'Low Strangeness' Disappearances (Missing Persons; Runaways; Crime-Related)

[ramonmercado]

Apparently there are over a thousand people who have disappeared without a trace into America's national parks. Very interesting (and disconcerting) article found here:

https://www.outsideonline.com/2164446/leave-no-trace

My daughter hikes a lot of mountains out in Colorado so reading this article is not the stuff of which a good night's sleep is made.

But don't worry too much:

WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) today announced 330,882,751 recreation visits in 2017 – almost identical to the record-setting 330,971,689 recreation visits in 2016. While numbers were steady, visitors actually spent more time in parks during their 2017 visits compared to 2016.
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/02-28-2018-visitation-certified.htm


The odds of disappearing are low, the outsideonline report doesn't say over how many years these disappearances occurred.

More than 7.5 million visitors to Colorado’s 12 National Park Service units spent $485 million in 2016, according to a new report from the agency. Spending was up by about 8 percent and visits rose by 5.5 percent over 2015, said Patrick O'Driscoll, spokesman for the NPS Intermountain Regional Office in Denver.

http://www.cpr.org/news/story/visitors-to-colorados-national-parks-spent-485m-in-2016

 

[SkepticalX]

I think, if you take reasonable precautions, the risk is manageable. However, not everyone goes prepared or exercises the proper amount of caution. Last year, my daughter and her cohorts were descending from a 14,000 ft peak when they encountered another group on its way up. They talked with them briefly, warning of some treacherous conditions ahead. She heard the next day that a member of that other party fell to their death not long after they had met.

 

[ramonmercado]

I think, if you take reasonable precautions, the risk is manageable. However, not everyone goes prepared or exercises the proper amount of caution. Last year, my daughter and her cohorts were descending from a 14,000 ft peak when they encountered another group on its way up. They talked with them briefly, warning of some treacherous conditions ahead. She heard the next day that a member of that other party fell to their death not long after they had met.

That's bad news. Many unprepared people put mountain rescue teams at risk.

 

[henry]

sad and stupid death for that airman ... i slept in some crazy places in my wild years, into a waste bin i would certainly never voluntarily go ... bus and train stations are never far away ...

 

[ramonmercado]

This doesn't look good.

A scream was heard near the home of a midwife who has been missing for nearly a week, police have said.

Samantha Eastwood, 28, was last seen leaving Royal Stoke University Hospital at 07:45 BST on Friday and did not return later for her night shift.

She has not used her bank cards or car since going missing, police believe.

Det Supt Simon Duffy said the report by neighbours of hearing a scream "forms part of one of a number of theories" regarding Ms Eastwood's disappearance.

The noise was heard in the vicinity of Ms Eastwood's address in Stockton Brook, Stoke-on-Trent, at about 14:00 on Friday.

Det Supt Duffy said he was unable to comment further on this element of the investigation.

The force is treating her case as a "high-risk missing person" inquiry.

A 32-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent, who was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of kidnap following her disappearance, has been released under investigation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-45043885

 

[SkepticalX]

We've had a couple of highly publicized incidents here in the States lately in which young women just drop from sight. Typically these do not end well. I don't think there is anything particularly Fortean about these tragedies unless you think there is something fundamentally different about life in the 21st Century that is driving people crazy.

 

[escargot]

This doesn't look good.

A scream was heard near the home of a midwife who has been missing for nearly a week, police have said.

Samantha Eastwood, 28, was last seen leaving Royal Stoke University Hospital at 07:45 BST on Friday and did not return later for her night shift.

She has not used her bank cards or car since going missing, police believe.

Det Supt Simon Duffy said the report by neighbours of hearing a scream "forms part of one of a number of theories" regarding Ms Eastwood's disappearance.

The noise was heard in the vicinity of Ms Eastwood's address in Stockton Brook, Stoke-on-Trent, at about 14:00 on Friday.

Det Supt Duffy said he was unable to comment further on this element of the investigation.

The force is treating her case as a "high-risk missing person" inquiry.

A 32-year-old man from Stoke-on-Trent, who was arrested earlier this week on suspicion of kidnap following her disappearance, has been released under investigation.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-45043885

This young lady has been found dead and there have been three arrests in connection. One feels that the police had an idea all along about what's gone on.

I've worked at that hospital and I know people who knew her. It's all very sad.

 

[MrRING]

Do we have a general thread for missing persons? If not, we should.

