NY NY - Michael Taus, 24, West Islip, 18 June 2010

[bottlenose]

Unless someone else has a really good explanation for the first post I made, I have no doubt he is alive. There is much more to this than was published by media and I knew Mike quite well, although I guess not well enough to see the signs he was getting ready to disappear. But some things happened in retrospect that began to make sense as to why he might have left. I believe he does not want to be found and is most likely living as someone else. And to me, Mike fits the bill for someone who could pull this off.

 

[deedee21]

Unless someone else has a really good explanation for the first post I made, I have no doubt he is alive. There is much more to this than was published by media and I knew Mike quite well, although I guess not well enough to see the signs he was getting ready to disappear. But some things happened in retrospect that began to make sense as to why he might have left. I believe he does not want to be found and is most likely living as someone else. And to me, Mike fits the bill for someone who could pull this off.

Is Michael the type of guy who would disappear knowing his parents would worry and suffer? He must realize they would think something bad happen to him. Would he be that uncaring?

 

[wendybtn]

This is my first day to ever read this thread but one thing stood out to me from the first page. I have 3 sons. In no way can I see my sons ever bringing out clothes to share with their dad before they go on a date. Also, was he independent or did he still live with his parents? This is so different from what our boys would do, it just jumped off the page at me.

 

[bottlenose]

Well it has been a long time since I’ve followed up on this thread but I wanted to get back to you having just read your questions. Michael lived in his grandparents (fathers side) house for the majority of his life. His father wasn’t exactly a role madel. His father died several years ago actually. Before Michael went missing, I distinctly remember him talking about life insurance policies. Mind you, he must have been 23 or 24 years old at that time. He boasted to me about him increasing his life insurance policy, to a number I honestly can’t remember. Why would a person his age with no spouse, kids, just parents have any interest in taking a life insurance policy out on himself? His father BTW was very eager to have his own son declared dead so he could collect on his life insurance policy he had on his own son. The whole thing is bizzare to me.

 

[Callie1027]

Bottlenose,
Thank you so much for keeping up with this thread about Michael.
I do hope that he's still alive.
This is my first time hearing about this case. Did anyone ever talk to the woman he had the blind date with?
I just have so many questions.

 

[hot cawfeee]

Great question Callie------ it was an internet date I think ???

 

[hot cawfeee]

And of course people were not as plugged in back then as now------I have a sister who never uses cash-- she is a walking-talking debit transaction.

 

[hot cawfeee]

bumping for Michael

 

[hot cawfeee]

Interesting site------the is a Carousel Club (or Café ?) ----strip club on Jericho Tnp east Huntington or thereabouts..... do we know the name of the dating site he was on ?

 

[Seifert79]

Interesting site------the is a Carousel Club (or Café ?) ----strip club on Jericho Tnp east Huntington or thereabouts..... do we know the name of the dating site he was on ?

If the "Carousel Club" is a swingers-club, I don't think he'd have brought his dog along. Plus, Huntington is a hike from Elmont. It's much closer to West Islip, Micheal's hometown. Although I don't know Michael, I'm originally from Islip...hence my interest in this case.


Although Belmont Park (located in Elmont, Long Island) https://www.google.com/maps/place/B...a68b18340623eb!8m2!3d40.7092777!4d-73.7213634 is a horse racing venue, it is also a family-friendly park with many other attractions. My friend actually had her 2-year-old son's birthday party there. It's outdoors also, and more likely to be a potential date meet-up spot that would be more likely dog-friendly.


The "Liberty Carousel" is an attraction at Belmont Park. http://www.themeparkarchive.com/parks/belmont-park/the-liberty-carousel


They also mention "Meacham" which I've never heard of before. It turns out there is a section of Elmont labeled "Meacham" on the map, and there is a very large cemetery located there with lots of open and wooded land. It's called "Maimonides Elmont Cemetary" https://www.google.com/maps/place/Maimonides-Elmont+Cemetery/@40.7056527,-73.7093487,15.01z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xec7e09e4ce8db198!8m2!3d40.7044549!4d-73.7091687

 

[hot cawfeee]

Something I thought of--- summer on LI and other places means fairs...rides, etc. Good place to meet someone and bring your dog as well.

