Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian missing in Joshua Tree National Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018

[Inthedetails]

Search scaled back for missing Guelph hiker in California

A local (to their home) news report with a few more details:

- they were supposed to catch their flight home the afternoon of the day he went missing (explains why Mrs Miller reported him missing so quickly)

- gives children’s details (some were wondering)

- a family member flew to California to help Mrs Miller & came home with her

ETA:

The article also answers a question we had: the vacation was centered around hiking in parks.

"The Miller's were at the end of a vacation that involved hiking at four large national parks. They had just come from the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah and were finishing up in Joshua Tree when Paul went missing."

And - the trail he intended to walk is described as not difficult and not one where a walker would get lost.

Same link as above.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Hmmm... this is new?

"The authorities believe he's still in the park, Haibach said, adding she was told another hiker saw him walking the trail on Friday."

Search scaled back for missing Guelph hiker in California

 

[whatsnext]

Hmmm... this is new?

"The authorities believe he's still in the park, Haibach said, adding she was told another hiker saw him walking the trail on Friday."

Search scaled back for missing Guelph hiker in California

Did any kind of authority confirm that yet?

 

[Hatfield]

RSBM

It turns out the mayor of Guelph knows Paul through their church. So I don't think it's a political thing. 51-year-old Guelph man missing in California

Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie has known the man for two decades through Lakeside Church.

“We are just praying he comes home safely,” Guthrie said.

Good point.
I found it unusual he knew the mayor at all but the church connection could explain how he got to know him.

 

[Hatfield]

Hmmm... this is new?

"The authorities believe he's still in the park, Haibach said, adding she was told another hiker saw him walking the trail on Friday."

Search scaled back for missing Guelph hiker in California

Wait. What?

Didnt we read just the other day that another hiker had been there at same time and the other hiker did not see anyone else on the trail?

 

[Hatfield]

Hmmm... this is new?

"The authorities believe he's still in the park, Haibach said, adding she was told another hiker saw him walking the trail on Friday."

Search scaled back for missing Guelph hiker in California

We are getting more bits and pieces now. Kids ages given are older kids and we get her name now. Will not post it but its listed.

"I know their investigators are taking a look at the possibility that something else occurred,” Land said, adding any time someone is missing and isn’t immediately found, some kind of investigation is done."

"At this point, there was nothing xxxx could do in California so she came home to be with her two children, ages 19 and 21, xxxxxx said."

"The Miller's were at the end of a vacation that involved hiking at four large national parks. They had just come from the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon in Utah and were finishing up in Joshua Tree when Paul went missing."

Search scaled back for missing Guelph hiker in California

 

[Hatfield]

JMO
I find it strange now that there was an attempt to hike on the last day when supposedly there was a flight that afternoon. The other places they hiked at are major places and you would think he would have been hiked out by then. Seems strange to me to try to fit in a last minute hike when having to catch a plane too.

Going to try to research airlines to see about flight times and how far away airport was.

 

[Inthedetails]

Sorry, delete.
(Delete button remains missing)

 

[Inthedetails]

JMO
I find it strange now that there was an attempt to hike on the last day when supposedly there was a flight that afternoon. The other places they hiked at are major places and you would think he would have been hiked out by then. Seems strange to me to try to fit in a last minute hike when having to catch a plane too.

Going to try to research airlines to see about flight times and how far away airport was.

Maybe he had a list of hikes he wanted to do, and he was determined to finish his list, and hiking in the morning was one way to finish the list and hike in the cool part of the day. ??

jmo, thinking aloud

 

[Hatfield]

Maybe he had a list of hikes he wanted to do, and he was determined to finish his list, and hiking in the morning was one way to finish the list and hike in the cool part of the day. ??

jmo, thinking aloud

Good point about maybe he wanted to check it off his list.

But since he was evidently a somewhat experienced hiker he should have known that 9am was too late to beat the heat. I believe it was already around 87 f at 9am before he even started out.

He would have known he would have had to leave around 5am or 6am to beat the worst of the heat. If hikers are like fisherman then they know to get up super early.
Leaving at 9am is not early IMO. especially there.
JMO of course

 

[PaulR]

Yes, that definitely explains why she reported so quickly. Not only was he later than expected, he needed to be back on time to catch the flight and she couldn't reach him....because his phone wasn't with him.