In any case, I came across this and it seemed odd. Internet personality Hannah Minx was "net famous", made a lowbudget horror film, then disappeared from the face of the earth. DREAD CENTRAL is where I first found the story:

As we continue our quest for answers to the strange and bizarre riddles of the web, some of these mysteries hit a bit closer to home than we expected. One such case is the sudden “disappearance” of web-celeb Hannah Minx – a social media superstar obsessed with Japanese pop culture who made quite a name for herself among the cosplay community, with over 600,000 subscribers to her YouTube channel.
Under the name Hannah Wagner, the social media superstar was cast as the bubbly, blue-haired “Adventure Girl” Sadie in Dread Presents’ holiday horror-comedy Slay Belles… but shortly after production completed, Hannah seemed to drop off the internet completely. No warning, no explanation – the web persona known as Hannah Minx had simply ceased to exist.

I don't know if it's ballyhoo to hype the film or a legit mystery, but I figured I'd throw it out there!

 

[hunck]

Do we have a general thread for missing persons? If not, we should.

In any case, I came across this and it seemed odd. Internet personality Hannah Minx was "net famous", made a lowbudget horror film, then disappeared from the face of the earth. DREAD CENTRAL is where I first found the story:


I don't know if it's ballyhoo to hype the film or a legit mystery, but I figured I'd throw it out there!

At the end of the video it says she seems to have reappeared on Twitter as Hannah Osterhagen, "wife, mother & punk music fan". Unless someone has stolen her photo..

 

[Coal]

A Native American lady who searches for missing people, well worth a read:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47627701

The amateur sleuth who searched for a body - and found one
A car wreck found at the bottom of a lake brought the search for a missing young mother to an end. But why was it a volunteer team behind the discovery, and not the police?
On a blazing hot day in late July, Lissa Yellowbird-Chase drove her black SUV, license plate "SEARCH", to a muddy landing on Lake Sakakawea. It was a remote entrance to the water on the northern edge of the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota - not much more than a rickety dock at the end of an uneven gravel road.
Hitched to the back of Yellowbird-Chase's truck was a 14-foot boat with a half-broken motor and a set of fishing sonar. By her own admission, she was not a particularly skilled or experienced boater, nor an expert in sonar. But she had a plan.

 

[catseye]

I don't know whether it's just me or the people I follow but I've been noticing an increasing trend on Facebook of people posting 'Missing' people (usually children or vulnerable adults) - which is admirable, but the posts have been from one or two years ago. People not checking the dates before reposting, I presume.

 

[GNC]

That's why Craig Shergold has received hundreds of millions of birthday cards for three decades. (I assume that's still happening?).

 

[ramonmercado]

Maybe the dog ate them?

A search and rescue expert has told an inquest into the mysterious disappearance of two prospectors in WA's outback that it is possible they met their deaths after they chased their dog when it ran away from their campsite.

Key points:

• The Kehlets were reported missing on March 19, 2015
• They had been prospecting in a remote spot about 700km north-east of Perth
• Mr Kehlet's body was found down a mineshaft, his wife remains missing

The inquest is examining the case of Raymond and Jennie Kehlet who were last seen alive in March 2015 while on a prospecting trip with a friend, Grahame Milne, to Sandstone, about 700 kilometres north-east of Perth.

Concerns were first raised for their safety about 10 days after they left home, when their dog, a great dane called Ella, was found wandering in a caravan park in Sandstone.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01...ctors-might-have-chased-dog-got-lost/11858828

 

[Shady]

The wife and friend killed hubby then ran off together

 

[Schrodinger's Zebra]

I wonder if the man's body was not there straight away? It says that the cave was originally cleared and then he was found later.

Or was it just because he wasn't directly under the opening, so they didn't do a thorough enough search to find him the first time?

Also strange was:

He also said there was a red 20-litre jerry can on the other side of the shaft, which was positioned upright and "looked as if it had been placed there".

Was it already down there when the man fell, and he stood it upright in order to try to stand on it to escape, but fell off? (I suppose the can would have fallen over though). What other reason would it be there? Was someone planning to set fire to his body?

 

[EnolaGaia]

I wonder if the man's body was not there straight away? It says that the cave was originally cleared and then he was found later.
Or was it just because he wasn't directly under the opening, so they didn't do a thorough enough search to find him the first time? ...

A subsequent news story mentioned the body was not visible from the mine shaft's opening above. It was not until a searcher descended into the shaft that the skeletal remains were found. The space underneath the vertical shaft was wider than the shaft, and the body was off to one side.

 

[EnolaGaia]

RE: The jerry can

Was it already down there when the man fell, and he stood it upright in order to try to stand on it to escape, but fell off? (I suppose the can would have fallen over though). What other reason would it be there? Was someone planning to set fire to his body?

After reviewing the news stories at the ABC site, I notice ...

There's no mention of whether the jerry can held any liquid, nor any mention of which sort of liquid the jerry can may have last contained. If Mr. Kehlet had fallen into the shaft or otherwise been incapacitated at its bottom (circa 12m down) it's conceivable a jerry can of water was lowered to him before someone went off to get help.

