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

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BUCKEYE, AZ — On Thursday, Buckeye Police released its report about the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of geologist Daniel Robinson.

In the days prior to his disappearance, the report said he was behaving oddly with a woman he'd met while working a side job for a food delivery service. During a delivery on June 12, a patron invited him to hang out at her home with her friend. In the days that followed texts revealed Robinson repeatedly showed up at the woman's home unannounced, after she asked him not to. The report said he'd told family "that he was in love with her." Text messages showed the feelings were not reciprocated. Robinson's state of mind regarding the woman he'd met was a recurring theme throughout the report.

The report also shows that family believes photos on his Instagram account had been removed since he'd gone missing.

While Tempe Police were dispatched to check Robinson's apartment on June 24 they did not go inside until July 7. Civil Air Patrol, which is comprised of volunteers who do air searches, was not contacted by police until July 7.

Police report released on missing geologist Daniel Robinson
Posted at 2:14 PM, Sep 24, 2021 and last updated 3:34 PM, Sep 24, 2021
 
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?
1. IMO it is tied to a change the last several weeks before he went missing. Some issue or concern had him pretty pre-occupied (along the track that his older brother (David 'Roger" Cawley-Robinson) indicated to WISTV early on.
Mr. Robinson indicated Daniel was interested in a girl. Columbia news station article in July but now with all the new updates I can't find the link (the one thing I didn't bookmark). They talked the Sunday before he went missing. No one knows if she has been IDed or even if Daniel revealed to his family her name.
2. There from day 1 BUT the EDR does not record date and time of air bag deployment, none of them did at that time IIRC. I believe there was a push to incorporate that data and may be in newer models, again IIRC. So maybe that day at 1:00pm if Buckeye and PI are accurate using the entertainment system/cell phone data.
Very possible to be overlooked, ground is tan and grayish so the side of the vehicle (light grey) blends and the undercarriaie (sic) is black so ...very easy to miss. Ground searches were focused at well site and if you go by his reported travel, you are taken to a detention basin and then on to a cattle corral and out to the Hassayampa. The terrain is such that you have to be right at the ravine edge to see it and it is about 2.5 miles from the well site as the crow flies.
3. My understanding is yes the clothes from that day. Head injury could account for it. Many other filed workers carry extra sets of clothes though. They are frequently called back into the office and like to have a change of shoes/shirts, etc. HOWEVER, no one I'm aware of knows whether this applies to Daniel on that day.
My understanding from overhearing questions at the wreck site on the 24th of July was no blood (or urine/feces) in the clothes and no blood in the vehicle. Safety vest, pants, boots.

Thanks for summarizing! and posting these questions to get involvement. On a positive note I went back out today to check a couple things related to the "damage" and were it might have come from. Met a nice guy from Mesa named Will who now is getting involved after just seeing the articles this week.
 
So now that I read the report from Buckeye (at least the summary. I can't believe they didn't link it!), That is a theory I had entertained, but I couldn't reveal because it was considered gossip by WS.
IMO it could be he left the well site for one more stab at "convincing her". She (or a brother , an Ex functioning as protector) did the external damage to the drivers side of the vehicle, windshield, mirror, and window. He left and went back to desert where he got good and worked up/despondent and tried to hurt himself, possibly succeeding. The EDR reading s are still confusing but in some research, I found they can be unreliable. He may well have hit something 11 miles from the crash site at 1:00 and the airbags deployed. (I have looked for damage throughout Tartesso and Dell Webb Festival which are exactly 11 miles from the site but have found nothing. I tried to get a complete incident report for June 23rd from Buckeye but they did not respond to my email). He then didn't know how to reset the fuel system and tried starting it the 40+ times before looking on line or in the manual. Got it going and then drove cross desert and put it in the ravine. (or there is someother explanation, like buckeye had the wrong code to read the EDR and failed 40+ times to read it and the 11 miles was put on the odometer because after the car was on it's side it continued running in drive for 11 miles. (odometers are read in the transaxle sensors so as long as its in drive and the wheels are spinning its racking up miles.

The alternative is that whatever happened that morning ended up with harm to Daniel and the perpetrators put the car in the ravine. However, how would those individuals know where he had been that morning unless they had started intimidating him prior to the 23rd?