 

[Seifert79]

Something I thought of--- summer on LI and other places means fairs...rides, etc. Good place to meet someone and bring your dog as well.

Yes, but if he was set-up or harmed, wouldn't they meet-up in a more secluded place?

 

[hot cawfeee]

maybe meet up and then go another location after a "trust" or bond has formed ?

 

[silversurvivor]

has anyone come across any further information?

 

[edm0nd]

This floors me to find this thread and the entire situation and story.

I knew Michael from our days on AOL. Starting with AOL 2.5 and then 3.0. I met him in the early 90s while we were both in our early teens and in high school. We shared an interest in programming, computers, online marketing, and car modifications and racing.

We spent many tens of thousands of hours on AOL and AIM chatting, programming, sharing stories, pulling pranks, talking about women, cars, etc.

He was a very smart guy and a good programmer. He would always help me out when I had an issue or was stuck on code that did not work or I didn't know how to program something. We also worked together in our teens on some websites and marketing for them.

I live in Louisiana and he lived in NY/NJ. I actually flew to NYC one time around 2005 and Michael came to hang out and meet me. It was awesome. All we did was play Xbox and then goto a bar.

I decided to look him up last night to reconnect with him and then found out about all of this.

I called the Suffolk Police Department this morning and they have no updates on this case. I talked to a Detective Hauser and I gave him the same below information I list about his online nickname and moniker.

I do have some additional information about him that might help some here or anyone researching this case.

Michael Taus is his real name but I hardly knew him as that. His online moniker from the AOL and AIM days was "neqx" or "NeQx", pronounced like 'next'. If you search for it, you can find a few of his profiles on Mustang forums and then a listing related to his AOL days with a meme that has a picture of him in it.

Profile: https://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/member1015-neqx.html
Example post: https://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/5-0l-tech/6882-auto-meter-tach-install-quick-question.html

Profile: https://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/members/neqx.35499/
Example post: Non-Stock Coolant Overflow Tanks -----Check it out! :)

Profile: https://forums.corral.net/forums/members/42701-neqx.html
Example post: https://forums.corral.net/forums/5-0-5-8-engine-tech/282836-edelbrock-rpm-performer-install.html

AOL days meme w his picture: neqx – JustinAKAPaste.com
His picture is the one on the left side of the school bus driver window.

The last main email address I last can find for him is neqx@optonline.net. It no longer works as I tried emailing it and it returned bounced.

The last phone number I can find for him ends in 4899. With a 631 area code.

I found the email and phone info by combing through lists of known publically leaked databases for the nickname of "neqx" and found his neqx@optonline.net email and phone tied to the leaked webmaster Eroticy database dump (an old website he used to work with). The record has his full name (Michael Taus) along with matching phone, address, email, etc. so I know that's him.

As a tech person myself, the biggest thing I'm confused about is there is no info about if the detectives or etc. did forensic analysis of Mikes computers, cells phones, chat logs, etc. That is the first thing they should have done as well as subpoena cell phone and ISP records. It seems like that would be the first goto and the results would answer so many questions about what he was doing in the days/weeks/hours before this all went down.

I know this isn't much but it might help others correlate or figure more things out. I just thought I should share my info about his AOL and programming days background as I don't see this mentioned anywhere. If anyone would like to talk to me directly about this or thinks I can help more, feel free to message me here or contact me on twitter @edmond_major.

Thanks

 

[Tricia]

Hey Everyone,

Please welcome our newest verified member, edm0nd.

Here is the thing. It is really impossible for me to verify if Edm0nd is Michael's friend. What I have to go by is edm0nd's patience while waiting to get verified, the ease in which he sent the required documents and his believability when I spoke to him on the phone.

If you choose not to believe edm0nd then that is your prerogative. However, you can't be rude or say snarky things to this poster. If you choose not to believe him then scroll on by.

