Found Deceased UT - Michael Cavallari, 30, Grand County, 27 Nov 2015

Michael Cavallari

Investigators searching for missing California man, brother of Kristin Cavallari, last seen in Grand County
" A man whose car was found off the side of the road in Grand County in late November is now considered a missing person, police said.

On November 27, Grand County Sheriff's dispatch responded to a call regarding an abandoned vehicle roughly 100 feet off the Floy Wash Road in Grand County, according to police. Officers responded to an area approximately five miles south of exit 175 on I-70 in Grand County and found a 2014 Honda Civic abandoned, police said.

After a search of the area did not yield any results, officers ran the vehicle's plates, which came back registered to an individual in San Clemente, California identified as Michael Cavallari, according to police. Information received from law enforcement in San Clemente led investigators to believe Cavallari was indeed driving the vehicle, police said."
https://www.ksl.com/?sid=37639285&nid=148

http://fox13now.com/2015/12/05/gran...ek-publics-help-in-finding-missing-calif-man/

Credit card transaction receipts led investigators to a convenience store in Monticello where security footage positively identified the driver as Cavallari.

pappa rob said:

http://fox13now.com/2015/12/05/gran...ek-publics-help-in-finding-missing-calif-man/

Credit card transaction receipts led investigators to a convenience store in Monticello where security footage positively identified the driver as Cavallari.

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I really want to know when the convenience store visit happened. According to my highly scientific Googling, Monticello and the location where the car was found are almost two hours apart. I want to know what happened during that two-hour drive to cause it to end without him.

I wonder why sister Kristin hasn't posted anything on social media to bring attention to it. Makes me think this isn't surprising and maybe he's into some bad things?

jmo


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Marebear said:

I wonder why sister Kristin hasn't posted anything on social media to bring attention to it. Makes me think this isn't surprising and maybe he's into some bad things?

jmo


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Hmm. Especially since she has celebrity status (I was a HUGE Hills, and Laguna Beach fan), it does seem strange that she is silent.

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This is Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler's brother in law. Kristen and Jay should be spreading the word about their missing loved one.

Did Michael get caught in a blizzard and make a wrong turn? Then get out and get lost? It's hard to piece things together, as news reports are conflicting.

I drove I70 westbound on Nov 27. During the afternoon, from Vail to Grand Junction, it was cloudy and okay. Around 5:00 pm, a huge wet blizzard hit Grand Junction, coming from the northwest (Salt Lake City). I pulled over around 5:30 pm near Fruita, at the rest stop, wondering if I should wait things out. By then the snow was a horizontal, high-wind mess. Really windy. Still, I got back on I70 around 6:15 pm, continued west, and at the Colorado/Utah state line it was getting really slick. Then I70, in southeastern Utah, became a snow-covered, slick, pitch-dark, windy mess. There were about seven cars in front of me, going about 20 - 35 mph, in a one-lane convoy as road lines were covered with snow. The north-halves of the few interstate signs were caked with snow. A couple cars pulled over on what could be interpreted as an I70 shoulder and turned their hazard lights on. I70 was a pretty scary drive on the night of Nov 27!

The news reports are conflicting. Some say Michael's Honda was five miles south of I70, off exit 175 (Floy exit) and down Ruby Ranch road, which is a "no services" ranch road. It is a desolate, narrow road which goes over sagebrush BLM public lands and ends about 15 miles later above the Green River's Labyrinth Canyon. Why in the heck would he take that exit? Was he planning on some solo primitive camping in the freezing desert? Was he trying to turn back to exit 182 (Monticello/Moab hwy 191) to get out of the bad weather? But why was he going west when he was going to Illinois? And who would've found his car on Nov 27, as very very few people take that road? Maybe some reports are incorrect and the Honda was found just at the end of exit 175, before desolate Ruby Ranch Road turns south. It'd be nice if it was clear his Honda was at exit 175, or a frickin' five miles down Ruby Ranch road!

Also, what time was Michael at the Monticello gas station? It's one hour north to Moab, then 1/2 hour to exit 182, leading onto I70. The time would give a good indication if he was caught in the blizzard. If he was in Monticello in the morning, then maybe he traveled before the blizzard hit. But still - why did he head west, back to California, when he was supposed to be heading to Illinois? And why did he take exit 175 if it was before the blizzard? Why would he get off there? If he was in Monticello in the afternoon, then he may have got caught in the blizzard, got off the interstate, and could not get back on. But still - why did he go so far down Ruby Ranch Road?

Some news reports state the car was running, the air-bag deployed, and the computer and phone still inside. So maybe the Honda skidded, hit a rock, Michael got confused, exited the vehicle, wandered, and sadly froze. However, that area is relatively flat/sagebrushy and with so many of Grand County Sheriff's and Moab police officers looking around, one would think Michael would've been found after ten days. And there was fresh snow which would show footprints!