Anyway, all IMOO and interesting developments that we've been wondering about.
 
Hello Everyone, new to the forum, joined after noticing an active community about this case. I live in Phoenix and know Buckeye and the surrounding areas. I know the areas where he was working and are not areas where you see much traffic and at night it would be near impossible to see. In other words if you are working out there, normally you would take the same route to the job site and same route back out since there really isn't much out there unless you know the area and are off-roading, shooting guns, or doing other outdoor activities that "locals" go out and do.

I am wondering who is the witness that last seen him "going west"?
.... the only way out of that area would be to go east towards Sun Valley Rd. You could go west on that road he was last seen driving on but then you would end up in a dead end and would have to drive back unless you know the dirt roads around there. Not saying its impossible to go west but from my experience working on properties "off grid" the last thing you want to do after a days work is take an unknown route in a unknown area unless like i mentioned, you know the area and doing some sort of outdoor activity.

If you turn west from the last place he was seen driving you would pass an SRP or APS electrical compound directly on Cactus dr not sure which company it is...maybe they have security cameras that might give some clues?

Someone mentioned the clothes suspiciously laid out...from experience i have seen the rain slowly mold clothes left out on the ground almost like getting ironed to the contours of the ground and those where my thoughts when i seen the pictures of the clothes. Ive also been in a rolled over accident and know that things inside the vehicle gets tossed out and land in places you wouldn't believe depending how severe the roll over was.

The PI said 11miles where driven after the airbags deployed...its a little over 11miles from his job site to the I-10 freeway so that tells me that the airbags deployed not far from where the vehicle was found.

I was planning a trip up north for the weekend but my heart tells me to take a ride out that way. Is there anything i need to know beforehand?...any restrictions?
 
Hello Everyone, new to the forum, joined after noticing an active community about this case. I live in Phoenix and know Buckeye and the surrounding areas. I know the areas where he was working and are not areas where you see much traffic and at night it would be near impossible to see. In other words if you are working out there, normally you would take the same route to the job site and same route back out since there really isn't much out there unless you know the area and are off-roading, shooting guns, or doing other outdoor activities that "locals" go out and do.

I am wondering who is the witness that last seen him "going west"?
.... the only way out of that area would be to go east towards Sun Valley Rd. You could go west on that road he was last seen driving on but then you would end up in a dead end and would have to drive back unless you know the dirt roads around there. Not saying its impossible to go west but from my experience working on properties "off grid" the last thing you want to do after a days work is take an unknown route in a unknown area unless like i mentioned, you know the area and doing some sort of outdoor activity.

If you turn west from the last place he was seen driving you would pass an SRP or APS electrical compound directly on Cactus dr not sure which company it is...maybe they have security cameras that might give some clues?

Someone mentioned the clothes suspiciously laid out...from experience i have seen the rain slowly mold clothes left out on the ground almost like getting ironed to the contours of the ground and those where my thoughts when i seen the pictures of the clothes. Ive also been in a rolled over accident and know that things inside the vehicle gets tossed out and land in places you wouldn't believe depending how severe the roll over was.

The PI said 11miles where driven after the airbags deployed...its a little over 11miles from his job site to the I-10 freeway so that tells me that the airbags deployed not far from where the vehicle was found.

I was planning a trip up north for the weekend but my heart tells me to take a ride out that way. Is there anything i need to know beforehand?...any restrictions?
The gate just north of the Cactus road sign is wired but not locked. Almost all areas have been searched except the lower Hassayampa. go to searchfordaniel.org and you will see sector map that has most things marked.
I found the security cameras and notified the PI on July 24th. He indicated to me around Aug. 15th that neither he nor Buckeye got anything of use from them.
Good luck. Welcome to the effort!
P.S. Please read the entire thread for all the efforts made by Buckeye PD and by Mr. Robinson and family. There has been a great deal done beyond a couple minute interview on the news. Lots of wrinkles...particularly comment #426
 
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couple of comments that got me wondering...

"DC-R, Daniel's older brother, said his family learned Daniel went missing hours after he left his job site. He said one of Daniel's friends drove to Phoenix to their sister's apartment and told him Daniel was missing."

