Attempt to Match -- Nancy Lynn Jason (#MP13877) vs. #UP7477

By: Shane Lambert

Updated: July 17th, 2024

In this article, I am going to look at the missing person case of Nancy Lynn Jason, NamUs #MP13877, and compare it to the Jane Doe case of NamUs #UP7477. The goal is to evaluate the likelihood that they might be one and the same person.

On that matter, I will start with one of the Jane Doe's composite sketches and a couple of photos of the missing person. In my opinion, they do look alike, with striking similarities in hair parting, swarthy skin tone, and general features.

Composite sketch of Jane Doe #UP7477.

Nancy Lynn Jason.

Nancy Lynn Jason.

Next, I'll look to see if the circumstances of their cases match up. The timeline of the two cases must match up.

Nancy Lynn Jason vs Jane Doe UP7477

Firstly, Nancy Lynn Jason went missing when she was 18 years old in July of 1977. The Jane Doe was found on August 24th, 1982 in the trunk in a state park. She has been dubbed "The Cheerleader in the Trunk" accordingly. The first point, that the Jane Doe had to be found after the missing person was last seen, does check out. 

We can move on to the more complex points.

August 26th, 1982. The Baltimore Sun.

According to the NamUs profile for the Jane Doe, the "body may have been at that location for three or more years." The Jane Doe was thought to have died somewhere between 1972 and 1982. If we assume that Nancy Lynn Jason died at about the time of her disappearance in 1977, then her estimated date of death would overlay with the estimated date-of-death range of the Jane Doe.

Secondly, the sex and ethnicity between Nancy Lynn Jason and the Jane Doe match. They are both white females.

Thirdly, the distance between Nancy Lynn Jason's last-known location and the spot where the Jane Doe was discovered are reasonably close. Nancy was last seen in Bethesda, Maryland while the Jane Doe was found about 40 miles away in Frederick, Maryland.

Interestingly, Nancy's disappearance may have involved southbound hitchhiking toward Florida, as she was planning a trip there at the time of her disappearance. However, Frederick is northwest of Bethesda, not south, which complicates the idea of her being found along her intended route. It’s possible she was transported to Frederick after an incident near Bethesda.

Next, Nancy Lynn Jason had brown hair and so did the Jane Doe. The length of the hair and the parting point on the forehead appear to be similar in the photos of Nancy Lynn Jason and the composite sketch of Jane Doe, further supported by what looks like a shared swarthy skin tone and general facial features.

Lastly, the height between the two does not really match. Nancy was thought to be 5'7" while the Jane Doe was thought to be about 5'4". However, taking heights from human remains isn't an exact science when it comes to figuring out how tall the person was in life.

The discrepancy in the heights is small, and taken alone, it cannot be used to rule the two individuals out. You shrink after you die, so perhaps that the Jane Doe was shorter than Nancy Lynn Jason could be overstated.

The so called "Cheerleader in the Trunk" was found by mushroom foragers. She was in a steamer trunk in a park setting.

Comparison Chart: Nancy Lynn Jason vs. Jane Doe

Attribute	Nancy Lynn Jason (MP13877)	Jane Doe (UP7477)
Date	Last seen: July 17, 1977	Found: August 24, 1982; Est. death: 1972–1982
Location	Bethesda, Maryland	Frederick, Maryland (40 miles northwest)
Sex	Female	Female
Race	White/Caucasian	White/Caucasian
Age	18 years	Estimated 17–45 years
Height	5'7" (67 inches)	5'4" (64 inches, estimated)
Hair	Brown	Brown, medium-length
Circumstances	Hitchhiking, planning trip to Florida	Found in trunk, state park

Based on an analysis by Grok, an AI developed by xAI, there is a 40–55% chance that Nancy Lynn Jason and Jane Doe are the same person. This estimate accounts for the timeline overlap, matching demographics, and notable similarities in hair parting, swarthy skin tone, and general features between Nancy’s photos and Jane Doe’s composite sketch, balanced against the northwest location of Frederick versus Nancy’s southbound intent and the height discrepancy, which may reflect forensic imprecision.

Grok also stated that there was an implied match between Nancy's plan to hitchhike and an effort to conceal the Jane Doe. I did not quite understand what the AI meant when that was said. I took it to mean that when hitchhikers go missing, something clandestine is usually involved. Certainly, when a body is put into a trunk and disposed of in a park, something clandestine has happened. So perhaps the AI meant that there were matching circumstances between Nancy and the Jane Doe that way.

The Two Have Not Been Examined

The Jane Doe has numerous rule-outs listed at her profile but she has not been compared to Nancy Lynn Jason. Also, Nancy Lynn Jason has numerous rule-outs but she has not been compared to the Jane Doe. At this point, I think it's possible that they are one and the same person. I hope that they are looked at and, if they are not matched, at least they could be listed as rule-outs of one another.

Bobby Lee Rodriguez -- Missing Since September 2019 in Idaho

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

"Update: Investigation discovered that subject purchased items that appeared to be camping related and then was dropped off near the Wagonhammer RV park and hiking trails in Lemhi County, Idaho. This occurred around the beginning of October, 2019. 

Original: Went to Europe and it is unknown if he ever returned to the United States, he told the reporting party he wasn't coming back to Arkansas but would either move to California or Colorado but hasn't been communicated with since September 30th."

Missing Person: Bobby Lee Rodriguez
Last-contact date: September 30th, 2019
The area where the MP was last seen: North Fork, Idaho
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Hispanic/Latino
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 25 years old
Birthdate: Bobby Lee Rodriguez was born between September 31st, 1993, and September 30th, 1994 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Scar:
Height/weight: 5'9" to 5'11" and 200 to 220 pounds
BMI*: This individual was obese by BMI standards at the time of his disappearance.
Tattoos: Bobby Lee Rodriguez did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Bobby Lee Rodriguez, a missing person, was last heard from on September 30th, 2019 when he was 25 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 2 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. While this case is associated with Idaho, I think the missing person was of the Springdale, Arkansas area.

