CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019 - #2

[Satchie]

Thank you! Does this look right? One map is of the original search area, the other is based on the suggestion that the search should be farther North.

View attachment 178693

View attachment 178695

Yes, I think those are basically correct. I don't know that pin-pointing the exact location of the horse would help us: it's an issue of terrain, and very limited options for either riding or driving because of the mountainous landscape. I think that can really only be sleuthed on the ground.

There wasn't any rain or snow between the time he was last seen, and when the horse was found, but I don't know how fresh the snow was, how much mud there was, and how many tracks there were already. It's tracks that would tell the story of how the horse got there.

The area they were searching is a mixture of indigenous land (shaded), private or allocated land (squares) and crown land (no markings)
BC Assessment - Independent, uniform and efficient property assessment

 

[otto]

The blue dot is where the horse was found, and the ranch is off the map on the bottom right. There are logging roads leading to the location of the horse.

 

[Trudie]

Yes, I think those are basically correct. I don't know that pin-pointing the exact location of the horse would help us: it's an issue of terrain, and very limited options for either riding or driving because of the mountainous landscape. I think that can really only be sleuthed on the ground.

There wasn't any rain or snow between the time he was last seen, and when the horse was found, but I don't know how fresh the snow was, how much mud there was, and how many tracks there were already. It's tracks that would tell the story of how the horse got there.

The area they were searching is a mixture of indigenous land (shaded), private or allocated land (squares) and crown land (no markings)
BC Assessment - Independent, uniform and efficient property assessment

View attachment 178730

@Satchie you might find the weather conditions on the first thread.
I do recall several articles stating no tracks were found. But, so many animals & the conditions probably made it impossible to find Gunny’s prints.
I know when we ride in the winter, our horses still get sweaty under the saddle pad, if we ride hard. When Gunny’s saddle was removed, an experienced horse person should have noticed if the saddle had loosened from running. When I turn my horses out in a large pasture (300 acres, not as large as where Gunny was found) they go crazy. They take off at full speed, enjoying their new (short lived) freedom. It really is difficult to say how far she traveled w/o knowing when she was set loose.
Jmo

 

[superbee]

I believe there are one or more big culvert-type passages under the big Coq highway between the Ranch and where Gunny was found. Big animals can pass through for sure, ie cattle, and horses and riders bringing cattle back and forth from the mountain, but I don't think a truck, especially with horse trailer, could. I may be wrong!

I looked for any sign of them last week on our journey through to Kelowna, but didn't see them because they were under us on the highway. I noticed that in many places along the Coq there is stout page-wire fencing to keep animals from coming down onto the highway. I presume wildlife uses the underpasses too.

Before the big Coq highway was built in 1986, connecting the lower mainland with Kamloops and the Interior, the Nicola Valley had just a road going through it, then suddenly a huge swath was cut across the land with several lanes of paved highway. To accommodate the passage of things needing to cross the Coq, big passageways were put under the highway. Hopefully, if Gunny (and Ben) were transported by truck and trailer, at least part of that journey was done on the busy Coq with transport trucks and vehicles with dash cams. I hope footage has been turned in!

Maybe instead of a truck and horse trailer, a sturdy pickup truck with metal racks on the back was used to transport Gunny and possibly the driver's horse? Easier to turn around on logging roads. I hope they are looking for that combo too.

I think the trapper caught Gunny, tied her, left her there on the mountain, and made his way down to get her ID'd. Being Gunny is from Wyoming, maybe the trapper did not recognize her brand? Apparently members of the Native band went up and got Gunny off the mountain, and brought her down to their corrals where she could wait in safety. I'm hoping they noted her condition and have an opinion on how long Gunny had been out on the mountain. jmo

 

[Trudie]

Great post @superbee

Interesting idea on the truck.
I considered maybe the unit hauling Gunny merely pulled off the road & let her loose, not wishing to risk getting stuck.

 

[zecats]

Great post @superbee

Interesting idea on the truck.
I considered maybe the unit hauling Gunny merely pulled off the road & let her loose, not wishing to risk getting stuck.

Someone else might have ridden her farther in and hiked back out. Or the truck was able to follow and pick person up. That would imply more than one person is responsible for all this. IMO. There are bike trails up near Swakum Ridge/ Mountain. Link posted back about tourism in Merritt.

