NY NY - Patrick Rust, 24, Watertown, 16 March 2007

[OkieGranny]

http://www.syracuse.com/news/index....rs_to_mysterious_death_of_fort_drum_sold.html

Sgt. Patrick Rust endured two tours of war, walking the perimeter of an Army post in Iraq and manning a truck-mounted gun to protect his unit along the roads of Afghanistan.

But it was when Rust was home, stationed at Fort Drum with the 10th Mountain Division, that danger caught up with him. He went missing March 16, 2007, shortly after getting welcome news that he was being assigned to Fort Lewis, Wash., where he'd be trained to be a staff sergeant...

It's unlikely the cause of Rust's death will ever be determined because of the condition of the body, Pustizzi said. "We don't know that a crime occurred, so to say there were suspects would be difficult," he said. "There's a lot of people we're talking to. We have a big push on trying to generate some more leads."

 

[wendybtn]

RIP, Patrick. After reading through this thread, 2 things jumped out at me. His father received his specified inheritance from his son and is putting all this behind him now. It may be he is sick of his ex, too painful to mire in on a daily basis, or his own private reasons. Two, the thread read to me as if Patrick was a very naive, younger than his age, young man that could not quite navigate through life without help. As a soldier returning from war, I found that image a little farfetched. Through further reading, I realized this roommate and maybe a few others were taking him under their wings to help him come out of the closet. Perhaps all that happened was he got black-out drunk got going the wrong way, fell in the field, died of alcohol poisoning on accident. I am personally unaware of a method accepted in a court of law to get a toxicology from a skeleton. Unless there was trauma to bones, I do not see how this is exactly considered a homicide. It may very well be a homicide but it still has to be proven. Maybe the now discharged soldier that has a lawyer is worried because he stole the games or money. Maybe he did stab or strangle Mr. Rust. But if I only stole property and this guy turned up dead, I would have a lawyer and not talk either. Too many people being released from prisons after decades for something they didn't do. Proving homicide, IMHO, will be the first hurdle to clear before a POI can even be subpoenaed.

 

[gogrannypop]

Private Investigator Makes Progress In Soldier's Mysterious Death

http://www.wwnytv.com/story/3642445...r-makes-progress-in-soldiers-mysterious-death

Back in 2010, after 3 years without answers, Judy Rust turned to Forensic Consulting Specialties, a private investigation group out of Syracuse.

At first it had success, then the investigation fizzled - until now.

 

[mrfrinkles]

Something about this case really resonates with me to this day. Someone knows something. What a bungled up investigation. Patrick deserves more.

 

[mlhenn]

Thirteen years later, mother of Fort Drum soldier found dead after disappearing from bar seeks answers

Army Sergeant Patrick Rust survived two tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and the 24-year-old was back on post at Fort Drum in New York for only about 30 days when he disappeared from a bar in Watertown, N.Y. in March 2007. Six months later, his remains were found in a nearby field.

Thirteen years have passed and his mother, Judy Rust, is still fighting to find out what happened to her son.

“I just want to know what happened to him,” Judy told Dateline. “Years have gone by and we still don’t have any answers.”

 

[mrfrinkles]

Unresolved podcast featured this case. It just seems so solvable. I hope the family gets answers even after all this time has passed.

 

[SarahMariexx3]

RIP, Patrick. After reading through this thread, 2 things jumped out at me. His father received his specified inheritance from his son and is putting all this behind him now. It may be he is sick of his ex, too painful to mire in on a daily basis, or his own private reasons. Two, the thread read to me as if Patrick was a very naive, younger than his age, young man that could not quite navigate through life without help. As a soldier returning from war, I found that image a little farfetched. Through further reading, I realized this roommate and maybe a few others were taking him under their wings to help him come out of the closet. Perhaps all that happened was he got black-out drunk got going the wrong way, fell in the field, died of alcohol poisoning on accident. I am personally unaware of a method accepted in a court of law to get a toxicology from a skeleton. Unless there was trauma to bones, I do not see how this is exactly considered a homicide. It may very well be a homicide but it still has to be proven. Maybe the now discharged soldier that has a lawyer is worried because he stole the games or money. Maybe he did stab or strangle Mr. Rust. But if I only stole property and this guy turned up dead, I would have a lawyer and not talk either. Too many people being released from prisons after decades for something they didn't do. Proving homicide, IMHO, will be the first hurdle to clear before a POI can even be subpoenaed.

I'm from the area. The field he was found in was miles away from the bar. There is no way he walked there and just fell in it. Furthermore, leaving that bar going left would bring you up a very very large bridge and right would take you towards his apartment. Both areas would be well lit, doesn't matter how drunk he was he would not confuse which way to go...it's a huge bridge or a flat street.