Who is this friend and how or why did he know he was missing before anyone else.. maybe just hours after he was last seen?


"Police tried to get information from On-Star technology on Daniel’s blue Jeep Renegade, but there was no power to it, and his cell phone battery is dead."

The vehicles battery was dead?...i can understand it being dead after a month sitting there sucking up power from a light or something staying on...at what point did they try to access information thru On-Star?

Do we know if the ignition was in the off position or was it in the running position when they found it?

omw to do some searching
 
What makes one missing person stand out above another is an emotional hook, something we can relate to, IMO. With Gabby, it was a sweet romantic trip (that we all got to watch) turning deadly. Daniel, while appearing to be a lovely young man, needs that something extra. I think more media about his father would be it. We need to hear more about Mr. Robinson and what he has been doing and going through. This man left his life in SC and has spent months searching day and night for his son in AZ. His actions are exceptional. He personifies the protection and love we want from all fathers and I think his heartbreaking tale could be the hook.

Just saying, incase anyone who can make this happen is reading.

MOO
 
I will share a little bit of a personal story. My step-son started acting erratically. He started staring in to space, he would leave to go somewhere and then call and say he didn't know what he was doing, he would go out and sit in his car and then come in and say he had been somewhere even though he never left the driveway, he would answer questions very strangely, he began spiraling quickly over a 6 week time frame. We drug tested him, and this wasn't the answer. He could act perfectly normal - especially if you didn't quiz him. He could talk about the weather, politics, and the news. But, at times, his answers just didn't make any sense. An example, we asked him if he slept okay. He answered that he slept well on the couch. I asked him why he slept on the couch? He answered frustratedly "Because the truck won't fit on the couch! And, besides, it is a work truck, so I can't sleep in it!!" Most people would know that I was wondering why he didn't sleep in his bed. He also started talking in to the air (he was hearing voices). He is 21... We tried and tried to get some help, but "he isn't a threat to himself or others" is what we heard over and over again. A crisis worker flat out told us that there is a disconnect in his brain, but he couldn't do anything about it because my step son was an adult and he didn't think anything was wrong with himself. This spiral happened over about a 6 week time frame. The day that the crisis workers evaluated him, he then walked in to someone else's house at 10:00 pm through their back door. We are lucky he wasn't shot as they thought he was a dangerous intruder. Then, he drove on the freeway at 1:00 in the morning at over 100 mph without his headlights being on. They tried to stop him and had to use 3 spike strips - and at that point he actually ran out of gas. He told the cops he was helping the truck drivers.

My point in this story is that mental health is a crisis in America. It is almost impossible to get help until something terrible happens. Many mental health issues manifest themselves between the age of 20-25. I feel so badly for this family. I don't know if he was hurt by someone else, or if DR was having a mental health crisis. I just know this family deserves answers and deserves the time it takes to find Daniel.

Thank you for sharing your story. That must have been terrifying and heartbreaking! This is the only thing that makes sense to me. It really lines up with the details we've been given. Very sad.
 
Since 2014 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has standardized the data set for vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDR). It must include:
  • The forward and lateral crash force.
  • The crash event duration.
  • Indicated vehicle speed.
  • Accelerator position.
  • Engine rpm.
  • Brake application and antilock brake activation.
  • Steering wheel angle.
  • Stability control engagement.
  • Vehicle roll angle, in case of a rollover.
  • Number of times the vehicle has been started.
  • Driver and front-passenger safety belt engagement, and pretensioner or force limiter engagement.
  • Air bag deployment, speed, and faults for all air bags.
  • Front seat positions.
  • Occupant size.
  • Number of crashes (one or more impacts during the final crash event).
source: Black Box 101: Event Data Recorders - Consumer Reports

If the Jeep Renegade was fitted with OnStar, that would have 'phoned home' when the air bags first deployed, although it could have been out of cell tower range. OnStar has a 3w transmitter that is about six times as powerful as a regular cell phone.
source: How OnStar Works

Event Data Recorders in vehicles have been found to be mostly reliable and although some have suffered from non-zero speed readings post impact because of g-forces, the data they store is just as reliable as any modern computer.
source: Correlation of “Non-Zero” Speedometer Readings with EDR Data
 
I also have a question about where his jeep was found and his belongings. After 5.5 weeks, wouldn't his clothes, phone, and wallet be more scattered about, partially buried or something by the elements or animal activity? From the pictures posted here, it seems like they were somewhat well preserved in the area of the jeep.