This might be categorized as a missing tourist. According to the NamUs description, he purchased some camping supplies in Idaho. His case has been affiliated with hiking trails, however, I'm not sure which network he went into. There are not a lot of details in this case. I found a Youtube video of the area that was uploaded in June 2020. Not really sure when it was shot but you can get an idea of the area.

When people have been missing for a short time, then the details regarding their disappearances are more likely to be updated. Be sure to check the news for regular updates regarding this case.

What stands out with this case is that he had a bracelet with his name on it. If this individual suffered a hiking mishap (ie. nothing clandestine happened to him) and his remains are found, it stands to reason he will still have the bracelet on his wrist. That could make him easier to identify.

Bobby Lee Rodriguez may have had the following articles when he disappeared: a black backpack, a black watch, and a bracelet with his name. These are items that can be looked at in relation to any discovered John Does on the trail that he was thought to have been on.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is North Fork, Idaho.

Author: Shane Lambert

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of April 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Joseph Lee Wood Jr. -- Missing Since July 1999 From Washington

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Joseph Lee Wood Jr., a missing New York City book editor, was last seen hiking in Mt. Rainier National Park. He was thought to have been last seen near Comet Falls at about 3-4pm on July 8th, 1999. The MP's rental vehicle was recovered near the National Park Inn, at Longmire. This individual had a heart condition, when he was last seen he was only wearing light clothing, he had no survival gear, no coat, no food, and no water.

Missing Person: Joseph Lee Wood Jr.
Last-contact date: July 8th, 1999 (Thursday), possibly between 3-4pm
The area where the MP was last seen: Mount Rainier National Park, Washington near Comet Falls
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Black
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 34 years old
Birthdate: Joseph Lee Wood Jr. was born between July 9th, 1964, and July 8th, 1965 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Black, had a beard
Eyes: Brown and wears glasses
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5'9" to 6'0" and 160 to 180 pounds
BMI*: Joseph Lee Wood Jr. was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Joseph Lee Wood Jr. did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Joseph Lee Wood Jr., a missing person, was last heard from on July 8th, 1999 when he was 34 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 22 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

There is a pretty good description of his disappearance in the Seattle Times archive at this link: Joseph Lee Wood Jr.'s disappearance (Jul 15, 1999 Dave Birkland, Arthur Santana Seattle Times Staff Reporters). In case that gets deleted in the future, I will make some bullet points from the article:

• He last-seen location was associated with the Comet Falls area of Mount Rainier
• He was heading toward a bridge that other hikers had deemed a little too risky to try and cross
• An entry-slip into the park was stamped for 12:29pm that day
• His disappearance was associated with the Rampart Ridge Trail
• The elevation he might have last been seen at was 4,800 feet

One detail that is mentioned in this case quite often is that he had a heart condition. However, what should be mentioned in conjunction with that is that he was at an elevation of 4,800 feet. The elevation of New York City is just 33 feet so he was at much thinner air that what he would normally be accustomed to. 

I don't know what Joseph's heart condition was but there are heart conditions where the heart will be exasperated due to the thinner air that you find at higher elevations. That the missing person was performing strenuous hiking to heights that he wasn't used to with a heart condition can't be ignored in this case.

Consider this medical advice from National Jewish Health:

"As more people travel to higher altitudes for recreation and adventure, high altitude and lower oxygen availability need to be considered. For most people this causes few problems, but for those with lung or heart disease, altitude can have a negative effect on health. Acute exposure to high altitude can affect the cardiovascular system by decreasing oxygen in the blood (acute hypoxia). It also increases demand on the heart, adrenaline release and pulmonary artery pressures."

Joseph wasn't at a super-high altitude but he was about 4,800 feet above what he would have been used to as a New York City resident. That he might have weakened in part from his heart condition as he ascended could increase the chances of a stumble or loss of balance. That he was described as heading toward a part of the hike that others had turned away from because it looks unsafe would also increase the chances of a fall. 

The following video is of the hike to Comet Falls as represented by a Youtuber. As you can see, the trail isn't routine. While Joseph disappeared in the height of summer, the reports are that there was an unusual amount of snow for the area at that time in 1999. Even melting snow produces hazards for footing. Furthermore, melting snow produces rushing water and higher levels in streams. I wondered if the bridge that the one hiker didn't want to cross for safety reasons was featured at the 6:50 mark of the video.

What I would suggest with Joseph Lee Wood Jr., is that he he fell at a steep point on the trail. This was an individual who was not prepared for this hike. That he wore light clothing and carried no water attests to inexperience. As he was a New Yorker, I wonder how much time he spent in the city in his life relative to the natural area of Mount Rainier.

He may have had the following articles when he disappeared: a bird book, binoculars, and wearing light clothing. These items may be associated with a matching John Doe from the Comet Falls area.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.

Author: Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of April 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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William David Shannon -- Missing Since September 1995 in Washington state

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Left home in Salem, Oregon for a camping/hiking trip and never returned. Did not take medications for mental and medical problems. Vehicle found at the National Forest trailhead to Lake Angeline. An extensive search operation was unproductive. The vehicle was left at the trailhead and impounded by the US Forest Service.

Update: The original time of writing was April 3rd, 2021. The MP is still missing as of March 25th, 2025.

Not the actual vehicle. AI was prompted to generate a picture of the vehicle's likeness near a hiking trail. Shows a 1991 Pontiac 2x2 that's blue with Oregon plates.

