Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian missing in Joshua Tree National Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018

[PaulR]

His first post is still here (492).

It's been there a while, perhaps so long that there is no point in removing it.

I can understand not every witness wanting to become a VI but since the story this "witness" has to tell is not in MSM, I'm not sure I believe it.

What additional information did he have, since he only saw him very quickly according to his first post?

 

[papillon2126]

He started off by saying that he had no intention of becoming verified. If anyone wants verification, they can call the authorities and ask if they spoke to a witness named Neil. He went on to say that even though he didn't get a good look at the man's face, the man was wearing the right clothing, at the right time and at the right place. Clearly, he believes that he saw Paul and even seemed to imply that he wishes he could have done something to change the outcome.

His post seemed sincere to me. I don't know what he would have to gain by making it up. I really think that he was trying his best to help find Paul.

 

[Suglo]

He started off by saying that he had no intention of becoming verified. If anyone wants verification, they can call the authorities and ask if they spoke to a witness named Neil. He went on to say that even though he didn't get a good look at the man's face, the man was wearing the right clothing, at the right time and at the right place. Clearly, he believes that he saw Paul and even seemed to imply that he wishes he could have done something to change the outcome.

His post seemed sincere to me. I don't know what he would have to gain by making it up. I really think that he was trying his best to help find Paul.

That’s what I got from it also.

 

[Elainera]

Did anyone else see the post by Neil_witness yesterday afternoon? It was a fairly lengthy post explaining the reason he would not become verified at Websleuths and more about his quick sighting of Paul. Within minutes of being posted, it was gone. I wonder if he had a change of mind and deleted it?

Anyone else see it? Really, I'm not making this up!

I saw it too. I guess it was removed because it wasn't official information? He was pretty convinced Paul is dead. He admitted though that he saw a different coloured car, so there is a chance that the man he saw wasn't Paul.

 

[zecats]

I saw it too. I guess it was removed because it wasn't official information? He was pretty convinced Paul is dead. He admitted though that he saw a different coloured car, so there is a chance that the man he saw wasn't Paul.

I must have missed the info about the car. That makes it more inconclusive for sure.

 

[Suglo]

I saw it too. I guess it was removed because it wasn't official information? He was pretty convinced Paul is dead. He admitted though that he saw a different coloured car, so there is a chance that the man he saw wasn't Paul.

He got the make and model of the car correctly though. He said the car was black but it was dark grey. I don’t think that is much of a difference especially since it doesn’t sound like there were many cars or hikers out there at that hour.

 

[Satchie]

I was the last person to see Paul alive.

I was interviewed by park personnel on Saturday 14, the day after he went missing. I’d seen one of the posters describing his disappearance and called in from near the park.

I’m posting this because there’s a lot of junk been written here. He died out there. And his friends and family might be reading this.

I did the hike that morning to 49 palms. I started out from the trailhead about 7.30 am and was at the palms at 8.30. I started back at 8.40. The hike both ways is up to a ridge at half way and then down the other side. Going back, I went about 2/3 of the way up to the ridge and then stopped for 2 or 3 minutes in the shade from a large boulder next to the trail. I was there not earlier than 9am and not later than 9.15am.

Paul came round the bend from the ridge and down the trail towards me. I had him in sight for maybe 10 or 20 seconds. As he went past me I said Hi, he said Hi, and he carried straight on.

He looked in OK shape - hot but nothing out of the ordinary. Hat plus backpack. Doing a good pace. I was surprised he didn’t stop maybe for a few seconds to chat - this was the only shade on the trail and a good place for a breather. I described him to the rangers as a “man on a mission” - he looked like he was on a serious hike and going for it. I read later that he was keen to get to the Palms to get pictures of the sheep. Maybe that was it.

The news stories that say “he was last seen at 9am by his wife” are incorrect. Other reporting that says “he was last seen at 9am” is more accurate - that’s about when I saw him. To get where he was on the trail he probably left the trailhead 30 to 40 minutes before then - say 8.30. The drive in from 29 Palms might have been anything from 10 minutes to half an hour depending on where he was staying.

