CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019 - #3

[cybervampira]

Search is on for Merritt cowboy likely missing since weekend

Police and search and rescue groups are scouring areas near Merritt after a cowboy was reported missing.

Merritt RCMP say the search is on its second day. Police were advised of a horse with no rider and full gear around 12:30 p.m. on Monday (Jan. 28).

Local loggers had located the horse earlier in the day and told local ranchers, who retrieved the horse and were able to identify its owner.

A 32-year-old man who works for a local ranch was identified as the missing rider, and had been on his days off when he went missing.

The man had last been seen Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m., but it's unknown when he rode into the back country.

Nicola Valley Search and Rescue along with Kamloops SAR are coordinating the search efforts, while teams from the Shuswap, Penticton, Princeton, Logan Lake, Central Okanagan, Chilliwack and Surrey have been called in to help.

Nearly 40 SAR members were onsite Monday evening with Police Dog Services, snowmobiles and RCMP Air support. Air searches by SAR, PEP Air and Drones were also conducted overnight.

Hunt on for missing Merritt cowboy after riderless horse found

Searchers look for cowboy whose horse returned without him in Merritt, B.C.

Thread #1
Thread #2

 

[Trudie]

They did mention dogs and air support and diving teams last week when they started the new search. From link posted already.

I did see photos of dogs/handlers but can’t find it at this moment, of course.
Do you recall seeing them?
Tia

 

[zecats]

I did see photos of dogs/handlers but can’t find it at this moment, of course.
Do you recall seeing them?
Tia

I just posted the quote and the link. Not sure if cadaver dogs? Or which?

 

[Trudie]

When we combine that with Shoihet's wording of "how the determination was made that his disappearance is considered suspicious”, it is sounding more hopeful that they are heading in the right direction.

I think they are on it & an arrest might come soon. Fortunately, they don’t need a body, but Ben does need to be found & returned to his family. It’d be nice if they can bury him on their family ranch, imo. At least the cowboy would be home. Moo

 

[Sillybilly]

Yes, police dog services is referenced verbally, but I still haven't seen them in any clips of the actual search at the ranch.

There was one clip very early on where a black & white border collie type dog was shown with some searchers on horseback, but it was not specified if it was part of the canine units. Just not seeing it and usually reporters love to cover the dogs.

 

[zecats]

Yes, police dog services is referenced verbally, but I still haven't seen them in any clips of the actual search at the ranch.

There was one clip very early on where a black & white border collie type dog was shown with some searchers on horseback, but it was not specified if it was part of the canine units. Just not seeing it and usually reporters love to cover the dogs.

That was Ben's dog searching with Ben's brother Jack.

 

[Trudie]

I just posted the quote and the link. Not sure if cadaver dogs? Or which?

Thanks, sorry....I roll & scroll, I missed your post.
When I first saw the dogs I assumed they were cadaver dogs. One shot on video showed them in or near the compost area. I’m sure you recall that awful scene.

 

[Trudie]

Yes, police dog services is referenced verbally, but I still haven't seen them in any clips of the actual search at the ranch.

There was one clip very early on where a black & white border collie type dog was shown with some searchers on horseback, but it was not specified if it was part of the canine units. Just not seeing it and usually reporters love to cover the dogs.

I’m still looking. Iirc, 3-4 dogs shown at NR last week.
It takes me a moment to go thru so many links, so many are repetitious.

 

[Trudie]

That was Ben's dog searching with Ben's brother Jack.

A video is what I’m searching for, from the three day search last week.

 

[Sillybilly]

I’m still looking. Iirc, 3-4 dogs shown at NR last week.
It takes me a moment to go thru so many links, so many are repetitious.

Thanks, but just carry on. I've looked through the links as much as time permits here and guess I've missed it.

 

[zecats]

A video is what I’m searching for, from the three day search last week.

Not sure if I saw one. @sillybilly was asking about the picture and that was Sue with Jack, searching together when Mom and Dad were searching by helicopter.

 

[Trudie]

Not sure if I saw one. @sillybilly was asking about the picture and that was Sue with Jack, searching together when Mom and Dad were searching by helicopter.

Last week when the search commenced, I posted a link, it might have been a slideshow with a few images.
I’m brain dead from reading the same links repeatedly. Sorry.
I guess I should have made a timeline thread.
We know Ben is gone, a victim of foul play
We know Gunny was trailered to the logging road vicinity
And Ben is still missing.
So, other then adding dates, there’s not really enough info to create a thread, imo.
Jmo
I’ll look off and on for the link.

 

[zecats]

Last week when the search commenced, I posted a link, it might have been a slideshow with a few images.
I’m brain dead from reading the same links repeatedly. Sorry.
I guess I should have made a timeline thread.
We know Ben is gone, a victim of foul play
We know Gunny was trailered to the logging road vicinity
And Ben is still missing.
So, other then adding dates, there’s not really enough info to create a thread, imo.
Jmo
I’ll look off and on for the link.

BBM

I hear ya.

 

[Jim_M]

BBM

I hear ya.

Last week when the search commenced, I posted a link, it might have been a slideshow with a few images.
I’m brain dead from reading the same links repeatedly. Sorry.
I guess I should have made a timeline thread.
We know Ben is gone, a victim of foul play
We know Gunny was trailered to the logging road vicinity
And Ben is still missing.
So, other then adding dates, there’s not really enough info to create a thread, imo.
Jmo
I’ll look off and on for the link.