If someone picked him up, then I doubt it was five miles down that desolate exit 175 road - there is so little traffic! So maybe the accident was just at exit 175, and an I70 traveler picked him up. But then that doesn't make sense, as Michael would've contacted someone by now.

This is really strange.

Great post, Kate! Thanks for the info re the area and weather around that time; glad you are ok.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37639285&ni...-man-last-seen-in-grand-county&s_cid=queue-20

This Salt Lake article states the car was 100 feet off the ranch road - and about 5 miles down it! The photo, if taken on Nov 27, shows it must have been before the snowstorm. Even if it was before the snow came - it was sure cold! If Michael went walking back to the interstate because cell service is spotty in the desert - why didn't he take his phone in off-the chance he'd get a signal? Why didn't he turn off his car?

"White said the car appeared to have hit a large rock on the side of the road.

The vehicle was found running and the airbag deployed. Cavallari's laptop and cell phone were also found inside, according to police. When a driver could not be found nearby, police inquired about the vehicle registration."

http://www.sltrib.com/news/3270148-155/california-man-missing-in-southeast-utah

This Salt Lake Tribune article also states Michael was waaay down that desolate road. The article includes a photo of the Book Cliffs, which aren't near where Michael was. The reader's comments are pointing that out to the Tribune. It's a pretty flat area where Michael's car was - open, flat and covered with sagebrush, not trees. You can see for miles.

cattlekate said:

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=37639285&ni...-man-last-seen-in-grand-county&s_cid=queue-20

This Salt Lake article states the car was 100 feet off the ranch road - and about 5 miles down it! The photo, if taken on Nov 27, shows it must have been before the snowstorm. Even if it was before the snow came - it was sure cold! If Michael went walking back to the interstate because cell service is spotty in the desert - why didn't he take his phone in off-the chance he'd get a signal? Why didn't he turn off his car?

"White said the car appeared to have hit a large rock on the side of the road.

The vehicle was found running and the airbag deployed. Cavallari's laptop and cell phone were also found inside, according to police. When a driver could not be found nearby, police inquired about the vehicle registration."

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Screencap of the pic you are referencing, from the video you linked.

I wonder why he was in Utah, where he was coming from, or his destination?

http://wgntv.com/2015/12/06/jay-cutlers-brother-in-law-reported-missing/

This says the car was running, airbags deployed- had hit a large rock - but also says 'by the side of the interstate'.

meanmaryjean said:

http://wgntv.com/2015/12/06/jay-cutlers-brother-in-law-reported-missing/

This says the car was running, airbags deployed- had hit a large rock - but also says 'by the side of the interstate'.

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Your link answered my question, above. Thank you.

It’s believed Michael Cavallari was driving from California to Chicago.

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Traceyrita said:

Screencap of the pic you are referencing, from the video you linked. View attachment 85325

I wonder why he was in Utah, where he was coming from, or his destination?

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IIRC, the original article stated he was headed to Illinois, maybe to see his sister?

http://www.grandcountyutah.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=73

No time given for the call. However, based on the photo supplied to KSL, I'm going to guess the car was found in the morning or early afternoon, before the snow came. If this is true, Michael wasn't trying to escape the awful weather, got off the interstate, and got lost, like I first thought.

He deliberately went down that desolate dead-end road. In his little car. In the cold. Granted, it goes over beautiful BLM public lands and maybe he just wanted to explore the gorgeous Utah desert and be solitary for awhile. Then his Honda Civic hit a rock and the air bag deployed. And maybe he got confused so he forgot to turn off his car and take his cell phone. And then for some reason decided not to follow the road back, as he would've been found by now. And if he wandered into the desert, his footprints would've been covered by that evening's snow.

Really sad.

Zuri said:

IIRC, the original article stated he was headed to Illinois, maybe to see his sister?

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Just saw that, thank you so much! Moreso a reason why you'd think Kristin would want to spread the word via SM and such.

We have to remember that just because you are related to someone doesn't mean you are close with them or that they were a good person. We just can't assume that he was this wonderful person and they were really close siblings. Not saying they aren't - just that we can't make assumptions. Lots of people have siblings that they never talk to for one reason or another.

I am thinking he was driving to Chicago to see his new just born niece.

"A few days earlier, on Monday, Nov. 23, Cutler and Kristin Cavallari welcomed their third child together. Their baby girl who they named Saylor James joins her older brothers, Jaxon Wyatt, 18 months, and Camden Jack, 3."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jay-cutlers-brother-in-law-michael-cavallari-missing-in-utah/

There seems quite a number of national articles are out there so apparently word is being spread. Much more than most cases get.

JMO's

Here is a quick map. I've noted the approximate location of where the car was found, the town of Monticella, where he was seen at a gas station and a possible driving route from San Clemente, CA to Chicago, IL.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=z2VLvG6QAl8U.kQiHuI92-tmw&usp=sharing

You can zoom in and out and switch the base map from Satellite to Map views.

Addresses but doesn't explain his family's silence.

http://heavy.com/news/2015/12/krist...rash-accident-photos-pictures-video-facebook/