Missing Person: William David Shannon
Last-contact date: September 4th, 1995 (this was Labor Day that year, a Monday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Skykomish, Washington
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 47 years old
Birthdate: William David Shannon was born between September 5th, 1947, and September 4th, 1948, based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Scar: None known

Height/weight: 6'4" and 180 pounds
BMI*: William David Shannon was in the normal range for BMI.

No photo found: If a photo can't be found, rely on BMI, height, weight, ethnicity, and other physical features to describe or picture the person. 

Tattoos: William David Shannon did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

William David Shannon was last heard from on September 4th, 1995, when he was 47 years of age. That was a Monday, and as the first Monday in September, it was also Labor Day in 1995. William David Shannon has now been missing for about 26 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

When it came to expanding details, this was a difficult case. I did not find a newspaper article that covered the missing person's disappearance. 

Sometimes, with a first name like William, selecting the proper keywords to search can be difficult. There's Will, Willy, Willie, Bill, Billy, Billie and then all the combinations that come with whether or not to use the middle name (ie. which could be "Dave" or "David"), just the middle initial, or to use first and last name alone. There are dozens of way this person might be named in media, if not using a strict first and last name combination.

William David Shannon: Limited Media Coverage

In the end, I felt like there were no newspaper articles on this disappearance in the Newspaper.com database. That may change in the future, so take a moment to double-check if you are reading this well after the publication date.

I did note that the individual did not have a photo included with his profile. When I encounter that situation, I usually attribute it to a lack of public interest in the case. Perhaps the hard-to-find newspaper coverage or web news source isn't too surprising.

When a missing person doesn't have a photo, researchers can try to find one at Ancestry.com or at Newspapers.com. I am convinced that William David Shannon has profile information at Ancestry, as his NamUs profile says he was from Salem, Oregon.

I found someone who was in the right birthdate range who had an exact name match at that website for Salem, Oregon. There might have been a Yearbook photo of him at the site, but I couldn't authenticate it as the missing person for sure. Furthermore, a photo of him in his 20s isn't great to use when he disappeared at the age of 47. 

This William David Shannon might be the same one as the missing person: his date of death is listed as September 23rd, 1995, which would be 19 days after the disappearance. It just might be that September 23rd was when someone filed a missing person report. Conversely, they could be different people, but there is a lot of overlap between the NamUs William David Shannon and the one at Ancestry.

Hiking Without Medication - Seems Odd

What stands out with this case is that this individual went hiking and/or camping without medications that he presumptively needed. That certainly doesn't bode well for his health and well-being.

The Lake Angeline area that is mentioned in the NamUs description appears to be a puny lake near Darrington, Washington. These were the coordinates I noted off of Google Maps for what looks like little more than a pond: 48.24182048327208, -121.54171666844462.

I wondered if his vehicle might have been parked on a road labelled as NF-2420, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

I have looked at a lot of cases involving missing hikers in the past. When the vehicle is found near the trailhead, then they should be presumed to be lost on the trail. Hikers who are rescued under these circumstances are usually rescued only if found within a week. That would suggest that this missing person is dead, something supported by his 30-year absence as of 2025.

Clothing and Possessions Associated with William David Shannon

Item	Description
Backpack	Blue Jansport backpack
T-shirt	Plain T-shirt (color not specified)
Pants	Long pants (color and material not specified)
Cap	Baseball or golf-type cap (color not specified)
Glasses	Light-colored wire-frame glasses

Note: These items were associated with William David Shannon at the time of his disappearance on September 4th, 1995. They may be linked to a John Doe or could become associated with one in the future as part of ongoing identification efforts.

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Tags that I've associated with this blog post are below. It's interesting to see what can connect unrelated cases. Click one of the tags to go to an article that is related to this one in some way, shape, or form.

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.

Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Jessie Hoover -- Missing Since May 1983 in Maine

Paraphrased details from government source**:  

Jesse Hoover was last seen on May 20, 1983 at the Baxter State Park Headquarters. Hoover traveled to Maine from Texas to hike the Appalachian Trail. She had no special equipment or knowledge to aid her while hiking. Jesse was reported missing on July 11, 1983 by her sister.

Photo credit: Picture taken from Maine State Police website. Cropped and enhanced by RSS Flanagan on 11/21/2011.

Missing Person: Jessie Hoover

Last-contact date: May 20th, 1983
The area where the MP was last seen: Millinocket, Maine
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 53 years old
Birthdate: June 13th, 1929
Hair: Gray or partially gray
Eyes: Blue
Scar: None listed
Height/weight: 5'8" and 240 to 250 pounds
BMI*: This individual was obese by BMI standards at the time of her disappearance.
Tattoos: Jessie Hoover did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Jessie Hoover was last heard from on May 20th, 1983 when she was 53 years of age. What stands out with this case to me is that she was going on a hiking trip that she was nowhere near prepared for. This individual has now been missing for about 38 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

Apparently, she was planning to hike the Appalachian Trail with what could only be considered a haphazard plan. AllTrails.com describes this trail as extending from Maine to Georgia at a distance of 3,207 kilometers. This is a hike that would require planning, both in regard to what you bring with you and in regard to developing the fitness to carry what you need.

According to some sources, Jessie had a terrible plan for her hiking trip. For instance, CharleyProject stated this: "Hoover was going to climb Mount Katahdin on May 20, but park rangers refused to permit it because they felt she was unprepared. She was last seen at the trailhead of the 100-Mile Wilderness, the most remote stretch of the Appalachian Trail." The same source describes a woman who barely had any food with her. Meanwhile, the source below depicts a hiking plan in the same region by a different group of people. It shows what kind of planning in required for this trip, one that was once a 'rights of passage' journey for some Boy Scout youths.

