Found Deceased CO - Joseph Keller, 18, Antonito, 23 July 2015 - #2

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Watching this case and the conversations around it unfold has been an amazing experience. I am re-astounded at how uncertainty can motivate people (including myself) to invent (and cast) malefactors, however unlikely, to populate way-out-there theories when we don't like the probable reality. The need for an enemy is weird, but understandable in those directly touched by loss. The loss is incomprehensible, but I'm glad its cause no longer is. I hope that certainty will do something to dull the pain of loss.
 
This was a case where, after awhile, I would skip clicking on the thread when I saw it come up because I truly believed the coverup was either too great, or the wilderness so vast that he was never, ever going to be found - no matter what I or anyone else hoped. It was a heartbreaking thought, and one I am absolutely relieved to have proven wrong. It is a reminder that we should never give up searching, hoping or believing. My condolences to his family and friends (who must be happy not just for closure, but to be able to continue their lives free of accusation and doubt)
 
"Richard Martin, the county’s coroner, said the confirmation (that the remains found are those of Joe) was made Friday. Martin told The Denver Post that Keller died of a skull fracture after falling from a cliff and that his death has been ruled an accident.

“It is an accident. I’m sure of it,” Martin said. “There was nobody else with him.”
BBM. Source: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/08/joe-keller-remains-confirmed/

Thought I would post, since I hadn't seen it yet. RIP, sweet Joe.
 
inmyhumbleopinion said:
"Richard Martin, the county’s coroner, said the confirmation (that the remains found are those of Joe) was made Friday. Martin told The Denver Post that Keller died of a skull fracture after falling from a cliff and that his death has been ruled an accident.

“It is an accident. I’m sure of it,” Martin said. “There was nobody else with him.”
BBM. Source: http://www.denverpost.com/2016/08/08/joe-keller-remains-confirmed/

Thought I would post, since I hadn't seen it yet. RIP, sweet Joe.
Click to expand...
Poor guy :( Hope he didn't suffer, that the fall immediately knocked him out.
Glad his family have answers. So many times in these threads it seems the family are left wondering.
 
The Joe Keller Facebook page has an interesting statement made by the family. They do not seem to accept that it was an accident due to where,when, and how he was found. Hopefully someone like Treelights who has been so kind can paste and copy it.
 
ceci said:
The Joe Keller Facebook page has an interesting statement made by the family. They do not seem to accept that it was an accident due to where,when, and how he was found. Hopefully someone like Treelights who has been so kind can paste and copy it.
Click to expand...
Interesting......
 
ceci said:
The Joe Keller Facebook page has an interesting statement made by the family. They do not seem to accept that it was an accident due to where,when, and how he was found. Hopefully someone like Treelights who has been so kind can paste and copy it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads-up, ceci! I just read the statement, and while I am absolutely heart-broken for Joe's family, at least based on the information that has been released to the public so far, I must believe that Joe's death was indeed accidental. You may have seen this already, but I hadn't yet, and wanted to share with others:

"Coroner Martin said Keller fell off a cliff and landed backwards, hitting the back of his head. The fall created multiple fractures of the skull, he explained.
'There were fractures leading away from that impact spot,' Martin said.
Keller’s ankle was also dislocated.
'Those were the only injuries he had,' Martin said.
Martin said this was an unfortunate accident, not caused by foul play."
BBM. Source: Alamosa Valley Courier (posted on August 9 at 1:18 pm on its official FB page): https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1036039269827804&id=141175752647498
 
Well the first thought I had was, how does the coroner know Joe wasn't pushed by someone? Looking at what we know I would only be comfortable to say, he most likely slipped and fell.

Could someone please link the fb page? TIA.
 
Thank you so much for posting this - I had been worried sick about all the awful possible scenarios of what had happened, and while this is not in any way "good news" in itself, a fatal fall that was hopefully a quick end is better to know about than all the other horrifying possibilities. IMO, there is something special about Joe radiating from his photos that instantly drew so many of our hearts to his case and prompted so many earnest, heart-felt prayers - prayers that I hope will continue to be lifted up to the Lord his family follows so faithfully.
 