What happened after 9am??

jmo

So this seems strange to me. He's supposed to finish up by noon, then they have to drive to an airport, hop on a flight, and be back home. As a west coaster who sometimes travels to the east coast - you either have to hop on an early flight if you want to land and be at your destination at a reasonable hour, or you take the redeye.

I was checking Kayak for flights leaving Palm Springs (~45 minutes from Joshua Tree) to Toronto (not the closest airport to Guelph but certainly the largest and only 30 miles away.) I set the filter to flights leaving after 12. The best flight leaves at 1:35pm and gets them in Toronto by 10:55pm with a connection. That's the best flight (and one almost impossible for the Millers to make), everything else either gets them into Toronto at about 1am, or is a redeye. And once you look at taking a redeye, you may as well stay leave later in the day because it doesn't make much of a difference. You might get kicked out of the motel but there's no reason to rush the trail to take some photos.

So maybe it wasn't Palm Springs airport. Ontario CA airport is more like an hour and a half away. So the family leaves the motel once Paul gets back, drives an hour and a half, that puts them at the airport at 2pm at the very, very earliest. Here are those results. All redeyes. LAX is three hours away, and there's an afternoon (5:55pm) direct flight to Toronto that gets them home at 1:40am.

Also noted from the article that both their kids are grown up (youngest is 19), and that authorities are investigating whether "something else occurred."

I'd like to know the last time Paul was seen by someone else.

 

[Hatfield]

Just another thought about the missing poster picture

If they had gone to all those other nice places then surely there would be other pictures of him in hiking gear. Surprised there was not a full body photo included that showed him in hiking gear.

The one photo of him I think may show boulders behind him so maybe that is a hiking photo? Seems a little casually dressed but maybe that was what he wore on a hike.

Anyway i have seen other missing flyers and sometimes there are 2 or 3 photos. Wish they would have included a full body photo in full hiking gear on the flyer to help identify him.

Can anyone tell what that blue colored stuff is behind him to the right and above slightly? I think boulders above him but that blue stuff I cant tell what that is.
And what are those small white circle things?

 

[Auntie Cipation]

The car has California plates (see attached). I'm assuming it's a rental from the airport.

It's possible and even probable, but I'm not 100% certain about this. Ontario plates are also dark letters on white background, and I can't get a close enough look at the bottom or top lines which would help differentiate.

ETA: but reading about them having to catch a flight makes it apparent. Never mind!

 

[Hatfield]

So this seems strange to me. He's supposed to finish up by noon, then they have to drive to an airport, hop on a flight, and be back home. As a west coaster who sometimes travels to the east coast - you either have to hop on an early flight if you want to land and be at your destination at a reasonable hour, or you take the redeye.

I was checking Kayak for flights leaving Palm Springs (~45 minutes from Joshua Tree) to Toronto (not the closest airport to Guelph but certainly the largest and only 30 miles away.) I set the filter to flights leaving after 12. The best flight leaves at 1:35pm and gets them in Toronto by 10:55pm with a connection. That's the best flight (and one almost impossible for the Millers to make), everything else either gets them into Toronto at about 1am, or is a redeye. And once you look at taking a redeye, you may as well stay leave later in the day because it doesn't make much of a difference. You might get kicked out of the motel but there's no reason to rush the trail to take some photos.

So maybe it wasn't Palm Springs airport. Ontario CA airport is more like an hour and a half away. So the family leaves the motel once Paul gets back, drives an hour and a half, that puts them at the airport at 2pm at the very, very earliest. Here are those results. All redeyes. LAX is three hours away, and there's an afternoon (5:55pm) direct flight to Toronto that gets them home at 1:40am.

Also noted from the article that both their kids are grown up (youngest is 19), and that authorities are investigating whether "something else occurred."

I'd like to know the last time Paul was seen by someone else.

Thanks so much for checking the flight schedules. You are one step ahead of me. LOL

It is interesting now to learn about those flight times.
I know its a personal thing for everyone but for me whenever I have to catch a flight its a big deal to me and it would be the only thing I would plan to do on that last day.

 

[Inthedetails]

Thanks so much for checking the flight schedules. You are one step ahead of me. LOL

It is interesting now to learn about those flight times.
I know its a personal thing for everyone but for me whenever I have to catch a flight its a big deal to me and it would be the only thing I would plan to do on that last day.

