AZ AZ - Daniel Robinson, 24, remote job site, Buckeye, 23 Jun 2021

[dotr]

Sept 23 2021
Families of missing Black men plead for police accountability

Jelani Day, Daniel Robinson and Xavion Smith.Bloomington, Ill., Buckeye, Ariz., Aurora, Colo. police departments
''After Daniel Robinson went missing June 23, his father uprooted his life and drove from his home in Columbia, South Carolina, to Arizona where Buckeye police were investigating.

Once in Arizona, David Robinson reached out to nonprofit groups for help networking. Since then, dozens of volunteers have participated in searches and two websites have been launched to bolster his son’s case. One website includes a petition, which has more than 43,000 signatures, that is meant to keep police accountable because the case is stagnant, he said.''

''Daniel Robinson was last seen leaving his geology job, police said. Police have “worked with outside agencies to search more than 70 square miles in an effort to locate Daniel,” officials said.

On July 19, his Jeep Renegade was found by a rancher four miles from his job site, according to police.

Authorities said the Jeep was in a ravine and appeared to have rolled on its side. The airbags in the SUV deployed, police said. Daniel Robinson's clothes, cellphone, wallet and keys were found near the Jeep.

The next day, Buckeye detectives were assisted in a ground search by a helicopter and rescue dogs with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, police said.

“Since then, they have not put boots on the ground,” David Robinson said. “We are the ones with the boots on the ground.”

 

[Estrella]

Missing geologist Daniel Robinson had been acting erratically in the two weeks leading up to his disappearance and, on the morning he vanished, went from behaving normally to “replying to me with answers that had nothing to do with the questions”, the last man to see him has told The Independent.
More at Witness: Missing geologist was acting erratically before disappearance

Did Mr. Elliot find the car that day? The day Daniel went missing?

The article says, " Mr. Elliott went investigating – finding the 24-year-old’s Jeep tracks heading further into the desert.“When I saw that, my heart sank, because it just told me that he wasn’t going home,” Mr. Elliott told The Independent. “Something was really not right.”

So they didn't call the police then? Why did it take so long for the Jeep to be found by the police?

 

[tarabull]

Something STINKS....

grrrrr.

 

[CTPDMom]

Sadly, I think there’s a good chance he was suffering from the beginning of a mental illness like schizophrenia. It seems he had many of the symptoms. I could see someone in the midst of a psychiatric crises traveling the wrong way, crashing, panicking, crashing again, attempting repeatedly to get the car going again, and removing clothing. It doesn’t necessarily need to make sense. And it’s entirely possible he walked far enough, or found a place to hide and succumbed to either an injury from the accident, or the elements/dehydration.

As always, I pray I’m wrong. I hope he’s found safe. My heart breaks for his family.

 

[Laughing]

and @BeckyF
His sister lives in Phoenix and would have been in the best position for that. But you bring up a good point, Buckeye PD in their press releases or Mr. Robinson in his interviews has ever said anything about Daniel's having any medical conditions (other than the birth defect).

Again, just from overhearing chatter during the 5 searches, the behavior at work was more along the lines of "not himself". He was generally very personable and upbeat and inquisitive about others according to Mr. Robinson. So MOO is he was acting aloof, quieter, "moody", distracted...

bbm

Can we move to the medical term "limb difference?"

Thanks, Your Local Shriner's Hospital Mom, Laughing

 

[JJ Ray]

Thank you for the clarification! Cars.com showed only 4 x 4 is available for the 2017 Trailhawk trim level, maybe it was a Sport, or maybe cars.com is incorrect. I'll treat it as 2 wheel drive in next post.
As you have had boots on the ground on this one, have you considered becoming a verified insider on this thread?

no. I thought that was only for professionals or retired professionals. I'd rather not anyway...

 

[JJ Ray]

bbm

Can we move to the medical term "limb difference?"

Thanks, Your Local Shriner's Hospital Mom, Laughing

Fine...I'll rephrase, I was referring to other medical conditions (someone suggested epilepsy) (aside from his 'limb difference' from birth)

 

[JJ Ray]

I’m surprised a professional EDR report wasn’t commissioned by LE as soon as the car was recovered, but it’s as well that it is being done now - some of the statements made to date with regard to this seem slightly curious (eg I’ve not seen an EDR readout that shows time of collision).