In 2004, I was driving a very curvy road in bad weather. I hit an icey patch and lost control of my (then boyfriend's) car coming around a curve, hit a rock on the side of the road with the front driver's side bumper (no airbag deployment), and rolled down an embankment. I did 1 complete revolution (pass side, roof, driver's side, wheels) and landed wheels down on an old logging road. Both driver side and passenger side windows were intact. The front windshield had a crack from top to bottom with some running. That was all. The damage on DR's jeep had to have come from some kind of "impact" from either the inside or the outside. Did anybody look to see if the glass was pushed in or out?

@JJ Ray I was under the impression that both the driver's side and passenger airbags deployed. Correct me if I'm wrong but in order for the passenger airbag to engage, there has to be a "significant" weight in the passenger's seat. Was there any evidence that might suggest a 2nd person was present or was it written off as a faulty sensor or possibly completely skipped over all together?
 
I first heard about his Dad finding all the other bodies on twitter.
That's completely mental.
Remind me never to go missing in Arizona. (Or maybe never to go to Arizona.)
Okay. Pump the brakes. The search teams found the bones not Mr. Robinson. Please read upthread for clarification from Buckeye PD. We found a skull 8 weeks ago that was not Daniel's. The 5 or 6 other bones (not bodies) found ALL turned out to be animal bones. Remember these are Mr. Robinson's and TV producers words. Please do some more research. AZ is safe.
 
I also have a question about where his jeep was found and his belongings. After 5.5 weeks, wouldn't his clothes, phone, and wallet be more scattered about, partially buried or something by the elements or animal activity? From the pictures posted here, it seems like they were somewhat well preserved in the area of the jeep.

In 2004, I was driving a very curvy road in bad weather. I hit an icey patch and lost control of my (then boyfriend's) car coming around a curve, hit a rock on the side of the road with the front driver's side bumper (no airbag deployment), and rolled down an embankment. I did 1 complete revolution (pass side, roof, driver's side, wheels) and landed wheels down on an old logging road. Both driver side and passenger side windows were intact. The front windshield had a crack from top to bottom with some running. That was all. The damage on DR's jeep had to have come from some kind of "impact" from either the inside or the outside. Did anybody look to see if the glass was pushed in or out?

@JJ Ray I was under the impression that both the driver's side and passenger airbags deployed. Correct me if I'm wrong but in order for the passenger airbag to engage, there has to be a "significant" weight in the passenger's seat. Was there any evidence that might suggest a 2nd person was present or was it written off as a faulty sensor or possibly completely skipped over all together?
Very Good point. It does appear the passenger side is deployed. The EDR records that data IIRC. Not sure if/how it would record faulty sensor. I had heard he had a work computer and other equipment. Don't know where in vehicle that would be kept. Mr. McGrath (PI) knows what EDR says and would provide insight on damage to the right side of vehicle (but not publicly). Be aware I was told the vehicle "rolled onto it side", i.e. not a "rollover" like Buckeye PD originally posted by their PIO.
 
Since 2014 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has standardized the data set for vehicle Event Data Recorders (EDR). It must include:
  • The forward and lateral crash force.
  • The crash event duration.
  • Indicated vehicle speed.
  • Accelerator position.
  • Engine rpm.
  • Brake application and antilock brake activation.
  • Steering wheel angle.
  • Stability control engagement.
  • Vehicle roll angle, in case of a rollover.
  • Number of times the vehicle has been started.
  • Driver and front-passenger safety belt engagement, and pretensioner or force limiter engagement.
  • Air bag deployment, speed, and faults for all air bags.
  • Front seat positions.
  • Occupant size.
  • Number of crashes (one or more impacts during the final crash event).
source: Black Box 101: Event Data Recorders - Consumer Reports