22 Jun 1972, Thu The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) Newspapers.com

In addition to poor planning, there's also the question of Jessie's health. A newspaper source that will find below listed her as epileptic.

Additionally, her NamUs profile said she was 53 years old, up to 250 pounds, and just 5'8". When you plug those demographics into Body Mass Index calculators you get someone who is obese. At the age of 53, this wasn't an individual who had any hope of walking or hiking the Appalachian Trail or the 100-mile Wilderness trail.

In fact, I think a 250-pound 53-year old would have plenty of trouble with just a 10-mile trail. The plan, according to CharleyProject, was "to wire home for money and pick up her prescriptions as she passed through towns on the way." 

That plan sounds so fanciful that if all of it is taken at face value, then Jessie Hoover clearly wasn't in a strong place mentally from the start of her trip. This might have been suicide by hiking trail (ie. suicide by exposure).

This is a case, in my opinion, where Websleuths should be looking for a Jane Doe that didn't get too far up the 100-mile Wilderness trail. Jessie Hoover may have had the following articles when she disappeared: blue knapsack, blue jeans, blue shirt, and blue windbreaker. These items affiliated with a Jane Doe in that area should be compared to Jessie Hoover's case details.

In the sources I consulted, I found some inconsistencies with her middle name. CharleyProject listed it as Albertine but one newspaper source gave her the middle initial of "O." Some sources say she was 53 when she disappeared, others say 54. That may be due to the fact that her birthdate was close to the time she disappeared.

27 Jun 2009, Sat The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) Newspapers.com

Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities.

Author: Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Non-opinionated information at this site generally comes from government sources or police reports. Other sources may be used.

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Rosemary Theresa Kunst -- Missing in California Since 2000

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Rosemary Kunst was last seen August 18th, 2000 near Spirit Lake's Marble Mountain Wilderness Area, Klamath National Forest in California. Kunst, an avid hiker, had gone off on a hike by herself carrying only a journal, a sandwich, and a bag of trail mix. It is believed that Kunst may have gotten lost or injured in the heavy-forest terrain. A tuft of her hair was found during a search, but no other clues were ever found. This hair was found caught in some heavy brush south of Spirit Lake.

Missing Person: Rosemary Theresa Kunst
Last-contact date: August 18th, 2000
The area where the MP was last seen: Siskiyou, California at the south end of Spirit Lake walking toward a ridge
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 70 years old
Birthdate: November 1st, 1929
Hair: Gray, partly gray, graying
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: Surgical scars
Height/weight: 5'3" and 122 pounds
BMI*: Rosemary Theresa Kunst was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Rosemary Theresa Kunst did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Rosemary Theresa Kunst, a missing person, was last heard from on August 18th, 2000 when she was 70 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 21 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

What stands out with this case is that a tuft of the missing person's hair was discovered in the search for her. In my mind, there was a question as to whether this hair was definitely Kunst's, however, I was satisfied after reading that it was forensically identified by comparing the sample to her known hair in a brush.

22 Aug 2000, Tue The San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, California) Newspapers.com

I tried to think about what it meant for a missing person to disappear on a hike and only a tuft of her hair to be found during the search. To me, there is something to think about when it comes to the height off of the ground of where the hair was found. If it was found in brush close to the ground, then this might suggest that she was being dragged. If it's found at about shoulder-level then it could just be a standard tangling that could happen to anyone.

However, for the hair to come loose is interesting, I think, because I see most people as untangling their hair from brush by breaking the twigs as opposed to the more painful option of having their hair torn out. I do think the tuft of hair being removed from her scalp suggests that something forceful happened to this missing person during her hike in August 2000.

This missing person was associated with a lot of clothing articles and/or possessions. Note the following with this case: she had a journal, a sandwich, a bag of trail mix, a blue fleece shirt, a blue baseball cap, and hiking boots. The food could have been an attractant for a wild animal. However, the scenario of an animal attack is mitigated in my mind by the fact that no blood was found anywhere after a large search that lasted a week and none of the articles she was in possession of were found. Animals aren't tidy with their attacks: if a mountain lion, wolves, or a bear attacked Rosemary Kunst then I think the search would likely have produced one of her items or a portion of one.

That does call into question the possibility of foul play. Of course, that can't be eliminated until she is found but the likelihood of a human disappearing Kunst is mitigated by the remote location. Then again, that remoteness could create opportunity for anyone that was out there.

Lastly, I don't think Rosemary Kunst went into the forest to commit self-harm. Those that knew her seemed confident that she wasn't despondent. While secret depression can never really be eliminated, Rosemary reportedly did invite a youth at her camp along for the hike. That youth declined the invitation. If Rosemary was going to harm herself then I don't think she extends any invitation at all because she couldn't count on the decline.

This truly is puzzling case except that the tuft of hair coming out of her head suggests something forceful in nature occurred. My guess is that she was attacked by a man or animal, hidden (animals might hide a corpse), and her remains are in the region still despite the search.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Siskiyou, California.

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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David Barclay Miller -- Missing in Arizona Since 1998

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

David was last seen leaving for a two-and-a-half-day hiking trip in Sedona, Arizona on May 19th, 1998. David was an experienced hiker employed by the Sedona Forest Service. David's vehicle was found abandoned at the Vultee Arch Trail in Sedona, AZ. Mr. Miller was an experienced hiker and was a seasonal employee with the United States Forestry Service.