That is my understanding, no dates or time is recorded. That's why the original statement from Buckeye PD after finding the crash says they couldn't determine date and time. Mr. Robinson pushed for more analysis and requested the vehicle. After a week or two of a "pissing contest" IMO, they released the vehicle and their accident report to McGrath (the P.I.). I'm not sure that Buckeye PD did not download the EDR as well as a second download by McGrath ("they [McGrath] did their own analysis"). In the interview with McGrath by Channel 12 News covers the 1:00pm time of a crash. My inference is a disruption in the entertainment system and Daniel's cell phone occurred at 1:00 (IMO streaming music via bluetooth???). IMO They are not able to discern if it was at the same time of airbag deployment. Have fun, I have been for 3 months now!!!

Private investigator says evidence doesn't add up for missing man | 12news.com

 

[JJ Ray]

Did Mr. Elliot find the car that day? The day Daniel went missing?

The article says, " Mr. Elliott went investigating – finding the 24-year-old’s Jeep tracks heading further into the desert.“When I saw that, my heart sank, because it just told me that he wasn’t going home,” Mr. Elliott told The Independent. “Something was really not right.”

So they didn't call the police then? Why did it take so long for the Jeep to be found by the police?

@Estrella @tarabull
Please read up thread for complete timeline and efforts before drawing conclusions.

No, Mr. Elliot did not find the Jeep. A missing person report was filled that night after the contractor called the employer late that morning. The employer made efforts to contact Daniel and in person efforts contacted Daniel's sister. When Daniel did not respond and was not back at home they contacted his parents late that afternoon.

The Buckeye PD did a ground search of the remote well site where Daniel was last seen (don't now exact date). On July 9th they did an extensive aerial survey of 70 square miles using copters, fixed wing, etc. The Jeep was not spotted. It is light gray in color and not easily seen. (An aerial shot is provided by Buckeye PD bulletin released Sept. 16th to show this). At some point in early July at Mr. Robinson's urging IMOO, they requested the public for assistance and issued bulletins.

The Jeep was found on July 19th by a rancher about 2.5 miles as the crow flies but 4 miles via cattle rancher tracks from the well site. It was at the bottom of a 20-25 foot deep ravine laying on its side and about 1/3 of a mile across raw desert from the nearest track.

For the next 24 hours they conducted ground and dog searches along with another helicopter search for Daniel that amounted to a total of 12 hours. A volunteer ground search organized by Mr. Robinson was actually done on July 17th but my understanding is that was focused at the well site as the wreck had not been found. I was fairly close (1/3 mile away) on July 18th doing my own "general lay of the land" visit. On July 24th, many of us had our first opportunity to see the crash site and conducted organized searches in the area. Volunteer searches organized by Mr. Robinson continued each Saturday through 8/28, with 8/21 reserved for a K-9 search.

 

[mlhenn]

Search for missing geologist in Arizona continues 3 months after disappearance from desert job site

To Note:
•Daniel Robinson was first reported missing on June 23.
•last seen leaving a job site near the Sun Valley Parkway and Cactus Road in Buckeye
•according to his dad, LE began their initial search on day 3
•On July 19, a local landowner spotted DR’s jeep in a ravine (which had prevented search crews from spotting it by air and on foot); it had significant damage.
•LE’s search has covered more than 70 square miles

 

[mlhenn]

Arizona police seek public's help in case of 24-year-old man missing since June

David Robinson, who is from South Carolina, put his son's belongings in storage on Monday.

"Going through his things, he's not there to tell us what he wants or what he doesn't want," he told KPHO. "So that kind of stuff is kind of hard so far."

 

[mlhenn]

Witness: Missing geologist was acting erratically before disappearance

A few things to note:
•Mr Elliott informed his coworkers by phone about the situation, assuming the younger geologist wasn’t feeling well and would call in sick. Hours later, no one had heard from Mr Robinson, and Mr Elliott went investigating – finding the 24-year-old’s Jeep tracks heading further into the desert.
“When I saw that, my heart sank, because it just told me that he wasn’t going home,” Mr Elliott told The Independent. “Something was really not right.”

•But family told the investigator that, leading up to that date, he’d made odd comments, disappeared for a significant chunk of time one day and left his apartment wide open.

•The airbags were deployed, it (his Jeep) was tipped on its side at the bottom of a ravine and not only were the geologist’s phone, wallet and keys found at the scene, but also the clothes he was last seen wearing.

•Most people lost or wandering don’t last long in those conditions – and while bottled water was found in Mr Robinson’s car, it doesn’t appear he took it with him.

