Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #5

[CharlesSwann]

She didn't tell him which one, it sounds like. Very interesting..... That configuration on top could be on many many different Pyrenees peaks.

You mean the selfie of her in the reflective sunglasses? That was definitely taken on the summit of Sauvegarde. For some reason though, reproductions of that picture have been horizontally flipped. The camera is actually pointing east and the sunlit jagged ridge (behind which is France) should be on the left of the picture.

 

[ZaZara]

Snipped for focus
IMO we can't make that assumption. DC could have been cleared AND he could have been at the van. There's no reason why LE would have to announce that publicly.

Among the reasons for clearing him - don't know if it was the only one - was the fact that he was at the gite in France and had no transport.
Also, while Esther left France before the lockdown started, this would not have been the case for Dan. Even if he had a car, he could not simply drive the distance to Benasque to take a look of his own free will.
Once Esther was reported missing and the van was located abandoned, local LE would require his help and he'd be able to get permission to travel.

 

[stmarysmead]

But he and Esther were able to hitchhike many, many times during the 80 days they were hiking throughout many countries in lockdown this summer. So neither the lack of a car nor the pandemic stopped them from traveling as Dan put it...over a thousand miles this summer.

How can Dan be “cleared” of anything when, as of now, no one knows what happened to Esther? They have never made such a statement. They said he was ‘interviewed as a witness, not a suspect.’ But that’s the only statement we’ve seen unless you have another. Not doubting you, but it would be helpful to share the link.

 

[ZaZara]

But he and Esther were able to hitchhike many, many times during the 80 days they were hiking throughout many countries in lockdown this summer. So neither the lack of a car nor the pandemic stopped them from traveling as Dan put it...over a thousand miles this summer.

How can Dan be “cleared” of anything when, as of now, no one knows what happened to Esther? They have never made such a statement. They said he was ‘interviewed as a witness, not a suspect.’ But that’s the only statement we’ve seen unless you have another. Not doubting you, but it would be helpful to share the link.

Aunt of missing hiker Esther Dingley fears she may have been kidnapped

(Captaine Jean-Marc Bordinaro
He confirmed that Esther’s partner of 18 years Dan, 38, is not a suspect - adding that his “movements are covered”.

BBM



I hope this helps, though my expectations are low.

 

[ZaZara]

Aunt of missing hiker Esther Dingley fears she may have been kidnapped

(Captaine Jean-Marc Bordinaro
He confirmed that Esther’s partner of 18 years Dan, 38, is not a suspect - adding that his “movements are covered”.

BBM



I hope this helps, though my expectations are low.

Was mentioned in thread #1 already that the movements of Dan Coleman are accounted for and that he is not a suspect.

Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020

 

[stmarysmead]

Aunt of missing hiker Esther Dingley fears she may have been kidnapped

(Captaine Jean-Marc Bordinaro
He confirmed that Esther’s partner of 18 years Dan, 38, is not a suspect - adding that his “movements are covered”.

BBM



I hope this helps, though my expectations are low.

Works for me. Thank you.

 

[RickshawFan]

Aunt of missing hiker Esther Dingley fears she may have been kidnapped

(Captaine Jean-Marc Bordinaro
He confirmed that Esther’s partner of 18 years Dan, 38, is not a suspect - adding that his “movements are covered”.

BBM



I hope this helps, though my expectations are low.

IMO not a lot can be built on this statement. It doesn't say where the movements were, only that LE knows where DC was.

 

[RickshawFan]

Was mentioned in thread #1 already that the movements of Dan Coleman are accounted for and that he is not a suspect.

Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020

This leaves out the question we are now discussing. Though LE has said DC is not a suspect and knows where he was, they haven't announced where he was, and we don't know where he was.

 

[PeggyHenry]

Its an interesting discussion whether anyone is 'cleared' or not. At this stage no-one has publicly been made a suspect and no-one has been cleared. DC has not officially been made a suspect in this case. It was reported 5th Dec in news article that Bordinaro confirmed 'that Esther’s partner of 18 years Dan, 38, is not a suspect - adding that his “movements are covered”.' So, at that time, certainly, DC was not considered a suspect in the case. But that does not have the same implications as 'DC has been cleared from involvement'. So I think we have to be careful here. DC has not been cleared but neither is he a suspect in the case at this time.