The hike is relatively short - an hour out and an hour back. There’s a climb of about 300 ft to a ridge then a descent of about the same amount to the palms. But the heat makes it a serious hike. When I started at 7.30 it was low 80’s. When I got back at around 9.30, maybe a bit later, it was high 90’s.

There’s no shade on the trail other than the boulder I mentioned, and that’s only early, before the sun gets higher. The terrain is open rock, scrub and a few cacti. The heat bounces back at you. I drank 2 1/2 litres of water on the hike. The park info says take at least a litre for each hour you’re out and that’s about right. The trail is on the northern edge of the park and at a lower altitude than the other hikes in the park. It’s a lot hotter than those trails.

Searching would not have been easy in that heat either, both for people and the dogs. They did what they could and must have pushed themselves very hard. Brave people. Giving their time and all their energy for a stranger they’d never met - a foreigner even. We could do with more of that.

My heart goes out to his friends and family. The event shook me up but that’s nothing compared to what they are going through.

My condolences.

The witness post has not been removed. I've quoted it above so you can link back to it.

Kind of a search and rescue operation for a supposedly missing post!

 

[PaulR]

He got the make and model of the car correctly though. He said the car was black but it was dark grey. I don’t think that is much of a difference especially since it doesn’t sound like there were many cars or hikers out there at that hour.

If the make/model of the rental car is public information, then it is not surprising for anyone to know that.

 

[Elainera]

He got the make and model of the car correctly though. He said the car was black but it was dark grey. I don’t think that is much of a difference especially since it doesn’t sound like there were many cars or hikers out there at that hour.

Yes chances are he did see the correct car and did see Paul. But because of the differently remembered colour he had doubts. He said something like "Or was I mistaken?" Or similar words.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Just had an interesting thought.
Was he fan of Graham Parsons or enchanted with the story of Graham’s body being stolen from LAX and lit afire in the Cap Rock section?

Something nudges me to suggest that area be thoroughly explored, or re-explored.

 

[RickshawFan]

Experienced searcher of these sheep, it seems you'll see them most when looking UP...which doesn't bode well as you tend to naturally want to keep a move on until u spy one then freeze frame.

Where are you Paul???

I have seen many of those sheep where others in the area were completely oblivious. That doesn't mean I thought they'd stick around in that spot for more than a few minutes. They eat what they need and move on. In the desert, food will be sparse; they'd be constantly on the move. And if they mostly hung out at the oasis, how much ground would you cover in the oasis just to spot them?

You'd probably get turned around and disoriented during the chase, to boot.

Going after sheep is kinda nonsensical IMO.

 

[Lilibet]

Just had an interesting thought.
Was he fan of Graham Parsons or enchanted with the story of Graham’s body being stolen from LAX and lit afire in the Cap Rock section?

Something nudges me to suggest that area be thoroughly explored, or re-explored.

Well, that unusual theory about Gram Parsons sent me googling. Isn’t it kind of far from where he was hiking? But hey, who knows?

Per google:

Before his death, Parsons stated that he wanted his body cremated at Joshua Tree and his ashes spread over Cap Rock, a prominent natural feature there;


Parsons' makeshift memorial in Joshua Tree, California
To fulfill Parsons' funeral wishes, Kaufman and a friend stole his body from Los Angeles International Airport and in a borrowed hearse, they drove it to Joshua Tree. Upon reaching the Cap Rock section of the park, they attempted to cremate Parsons' corpse by pouring five gallons of gasoline into the open coffin and throwing a lit match inside. What resulted was an enormous fireball. The police gave chase but, as one account puts it, "were encumbered by sobriety," and the men escaped.[44]

The two were arrested several days later. Since there was no law against stealing a dead body, they were only fined $750[47] for stealing the coffin and were not prosecuted for leaving 35 pounds (16 kg) of his charred remains in the desert. Parsons's body, what remained of it, was eventually buried in Garden of Memories Cemetery in Metairie, Louisiana.

