Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian, Joshua Tree Natl Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018 #3

[Mercedes]

Where are you, Paul?

 

[crhedBngr]

Hi, I just joined today but have read WS threads of missing hikers in the past. I am starting to receive documents through a Freedom of Information Act request. Here's what I have so far:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_files/1streleaseoffoiadocuments.zip
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_files/2nd_release_of_FOIA_docs.zip
The majority of documents related to searching for Paul Miller are still waiting for review by the regional office because they require redactions, and there's been a backlog because of shutdown-related requests.

Conversion tool for UTM to lat/long:
Lat/Lon and UTM Converstion - Yellowstone Research Coordination Network
The park is in zone 11 north.

Maybe somebody wants to create an online map of the searches? It is tedious to align overlaid images, zoom in on handwriting, and convert UTM. Here's an example map of searches for Bill Ewasko:
Bill Ewasko Searches & Relevant Orbeso/Nguyen Searches
If nobody feels like doing all that, then eventually I'll put up something. I was just hoping that maybe someone on here has a lot of free time. Now that the weather is cooling, there will probably be quite a few people, myself included, out there searching this fall.

Thank you for doing this, Welcome to Websleuths!

 

[Perry2]

Sure, glad there is interest and curious to hear thoughts after others on here have time to read through and think about all of it.

More files here, OP's 7 through 11:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_files/4th_release.zip
I have only quickly skimmed through those at this point.

It was too time-consuming to add OP 1 to the map last night and this morning. For the other OP's, I'll probably do something more basic and wait in hopes of receiving GPS tracks. It might be a long slow process and involve spacing out the map updates by several days at a time.

 

[Perry2]

The park released GPS tracks, and I added them to the map:
Map of Searches for Paul Miller in Joshua Tree National Park
Red is foot, including dog teams. Blue is helicopter. Green is ATV/OHV. I deleted most of the filled-area search assignments except a few that possibly had useful info in the comments. Also deleted the alphabetical markers for the zones and trimmed a couple ATV and helicopter tracks that extended a long ways away. This was all to speed up rendering and make the map easier to use.

The raw files are here:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_file..._7-13-18_Paul_Miller_without_phone_number.kml
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_files/Paul_Miller_Search_Tracks.kml

In case anyone is considering it, there's no need to do any technical climbing because there will be legal drone searches by professionals:
'One second at a time': Missing Joshua Tree hiker's wife talks of year without answers, clues

 

[jash]

The park released GPS tracks, and I added them to the map:
Map of Searches for Paul Miller in Joshua Tree National Park
Red is foot, including dog teams. Blue is helicopter. Green is ATV/OHV. I deleted most of the filled-area search assignments except a few that possibly had useful info in the comments. Also deleted the alphabetical markers for the zones and trimmed a couple ATV and helicopter tracks that extended a long ways away. This was all to speed up rendering and make the map easier to use.

The raw files are here:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_file..._7-13-18_Paul_Miller_without_phone_number.kml
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_files/Paul_Miller_Search_Tracks.kml

In case anyone is considering it, there's no need to do any technical climbing because there will be legal drone searches by professionals:
'One second at a time': Missing Joshua Tree hiker's wife talks of year without answers, clues

This is incredible Perry2, thanks!

I did not know they "found blood" around 9 PM the day Paul was reported missing.

I assume it was unrelated to Paul but it shows they searched a large area that first day, well beyond the trail and oasis.

 

[jash]

The park released GPS tracks, and I added them to the map:
Map of Searches for Paul Miller in Joshua Tree National Park
Red is foot, including dog teams. Blue is helicopter. Green is ATV/OHV. I deleted most of the filled-area search assignments except a few that possibly had useful info in the comments. Also deleted the alphabetical markers for the zones and trimmed a couple ATV and helicopter tracks that extended a long ways away. This was all to speed up rendering and make the map easier to use.

The raw files are here:
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_file..._7-13-18_Paul_Miller_without_phone_number.kml
http://mtsanjacinto.info/large_files/Paul_Miller_Search_Tracks.kml

In case anyone is considering it, there's no need to do any technical climbing because there will be legal drone searches by professionals:
'One second at a time': Missing Joshua Tree hiker's wife talks of year without answers, clues

It's surprising to me how many items have been found. Some make sense in the context (e.g. water bottle), but others seems like odd things to be accidentally dropped/left behind (e.g. black shorts, backpack).

The blanket and razor (found between the parking lot and the highway) really stand out to me. It suggests someone camping/staying in the area, which I had not considered previously.

 

[zecats]

This is incredible Perry2, thanks!

I did not know they "found blood" around 9 PM the day Paul was reported missing.

I assume it was unrelated to Paul but it shows they searched a large area that first day, well beyond the trail and oasis.

View attachment 206830

There certainly is a ton of info in regards to items found that we never heard abut from any reporting - family or LE/SAR. Is it know for sure the blood is unrelated to Paul? It's pretty far off the trail, but I assume that doesn't automatically rule it out. If he was attacked by a predator (human or feline) it might be related.