 

[Trudie]

Someone else might have ridden her farther in and hiked back out. Or the truck was able to follow and pick person up. That would imply more than one person is responsible for all this. IMO

So true. Ben kept his saddle clean, based on photos we’ve seen. Be interesting to know if the stirrups had any dried mud or water stains.
I’m gonna believe LE have a lot of evidence & the detectives are closing in on their suspect/s.

 

[MistyWaters]

View attachment 178263

I find it interesting that there is a Tyner Lake and Tyner Creek west of Highway 97c and Northwest of Merrit. Does not mean a thing to the case but interesting.

Dog_River

Just bumping this map because I thought it was helpful. Notice the square box IR 1 along both sides of Hwy 97c? From everything I’ve read, that appears to be the Lower Nicola Indian Reserve, the same band that was helping in the search and providing knowledge of the area. That is how I got the idea the horse was found somewhere in that same general area. It appears the direct and only road is through Merritt, other than the very long route to the north and then back south.

As for where Ben is, I don’t think it’s known as he’s yet to be found.

 

[MistyWaters]

That's what I'm wondering as well. It's possible to travel from the Nicola Ranch to the location where the horse was found without passing through Merritt. Maybe there's CCTV footage in Merritt that gives some information, but police are looking for more details and to confirm a route with dashcam footage. Ideally, I suppose they would like to see a horse trailer turning onto the backroads to where the horse was found.

If this was murder, why would RCMP be looking for him in the same area as where the horse was found? Wouldn't the horse be left in the wrong area to give the impression that Ben had a horse riding accident, and his body would be in a completely different location?

Yes NR is only about 10km west of Merritt. Then Hwy 8 runs through Merritt, Hwy 97c exiting off it and routing northerly through Lower Nicola. I could be wrong but I think Winnie Flats is on the east side of Hwy 97c, which is why the search area was to the north of Merritt. But there must be a reason the RCMP is focused on dash cam video taken in Merritt and my only thought is because they have reason to believe the truck and trailer travelled that route.

“RCMP in the Southeast District are continuing their investigation into the disappearance of Ben Tyner and are now seeking those with dash cam or other video footage from January 26 and 27 to report to police.

Tyner was reported missing to the Merritt RCMP on January 28, when his rider-less horse was discovered on a logging road off Highway 97c near Winnie Flats. Following his disappearance, RCMP, Search and Rescue, Air Services, Police Dog Services, and Volunteers combed the area, on foot, in vehicles, on snowmobiles, horseback, helicopters and utility vehicles, sadly Mr. Tyner was not located.

The investigation continues to be a priority for the Merritt RCMP and the Southeast District Major Crime Unit (SED MCU), states S/Sgt. Lorne Wood, Merritt RCMP Detachment Commander. Investigators are now asking anyone who was in Merritt on the weekend of January 26 to 27, 2019 and has dash cam or other video footage, to please contact the SED MCU tip line.......
RCMP in British Columbia - Dash Cam Footage Wanted in Missing Cowboy Investigation

 

[rb63]

@Satchie you might find the weather conditions on the first thread.
I do recall several articles stating no tracks were found. But, so many animals & the conditions probably made it impossible to find Gunny’s prints.
I know when we ride in the winter, our horses still get sweaty under the saddle pad, if we ride hard. When Gunny’s saddle was removed, an experienced horse person should have noticed if the saddle had loosened from running. When I turn my horses out in a large pasture (300 acres, not as large as where Gunny was found) they go crazy. They take off at full speed, enjoying their new (short lived) freedom. It really is difficult to say how far she traveled w/o knowing when she was set loose.
Jmo

It was not snowing on sunday or monday and rest of week don't recall.

 

[Trudie]

Video footage could be needed for a variety of reasons, imo. If LE have a suspect/vehicle in mind (my opinion) they might want to see if he was traveling on other roads in the area that would lead them to Ben.
Maybe someone denied being in NV/Merritt area but LE knows otherwise from interviews.
Or, the obvious looking for a horse trailer unit.

 

[Trudie]

It was not snowing on sunday or monday and rest of week don't recall.

Tysm. Towards the end of the search it did get kind of nasty, iirc.

 

[Trudie]

Just bumping this map because I thought it was helpful. Notice the square box IR 1 along both sides of Hwy 97c? From everything I’ve read, that appears to be the Lower Nicola Indian Reserve, the same band that was helping in the search and providing knowledge of the area. That is how I got the idea the horse was found somewhere in that same general area. It appears the direct and only road is through Merritt, other than the very long route to the north and then back south.

As for where Ben is, I don’t think it’s known as he’s yet to be found.

So you think the only route to the logging road is thru Merritt?
LE requested video for Merritt & Nicola Valley. I’m confused where Merritt ends & the Valley area begins.

ETA: RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says officers are seeking any video footage, including sequences from dashboard-mounted cameras on vehicles passing through Merritt or the Nicola Valley between Friday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 27.

Previously linked

 

[MistyWaters]

So you think the only route to the logging road is thru Merritt?
LE requested video for Merritt & Nicola Valley. I’m confused where Merritt ends & the Valley area begins.

ETA: RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says officers are seeking any video footage, including sequences from dashboard-mounted cameras on vehicles passing through Merritt or the Nicola Valley between Friday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 27.

Previously linked

No, I’m not referring to a logging road going through Merritt. From NR to Hwy 8 through Merritt, then onward to Hwy 97c is the direct and shortest route to the logging road said to be off Hwy 97c.

Merritt is a city of about 7000 people. IMO if police are asking for dash cam footage from people in Merritt that certain weekend, it would refer to within the municipal boundaries.

It’s the RCMP official press release requesting dash cam or other video footage from anyone who was in Merritt attached to my post just above. Possibly there was a sighting of a truck trailer or already a blurry video and police are looking for additional evidence, I don’t know but for some reason Merritt is of interest.

 

[Trudie]

Merritt & the Valley area.
Being the weekend there should have been a lot of traffic.

 

[zecats]

“Looking for any video, including dash cam from anyone passing through.”

No direction given. Asking for any surveillance, not just dash cam.

I feel they are naming the town of Merritt as a marker. Someone is more likely to recall passing through or near the town than driving on some named road.

Also anyone captured on video can looked at to compare with an alibi or story. Drivers coming and going in the area can also be checked out, especially if towing a trailer. Timeline they’re asking for seems to cover a likely pre and post crime, so who knows what direction a suspect could be driving.

I imagine if someone trailered the horse to where it was dropped , they would want to find the shortest way to do so to limit discovery. Maybe it was even done at night.

Jmo

RCMP in Merritt, B.C., seek dash-cam video in disappearance of cowboy Ben Tyner | The Star

RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says officers are seeking any video footage, including sequences from dashboard-mounted cameras on vehicles passing through Merritt or the Nicola Valley between Friday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 27.

 

[MistyWaters]

“Looking for any video, including dash cam from anyone passing through.”

No direction given. Asking for any surveillance, not just dash cam.

I feel they are naming the town of Merritt as a marker. Someone is more likely to recall passing through or near the town than driving on some named road.

Also anyone captured on video can looked at to compare with an alibi or story. Drivers coming and going in the area can also be checked out, especially if towing a trailer. Timeline they’re asking for seems to cover a likely pre and post crime, so who knows what direction a suspect could be driving.

I imagine if someone trailered the horse to where it was dropped , they would want to find the shortest way to do so to limit discovery. Maybe it was even done at night.

Jmo

RCMP in Merritt, B.C., seek dash-cam video in disappearance of cowboy Ben Tyner | The Star

RCMP Sgt. Janelle Shoihet says officers are seeking any video footage, including sequences from dashboard-mounted cameras on vehicles passing through Merritt or the Nicola Valley between Friday, Jan. 25 and Sunday, Jan. 27.

They’ve asked for “other” video footage from Merritt as well, which usually refers to security cameras. They’re looking for something specific, that’s for sure.
RCMP in British Columbia - Dash Cam Footage Wanted in Missing Cowboy Investigation

 

[Trudie]

They’ve asked for “other” video footage from Merritt as well, which usually refers to security cameras. They’re looking for something specific, that’s for sure.
RCMP in British Columbia - Dash Cam Footage Wanted in Missing Cowboy Investigation

Right, like @zecats just posted above your post.
IMO they have to have a specific vehicle in mind or there’d be no point in viewing video.
Hopefully they were able to get sufficient footage from numerous sources.
Dash cams only store for a limited time according to another poster.

 

[Satchie]

I think the Nicola Valley is the whole flat area surrounding Merritt. It's pretty obvious when you approach from any direction, because you come down from closed-in mountains/hills, into a relatively wide, open plain.

 

[Trudie]

With spring melt, search for Merritt-area rancher Ben Tyner resumes