The site of Parsons' cremation was marked by a small concrete slab and was presided over by a large rock flake known to rock climbersas The Gram Parsons Memorial Hand Traverse.[48] The slab has since been removed by the U.S. National Park Service, and relocated to the Joshua Tree Inn. There is no monument at Cap Rock noting Parsons' cremation at the site.[49] Joshua Tree park guides are given the option to tell the story of Parsons' cremation during tours, but there is no mention of the act in official maps or brochures.[49] Fans regularly assemble simple rock structures and writings on the rock, which the park service sand blasts to remove from time to time.[49]

Gram Parsons - Wikipedia

 

[tarabull]

I have seen many of those sheep where others in the area were completely oblivious. That doesn't mean I thought they'd stick around in that spot for more than a few minutes. They eat what they need and move on. In the desert, food will be sparse; they'd be constantly on the move. And if they mostly hung out at the oasis, how much ground would you cover in the oasis just to spot them?

You'd probably get turned around and disoriented during the chase, to boot.

Going after sheep is kinda nonsensical IMO.

I am picking up what you are laying down.

 

[rosesfromangels]

It's quite a story isn't it Lilibet?! I really think that area needs to be searched. The legend of it is quite a draw. Amazingly, his friends that stole and "cremated" his body were only fined. Pretty wild, not to mention other aspects of the story I will omit for this delicate audience. ; )

 

[jash]

He got the make and model of the car correctly though. He said the car was black but it was dark grey. I don’t think that is much of a difference especially since it doesn’t sound like there were many cars or hikers out there at that hour.

I agree it doesn't matter but the car was actually a light coloured champagne/beige.

Source: Family friends remain hopeful missing hiker is found

 

[Suglo]

I agree it doesn't matter but the car was actually a light coloured champagne/beige.

Source: Family friends remain hopeful missing hiker is found

Oops! I must have made a mistake. I read his post late Sunday night when I was falling asleep

 

[jash]

I am trying to reconcile Neil_witness's info with what was released in MSM. According to Neil_witness, he was interviewed by park personnel the day after Paul went missing.

Five days after Paul was reported missing, the Public Information Officer for JTNP said the following: There hasn't been any track evidence of Mr. Miller. There was no scent detection that came in from canine units," he said, adding there were no reports of contact from other hikers in the area that morning. "We did have at least one person that was in during the same time and came out and said they didn't see anybody else on the trail on the way in or out."

Source: Search scaled back for Guelph, Ont., man missing in California park | CBC News

 

[Bethan]

I am trying to reconcile Neil_witness's info with what was released in MSM. According to Neil_witness, he was interviewed by park personnel the day after Paul went missing.

Five days after Paul was reported missing, the Public Information Officer for JTNP said the following: There hasn't been any track evidence of Mr. Miller. There was no scent detection that came in from canine units," he said, adding there were no reports of contact from other hikers in the area that morning. "We did have at least one person that was in during the same time and came out and said they didn't see anybody else on the trail on the way in or out."

Source: Search scaled back for Guelph, Ont., man missing in California park | CBC News

Good point!

 

[jash]

Another search was conducted on Sunday for Paul. <modsnipped go fund me links are not allowed without owner permission>

SBCSDVolunteerForces‏ @VolunteerForces Aug 12
SBSD Search & Rescue Technical Rope Teams are out today in Joshua Tree National Park to continue the search for a lost Canadian hiker. Teams are searching the steep canyons our previous grounds teams couldn’t get into.(3rd photo from file)

Source: SBCSDVolunteerForces (@VolunteerForces) | Twitter

 

[Detectivediva]

I am trying to reconcile Neil_witness's info with what was released in MSM. According to Neil_witness, he was interviewed by park personnel the day after Paul went missing.

Five days after Paul was reported missing, the Public Information Officer for JTNP said the following: There hasn't been any track evidence of Mr. Miller. There was no scent detection that came in from canine units," he said, adding there were no reports of contact from other hikers in the area that morning. "We did have at least one person that was in during the same time and came out and said they didn't see anybody else on the trail on the way in or out."

Source: Search scaled back for Guelph, Ont., man missing in California park | CBC News

Great points. And to those the other day who questioned what Neil_witness had to gain by "coming forward"... well the statement sure did shut people (on here) up for awhile. I didn't read the second post but the first sounded defensive to me. It might be a statement that one might fictionalize if they were trying to cast suspicion away from themselves. All the more reason to honor the process of only trusting those who choose to become verified.

All just my opinion.