I am the same way. With their schedule, they had to get to the airport, drop off the rental car, do all the security stuff, and be ready to board. That's a long process.

I can totally see why she called so soon after he was missing. I can kinda see an outgoing, energetic guy wanting to get in "that one last trail," but can't understand why he didn't leave even earlier in the day.

And I don't understand leaving the cellphone in the car - even if he had a camera and even if he doubted reception.

I'm guessing the hotel has cameras in public areas - did the couple dine for breakfast that morning in the hotel?

jmo

 

[PaulR]

Thanks so much for checking the flight schedules. You are one step ahead of me. LOL

It is interesting now to learn about those flight times.
I know its a personal thing for everyone but for me whenever I have to catch a flight its a big deal to me and it would be the only thing I would plan to do on that last day.

Sorry! I had already posted and then saw your note about researching flight times.

I'm the same way - the departure flight time is a big deal to me and I always plan around it. Sometimes it is a later flight but the only thing I'll plan to do in the morning would be something like doing a little shopping to pick up mementos/gifts. I can't see going for an actual hike - if what we've heard is true, Paul was wearing hiking boots and a Camelbak pack. I'm not wearing hiking boots on a plane! They'd have to be packed, along with the Camelbak and whatever hiking gear I had (ten essentials, hiking poles, etc.) And I'd also want to take a shower and change my clothes since I've worked up a sweat, especially on a desert trail on a 90+ degree day.

 

[PaulR]

A few more thoughts:

• We've seen criminal cases where the cell phone "ping" provided crucial evidence. It's interesting that the cell phone was left in the car.
• This trailhead, as Hatfield mentioned, doesn't require going through a ranger station and paying a National Park entrance fee. But if the Millers had been to Bryce, Zion, and the Grand Canyon, they'd all require passes. Example: Zion and Bryce each charge $35 for a seven day pass. Or you could buy an "America the Beautiful" national park pass which covers all parks (and a bunch of other stuff) for $80. That's what most park rangers will recommend if you are doing a tour of many parks, as many tourists do. I can see wanting to go for the "free hike" if you don't have a pass, but if you have one, you can go through the main entrance, show your pass, and do any hike you want. Of course, the driver of the vehicle would be seen, possibly recorded.
• Canada famously will not extradite death penalty cases, they have to be knocked down, and there is even controversy about life without possibility of parole.

 

[jash]

Can anyone tell what that blue colored stuff is behind him to the right and above slightly? I think boulders above him but that blue stuff I cant tell what that is.
And what are those small white circle things?

I looked closely and believe there are 3 other people in the background of the photo. The blue thing looks like a turned over plastic milk crate, on which one of the guys is sitting. The white circle things look like buckets/pails to me. It looks like they're holding drum sticks in their hands so I conclude they are playing the buckets.

It also looks like someone (his wife?) has been cropped out next to him. I believe Paul took the photo himself.

 

[rosesfromangels]

As I've posted on many other threads, it is extremely hard to "see" remains outdoors. There have been situations like the missing DJ in Whistler, Mike Grefner, where grid searches literally passed within inches of him and did not see him. Having participated in a grid search myself, I can assure you with all the visual stimulus, it is indeed hard to "see" remains.

I speculate this gent when off trail and became disoriented and lost. The heat would have played a big part in that. Depending on his level of fitness and heat stress, he might have suffered a medical episode and perished.

Given the time that has elapsed, it is unlikely this story will have a positive outcome. However, as long as remains have not been found, hope must remain and the searches must persist.

 

[carbuff]

JMO
I find it strange now that there was an attempt to hike on the last day when supposedly there was a flight that afternoon. The other places they hiked at are major places and you would think he would have been hiked out by then. Seems strange to me to try to fit in a last minute hike when having to catch a plane too.

Going to try to research airlines to see about flight times and how far away airport was.

I totally believe that part. If I was trying to do final packing and get ready for an afternoon flight, I would tell Mr. Carbuff to go take a walk, push him out the door, and lock it behind him Well, not literally, but he gets jittery and doesn't like to wait. It makes more sense for him to be doing something and a quick, easy walk like that is exactly what we'd choose.