Missing Person: David Barclay Miller
Last-contact date: May 19th, 1998 (Tuesday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Sedona, Arizona
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 22 years old
Birthdate: July 6th, 1975
Hair: Sandy
Eyes: Blue and may be wearing glasses or contact lenses
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5'11" to 6'1" and 160 to 170 pounds
BMI*: David Barclay Miller was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: David Barclay Miller did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

David Barclay Miller, a missing person, was last heard from on Tuesday May 19th, 1998 when he was 22 years old. The last people to see him before he went on a two-day hike were his co-workers on May 19th, 1998 at the Beaver Creek Ranger Station. He left a note indicating what his plans were but a search started when he did not report to work as expected on Friday May 22nd, 1998. This individual has now been missing for about 23 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

There was significant newspaper coverage with this missing person. His truck was found at the Vultee Arch Trail in the Sedona area. In coverage I read, there was a concern that he would not have enough drinking water in a part of the USA that is very dry and hot.

25 May 1998, Mon Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Arizona) Newspapers.com

The Vultee Arch Trail is only a 5.8-km "heavily trafficked" trail according to AllTrails.com. However, it is connected to a broader network of trails and backcountry. The missing person may not have perished near the specific trail that his profile is associated with.

What is puzzling with this case is that I did not find any indication that his campsite was located. He was on a multi-day trip and would surely have needed supplies and, I assume, a tent. 

If his campsite was packed as he traveled on foot then he should be a pretty big target to find in an arid part of the USA where the forests are not as thick as many other parts of the country. If he was unpacked and set up for camp when he suffered a mishap, I would think that someone would have found his campground after all this time. 

I do find the concern over his lack of water to be a little difficult to accept. Surely, this is a hot place in the USA. In fact, I looked up the temperatures for the Sedona area on May 20th, 1998 and found a high of 83F (about 28C). But overall, the way I feel about this case is that something sudden and unexpected happened to him. Conversely, running out of a water, when you start with a lot of it, is something that someone would see coming: you could turn back when you realize you didn't bring enough. 

This trail is also very popular. I wondered how it could be that someone didn't help him as he would have foreseen any water shortage approaching.

20 May 1998, Wed Arizona Daily Sun (Flagstaff, Arizona) Newspapers.com

When he disappeared, he was thought to have a t-shirt, shorts and black hiking boots, and a forest-green Gregory backpack. Those details can be cross-referenced against John Does. It would help to know what supplies he was carrying as well. Furthermore, what was found in his vehicle might be interesting. 

The following Youtube video shows what the region was like in 2009. As you can see, there are a lot of smooth edges where someone that's feeling adventurous might fall.

Popular Tag: "Car Found Person Missing" is a popular tag for this site. It describes a missing person who either owned or was using a vehicle at the time of his/her disappearance. The vehicle is found but the person is not. Click the hashtag at the bottom of this blog post to see just how many times this pattern is present in missing person cases.

 

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Wayne Falconer Wikel -- Missing Since 1992 From Oregon

Paraphrased details from government source**:

Wayne Wikel was on a camping trip. He failed to return from it. He was in the Eagle Creek area off of trail #401. He was an experienced hiker/outdoorsman/fisherman. His vehicle was found at the Eagle Creek trailhead.

Missing Person: Wayne Falconer Wikel

Last-contact date: June 14th, 1992
The area where the MP was last seen: Near Hood River, Oregon
Link to government source: NamUs MP

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 48 years old
Birthdate: Wayne Falconer Wikel was born between June 15th, 1943, and June 14th, 1944 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Scar: Nothing found.
Height/weight: 6'0" and 155 pounds
BMI*: Wayne Falconer Wikel was in the normal range for BMI.
No photo found: If a photo can't be found, rely on BMI, height, weight, ethnicity, and other physical features to describe or picture the person.

Tattoos: Wayne Falconer Wikel did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Wayne Falconer Wikel has not been seen since June 14th, 1992 when he was 48 years old. This individual went on a hiking/camping trip and never returned. His vehicle, which was a Toyota truck with Oregon plates, was found parked at the trailhead for the Eagle Creek Trail.

I found minimal news coverage for this missing person. However, he was expected to be on a three-day outing. Also, he was taking a 28-mile hike when he went missing. This individual has now been missing for about 33 years as of March 2025.

20 Jun 1992, Sat Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon) Newspapers.com

Eagle Creek Trail: A Dangerous Trail 

In the absence of much media coverage, I decided to focus this article on the trail that he went missing on. AllTrails.com described the trail as moderate, however, I think the length and dangers of this trail would make it more than just that.

The AllTrails website had over 800 photos of the trail at the original time of writing. Some of them depicted a ravine-side or seemingly cliff-side location with dirt for foot gripping (ie. mud in the rain).

Furthermore, there were points in the videos I watched that showed waterfalls falling directly onto the trail. Some potential falling points for Wayne looked like they might take you directly into the river or creek. If you watch the following video from YouTube, you will see how dangerous the trail looks.

I found another case of a missing person on this trail. An individual named Jason Neville was missing on the trail in May 1999. I don't know if he was found or not but it still speaks to the dangers of the area.

Furthermore, I found an indication that the trail is affected by landslides. That would make it hazardous, even for an experienced hiker because rock fall and landslides are very random.

01 Apr 1999, Thu Statesman Journal (Salem, Oregon) Newspapers.com

Injured Middle-Aged Man Goes on Dangerous Trail, Hiking Alone

But the trail looked risky enough that any kind of surprise might cause someone to lose his or her footwork. If this happened at a moment when it was critical to maintain balance, then anything could happen. According to Wayne's NamUs profile, he had an "old knee injury" and limped sometimes.

Basically, we're looking at a case of someone presumptively hiking alone, who was taking a three-day trip over 28 miles of dangerous trail, who limped, and who was 48 years old. If the excursion aggravated his injury, his balance could have suffered. There are many points on that trail where a fall could be fatal.

