The ones who got away

[shadowraiths]

... personal accounts of people who were abducted or have odd memory lapses. Are these connected to the so-called "Smiley Face Gang"? There is no way to know at this point. However, a thread containing their stories seems appropriate.

[shadowraiths]

Friday, Jan. 13, 2006 E-mail gone wild in the Coulee Region
Here's my story from Saturday's Tribune about the river e-mail.
FW: THIS HAPPENED HERE THIS WEEKEND IN LA CROSSE!
By REID MAGNEY
La Crosse Tribune

“I am still a little numb. We almost lost Cullen early Sunday morning.”

That’s how it started, with a concerned mother’s e-mail to two close friends on Tuesday, in which she tells the twisted tale of her son’s escape from death in the Mississippi River the previous weekend.

At least one of those friends forwarded the e-mail to three other people, one of whom forwarded it to eight more.

It’s impossible to say how many people have seen the e-mail, but it was forwarded 11 times in 24 hours before it reached a La Crosse Tribune editor at midday Wednesday.

And who knows how many people have seen it since the story hit local media Wednesday afternoon.

[...]

Exactly what happened last Saturday night remains unclear. La Crosse police interviewed the family on Thursday and Friday, and issued a brief statement Friday:

“Through the assistance of Mr. Fortney, investigators have been able to determine that he did fall into the Mississippi River but did not go under water. Mr. Fortney was able to get himself out of the river on his own and walked to the hospital. The investigation has shown no indications of criminal activity involving this case.”
Full article: click here (http://www.rivervalleyblogs.com/archives/january2006.php)

[shadowraiths]

https://www.blogger.com/img/b16-rounded.gif mykel_ls (http://www.blogger.com/profile/13826384143799254358) said...

I came across an article on this subject and it made my hair stand up. When I got out of the Military in 2000-2001, I was in Minneapolis,Mn. and had been partying with people at a night club, then we went back to a hotel. I remember accidentally locking myself out of the room and ending up on the street in front of the hotel. I had been drinking and I was a little drunk. I remember a van pulling up beside me, then side door opened...then everything went black. I woke up on a matress, in the back of the van, hands bound...covered with a piece of plywood. I was able to get out and make my way back to downtown Minneapolis and to the hotel. The van was at some tall projects with, I think, blue and red panels...close to a rail road track. I thought I would mention this because I read a few articles on this where they thought these victims may have been abducted with a van.
Full article: click here (http://footprintsattheriversedge.blogspot.com/2006/12/121606-nick-rossini-21-white-bear-lake.html?showComment=1209494400000#c4825888303411 202226)

Found by: cheko1 (http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2186079#post2186079)

[cecileew]

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/01/14/news/00lead.prt

Nick Thompson, 25, of Viroqua, an acquaintance of Fortney’s who police said is thought to have been at the same bar Saturday night, also is having trouble piecing together a similar time frame. Thompson turned up Sunday morning at the hospital as well, passed out in the lobby, police said. He told police he didn’t know how he got there and that his pickup truck, which he had parked in the Wettstein’s lot, was missing.



Police found the vehicle Thursday in the 900 block of King Street. Video footage of the parking lot showed a man entering the vehicle with keys about 3 a.m. Sunday and driving away, Police Capt. Rob Abraham said.



The footage isn’t sharp, but police believe the man who entered the vehicle was, in fact, Thompson, Abraham said. Thompson told police he doesn’t remember driving the truck, leaving it on King Street or how he ended up at the hospital.



Police initially believed the missing truck was connected with Fortney’s mysterious night, but now consider them separate cases, Abraham said.

[Indigator]

"and the investigation has ended.."

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/02/08/news/01river.txt

[Blink34]

My hniky meter is at about a 9.5 on this one-but not sure why.

[mssheila]

Hi Everyone.. I don't remember where I saw this- but I think it was an interview on Greta (maybe)....

There was a story a young college man was telling about being chased through the woods and into a river. I think he had said that he felt like he had been drugged after being in a bar, and left. He was subsequently chased through the woods by people he did not know and he fell into the river. He didn't drown, obviously..... Does anyone else remember anything about this?

[SuziQ]

Hi Everyone.. I don't remember where I saw this- but I think it was an interview on Greta (maybe)....

There was a story a young college man was telling about being chased through the woods and into a river. I think he had said that he felt like he had been drugged after being in a bar, and left. He was subsequently chased through the woods by people he did not know and he fell into the river. He didn't drown, obviously..... Does anyone else remember anything about this?

I haven't heard of that one. I don't have cable to watch Greta, maybe someone will remember more.

[looneymama]

Full article: click here (http://footprintsattheriversedge.blogspot.com/2006/12/121606-nick-rossini-21-white-bear-lake.html?showComment=1209494400000#c4825888303411 202226)

Found by: cheko1 (http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2186079#post2186079)

The apartments that he talked about here really made me think of the Cedar Riverside Plaza (http://www.riversideplaza.net/)

Which is very creepy...if you look at where those apartments are located on this map (http://www.communitywalk.com/minneapolis_mn/map/242392).

1. Carlson School of Management where Chris Jenkins went to school.
2. The riverside plaza
3. Where Chris Jenkin's body was found
4. The Lone Tree bar which is the bar he was last seen at.

Also notice where I-94 is located in this area.

[looneymama]

hmmm....I just looked at the map that I posted above...you have to zoom way in to see what I'm talking about. Sorry :( I don't know how to make it so it's not like that.

[mssheila]

I just re-heard the story I was thinking of on Greta's show last night, (Fri 5/17/08).

His name is Josh Snell, and unfortunately, he did not get away. In Eau Claire WI, he was at a wedding. Then at a bar after the wedding. He called someone after leaving the bar and said he was being chased through the woods, but was unsure who was chasing him. Josh ended up dead, found four days later. Police still ruled it an accidental drowning. :confused: