Ecuador - August Reiger, 18, US student, Banos, 16 June 2013

[Seajay]

Very sorry to hear about your friend and SIL, Seajay.

Thank you. My SIL committed suicide in 1981 when she was 27 years old. My friend just committed suicide a little over 2 weeks ago.

That's why I say that people can say they know for sure someone wouldn't do something, but when it comes down to it, no one knows for sure.

I remember a case here about 8 months ago. A family flew back from Europe after one of their daughters got married. One of the other daughters disappeared during a layover at DFW airport. Her family insisted she would never take off on her own. She was in her early 20's, had a good job, an apartment, a life. No way would she just take off, they were sure she was abducted. Turns out they found her in FW, she had joined an organization against abortions. She decided to make it her life's work and just didn't feel like she needed to tell anyone, she didn't want to be talked out of it.

Family is wrong all the time about what they think a family member would do and what they would not. FTR, if any of my family says I'd never get into a pit with snakes, believe them! There is no amount of money that would ever make me do that. LOL

 

[OldSteve]

Here's the thing that bugs me - GPS tracking devices/locators are so ready available
https://www.google.com/search?q=personal+locator+device
why would anyone going on a trip like this not carry them?
If he had one and had fallen it would have helped.

 

[Sunshine95]

I am curious about them looking at his electronic trail- if he was planning to go it alone, he would have probably used technology to research, and perhaps make some contacts. Has anyone heard anything about them checking his computer histories, emails, and all the other technological sources?

 

[Paul]

What if August got to the top and then kept right on going, on the downhill trail back to the town? And then when he was back at the town level, ran into some random street crime situation there? Such as getting mugged and ending up in an alley or back room of a store?

In the news articles, it says that the parents were about 10 minutes behind him on the trail, and then they waited 10 or 15 minutes at the top. Then they hiked down the trail, expecting to catch up with August at the town. So that sort of lines up with this theory.

From watching the video (thank you lucky181), you can see that the trail is set back from the edge, there are trees and shrubs on the downhill side. So a hiker would be partially hidden by that, and if you were 1/4 mile or 1/2 mile back (as the parents may have been) then you probably wouldn't be able to see someone else.

So that's a different theory to think about.

 

[PoirotryInMotion]

Could be another theory...though I thought I read that they were supposed to meet for lunch up there? If so, a hungry teenage boy with no money in his pockets skipping lunch and continuing to hike on down doesn't sound quite as convincing to me.

 

[lucky181]

Here is a book that describes the hike and has lots of information about visiting Ecuador. I thought it was straight up and then down (at least I got that impression from his father who said he couldn't get lost because it's up one side and then down another) but it sounds like you have to walk through the town of Runtun. There must be other ways off the mountain, other than the hiking trail, because there is a road to the hotel in Runtun.

To do the most popular Banos hike, follow Maldonado toward the mountains. At the end of the road a path leads to the illuminated cross on top of the hill (45min). Continue past the cross on the wooded trail doubling back to the right. After rising to the village of Runtun, the trail loops back to Banos.

http://books.google.com/books?id=hu...wAw#v=onepage&q=banos hike to la cruz&f=false

 

[Elainera]

Good point lucky! I also feel that Runtun and its hotel and people living there should be interviewed. I wonder if LE in Ecuador is on it?

 

[necco]

Do we know how much the reward is?

 

[lucky181]

Do we know how much the reward is?

Nope. Everything I've read says...the family says the monetary amount has not been determined

 

[missgulfsouth]

Thank you. My SIL committed suicide in 1981 when she was 27 years old. My friend just committed suicide a little over 2 weeks ago.

That's why I say that people can say they know for sure someone wouldn't do something, but when it comes down to it, no one knows for sure.

I remember a case here about 8 months ago. A family flew back from Europe after one of their daughters got married. One of the other daughters disappeared during a layover at DFW airport. Her family insisted she would never take off on her own. She was in her early 20's, had a good job, an apartment, a life. No way would she just take off, they were sure she was abducted. Turns out they found her in FW, she had joined an organization against abortions. She decided to make it her life's work and just didn't feel like she needed to tell anyone, she didn't want to be talked out of it.

Family is wrong all the time about what they think a family member would do and what they would not. FTR, if any of my family says I'd never get into a pit with snakes, believe them! There is no amount of money that would ever make me do that. LOL

Nope. Everything I've read says...the family says the monetary amount has not been determined

Maybe they aren't saying because it would affect a ransom demand?

 

[Stephmitch15]

I know this was mentioned earlier..

IMHO maybe August and his brother were messing around and August fell? The little brother could be scared about saying what happened, in fear that his parents would be angry or that he would be in trouble..

 

[Paul]

I know this was mentioned earlier..

IMHO maybe August and his brother were messing around and August fell? The little brother could be scared about saying what happened, in fear that his parents would be angry or that he would be in trouble..

There was a big search with police, firefighters, 60 members of the military, search dogs, helicopters... if he was anywhere near the trail I think they would have found him. So I don't think the little brother had anything to do with it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57590032-504083/august-reiger-missing-okla-high-school-valedictorian-vanishes-in-south-america-report-says/
http://newsok.com/still-no-sign-of-oklahoma-city-resident-who-vanished-in-ecuador/article/3856203
http://kfor.com/2013/06/19/local-honor-student-missing-in-ecuador/

 

[Paul]

Here is a book that describes the hike and has lots of information about visiting Ecuador. I thought it was straight up and then down (at least I got that impression from his father who said he couldn't get lost because it's up one side and then down another) but it sounds like you have to walk through the town of Runtun. There must be other ways off the mountain, other than the hiking trail, because there is a road to the hotel in Runtun.

I'm just guessing (because there is no trail map) but I think the book is describing a longer hike that goes up on the plateau to Runtun and then winds around the back side and then back to Banos.

But Mr. Reiger describes the up & down trails as being visible from the town, so my guess is that there's a shorter way back.

This photo gives a good view towards the hike area, I think the cross ("La Cruz") is at the far left. And if you "double back to the right" like the guidebook says, you head uphill to the village. But I'm guessing there's a direct downhill trail from the cross down to Banos.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GANlegOZa7g/TzXGv2h2RAI/AAAAAAAAA1I/MZcWTnlJUaA/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG

That pic is from this blog:
http://danoinec.blogspot.com/2012/02/trip-banos-ecuador-part-i.html

 

[Stephmitch15]

There was a big search with police, firefighters, 60 members of the military, search dogs, helicopters... if he was anywhere near the trail I think they would have found him. So I don't think the little brother had anything to do with it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57590032-504083/august-reiger-missing-okla-high-school-valedictorian-vanishes-in-south-america-report-says/
http://newsok.com/still-no-sign-of-oklahoma-city-resident-who-vanished-in-ecuador/article/3856203
http://kfor.com/2013/06/19/local-honor-student-missing-in-ecuador/

I'm just throwing ideas out there :twocents:

 

[necco]

I know this was mentioned earlier..

IMHO maybe August and his brother were messing around and August fell? The little brother could be scared about saying what happened, in fear that his parents would be angry or that he would be in trouble..

I think the brother would have screamed. I don't think a non-sociopathic 11 year old could sit calmly at a cross waiting for his parents after watching his brother plummet to his demise.

 

[hannah1988]

I think the brother would have screamed. I don't think a non-sociopathic 11 year old could sit calmly at a cross waiting for his parents after watching his brother plummet to his demise.

Good point. I do wonder if August would have said something to his brother if he decided to leave voluntarily - I'm going down this side trail; don't tell mom. Prob not but possible.

 

[lucky181]

Here's another blog about biking on a road to La Cruz. I keep coming back to his father's statement that August couldn't have gotten lost. His family was only thinking of the walking trail visible from their hotel but there are obviously other ways out that a possible kidnapper could have used.

http://latinamericaquest.blogspot.com/2013/03/equador-banos.htm

 

[Janeumayer]

I just did a google search for "August Reiger pictures". In all of them he is smiling. Now look at his last pic taken by his father on the trail, attached below. He looks so sad. It is very eerie.

 

[necco]

I just did a google search for "August Reiger pictures". In all of them he is smiling. Now look at his last pic taken by his father on the trail, attached below. He looks so sad. It is very eerie.

See, to me that looks like "Seriously, dad, another freaking picture? I'm hot and sweaty and hungry. Can we go now?"

 

[meanmaryjean]

Today's random thought on this puzzling case: Seeing that picture- I now wonder if he was mistaken by whoever (if anyone) harmed him for a woman?