Person doing a backbend or hanging upside down in dense foliage

[UnlicensedPI]

The only reason I believe this person is unconscious (or worse) is the fact that the legs seem to be very loose, as if hanging down. The creases on the back side of the knees should be tighter, imo. Unless, of course, this person was a professional gymnast or contortionist.
I'm attaching two photos for comparison.
MOO JMOO

ETA: I agree with everything you said.

You got me curious so I started googling pictures of backbends. The pictures I can find with comparable knee bends are either women standing on their toes or tall men. It seems like height may be an advantage in bending the knee less? If this person is as tall as they seem, maybe that could be a factor. It seems like the heads of these tall flexible people aren't as close to the ground as the photo subject, though.

 

[Beekarina]

This still feels very unnatural to me vs posed. Several family members were involved in dance and gymnastics, including one of my sons and a nephew, so I have seen guys doing backbends, bridges, back handsprings, fairly often. This looks like a person who is unconscious or worse to me, and not in control of their body. I think it looks very weird/wrong/broken. And their eyes and forehead appear bulging/under pressure. You do not see that with a person who is skilled and in shape doing a backbend.

Also, is that a drop of blood on the denim or ?

 

[PatLaurel]

You got me curious so I started googling pictures of backbends. The pictures I can find with comparable knee bends are either women standing on their toes or tall men. It seems like height may be an advantage in bending the knee less? If this person is as tall as they seem, maybe that could be a factor. It seems like the heads of these tall flexible people aren't as close to the ground as the photo subject, though.

BBM
This is exactly why i think there's something wrong with the position of the body. The muscles seem to be very relaxed, especially the neck, considering that the person seems to be lifting the head.

MOO JMO

 

[Beekarina]

Guys? I looked again now at the higher res images, and I personally believe the denim legs are not the same as the upside down person. There are two people in the image. The denim legs are a larger, heavier individual, and I think, but am not certain, the reason this is cropped is because the jeans are partway down. i.e. not a "bend" but bunching of material.

 

[Beekarina]

I guess what I am trying to say, is unbend the body. Is the person 7 feet tall and weirdly pear shaped?? I guess that is possible, but this is very distorted if that is the case? Hmm?

 

[Beekarina]

Another observation: Some of this dark area is shadow, but I also think if it IS one person? (I keep going back and forth) The jeans are wet. I also see a larger dark shadow over the wet area on the left. Another person?

 

[Beekarina]

And this looks like blood or mud or something. A spot and then more down the seam.

 

[Beekarina]

Another thought: The knees look loose because the jeans are down ON the victim?

Sorry for serial posting.

 

[PatLaurel]

This still feels very unnatural to me vs posed. Several family members were involved in dance and gymnastics, including one of my sons and a nephew, so I have seen guys doing backbends, bridges, back handsprings, fairly often. This looks like a person who is unconscious or worse to me, and not in control of their body. I think it looks very weird/wrong/broken. And their eyes and forehead appear bulging/under pressure. You do not see that with a person who is skilled and in shape doing a backbend.

Also, is that a drop of blood on the denim or ?

That's what it looks like. And the jeans seem to be ripped by thorns.

MOO JMO

 

[Daphne1972]

I admire your dedication to this thread, @Daphne1972, but, unfortunately , i can't see all the things you see.
A masonry arch between the legs??? What photograph are you looking at? I see leaves and and a piece of bark, maybe?
The left foot i can see the shoe toe, but on the right foot i see no "metal bucket with green patina"... only leaves.

MOO JMO

See the bucket

 

[Daphne1972]

Another thought: The knees look loose because the jeans are down ON the victim?

Sorry for serial posting.

I don't think so. Pants are up. Another reason I think this is a male. Otherwise the pants would be off or wayyyy down.

 

[Daphne1972]

Let's keep discussing! Maybe all this will attract attention of somebody who knows who this person is.