We have no photo of this missing person. When a missing person doesn't have a photo, researchers can try to find a photo at Ancestry.com or at Newspapers.com.

Table of Similar Cases - With Outcomes

I put together the following table. It's not exhaustive and reflects only what I could find in the time I was willing to donate to this blog post.

There are 12 missing persons cases below, 11 of which are now resolved. The one that is not resolved is simply the one in this blog post.

Most of the found missing hikers, whose vehicles were found near the trail, were found dead. The vehicle being found near the trail is important because it suggests that they never left the area. That applies to Wayne Wikel.

I did find three hikers who survived their disappearance event. Their vehicles were near the trail as well. But two of them were found pretty quickly after going missing. The other was found about a month later.

Basically, Wayne Wikel should be presumed dead and hidden in the forest. If you go missing on a hiking trail, then you need to be found in a handful of days or sooner before things turn dire.

Missing Person	Date of Disappearance	Vehicle Found Near Trail	Outcome
Dan Campbell	April 8, 1991	Vehicle near Hellroaring Creek trailhead, Yellowstone National Park, WY, USA	Found deceased (date unclear, post-1991)
Gerald “Gerry” Largay	July 22, 1991	Vehicle near Appalachian Trail, Sugarloaf Mountain, ME, USA	Found deceased (October 2015)
Wayne Falconer Wikel	June 14, 1992	Toyota truck (Oregon plate SEV 789) at Eagle Creek Trailhead, near Hood River, OR, USA	Not yet found (unresolved)
Tom McClintock	September 9, 1996	Truck near Pacific Crest Trail, Sierra Nevada, CA, USA	Found ALIVE (September 15, 1996)
Karen Lee Bigham	October 6, 1996	White Dodge pickup near Middle Fork Trail, Gila National Forest, NM, USA	Found deceased (October 11, 1996)
David Koch	August 23, 1997	Vehicle near Pacific Crest Trail, Snoqualmie Pass, WA, USA	Found deceased (September 1997)
Ruthanne Ruprecht	October 12, 1998	Car near Appalachian Trail, Shenandoah National Park, VA, USA	Found ALIVE (October 14, 1998)
Peter Jackson	September 17, 2016	Vehicle at White Wolf Campground, Yosemite National Park, CA, USA	Found deceased (2018)
Brian Gall	January 2, 2021	Vehicle near Arizona Trail and Forest Service Road #300, Flagstaff, AZ, USA	Found deceased (date unclear)
David Muehl	August 20, 2021	Hertz rental vehicle at First Water Trailhead, Tonto National Forest, AZ, USA	Found deceased (date unclear)
Meghan Marohn	March 27, 2022	Black 2017 Subaru Impreza near Longcope Park trails, Lee, MA, USA	Found deceased (Sept 1, 2022) Report: Berkshire Eagle
Sam Benastick	October 17, 2024	Vehicle near Redfern Lake trailhead, Redfern-Keily Provincial Park, BC, Canada	Found ALIVE (November 26, 2024) Report: RCMP

Wayne Falconer Wikel may have had the following articles when he disappeared: a green Kelty frame backpack, a hammock with a camouflage cover, a fishing pole, and Hybrid nylon/leather hiking boots.

Clothing and articles/items that a missing person was last associated with can be important. If, for example, a John Doe is found, knowing what the missing person had in his possession might expedite a match. Furthermore, it's important to note that his knee injury might be a clue to his identity in his skeletal remains.

Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities.

Popular Tag: "Car Found Person Missing" is a popular tag for this site. It describes a missing person who either owned or was using a vehicle at the time of his/her disappearance. The vehicle is found but the person is not. Click the hashtag at the bottom of this blog post to see just how many times this pattern is present in missing-person cases.

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.

Disclaimer: To determine whether a person is missing or not, this site relies heavily on government sources. If you are described as missing when you are not, I recommend simply having your missing person report updated or removed. When that happens, updates at this site can follow.

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Michael August Cannon -- Missing Since December 25th, 1966 From Hawaii

This article is part of a series that looks at missing trail hikers. Click the "trail hiking series" hashtag at the end of this blog to see all thematically related articles.

Paraphrased Details from NamUs**: 

Michael August Cannon left his family's Kahala home in Hawaii early Christmas morning in 1966. He left a note stating that he planned to hike on Tantalus. His empty car was found at the top of Tantalus the next morning. The resulting search and rescue mission, which at the time was the largest and most expensive ever in Hawaii, failed to find Michael. However, his vehicle was found at Tantalus trailhead the next morning. This vehicle had his jacket in it and five dollars. The doors were locked.

Missing Person: Michael August Cannon
Last-contact date: December 25th, 1966 -- left a note in the morning, he may have been seen on the Tantalus Trail at about 5pm later that day (HSB Jan 3 1967 A-1A), however, I considered sightings of this missing person to be tenuous
The area where the MP was last seen: Honolulu, Hawaii
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 18 years old
Birthdate: Michael August Cannon was born between December 26th, 1947, and December 25th, 1948 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Brown, short-cropped and curly
Eyes: Brown
Scar: None indicated
Height/weight: 5'11" and 165 to 175 pounds
BMI*: Michael August Cannon was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Michael August Cannon did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Michael August Cannon was last heard from on December 25th, 1966 when he was 18 years of age. This individual has now been missing for about 55 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

A couple things stood out to me while researching this missing person case. Firstly, he went missing on Christmas Day. Often, the holidays at the end of the year are a time of celebration but there is a lot of depression at that time of year as well. However, I didn't really find anything mentioning depression or despondence with this missing person. He seemed to have a bright future that he was looking forward to.