In an updated news item from July 2015 it states:

Officers are also trying to find prospecting items that belong to the couple, including a Garmin GPS unit, an ATX Garrett metal detector, a prospector's rope and chain and a prospecting pan.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-20/missing-prospectors-kehlet-search-pet-dog-clue/6633140

It's the MIA rope that piques my interest. There's no mention of other ropes, so the MIA rope may have been used to lower the jerry can to the injured Mr. Kehlet.

 

[EnolaGaia]

The growing set of posts discussing deaths occurring / bodies discovered in chimneys have been spun off into their own dedicated thread:

People Dying / Corpses Discovered In Chimneys
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/people-dying-corpses-discovered-in-chimneys.66815/

 

[dr wu]

Naughty Felid started a thread called People Who Vanish....so is that to be differentiated from this one called Low Strangeness Disappearances...?
Just curious.

A few years ago I became interested in the Missing 411 meme started by an American ex- policeman David Paulides (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paulides ) who took it upon himself to investigate these type of cases and write books and have a website. There seem to be many of these cases, especially large state parks, where people just end up missing and never found even after extensive searching by the authorities. I came to believe that Paulides was exaggerating many and trying to imply that mysterious circumstances were involved as in Bigfoot and even 'aliens'. I eventually lost interest.
But there is a forum poster on another forum I visit ,now and then, who continues to post these cases when they make the news. He doesn't want to discuss his reasons on what he thinks might be happening (and I have tried to engage him) to the missing people but continues to post the tales anyway.

We have a great group here and I'm interested in thoughts of any here on whether they think these are just bad luck for some who go missing in accidents, crimes of spree/serial killers, or something more sinister, or paranormal? Or all of the above?

 

[Naughty_Felid]

Naughty Felid started a thread called People Who Vanish....so is that to be differentiated from this one called Low Strangeness Disappearances...?
Just curious.

A few years ago I became interested in the Missing 411 meme started by an American ex- policeman David Paulides (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paulides ) who took it upon himself to investigate these type of cases and write books and have a website. There seem to be many of these cases, especially large state parks, where people just end up missing and never found even after extensive searching by the authorities. I came to believe that Paulides was exaggerating many and trying to imply that mysterious circumstances were involved as in Bigfoot and even 'aliens'. I eventually lost interest.
But there is a forum poster on another forum I visit ,now and then, who continues to post these cases when they make the news. He doesn't want to discuss his reasons on what he thinks might be happening (and I have tried to engage him) to the missing people but continues to post the tales anyway.

We have a great group here and I'm interested in thoughts of any here on whether they think these are just bad luck for some who go missing in accidents, crimes of spree/serial killers, or something more sinister, or paranormal? Or all of the above?

I'm hoping mine will have a Fortean/Conspiratorial bent rather than someone who sadly has just been murdered.

 

[dr wu]

I'm hoping mine will have a Fortean/Conspiratorial bent rather than someone who sadly has just been murdered.

Then I probably should have posted my bit in your thread...because Paulides -Missing 411 always seemed like he wanted to classify his strange cases in the paranormal area.

 

[Naughty_Felid]

Then I probably should have posted my bit in your thread...because Paulides -Missing 411 always seemed like he wanted to classify his strange cases in the paranormal area.

That's why we have mods to come along and sort out messy threads!

 

[dr wu]

Has anyone here read the Missing 411 material and Paulides ideas...? And should that be in this thread, the other, or a separate one entirely..?
?

 

[Naughty_Felid]

Has anyone here read the Missing 411 material and Paulides ideas...? And should that be in this thread, the other, or a separate one entirely..?
?

The main criticism of Paulides is that what he reports isn't always backed-up by the Rangers, Law Enforcement, etc that he has interviewed. He's also a bit cagey and his belief has shifted to some sort of bigfoot creature kidnapping people, he cherry-picks facts, etc.

This is an incredibly long denouncement but gives you a gist.


https://www.amazon.com/review/R17M0AXEMAG3HT

 

[dr wu]

The main criticism of Paulides is that what he reports isn't always backed-up by the Rangers, Law Enforcement, etc that he has interviewed. He's also a bit cagey and his belief has shifted to some sort of bigfoot creature kidnapping people, he cherry-picks facts, etc.

This is an incredibly long denouncement but gives you a gist.


https://www.amazon.com/review/R17M0AXEMAG3HT

Actually I have read the pros and cons on 411 Missing and Mr Paulides several years ago...I was wondering if anyone wanted to get into it or not and any possible paranormal connection .