If the Jeep Renegade was fitted with OnStar, that would have 'phoned home' when the air bags first deployed, although it could have been out of cell tower range. OnStar has a 3w transmitter that is about six times as powerful as a regular cell phone.
source: How OnStar Works

Event Data Recorders in vehicles have been found to be mostly reliable and although some have suffered from non-zero speed readings post impact because of g-forces, the data they store is just as reliable as any modern computer.
source: Correlation of “Non-Zero” Speedometer Readings with EDR Data

I had heard they are not 100% accurate and should never be used in isolation to physical and road/terrain conditions, tire marks, etc. In fact, when they first started the whole idea, Auto maker lawyers (and even Bosch's on lawyers) warned against even having an EDR component. The Module has 3 functions. Pre-deployment analysis coming from sensors, airbag deployment function, and then the third is the recording of the elements mentioned. One condition noted, EDRs record both pre-deployment events and Airbag deployment events. There are only 2 slots to record those events, when airbags deploy it is written to the hard drive and "locked". Also power disruptions have "stopped" the recording process. Problem with that, is there are "default" values in each of those data elements programmed differently by the each auto makers (other modules in the vehicle are suppling the EDR).

I believe this citation has most of the limitations...
https://cdn.ymaws.com/mcaa-mn.org/r...rp/Resources/EDR_Overview_2-2015_-_Virgin.pdf
 
couple of comments that got me wondering...

"DC-R, Daniel's older brother, said his family learned Daniel went missing hours after he left his job site. He said one of Daniel's friends drove to Phoenix to their sister's apartment and told him Daniel was missing."

Who is this friend and how or why did he know he was missing before anyone else.. maybe just hours after he was last seen?


"Police tried to get information from On-Star technology on Daniel’s blue Jeep Renegade, but there was no power to it, and his cell phone battery is dead."

The vehicles battery was dead?...i can understand it being dead after a month sitting there sucking up power from a light or something staying on...at what point did they try to access information thru On-Star?

Do we know if the ignition was in the off position or was it in the running position when they found it?
The "friend" was actually a co-worker back in the office and was acting on the Contractors (Ken Elliot) call in to them alerting them.
The rest of your questions would be in the Buckeye accident report that the PI Jeff McGrath has or in his analysis. So, Unknown.
 
1. IMO it is tied to a change the last several weeks before he went missing. Some issue or concern had him pretty pre-occupied (along the track that his older brother (David 'Roger" Cawley-Robinson) indicated to WISTV early on.
Mr. Robinson indicated Daniel was interested in a girl. Columbia news station article in July but now with all the new updates I can't find the link (the one thing I didn't bookmark). They talked the Sunday before he went missing. No one knows if she has been IDed or even if Daniel revealed to his family her name.
2. There from day 1 BUT the EDR does not record date and time of air bag deployment, none of them did at that time IIRC. I believe there was a push to incorporate that data and may be in newer models, again IIRC. So maybe that day at 1:00pm if Buckeye and PI are accurate using the entertainment system/cell phone data.
Very possible to be overlooked, ground is tan and grayish so the side of the vehicle (light grey) blends and the undercarriaie (sic) is black so ...very easy to miss. Ground searches were focused at well site and if you go by his reported travel, you are taken to a detention basin and then on to a cattle corral and out to the Hassayampa. The terrain is such that you have to be right at the ravine edge to see it and it is about 2.5 miles from the well site as the crow flies.
3. My understanding is yes the clothes from that day. Head injury could account for it. Many other filed workers carry extra sets of clothes though. They are frequently called back into the office and like to have a change of shoes/shirts, etc. HOWEVER, no one I'm aware of knows whether this applies to Daniel on that day.
My understanding from overhearing questions at the wreck site on the 24th of July was no blood (or urine/feces) in the clothes and no blood in the vehicle. Safety vest, pants, boots.

Thanks for summarizing! and posting these questions to get involvement. On a positive note I went back out today to check a couple things related to the "damage" and were it might have come from. Met a nice guy from Mesa named Will who now is getting involved after just seeing the articles this week.

Thank you @JJ Ray for taking the time to post your thoughts/input on the questions I had. :)
 
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