One detail that stands out with this case is that Michael Cannon had a share in a $2,750,000 inheritance at the time of his disappearance ($5.5M; half went to mother, mother left the other half to her children). According to SmartAsset.com, $1,000,000 in 1966 would be worth $8,269,865 in 2021. Accordingly, $2.75M would now be worth $22,742,128.75. He was not the sole inheritor to this amount but was one of five grandchildren to a "chemical magnate" who made a fortune. 

31 Dec 1966, Sat Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com

The area where the hiker went missing is one that I'm familiar with from another case. Michael's car was found at Tantalus trailhead on December 26th, 1966. In more recent times, Wynn Lindsey went missing in the same area. Lindsey's car was also found near a trailhead. One difference is that Michael's doors were locked while Lindsey's car had a door open.

Michael Cannon remains lost, however, he is not lost without a trace. A shirt of his was found, the only result of a well-financed expedition over ten months that included ground searchers, "professional mountaineers from California," "search dogs from Canada," and some not-so-helpful psychics and something called "map-reading mystics." As soon as you see psychics or 'mystics' involved in a search, don't be surprised if the person isn't found: it means someone that doesn't have a scientific mentality is influencing the search. 

16 Jul 1997, Wed Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com

The shirt that was found seemed like a tenuous connection to Michael to me. It was found tied to a bush by a man named Richard Davis. Also, there were people that thought they saw someone matching his description, however, these sightings seemed tenuous to me.

The possibility that Michael disappeared intentionally was mentioned in many articles, often as an opinion of the police. It's hard to imagine someone giving up such a large inheritance, in my opinion. Furthermore, police, in my opinion, seem keen to believe in whatever hypothesis is easiest on their budgets. If Michael is missing voluntarily, then what need is there to search? It's an easy way out for them. Michael's mother was adamant that he remained on Oahu in all sources that I encountered.

I did some research on the trail that he went missing on, the Tantalus Trail. It seemed that in 1966 there was Tantalus Trail 1 and Tantalus Trail 2.

02 May 1966, Mon Honolulu Star-Bulletin (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com

I found one case that shared some details from about the same time. A man with similar demographics to Michael went missing in what I think is the same trail network a few months earlier. I don't know if he was ever found. In addition to similar demographics, the man's car was found locked just as Michael's was. Tantalus Trail is mentioned in the article.

21 Oct 1965, Thu The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com

Michael Cannon was associated with a lot of clothing articles and/or possessions. Note the following with this case: 'Blue jeans', 'tan hiking bootsa white t-shirt with "Judson School" (of Scottsdale, AZ) on the front', 'Olive-drab backpack', 'canteen', 'high energy candy bars', 'Polaroid camera', 'first aid kit in a blue-and-white plastic case', and a map of the trail area.

Please, take a moment to share this blog post on social media using hashtags relevant to the missing person's area. Also, please include the website hashtag #MPCSL.

Popular Tag: "Car Found Person Missing" is a popular tag for this site. It describes a missing person who either owned or was using a vehicle at the time of his/her disappearance. The vehicle is found but the person is not. Click the hashtag at the bottom of this blog post to see just how many times this pattern is present in missing person cases.

 

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. Details may be added.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Michelle Vanek -- Missing Since 2005 From Colorado

Missing Person: Michelle Vanek
Last-contact date: September 24th, 2005 at about 1pm or 130pm
The area where the MP was last seen: Minturn, Colorado near the summit of Mount Holy Cross in an area referred to as "the Bowl of Tears."
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 35 years old
Birthdate: Michelle Vanek was born between September 25th, 1969, and September 24th, 1970 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Blond/strawberry
Eyes: Blue
Scar: None indicated
Height/weight: 5'7" and 150 pounds
BMI*: Michelle Vanek was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Michelle Vanek did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Michelle Vanek was last heard from on September 24th, 2005 when she was 35 years of age. This individual has now been missing for about 16 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. The following Youtube video would be close to the area where she was last seen. The panoramic view in the video may, in fact, be of the whereabouts of her remains. It's a good video to watch for a moment before reading this blog post.

Reportedly, she was hiking with a friend named Eric Sawyer, she stopped to rest, Eric continued on, and then the friend was not able to find her later. This lost-hiker pattern can also be seen in the Olga Mauer case from several decades ago and the Celeste Hensley Greub case from the 1970s. In all three cases, a person who was with someone stopped to rest during a hike and was never seen again.

Eric and Michelle made mistakes while trying to hike to the summit of the 14k-foot mountain. They started off wrong and ended up taking a lengthier path than what was required. This may have been a reason why each of them ran out of water. Eric also left his lunch in his vehicle and his water purifier.

Michelle Vanek's disappearance made the newspapers. The first instance of journalism I found was on September 28th, 2005, four days after Vanek disappeared. This article downplayed the likelihood of foul play and played up the possibility that Vanek got lost. Note, the watch that is mentioned in the article below did not belong to the missing woman as per subsequent journalism.

28 Sep 2005, Wed The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado) Newspapers.com

There was a lot of area to cover in this lost-hiker search and there were many so-called nooks and crannies where someone might have taken shelter from the wind if lost and forced to overnight. That she was without water certainly doesn't speak well to her survival chances. Furthermore, there is a condition known as altitude sickness that she might have suffered from. This sickness can include weakness and sleepiness.

At the time, this case led to the largest search in Colorado state history. However, Michelle remains missing. There was a squatter in the area, one who refused to answer questions from Sherrif investigators. Also, there was a question as to whether some blood spatter that was found belonged to Michelle.

06 Dec 2005, Tue Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com

Michelle Vanek may have had the following articles when she disappeared: a red shirt, black tights, a black shirt, a baseball cap, and hiking boots. I think she also had ski poles and a small Camelback water pack. 