 

[EnolaGaia]

Paulides' work and writings have been discussed in multiple threads - most especially:

Blaming Cryptids For Crimes & Other Incidents
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/blaming-cryptids-for-crimes-other-incidents.60738/

Missing 411: The Film
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/missing-411-the-film.59791/

Incident in Mt Rainier National Park
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/incident-in-mt-rainier-national-park.63817/

Underground City In The Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
https://forums.forteana.org/index.p...he-great-smoky-mountains-national-park.63998/

The Stairs In The Forest & Other Strange Tales
https://forums.forteana.org/index.php?threads/the-stairs-in-the-forest-other-strange-tales.60422/

 

[dr wu]

^Thanks for those links....I now recall posting on one about 2 years ago.....apparently the Paulides position has been discussed before.

 

[Naughty_Felid]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333859

Police have found footprints and a historic campsite near a river in the search for missing trampers Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds.

The pair have not been seen since May 9 when they set off in the Kahurangi National Park.

Police said today they had not yet been able to confirm if either the footprints or the campsite near the Webb River belonged to the pair.

Today's land search was supported by a drone with infrared capabilities.


Police will begin using an Air Force NH90 helicopter and crew tonight.

A crew of four and a medic will be on board and will search inland from the Anatori River mouth.

It will search along river beds and will use night vision goggles to look for light sources, such as fires or torches, which might be being used by the trampers.

Police are asking for anyone who has been around the Anatori, Webb, Kokopu, Independent and Fraser rivers since May 8 who may have seen the pair to get in touch.

Anyone with information should contact police on 105 and quote event number

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/417169/no-sign-of-missing-trampers-after-two-days-of-search

Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds, both 23 and from the Tasman area, started out on 9 May. They are understood to have entered at the Anatori River car park, in a remote part of western Golden Bay.

Police started searching on Tuesday and a drone with infrared capability was flown last night. Police said it would be used again in today's land search.

Sherp Tucker, who has worked in search and rescue since the 1960s - though is not involved in this search - said the area was full of bluffs and dense vegetation.

Even though the terrain they were thought to be in was rugged and difficult there was still a chance for the pair, he said.

"This is a true wilderness area and the restriction on travel is mainly because of the vegetation, but if these people have outdoor skills and fitness on their side and they've taken the right kind of gear, there's no reason they aren't still alive."

 

[Ladyloafer]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12333859

Police have found footprints and a historic campsite near a river in the search for missing trampers Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds.

The pair have not been seen since May 9 when they set off in the Kahurangi National Park.

Police said today they had not yet been able to confirm if either the footprints or the campsite near the Webb River belonged to the pair.

Today's land search was supported by a drone with infrared capabilities.


Police will begin using an Air Force NH90 helicopter and crew tonight.

A crew of four and a medic will be on board and will search inland from the Anatori River mouth.

It will search along river beds and will use night vision goggles to look for light sources, such as fires or torches, which might be being used by the trampers.

Police are asking for anyone who has been around the Anatori, Webb, Kokopu, Independent and Fraser rivers since May 8 who may have seen the pair to get in touch.

Anyone with information should contact police on 105 and quote event number

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/417169/no-sign-of-missing-trampers-after-two-days-of-search

Jessica O'Connor and Dion Reynolds, both 23 and from the Tasman area, started out on 9 May. They are understood to have entered at the Anatori River car park, in a remote part of western Golden Bay.

Police started searching on Tuesday and a drone with infrared capability was flown last night. Police said it would be used again in today's land search.

Sherp Tucker, who has worked in search and rescue since the 1960s - though is not involved in this search - said the area was full of bluffs and dense vegetation.

Even though the terrain they were thought to be in was rugged and difficult there was still a chance for the pair, he said.

"This is a true wilderness area and the restriction on travel is mainly because of the vegetation, but if these people have outdoor skills and fitness on their side and they've taken the right kind of gear, there's no reason they aren't still alive."

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2...lost-in-fog-jessica-oconnor-and-dion-reynolds

Jessica and Dion have been found alive and well after 18 days missing.

Jessica O’Connor and Dion Reynolds, both 23, hiked into the sprawling Kahurangi national park on 9 May, intending to be gone for about five days, but they became lost in fog within the first few days and ran out of food, police said on Wednesday.
The hikers chose to stay in place and were rescued by a military helicopter after crews spotted smoke from a fire they had lit....
A St John ambulance spokewoman Ngaire Jones said the hikers were brought by helicopter to Nelson airport where medics found they had only minor injuries and were then taken to Nelson hospital.
Police said their condition seemed very good considering their long ordeal.

 

[Kondoru]

Oh, thats good.

if you get lost, stay in place.

I mean, if you think someone will look for you.