 

[RedHaus]

IMO not a lot can be built on this statement. It doesn't say where the movements were, only that LE knows where DC was.

Indeed @RickshawFan. If there is one thing we've learned from this case, its to be cautious about over-reading information from the data we find. IMO, it is plausible DC was in Banasque before the search began, and LE has 'cleared his movements'. Could not both statements be true?

 

[10ofRods]

But he and Esther were able to hitchhike many, many times during the 80 days they were hiking throughout many countries in lockdown this summer. So neither the lack of a car nor the pandemic stopped them from traveling as Dan put it...over a thousand miles this summer.

How can Dan be “cleared” of anything when, as of now, no one knows what happened to Esther? They have never made such a statement. They said he was ‘interviewed as a witness, not a suspect.’ But that’s the only statement we’ve seen unless you have another. Not doubting you, but it would be helpful to share the link.

Weren't they in their van/RV? Their blog indicates they were living the van life, with occasional hiking. Lots of time was spent in campground. They didn't need a car and they weren't hitchhiking. Indeed, they were on their third vehicle, having started this lifestyle in 2014. They seem to have carried bikes on the back of their van, as well.

Are you sure they hitchhiked around Europe? In this post from 2020, they mention that they are hiking back to their motorhome. I see nothing about hitchhiking anywhere on their blog:

Just Around The Matterhorn - Verbier - DAY 23 - Photo Diary | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss petrol pricing, etc and in March 2020, they discuss their views on living longterm in a small space (the van):

Lockdown Lessons From The Van: Seven Ideas For Staying Sane In A Small Space | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss their 2020 travel plans, the fact that Dan is taking a guitar, etc. This article on BBC says they have no plans to change their lifestyle (and the van is discussed).

Van life: Durham couple's six years on the road (and counting)

To me, they very much seem like they are in the VanLife subculture, sometimes staying quietly and restfully at various campgrounds, in their van, throughout 2020 and before. That's how they style themselves. If they're actually hitchhiking, that's a tremendously different lifestyle.

 

[RedHaus]

You mean the selfie of her in the reflective sunglasses? That was definitely taken on the summit of Sauvegarde. For some reason though, reproductions of that picture have been horizontally flipped. The camera is actually pointing east and the sunlit jagged ridge (behind which is France) should be on the left of the picture.

Well, @CharlesSwann, we did have that lengthy and recurrent discussion back in Thread #1 and/or #2... about whether the selfies sent to DC via text on 22/11 were taken by ED at the pic de sauvegarde summit on 21/11, later that afternoon and perhaps with different layers of clothes on. We even examined the wisps of ED's hair in the pics from 21// and 22/11.

I was left from those diacussions still wondering if ED took new pics on 22/11. If not, could she have been at a different location on 22/11 (e.g. port de vanasque), but close enough that the message ED sent pinged from the mast on pic de Sauvegarde? In other words could ED have been trying to obscure her whereabouts to that degree?

 

[RedHaus]

Weren't they in their van/RV? Their blog indicates they were living the van life, with occasional hiking. Lots of time was spent in campground. They didn't need a car and they weren't hitchhiking. Indeed, they were on their third vehicle, having started this lifestyle in 2014. They seem to have carried bikes on the back of their van, as well.

Are you sure they hitchhiked around Europe? In this post from 2020, they mention that they are hiking back to their motorhome. I see nothing about hitchhiking anywhere on their blog:

Just Around The Matterhorn - Verbier - DAY 23 - Photo Diary | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss petrol pricing, etc and in March 2020, they discuss their views on living longterm in a small space (the van):

Lockdown Lessons From The Van: Seven Ideas For Staying Sane In A Small Space | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss their 2020 travel plans, the fact that Dan is taking a guitar, etc. This article on BBC says they have no plans to change their lifestyle (and the van is discussed).

Van life: Durham couple's six years on the road (and counting)

To me, they very much seem like they are in the VanLife subculture, sometimes staying quietly and restfully at various campgrounds, in their van, throughout 2020 and before. That's how they style themselves. If they're actually hitchhiking, that's a tremendously different lifestyle.