And the cold pack (not sure exactly what that is) is along the trail. Found the same day - that's a good find IMO.

Also, he was reportedly wearing black shorts.

 

[Suglo]

This is incredible Perry2, thanks!

I did not know they "found blood" around 9 PM the day Paul was reported missing.

I assume it was unrelated to Paul but it shows they searched a large area that first day, well beyond the trail and oasis.

View attachment 206830

I wonder how much blood there was to actually take notice of it and find it out in that desert?

 

[rosesfromangels]

I wonder how much blood there was to actually take notice of it and find it out in that desert?

And...was it tested to see if it was Paul's?

 

[TatianaBarbie]

And...was it tested to see if it was Paul's?

Very good question, @rosesfromangels!

 

[zecats]

And...was it tested to see if it was Paul's?

According to Paul's sister Dawn, in one post she stated that local Sheriff wasn't investigating unless there was some evidence of foul play. He disappeared in a national park and so it was under jurisdiction of the park rangers. She was quite frustrated by it. That was, iir, mentioned during her first trip to Joshua to search for Paul last autumn. Wouldn't blood if tested to be Paul's be that so-called evidence? Makes me think it has nothing to do with Paul. Eerily ironic that it was discovered so quickly after he vanished.

 

[musicaljoke]

And the cold pack (not sure exactly what that is) is along the trail. Found the same day - that's a good find IMO.

Also, he was reportedly wearing black shorts.

A cold pack is a little reusable plastic packet that contains a gel like material that can be frozen and put in with your lunch to keep it cold.

I put one in my pocket and use it to stay cool when the weather gets too hot to stay comfortable, which, since I'm Canadian, is pretty much whenever it gets over 70F.

 

[zecats]

A cold pack is a little reusable plastic packet that contains a gel like material that can be frozen and put in with your lunch to keep it cold.

I put one in my pocket and use it to stay cool when the weather gets too hot to stay comfortable, which, since I'm Canadian, is pretty much whenever it gets over 70F.

Thanks. That makes sense. I thought it also may have had something to do with first aid....like an ice pack.

Would Paul have been carrying one I wonder?

 

[atlstnspc]

It's surprising to me how many items have been found. Some make sense in the context (e.g. water bottle), but others seems like odd things to be accidentally dropped/left behind (e.g. black shorts, backpack).

The blanket and razor (found between the parking lot and the highway) really stand out to me. It suggests someone camping/staying in the area, which I had not considered previously.

There’s a homeless camp at the Park boundary on either side of the 49 Palms wash and amount of trash is unreal. Those items very easy could be discards form a vagrant. I searched the wash from the highway to the encampment, but I was by myself and got nervous so I turned around before I reached the Park. Needles, beer cans and other drug paraphernalia everywhere. I won’t go there again alone. A view from the ridge above the wash.

 

[PaulR]

Thanks. That makes sense. I thought it also may have had something to do with first aid....like an ice pack.

Would Paul have been carrying one I wonder?

They are nice in the heat if you have a water bladder (like a Camelbak) in your backpack - put in the ice pack to keep your drink (and back!) cooler. Of course common among campers as well.

I wonder how they knew it was even blood. Might not have been human even if it was blood, there are a lot of animals out there.

 

[atlstnspc]

They are nice in the heat if you have a water bladder (like a Camelbak) in your backpack - put in the ice pack to keep your drink (and back!) cooler. Of course common among campers as well.

I wonder how they knew it was even blood. Might not have been human even if it was blood, there are a lot of animals out there.

Google: presumptive blood test for human blood
I only know this because I watch Forensic Files. Seems like an easy field test.

 

[musicaljoke]

Thanks. That makes sense. I thought it also may have had something to do with first aid....like an ice pack.

Would Paul have been carrying one I wonder?

Prob'ly not. He was hiking pretty light. But, I don't know.

 

[zecats]

Prob'ly not. He was hiking pretty light. But, I don't know.

Agreed. Not sure he was even carrying food since he was supposed to hike for only an hour or two. Plus, I'm believing we would have heard of any evidence or trace of him and his whereabouts were discovered.

 

[Perry2]

The shorts were found in February. With multiple tracks within 25 to 50 feet, including 2 dog tracks, I think it's unlikely they belong to Paul Miller.

It's common to get scraped up while scrambling around boulders and bushes. I don't know if a tracking/trailing dog would normally be trained to detect blood though. Also could be from a predator & prey event.

 

[PaulR]

Google: presumptive blood test for human blood
I only know this because I watch Forensic Files. Seems like an easy field test.

Except the report says "found blood" not "found human blood" - I assume if it was a positive test for human blood, they would have noticed.

I asked this because there are a few reports of bones but they aren't sure what they are from ("human femur?")

Agreed. Not sure he was even carrying food since he was supposed to hike for only an hour or two. Plus, I'm believing we would have heard of any evidence or trace of him and his whereabouts were discovered.

It wouldn't be unusual to take food on the trail even if you were only planning to hike for a few hours and were ignoring the ten essentials. Trail mix, a granola bar, etc.