•In reference to his vehicle:
“It was returned to an area near where we were searching – my theory would be maybe to try to throw us off,” he said. “Buckeye Police Department, they did a search, they didn’t find a vehicle – and also my search team had been out there; they hadn’t seen the vehicle.”
He added: “I feel like it was dumped.”

My thoughts & questions:
1. Daniel’s odd behavior
What are possible causes for such “bizarre” behavior?
Is his behavior on this day tied to his previous behavior that the family noted (odd comments, missing part of a day, leaving apt. wide open)?
The way his coworker describes his behavior has me worried; it must have been significant enough that his coworker called other coworkers to report it and to go looking for Daniel himself. IMO.
2. Finding his wrecked Jeep
Who feels it was dumped vs always been there?
Is it possible his Jeep was there from day 1 and LE and other searchers just overlooked it?
It was about a month before it was found.
3. His clothes
So the clothes found were the ones he was wearing the day is disappeared!
What would cause a person to undress? A head injury possibly??
Was there blood on the clothes? What condition were they in? Does this include his boots/shoes? What articles of clothing exactly?

 

[investikater]

I will share a little bit of a personal story.

thanks for sharing. how is your stepson doing nowadays? you didn't mention if he obtained a diagnosis? - but if you don't want to share it that's perfectly understandable.

 

[investikater]

Sadly, I think there’s a good chance he was suffering from the beginning of a mental illness like schizophrenia. It seems he had many of the symptoms.

schizophrenia was my second thought too

 

[investikater]

•The airbags were deployed, it (his Jeep) was tipped on its side at the bottom of a ravine and not only were the geologist’s phone, wallet and keys found at the scene, but also the clothes he was last seen wearing.
[...]
3. His clothes
So the clothes found were the ones he was wearing the day is disappeared!
What would cause a person to undress? A head injury possibly??
Was there blood on the clothes? What condition were they in? Does this include his boots/shoes? What articles of clothing exactly?

I have four thoughts:

1) random undressing and nudity in public is not a particularly rare symptom of brain issues - psychosis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia, brain tumors etc

2) hypothermia can cause 'paradoxical undressing'
how cold was it at night in the area at the time?

3) sexual assault or hate crime

4) someone trying to mimic one of the above

 

[Estrella]

@Estrella @tarabull
Please read up thread for complete timeline and efforts before drawing conclusions. (Snipped by me for length)

Thank you @JJRay for such a thorough timeline. I read the article 4 times and kept reading that Mr. Elliot found the Jeep. Thanks for clarifying it for me.

 

[Innana]

It might be the therapist in me, but since the beginning of this one I’ve sensed psychosis. He’s right around that prime age for onset. I don’t know, I can’t say obviously without assessing a person in person, but this was my first guess.

The sudden manifestation, the described “odd” behaviour that people seem to be having trouble putting their finger on, the disassociation while at the job site (the news article shared above stated he was staring off into the desert), it all seems to indicate some sort of psychosis.

 

[Innana]

It might be the therapist in me, but since the beginning of this one I’ve sensed psychosis.

He’s right around that prime age for onset. I don’t know, I can’t say obviously without assessing a person in person, but this was my first guess.

The sudden manifestation, the described “odd” behaviour that people seem to be having trouble putting their finger on, the disassociation while at the job site (the news article shared above stated he was staring off into the desert), it all seems to indicate some sort of psychosis.

 

[Trackergd]

What makes you say "moving"? Would the pattern look different if at a stand still?
Also you mention a "High Lift" as far as I know the vehicle is not lifted and did not have oversize tires...so I don't think that would come from Daniels vehicle. But you may be correct in that someone else had one handy. It is a small urban vehicle that GM tries to market as an entry level "JEEP". It is not remotely suited for Jeep trails or overland IMO.

It takes a bit of force to produce that type of impact on a windshield, so generally what we see in the picture occurs on vehicles that are moving or something moving impacts the windshield.

When I noted "high lift", I was referring to a type of jack used by off-roaders and farmers. To me the marks appear to be a close match to the type of marks that would be made by swinging the jack like it was a sledge hammer and hitting the windshield and windshield support column (also called the "A" pillar).

 

[capitola51]

The Jeep Renegade (like the one DR was driving) continues to be offered with either a manual transmission or an automatic. I haven't seen anything posted for which option his had.

I would say it is almost certain that the Jeep had an automatic transmission as preferred by pretty much all one-handed drivers. There are some aftermarket custom one-handed stick shifts that use a shift paddle behind the steering wheel, but they are rare and expensive to install.