There is a video blog that I can't link right now (will try to find it later), in which ED and DC talk about hitching hundreds of miles from something like 8 drivers one afternoon to get back to their motorhome... a one way hike. And there may be other stories like that ED and DC captured. Perhaps someone else here has ready access to those videos to post them before I can.

 

[RedHaus]

Among the reasons for clearing him - don't know if it was the only one - was the fact that he was at the gite in France and had no transport.
Also, while Esther left France before the lockdown started, this would not have been the case for Dan. Even if he had a car, he could not simply drive the distance to Benasque to take a look of his own free will.
Once Esther was reported missing and the van was located abandoned, local LE would require his help and he'd be able to get permission to travel.

Thank you @ZaZara. I think rather than driving and hitching, I wonder if DC could have gotten to Banasque from the farm house in France by biking (or hitching) to the Hospice de France and then hiking towards Banasque from there (either via port de glere or pirt de vanasque)...

 

[stmarysmead]

Weren't they in their van/RV? Their blog indicates they were living the van life, with occasional hiking. Lots of time was spent in campground. They didn't need a car and they weren't hitchhiking. Indeed, they were on their third vehicle, having started this lifestyle in 2014. They seem to have carried bikes on the back of their van, as well.

Are you sure they hitchhiked around Europe? In this post from 2020, they mention that they are hiking back to their motorhome. I see nothing about hitchhiking anywhere on their blog:

Just Around The Matterhorn - Verbier - DAY 23 - Photo Diary | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss petrol pricing, etc and in March 2020, they discuss their views on living longterm in a small space (the van):

Lockdown Lessons From The Van: Seven Ideas For Staying Sane In A Small Space | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss their 2020 travel plans, the fact that Dan is taking a guitar, etc. This article on BBC says they have no plans to change their lifestyle (and the van is discussed).

Van life: Durham couple's six years on the road (and counting)

To me, they very much seem like they are in the VanLife subculture, sometimes staying quietly and restfully at various campgrounds, in their van, throughout 2020 and before. That's how they style themselves. If they're actually hitchhiking, that's a tremendously different lifestyle.

It’s the first video “untitled” on the Esther and Dan FB page. Select videos and look at the first one. Thank you, Redhaus, that’s the one I remembered as well.

This summer they spent 80 days hiking in the Alps. They did not take the van. They slept wild and in a variety of huts, etc...places they happened upon. Esther, according to their videos, posts, became quite good at ‘putting up her thumb.’

 

[RickshawFan]

Weren't they in their van/RV? Their blog indicates they were living the van life, with occasional hiking. Lots of time was spent in campground. They didn't need a car and they weren't hitchhiking. Indeed, they were on their third vehicle, having started this lifestyle in 2014. They seem to have carried bikes on the back of their van, as well.

Are you sure they hitchhiked around Europe? In this post from 2020, they mention that they are hiking back to their motorhome. I see nothing about hitchhiking anywhere on their blog:

Just Around The Matterhorn - Verbier - DAY 23 - Photo Diary | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss petrol pricing, etc and in March 2020, they discuss their views on living longterm in a small space (the van):

Lockdown Lessons From The Van: Seven Ideas For Staying Sane In A Small Space | Esther & Dan - Adventuring Together - Life, Love, Health & Travel

They discuss their 2020 travel plans, the fact that Dan is taking a guitar, etc. This article on BBC says they have no plans to change their lifestyle (and the van is discussed).

Van life: Durham couple's six years on the road (and counting)

To me, they very much seem like they are in the VanLife subculture, sometimes staying quietly and restfully at various campgrounds, in their van, throughout 2020 and before. That's how they style themselves. If they're actually hitchhiking, that's a tremendously different lifestyle.

Here's what I imagine was happening during the couple's extended hikes.

Have you ever tried to go on a long backpack trip that isn't a loop? Or that doesn't have a car at either end so you can shuttle or swap keys in mid-trail?
If you only have one vehicle, you leave it, hike, and then hitch back to it. Or, you leave your car at the destination, hitch to your starting point, and start hiking.

You have to get a ride. So, if there's no bus or ride, there's hitching involved.