Scratching my head (full of graying hairs) about the dogs, and the compost piles. I swear it was last week. The links are now showing bits and pieces of the same videos, just sequenced differently. And no dogs other than the still of Ben, and Jack riding with Sue. Could it be that they updated/removed some things? Your guesses are as good as mine. Probably better JMO

 

[Trudie]

Scratching my head (full of graying hairs) about the dogs, and the compost piles. I swear it was last week. The links are now showing bits and pieces of the same videos, just sequenced differently. And no dogs other than the still of Ben, and Jack riding with Sue. Could it be that they updated/removed some things? Your guesses are as good as mine. Probably better JMO

Hey @Jim_M thanks for trying. I have major infrastructure coming in ard me, my WiFi is s l o w. Men messing with wires......
Possibly once the search ended things were removed.
I’ve read a few links so many times, I can recite them word for word, idk how or why we ended up with the same articles linked repeatedly.
I’ll scan thru a few more.
Again, tysm.
Keep your fingers crossed for an arrest. Ben deserves justice.

 

[Trudie]

Despite no findings from the last search, I think the fact LE had specific areas to search (compost pile/feed yard) mean they have some good info. We don’t know if they took samples from the soil or compost for lab testing, but perhaps they did have items to submit.
IMO, enough time has passed for people to start talking, perps consider their choices (some confessing), anyone that may have been less than honest during interviews might be fearful of charges coming their way.
The closer to home it gets, the more reality sets in, I think.

 

[MistyWaters]

I think they are on it & an arrest might come soon. Fortunately, they don’t need a body, but Ben does need to be found & returned to his family. It’d be nice if they can bury him on their family ranch, imo. At least the cowboy would be home. Moo

I really do hope they find the body. It’s important, not just for returning Ben to his family but to ensure a conviction. The next step is for LE to officially announce Ben’s death is believed to be the result of homicide. As the circumstances around his disappearance have already been determined to be “suspicious”, that’s one step in that direction.

“....If you don't have a body, then the Crown is left in a very difficult position," said Erin Breen, a defence lawyer in St. John's.

Retrieving a body would also give investigators details on the cause, manner and time of death, Breen said — critical clues in most murder cases.

‘[The Crown] has to be able to eliminate the possibility the death was natural, or accidental or by suicide.'

In order to lay a charge, police need reasonable grounds, Breen said. The prosecution, however, needs to prove the accused is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Breen stressed that every case is different.....”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/no-body-murder-cases-cortney-lake-1.4199755

WS thread for CL per link above, sadly still missing.
CANADA - Canada - Cortney Lake, 24, Mount Pearl, NL, 7 June 2017

 

[Trudie]

Were there really strays out there or were
the cows stolen?

This I what I mean when I mention a forensic audit must be performed. All assets need to be accounted for. imo a complete inventory was most likely Ben’s first order of biz. To manage, he had to know what he was managing.
The herd is dollar bills disguised in cowhide.
Plus with end of the year approaching (when he arrived) the owner might have requested Ben provide him with certain info for tax purposes.
If the prior owner’s estate had not been settled, that would be another reason for the heirs to need a balance sheet.
You can bet Ben googled the same info many of us have. He knew what was going on. He read about “cashflow” issues, I think. It would be normal for all of us to google the company we are relocating for.
All moo

 

[MistyWaters]

This I what I mean when I mention a forensic audit must be performed. All assets need to be accounted for. imo a complete inventory was most likely Ben’s first order of biz. To manage, he had to know what he was managing.
The herd is dollar bills disguised in cowhide.
Plus with end of the year approaching (when he arrived) the owner might have requested Ben provide him with certain info for tax purposes.
If the prior owner’s estate had not been settled, that would be another reason for the heirs to need a balance sheet.
You can bet Ben googled the same info many of us have. He knew what was going on. He read about “cashflow” issues, I think. It would be normal for all of us to google the company we are relocating for.
All moo

Purely speculation, but bovine TB could be the reason Ben was hired and the timing is in sync as well. I’ve noticed these same articles pasted on this thread already but not a lot of discussion about it. Even if bovine TB was discovered at a neighbouring ranch, it’s possible NR’s cattle are under quarantine as well. This would be the type of work a non-owner/operator ranch might seek an experienced professional cowboy/ranch manager to oversee. If it does relate to NR, a large number of missing cattle compared to company data would be information known to far more people than just Ben.

“To date, four confirmed cases of the strain of bovine TB have been found in one herd in the Nicola Valley, including the cow that was confirmed to have the disease when it was slaughtered in October 2018.”
Bovine disease traced to Nicola Valley cows - Merritt Herald

Jan 24, 2019
“CIFA has placed movement controls on approximately 18,000 animals in 25 herds as the investigation continues.

“Testing, humane destruction, and disposal are carried out as required,” the statement reads.

“They have a very strict protocol to follow,” Boon told the Herald, noting sometimes ranchers question or challenge it.

“Because in some cases we have to remove whole herds of cattle and it is a huge cost and often times a lot of hardship,” he said, noting it takes several days to perform the TB scratch test on each cow in a herd. “It takes all the manpower and of course we hate handling cattle any more than we have to because it puts stress on them, it challenges their health, it can put them in danger or injury.”.....”
More -
Bovine disease traced to Nicola Valley cows - Merritt Herald

 

[superbee]

This is the reason that I think the horse was driven to the area and that the horse simply waited in the area until it was found. Just a thought, but if Ben was murdered and put in the horse trailer with the horse, the horse would be very jumpy when found.

I agree.