 

[PatLaurel]

See the bucket

Sorry...No. I see leaves. The "bucket" area matches in color and pattern the area i circled.

MOO JMO

 

[PatLaurel]

Let's keep discussing! Maybe all this will attract attention of somebody who knows who this person is.

Right! Let's keep discussing it!

Since you believe the photo depicts a man, i'm now looking for long-haired men reported as missing or unidentified and i found a 1972 newspaper article about a decomposed male body described as having long auburn hair. The body was found near the Black Canyon campgrounds. Unfortunately i couldn't find a follow up on the discovery, and there's no UP matching this info on NamUS.

Here is the article: Times-Advocate from Escondido, California on October 4, 1972 · 4 " RAMONA - Sheriffs deputies are continuing an investigation into the death of a man whose body was unearthed Sunday in the Black Canyon area near the Black Canyon campgrounds. The body, believed to be that of a man about 25 to 35 years of age, was discovered by a Riverside family while they were hunting for rocks about 6 p.m. Deputy Coroner Warren Chambers said the cause of death has not been determined officially, but added sheriffs deputies found a noose with a square knot of white cotton rope around the mans neck and numerous skull fractures above the left eye. Chambers said that the body was in such a decomposed condition that it is difficult to determine if the man had been strangled. The victim, deputies said, was clothed in white denim bell bottom trousers and a white knit undershirt. He was wearing a black imitation leather windbreaker. He was described as having long, auburn hair, was wrapped in four blankets and a dark green plastic cloth. Deputies said it is not known whether the victim died of strangulation or head injuries."

I don't know if the flora of that area is similar to the one in the photo but the long auburn hair and skull fractures above the left eye caught my attention...



MOO JMOO

 

[PatLaurel]

I came across this well detailed timeline and i find it very helpful when searching for MPs and UPs. It doesn't mention RA's supposed trip to Denmark though. And i couldn't find a verified source stating it. So, i'm thinking that maybe, he met the Danish girls in the US and then they sent him the photos when they got back to Denmark? Just speculating here... But, if he did in fact travel to Denmark, then the photo we are discussing in this thread could have been taken anywhere in Europe.

Link for the timeline: http://maamodt.asp.radford.edu/Psyc 405/serial killers/Alcala. Rodney _2012_.pdf

MOO JMO

 

[Beekarina]

I don't think so. Pants are up. Another reason I think this is a male. Otherwise the pants would be off or wayyyy down.

I never thought this was a male until last night when I viewed the better quality images. Now I also think it is likely a male, and I am really confused about the information released around the number of photos which were men vs women. There has been so much discussion, and a couple of years have passed now, I no longer remember?

 

[UnlicensedPI]

Another observation: Some of this dark area is shadow, but I also think if it IS one person? (I keep going back and forth) The jeans are wet. I also see a larger dark shadow over the wet area on the left. Another person?

I think they're bleached jeans, not wet. JMO

 

[WildHuncher]

I'm still seeing this person as female. Not seeing the growing list of extraneous items. I do still see what may be a pool of dark liquid, blood or water, under the dangling hair.

 

[PatLaurel]

I'm still seeing this person as female. Not seeing the growing list of extraneous items. I do still see what may be a pool of dark liquid, blood or water, under the dangling hair.

Looking for the "pool of dark liquid" you mentioned, i found something that doesn't match the leaves. Different color, shape and brighter than the surrounding area. It looks like a small axe head... Probably just my Pareidolia acting up, as i also see a face engraved on the item.

@WildHuncher sorry for adding one more item to that list.

MOO JMO

 

[WildHuncher]

Looking for the "pool of dark liquid" you mentioned, i found something that doesn't match the leaves. Different color, shape and brighter than the surrounding area. It looks like a small axe head... Probably just my Pareidolia acting up, as i also see a face engraved on the item.

@WildHuncher sorry for adding one more item to that list.

MOO JMO

That's what I see as a scrap of paper.