September 2024 update: reportedly, some of the items that belonged to her have been found.

Author: Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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Kristofer Shawn Couture -- Missing From Chilliwack Since 2019

Details from Canada's Missing**: 

"Kristofer Couture drove his vehicle from Alberta to the lower mainland in British Columbia to find work and had cut off ties from his family. Kristofer worked construction for a short period of time while living in his vehicle near Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Kristofer also frequented a gym in Burnaby, British Columbia. Kristofer was last seen leaving the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, British Columbia on January 26, 2019. His unoccupied vehicle was seen the following day parked at the Elk Mountain Trail in Chilliwack, British Columbia. Kristofer was reported missing on May 17, 2019 and his vehicle was found parked at the same location."

Missing Person: Kristofer Shawn Couture
Last-contact date: January 26th, 2019
The area where the MP was last seen: Chilliwack, British Columbia
Link to government source: MP @ Canada's Missing 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 25 years old
Birthdate: Kristofer Shawn Couture was born between January 27th, 1993, and January 26th, 1994 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Scar: Below left eye (not clear in picture)
Height/weight: 5'8" according to a poster, 5'11" according to Canada's Missing; 194 pounds
Tattoos: Kristofer Shawn Couture did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, then please post a remark at the end of this blog post on the matter.

Popular hashtag: This blog post is part of a "trail hiking series" of posts on this blog. In these cases, the missing people are mentioned in conjunction with a trail or hiking area in reference to their disappearances. This blog post also has "car found person missing" as a tag. This tag describes situations where a person's vehicle is found but the owner or driver remains unaccounted for.

Kristofer Shawn Couture, a missing person, was last heard from on January 26th, 2019 when he was 25 years old. According to Canada's Missing, he was last seen leaving a hospital in New Westminster, the Royal Columbian Hospital.

Couture's case has been mentioned in conjunction with a fitness center that he frequented. This was the Goodlife center at 3433 North Road in Burnaby. The trail that his car was found near in Chilliwack is called the Elk Thurston Trail.

His vehicle was found on January 27th but it was not moved until May 6th. PleaseBringMeHome.com reports that the vehicle had been broken into between January 27th and May 6th. It's possible that clues, in this case, were thus interfered with.

This individual has now been missing for about 2 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. According to AllTrails.com, the "Elk Mountain Trail to Thurston Mountain is a 14.6 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada that features a great forest setting and is rated as difficult."

If Kristofer Couture was using this trail on January 26th, 2019, then he was using it a little out season: "The trail is primarily used for hiking and running and is best used from July until October."

The following video was taken at the trail a few months after Kristofer's disappearance. His vehicle (2003 Saturn ION, light blue with Alberta plates) may, in fact, have been in the area as these Youtubers made their video. As you can see from the April 2019 video below, winter/spring hiking of this trail requires a willingness to brave difficult footing. Accordingly, someone who was hiking alone may have been partaking in a risky adventure.

Reviews of the Elk Thurston Mountain trail dated December 17th, 2018, and January 4th, 2019 both mention challenging if not dangerous conditions. Brittany Pawliuk reviewed the trail as follows about five weeks before Kristofer disappeared:

"Did this hike with my bestie today and I gotta say, waist deep snow is not a whole lot of fun to hike in, especially when you don’t have the proper gear! But it was an amazing experience, and an even more amazing view ☺️ 

We were hiking for a total of about 7 hours today. after you reach elk (which is straight ice on the way up be careful), it turns into knee high snow and then thigh high, and then waist high the closer you get to Thurston!! We made it within 1 km of Thurston and had to turn around due to the snow and not having proper gear and day light."

Furthermore, a review from about three weeks earlier mentioned carrying an "avalanche shovel." This reviewer claimed that spiked shoes were required for the trail in January of 2019. 

Trail hiking will always present some dangers. In Kristofer's case, we have to wonder if he was lost in an avalanche. I'm not sure if all of these occurrences are documented but I am guessing that they are not. However, if someone finds a reference to an avalanche in the area at about the time of his disappearance then what would be interesting to note.

A hiking expert who seemed to know something about the Mount Thurston Trail made these statements at besthikesbc.ca:

"Disclaimer: Winter hiking (snowshoeing) involves significantly more risk than summer hiking. Hikers should be prepared with appropriate education, training and equipment for all possibilities, including but not limited to avalanches. A mistake such as going off trail, getting lost or injured can be far more dangerous in winter than summer. You are responsible for your own safety, and while I am happy to give my opinion on this website as to the avalanche risk of a specific hike, do not take this as fact and please do your own research. Everybody has different risk tolerances and mine might be different to yours."

In addition to the chance that Kristofer Couture fell victim to an avalanche, in my opinion, we have to wonder what it means for someone to go missing when they were last seen at a hospital. This is a venue where people often receive news that they don't necessarily want to hear. It's possible that Kristofer was despondent.

While I did read that many volunteers and family searched the trail and the area where Kristofer's vehicle was found, he was also a very fit individual as evidenced by his dedication to going to the gym. If he was really fit, then he could have gone deep into the woods. That would serve to make the search area for this missing person quite large. 

The time of day that he was last seen is also relevant in this case, however, I couldn't find it. I note that on January 26th, 2019, the sunset in Chilliwack was at about 453pm.

As for similar cases at this blog, Kristofer's case reminded me of the case of Wynn Lindsey. Lindsey disappeared in Hawaii in 2015. He was a really fit individual whose car was found near a trailhead. The two cases are not related but I do like comparing and contrasting similar cases as food for thought.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Chilliwack, British Columbia.

Author: Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

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*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

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