings that are directly in front of you. People on the ground or in the general area could have easily been confused and unaware of the danger that existed regarding the towers collapsing, especially with smoke brewing and limited visibility. Is it possible that Sneha was above the impact site, yes. It is also possible that she was at the ground level or in another surrounding building that was crushed by the towers when they collapsed. I find it very doubtful that she went into the buildings after the planes hit. I don't think that she met with foul play, but that scenario is not impossible. I think that she died from the buildings collapsing and her body was never recovered. Since no one can fully substantiate her location before the planes hit, we can only theorize what may have happened to her.

This same documentary also shows at least one scene of a random person (not a uniformed EMT/Firefighter/Police officer) walking past a police cordon into the site before the towers fell, without showing ID, being stopped, or anything else. I'm not saying EVERY cordon was like that, because we know they weren't. There's plenty of footage of police/firefighters telling onlookers to get out of there. This does leave open the possibility (however remote) that she did, in fact, get through to the WTC before the collapses, but after the attacks. I'm not saying that's what she did, I'm simply saying that it IS a possibility.
yes that would have been a possibility, there was chaos and it would not have been possible for NYPD/NYFD to adequately control the situation. There were onlookers and others who were in the area that did not fully understand the impending danger regarding the towers collapsing. I think most people in that time only thought of the individuals who were injured, directly from the impact. It is also possible with her being a doctor, that she was a first responder on the ground if she happened to be there and perhaps that kept her in danger for a longer period of time. I find it unlikely that she would have went up or even into the building(s) seeking out victims after the planes hit.

I find it unlikely that she would have went up or even into the building(s) seeking out victims after the planes hit.

Yes, that I completely agree with. There's zero chance, to me, that she entered the building(s) after the first plane hit. IF she was inside, it was prior to the first plane.

Yes, that I completely agree with. There's zero chance, to me, that she entered the building(s) after the first plane hit. IF she was inside, it was prior to the first plane.

yes, overall just such a sad situation for all. there were a lot of people who were never identified and were just missing. I recently went to the memorial and it was a very emotional experience.

I don't think she was the woman in the video. For one, she has no bags in the video. Also, the detective says that this video shows the woman leaving the apartment building, not entering. Meaning that the woman was in the building before the attacks. Sneha's husband left for work at 6:30 a.m. that morning and she wasn't there.

Are you sure? I read that the woman entered the building, waited for the elevator for a short time, then turned around and walked back out. Or maybe I read it wrong? Maybe I misunderstood? :confused:

Are you sure? I read that the woman entered the building, waited for the elevator for a short time, then turned around and walked back out. Or maybe I read it wrong? Maybe I misunderstood? :confused:

The video has never been released publicly, so we have to kind of read between the lines of what was released verbally. This (https://nymag.com/news/9-11/10th-anniversary/sneha-anne-philip/) article says that the woman is seen lingering at the elevators for a minute or two, and then she goes outside after the first plane hit. I cannot find anything that mentions this lady entering the building.

The video has never been released publicly, so we have to kind of read between the lines of what was released verbally. This (https://nymag.com/news/9-11/10th-anniversary/sneha-anne-philip/) article says that the woman is seen lingering at the elevators for a minute or two, and then she goes outside after the first plane hit. I cannot find anything that mentions this lady entering the building.

I thought they showed that footage on Unsolved Mysteries, unless that was a reenactment video

I thought they showed that footage on Unsolved Mysteries, unless that was a reenactment video

The footage is from the day prior and is Senha shopping at a department store. The lobby footage from the morning of the attacks has never been released publicly.

The footage is from the day prior and is Senha shopping at a department store. The lobby footage from the morning of the attacks has never been released publicly.

Oh ok, gotcha. I wonder why it hasn’t been publicly released.

I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, but they have identified 2 more remains found from 9/11: a man and a woman.

The names have not been released but there is always that chance that Dr.Sneha will be identified, and maybe this is it.

——————————————

New York City officials have identified two more victims of the September 11 terror attacks on the World Trade Center, just days before the 22nd memorial anniversary of the attacks.

The man and woman identified are the 1,648th and 1,649th victims identified by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to a news release from the mayor’s office. The two were identified through advanced DNA testing of their remains, says the release.

The mayor’s office said that they were withholding the names of the two new victims at the request of their families.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/09/08/us/september-11-new-victim-identifications/index.html

Her being outside the building.. Makes alot of sense. And many people did die on the outside. The FDNY priest is one that comes to mind. His name escapes me (Though I recall it being shared with someone famous.. Now I gotta look it up.. Mike Judge. That was it).. He was, either hit by falling debris or a falling person.. I've heard both stories. But.. There's the famous image of him being carried out. So, for someone outside to die and not be recovered at all.. Is a little strange.

Don't get me wrong.. I believe she most likely died in the collapse as well. But.. That's how you get mysteries. When there's juuuust enough doubt or the smallest of possibilities of something other than the obvious.

For the record, St Mychal Judge (in some churches) aka the chaplain of the NYPD died of a heart attack, he was not struck by debris or a body, although that story has been floating around since that day.

He’s called Victim 001 because he was the first victim recovered and taken to the medical examiner. He obviously wasn’t the first to die.

For the record, St Mychal Judge (in some churches) aka the chaplain of the NYPD died of a heart attack, he was not struck by debris or a body, although that story has been floating around since that day.

He’s called Victim 001 because he was the first victim recovered and taken to the medical examiner. He obviously wasn’t the first to die.

He was the first known.. And yes.. We talked about this a few pages back or in another topic where he actually died of a heart attack. Not unusual for there to be misinformation from that time.

A story hit on Foxnews today about this case.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/missing-doctor-lived-near-twin-towers-officially-died-9-11-sleuths-suspect-she-was-killed-earlier

Which.. Is a very weird story in my eyes.. Basically, it starts off like there's new information.. And then it's just an ex NYPD Sergeant saying "True crime folks should look at other cases"

While.. I don't necessarily disagree with the sentiment.. It's just.. A weird ass story.. He's saying leave things like this alone because it's basically just not solvable and focus on bringing attention to other cases that are.

[QUOTE=ScaryFog;6195914]I don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up, but they have identified 2 more remains found from 9/11: a man and a woman.]

The names have not been released but there is always that chance that Dr.Sneha will be identified, and maybe this is it.]QUOTE

——————————————

I could be very wrong, but given how determined Sneha's family was to prove she was a hero of 9/11, they would want everyone to know if it was her that had been found.