 

[IrisElizabeth]

As is DC's prerogative he appears to be only wanting to present their relationship in the best light as evidenced by the selected texts of Esther's that have been published and his statements after she went missing - which to me seemed focussed on how strong their relationship is rather than appeals to find her. It must be very painful for him if they were having problems and their last words were spoken in anger. It is unusual if as he maintains that a third person was involved in her disappearance, that the LE haven't backed this up or appealed to the public for any information after this amount of time. The fact that the search has even called off until Spring says to me that no evidence of a serious crime is being sought.

Has anyone read 'the year of magical thinking' by Joan Didion? Unless there is a huge piece of information that is being withheld from the public about Esther's disappearance I feel that the abduction theory is a form of magical thinking that won't allow the theorist to consider the likely reality of an accident or suicide.

 

[stmarysmead]

Another insignificant detail that I’ve tossed around in my mind.

From the dossier..


‘14/10 – 22/10 – Esther and Dan house-sitting together in Larroque-sur-l’Osse.
22/10 – Esther departs Larroque-sur-l’Osse in the motorhome and spends the night at a parking in Samatan.
23/10 – Arrives in Arreau in the Pyrenees, a village Esther and Dan had visited many times.’

They come to their housesit on Oct 14. On the 17th, Esther is crying over song lyrics, ‘stretched out like a rubber band.” They’ve only been there 3 days!

Five days later on Oct 22, she leaves. But, interestingly, she only drives about one hour and 15 minutes away and parks for the night.

1 hr 15 min (91.6 km) via D930 and N12...is given as the distance between larroque-sur-l'osse and samatan.

The entire trip from the farmhouse to Benasque would have been 3 hr 57 min (266.6 km) via N-230...an easy one day trip...so why the stop just an hour from where she left?

I wonder if a serious argument preceded her departure on the 22nd....and she just drove away. Then about 2 weeks later she tells a new friend that her relationship may not continue.

She leaves on Oct 22 and it’s on Nov 22...that all communication stops.

 

[Grouse]

DBM

 

[PeggyHenry]

Another insignificant detail that I’ve tossed around in my mind.

From the dossier..


‘14/10 – 22/10 – Esther and Dan house-sitting together in Larroque-sur-l’Osse.
22/10 – Esther departs Larroque-sur-l’Osse in the motorhome and spends the night at a parking in Samatan.
23/10 – Arrives in Arreau in the Pyrenees, a village Esther and Dan had visited many times.’

They come to their housesit on Oct 14. On the 17th, Esther is crying over song lyrics, ‘stretched out like a rubber band.” They’ve only been there 3 days!

Five days later on Oct 22, she leaves. But, interestingly, she only drives about one hour and 15 minutes away and parks for the night.

1 hr 15 min (91.6 km) via D930 and N12...is given as the distance between larroque-sur-l'osse and samatan.

The entire trip from the farmhouse to Benasque would have been 3 hr 57 min (266.6 km) via N-230...an easy one day trip...so why the stop just an hour from where she left?

I wonder if a serious argument preceded her departure on the 22nd....and she just drove away. Then about 2 weeks later she tells a new friend that her relationship may not continue.

She leaves on Oct 22 and it’s on Nov 22...that all communication stops.

Interesting.... it does sound as if Esther felt this need to get away. Whether it was just relationship issues or this need for 'outdoors adventure / freedom' - we just dont know. But the conversation she had with Laura - that Laura subsequently reported to the police 'Esther said she and Dan were taking a break and she didn’t know if they were going to get back together.' does seem to suggest that Esther left as par of this 'break'. It doesn't necessarily mean they left on bad terms but the relationship had hit a turning point.

Missing hiker Esther Dingley 'had problems in her love life' Brit cops hear as they join search for her (thesun.co.uk)

DC may have thought it would pass over and Esther would be back and all would be well. Esther , on the other hand, may have been more troubled and seriously considering the relationship was over. I am theorising that DC thinks Esther will be back and it will all blow over but as time goes by and Esther keeps extending her trip, he gets worried / agitated and sends more and more messages.... Esther has to keep reassuring him but sincerely doesn't know what to do. She was crying after 3 days of house sitting and quoting those lyrics - she's in turmoil and it seems she is not ready to return.. then she disappears.