With verified members, edm0nd may now tell you his stories about Michael without a backup link.

Thank you edm0nd for joining Websleuths.

Tricia

 

[Sillybilly]

Hello edmOnd and Welcome !!

So sorry you had to find out about your friend Michael in such a fashion. Hopefully with you being here, it can add some pieces to the puzzle that may end up providing some resolution in Michael's case.

Do you know if that phone number was a cell or landline? Also, just wondering if you have the 3 digit exchange? I did a search using wild cards for the exchange, and of the hits that comes up, one is an adult hook-up site, Ronkonkama (sic) on Long Island.

 

[edm0nd]

Hello edmOnd and Welcome !!

So sorry you had to find out about your friend Michael in such a fashion. Hopefully with you being here, it can add some pieces to the puzzle that may end up providing some resolution in Michael's case.

Do you know if that phone number was a cell or landline? Also, just wondering if you have the 3 digit exchange? I did a search using wild cards for the exchange, and of the hits that comes up, one is an adult hook-up site, Ronkonkama (sic) on Long Island.

It's a landline. From Twilio Lookup:

{"caller_name": null, "country_code": "US", "phone_number": "+16315874899", "national_format": "(631) 587-4899", "carrier": {"mobile_country_code": null, "mobile_network_code": null, "name": "Verizon", "type": "landline", "error_code": null}, "add_ons": null, "url": "https://lookups.twilio.com/v1/PhoneNumbers/+16315874899?

<modsnip>

 

[Sillybilly]

Just a mish mash of thoughts ...

I doubt LE would share their investigative avenues, findings, techniques etc with anyone, so I am not convinced that warrants weren't obtained for his computer info, cell phone, etc.

Erocity (now out of business), where Michael used to work, was an Adult Friend Finder - Dating Site (in 2010 was hacked and 1.4m accounts exposed in a data breach). Michael disappeared in June 2010. LISK investigation started with Shannon Gilbert's disappearance in May of 2010. Did he know something about the business that could have placed him in jeopardy? Might be interesting to know whose names might show up in the data breach. Just speculation, but have to wonder if Michael has the technical know-how to be responsible for the breach? Given that he seemed upbeat about his "date", new duds, etc, was he possibly recruited by the good guys for his inside knowledge of the dating site? IOW, spilling the beans on the industry or its clients, and ended up in witness protection. IMO, it's more likely that he was a liability to someone and was set up via his "date".

On another note ... a bit curious when doing a google image search using the terms "michael taus" romeo, 4 or 5 rows down (depending on your resolution) there is a composite image of 3 pics (man on bus, carrying white grocery bag).

I can't link it because when I click on it to see that specific image, it just takes me to the article about Michael being missing. I get an impression these are images of him after he went missing. Of those 3 images within the composite, 2 are a man who appears to be Michael wearing a toque, but the 3rd pic appears to be someone else. IF those 2 pics are of Michael (and I believe they are), what it tells me is that someone went to the trouble of searching for and locating pics of Michael on public transporation.

JMO ... as I said, a mish mash

 

[DeepCover]

On another note ... a bit curious when doing a google image search using the terms "michael taus" romeo, 4 or 5 rows down (depending on your resolution) there is a composite image of 3 pics (man on bus, carrying white grocery bag).

I can't link it because when I click on it to see that specific image, it just takes me to the article about Michael being missing. I get an impression these are images of him after he went missing. Of those 3 images within the composite, 2 are a man who appears to be Michael wearing a toque, but the 3rd pic appears to be someone else. IF those 2 pics are of Michael (and I believe they are), what it tells me is that someone went to the trouble of searching for and locating pics of Michael on public transporation.

JMO ... as I said, a mish mash

That's a newer article about somebody that stole a purse:
Police Seeking Man Who Stole Purse From LIRR Train

The image probably just appeared on the same page as an article about Michael (like in a sidebar listing new articles) and that's why it came up in your image search.