Found Deceased CO - Michael Kroll, 41, dog found, Pagosa Springs, 16 Oct 2021 *arrest in 2023*

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Former Joplin resident, listed as missing by Colorado authorities; Michael Kroll missing more than a week | KSNF/KODE - FourStatesHomepage.com

Police say Michael Kroll was last seen leaving work on Saturday, Oct. 16. Last known contact was by text later that evening. It now has been more than a week.

Friends in the Joplin area say his dog, Bernie, was found without his collar and vest in a different town several miles away.

“Michael would NOT have abandoned Bernie,” one friend stated emphatically.

Kroll’s cell phone was found near a highway. All of Kroll’s belongings, including hiking gear, were at his home. It is unknown if his bicycle is accounted for.

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The dog was found without his vest. Was Bernie a service or emotional support dog? Either might indicate a medical condition that may have some bearing on his being missing. Just a thought.
 
GraceG said:
The dog was found without his vest. Was Bernie a service or emotional support dog? Either might indicate a medical condition that may have some bearing on his being missing. Just a thought.
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Not sure if Bernie is either, but here's a pic of him from October 1st 2021. The grey vest under his harness looks like it's for warmth.

From all appearances on Michael's facebook page, Bernie is like his child MOO. That he was found without his vest/harness is very troubling, let alone it seems like Michael is never without his phone.

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Hoosier952 said:
His instagram, but hasn't been active super recently. Many cute puppy pictures though.

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Also a post with more info

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I think I have the locations correct, per below. Google Maps
Phone was found on the side of 160 by construction crew at Chimney Rock turnoff, and his dog was found wandering to the Soeedway gas station in Bayfield, cold and hungry without its coat or collar.

That's a seventy something mile span in locations. How does that work when you travel by bike, which they are not sure has been accounted for? Does he have friends that come pick him up occasionally?
 
I initially wondered if he had been hit walking along the road, but that's a pretty long walk to the turnoff. It's also a really long way for a little pup to wander assuming something happened to Michael near where his phone was found.

To me the dog without the coat and collar points to them being indoors or in a vehicle as that seems to be the only time Bernie is without his little vest when the weather is cold.
 
Knox said:
I think I have the locations correct, per below. Google Maps
Phone was found on the side of 160 by construction crew at Chimney Rock turnoff, and his dog was found wandering to the Soeedway gas station in Bayfield, cold and hungry without its coat or collar.

That's a seventy something mile span in locations. How does that work when you travel by bike, which they are not sure has been accounted for? Does he have friends that come pick him up occasionally?
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I'm not sure about rides. I do know he has a history of hitching rides, but he also seems to have connections to people who help him out. Not sure about 70 mile trips though.

ToS kinda limit discussion, so hopefully LE can confirm if Michael was headed out of town when he went missing.
 
Being a bit tightly-wound myself, it's interesting to read about and ponder living a free-spirited-hippy lifestyle. I read his facebook posts back for a bit. Michael is a neat guy, I hope someone didn't harm him. He seemed happy with his job and room he was provided for the next two weeks (ending on 10/25). Would he have disappeared voluntarily without Bernie and his things?
 
Knox said:
Being a bit tightly-wound myself, it's interesting to read about and ponder living a free-spirited-hippy lifestyle. I read his facebook posts back for a bit. Michael is a neat guy, I hope someone didn't harm him. He seemed happy with his job and room he was provided for the next two weeks (ending on 10/25). Would he have disappeared voluntarily without Bernie and his things?
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I'm a bit envious of the lifestyle and those who can do it, but while I do enjoy hiking and camping and road tripping, I can only do about 3 weeks before I start really missing the comforts of home.

I really don't think he would voluntarily leave, but that's just from going through his FB. I realize FB may not be real life. He just seems so attached to Bernie and I really don't see someone living such a nomadic life not taking their things. And I really don't see him leaving poor Bernie behind since he's been managing this lifestyle with Bernie by his side for months. His things likely included everything necessary to live essentially homeless in winter. I also imagine his phone would be important as a lifeline in that situation. Setting up some type of job or housing or just for directions. He also has kids, but I do not know whether he sees or keeps in touch with them.

I'd love to know what day Bernie was found and if anyone had seen him anywhere else prior to being found. It sounds like whatever happened likely happened on the 16th or maybe early the 17th based on him not having any contact or SM posts after his last text on the 16th. His frequent SM use may actually be quite beneficial to LE if they can gain access to his phone or his laptop if it was left behind.
 
Can we backtrack the weather conditions the days we think he went missing? Did it rain? Making hitchhiking an even more optimal option and timeframe? One would assume his phone would be thrown out of a moving vehicle not dropped where he took the ride. So he may have been picked up elsewhere initially. His camper appears to have been located in Pagosa Springs? Leaving so late in the day without his hiking gear seems like he wasn’t expecting a long trip. I wonder what is nearby that he would have needed a ride for? Doesn’t seem like an evening for hitchhiking to me. Especially without his gear. He did not have his bike
 

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I get the feeling he left Pagosa Springs voluntarily (initially) after work maybe with a coworker? New friend something. Maybe to have dinner and maybe this person wanted to show him a new trail somewhere before dark over by where the dog was found. And this person had bad intentions. I hope the police are looking for Michael near chimney rock.
Only someone with a car would dump the phone at a speedway. The perpetrator would be fueling up to get the heck out of dodge and dumping the phone as they did so
Did police pull tapes from speedway? Is there an entrance to the park where they can cross reference vehicles and find a match
 
I have known Michael for 20 plus years and per the consensus I can think of no scenario where he would have willingly left his dog, Bernie.

That dog means the world to him and was essentially his best friend.

I have told Michael in the past that I envied him in some ways, as he has seen parts of this country that I will never see in a million years.

That said I have also often worried about him and his travels and wondered what would happen if he were to come across the wrong person at the wrong time.

I'm still holding out hope that he is found safe and reunited with Bernie, we all are hoping beyond all hope for that happy ending of sorts.

That said given the circumstances... No contact, phone found on side of the road, Bernie wondering alone I have mentally prepared myself (to the best of my ability) for this to not end well.
 
It sounds like LE are being pretty thorough with searches, but I'm curious if they are expecting an accident or if there is also a criminal investigation going on as well, or at least checking into his cell phone history.

I can not find a single picture of Bernie without his harness on in any pictures. Indoors or out. He seems to wear his sweater outdoors all the time. This makes me wonder if someone took off Bernie's stuff thinking he'd be less easily identified and tied to Michael. But didn't know he was chipped.

This whole thing screams foul play to me. I think Michael likely had a planned ride with the wrong person. It seemed he normally travelled/hitchhiked via bike vs walking. His bike and camping gear were left at home. I think he would have been on his bike if he was travelling that far. I don't think a hit and run driver would take the time to take off Bernie's gear nor can I see an event where Bernie could have been hit/thrown hard enough to tear off his stuff and not have pretty severe injuries.
 
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