Elainera said:
Well the first thought I had was, how does the coroner know Joe wasn't pushed by someone? Looking at what we know I would only be comfortable to say, he most likely slipped and fell.

Could someone please link the fb page? TIA.
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I agree, I don't believe they can determine what caused him to fall backwards off a cliff, only that he somehow fell. Why would he be standing with his back facing the edge of a cliff? Because someone was in front of him? Otherwise I couldn't begin to guess.
 
neesaki said:
I agree, I don't believe they can determine what caused him to fall backwards off a cliff, only that he somehow fell. Why would he be standing with his back facing the edge of a cliff? Because someone was in front of him? Otherwise I couldn't begin to guess.
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https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1036039269827804&id=141175752647498

My impression of reading the article and this sentence:

"Coroner Martin said Keller fell off a cliff and landed backwards, hitting the back of his head."

is that he wasn't standing with his back facing the edge of the cliff. In my opinion, the article doesn't say he fell backwards off a cliff, but it does say he landed backwards.

IMOO.
 
neesaki said:
I agree, I don't believe they can determine what caused him to fall backwards off a cliff, only that he somehow fell. Why would he be standing with his back facing the edge of a cliff? Because someone was in front of him? Otherwise I couldn't begin to guess.
Click to expand...

In my area in the mountains, we had (another) hiker fall off a cliff last week, I'm not sure why, but he was on a hike where people go to do technical climbing with all the gear, eg ropes, pick axes, special footware and many hours of training, but he wasn't a climber himself.

Without knowing the topography, it's not possible to speculate what happened to Joe. But first off, he was wearing running shoes, which are slippery on rock, and secondly he was in unfamiliar terrain beyond his experience and skill level, and was alone, so no one could help him. Who on earth would want to push him over a cliff? I think people need to get out of cities, they'll find that in the wilderness people naturally help each other if they can.

Sometimes someone slips and grabs onto something as they fall and then tries to climb back up but doesn't make it. Or, being in a rush to get back, they think they can climb down using natural ledges. It looks easy from above, but the distances are distorted.

IMO the dangerous, and in this case fatal elements are gravity, rock, inexperience, over-confidence, adrenelin and solitude.
 
I think the Keller's are wondering if he was pushed also. Yes they have Joes body to bring home to rest but no closure. What people don't realize is Neal would work all week and fly to Colorado every weekend and searched. He vowed he would not stop until Joe was found. I couldn't even imagine the financial toll this has taken. The Kellers are farmers and by no means rich just hard working salt of the earth people. Life isn't fair....
I repeat, thank you for this forum and thread. I, myself would come and read and get comfort from the outpouring of love and concern.
I will probably pop in on other cases since I enjoyed the intelligent insights from you all. With Love, CeCi
 
I guess I'll ask what no one else is. Could Joe have jumped? Falling typically means slipping unless this cliff was obscured by trees and they think he ran right off the edge. A slip would have left evidence at the top, scrapes and other injuries all over his bare legs etc. Being pushed or going over voluntarily would get you a cracked skull and broken ankle because the momentum takes you a bit further away from the cliff-face and you injure what you land on. Originally they said he was found in a crevice - so did he fall into it, like it was a sort of hidden crack he didn't see while running? It made more sense before when we thought he may have succumbed to hypothermia and burrowed IMO. If he hit the back of his head against the cliff, he was facing the void when he went over.
 
No absolutely not, Joe was a very happy young man who was well adjusted. He did not jump. He was an extraordinary individual with his whole life ahead of him. I don't know how much I can empathize that Joe did not take his life nor was his friend involved in any manner. He took 3 lie detector tests.
We will never know the truth for sure but either Joe had an accident or he was pushed...
 
4 miles West of the highway is 3 miles from the Rainbow Trout Ranch, at the base of a cliff off Forrest rd. 250 in an area that was searched with dogs FLIR, helicopters, drones, wearing red shorts. How come it took so long to find him?
 
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