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

Pagosa Springs Police Department

The Pagosa Springs Police Department would like to thank the Upper San Juan Search and Rescue, Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southern Ute Ranger Division for their assistance Sunday 10/24/2021.

On Sunday 10/24/2021 an extensive search of the Hwy 160, CO 151, and Capote Lake area was conducted for Micheal Kroll. The areas were searched on foot as well as by drone with no new information being located.

We would also like to thank the public for their assistance and support.

We will update as information becomes available.
 
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
Phone was found on Monday 10/18, Bernie was spotted at the gas station at 4:00 AM Tuesday 10/19 (but may have been there since midnight).

Last seen Saturday, October 16th at 5:15 pm. Someone heard from him via text later that evening, no time given. He didn't show up for something on Sunday 10/17.
So the timeline here is pretty tight. Hopefully LE can get his cell phone records pretty quickly.

The phone wasn't found at the Speedway, that's where Bernie showed up. The phone was found by a road construction crew at the Chimney Rock turn off (Hwy 160).
Google Maps I think I've identified locations correctly.
 
Phone was found on Monday 10/18, Bernie was spotted at the gas station at 4:00 AM Tuesday 10/19 (but may have been there since midnight).

Last seen Saturday, October 16th at 5:15 pm. Someone heard from him via text later that evening, no time given. He didn't show up for something on Sunday 10/17.
So the timeline here is pretty tight. Hopefully LE can get his cell phone records pretty quickly.

The phone wasn't found at the Speedway, that's where Bernie showed up. The phone was found by a road construction crew at the Chimney Rock turn off (Hwy 160).
Google Maps I think I've identified locations correctly.

Glad you found the actual times. I browsed for a bit, but wasn't able to find them. I wonder how long it would take a chihuahua (or similar breed) to travel 30-40 miles? I feel like if he was dumped/lost at the area where the phone was found, he may have checked out the homes nearby. I wonder if anyone living in that area remember seeing him in the days prior to him showing up at the gas station?

I wonder if LE could put out a request for information about Bernie as well? Asking the public if they had seen him between say Saturday at 5:30pm and midnight Sunday. I don't know how helpful it could be, but if someone saw him Saturday evening/night nearer the gas station, then I would think searching areas around the gas station might be more helpful, but if he was seen nearer where the phone was found Saturday night, then it might be worth a more intensive search in that area. Of course if both were dumped, then Michael could be anywhere.

I wonder if LE got Michael's phone back from the Humane Society store? Surely they are at least checking into his last known communications/locations. From everything I've read, it sounds more like they are kinda looking at it like more of an accident, but I haven't read up much today.
 
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?

His bike was at the trailer he was staying at. I am a long time friend. I am assisting his family in getting Michael's information out to national missing person's organizations. The location of his laptop and his wallet are unknown.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pagosa Springs Police Department

The Pagosa Springs Police Department would like to thank the Upper San Juan Search and Rescue, Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office, and the Southern Ute Ranger Division for their assistance Sunday 10/24/2021.

On Sunday 10/24/2021 an extensive search of the Hwy 160, CO 151, and Capote Lake area was conducted for Micheal Kroll. The areas were searched on foot as well as by drone with no new information being located.

We would also like to thank the public for their assistance and support.

We will update as information becomes available.

Michael would not separate from Bernie willingly. Unless it was for Bernie's protection. He would not discard his phone because that was how he received financial support from his friends. His phone was necessary for his and Bernie's well being.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
MOD NOTE

We welcome new members who have come to discuss Michael’s missing person case.

If you are close to Michael and his case, AND would like to share what you know about him, we ask you to apply to become a Verified Insider. The highlighted link will give the information about it. Unless you become a VI, you will not be able to post anything you state as a fact unless you also include a link from a mainstream media source (MSM) to substantiate that info. Those posts will have to be removed, but can be reinstated if you are approved as a Verified Insider.

Websleuths is a fact-based victim-friendly discussion forum. That means that any member posting anything as if it were an established fact MUST include a link to an MSM source where the fact was stated. Verified Insiders do not have to provide links for what they know about a case.

Thank you to all for your continuing efforts to post respectfully and responsibly according to the Terms of Service (TOS) we all agreed to when we joined Websleuths.

CocoChanel
Administrator/Moderator
 
All seems to be quiet with no real news. There is one newer post on the Pagosa Springs FB page, but that's all I've been able to find.

I'm hoping between his new friends/coworkers and his family back home, they can keep his case at the front and center. It seems those who are transient in nature can often be forgotten or written off as just moving along to somewhere new.

I'm also wondering if anyone has noticed anything on the news. With a lot of the mountain towns starting to get some decent snow, there may be a lot more non-locals traveling through the area who may have seen Michael or even a driver throwing something out of a window or pulled over on the side of the road.
 
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.

28BC68A7-1514-46A8-933D-9E0ADAC5E70F.jpeg
I can't find any information about a bicycle?
 
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.
My dog can and has easily squeezed out of his harness because he was scared of the water sprinklers...The question I have is if he was last seen leaving work, did he take Bernie to work? Did he ride a bicycle to work, or not? I believe he may have gotten a ride from the wrong person, also.
 
My dog can and has easily squeezed out of his harness because he was scared of the water sprinklers...The question I have is if he was last seen leaving work, did he take Bernie to work? Did he ride a bicycle to work, or not? I believe he may have gotten a ride from the wrong person, also.

Pretty much all of my posts are based on assumptions and taken from context clues given in posts made by Michael and co-workers/friends. That being said, I believe Bernie went to work with Michael and that Michael primarily traveled via bicycle to work and around town. However, I could be wrong on all counts. If I come across any comments/posts that clarify one way or the other I will update.
 
Pretty much all of my posts are based on assumptions and taken from context clues given in posts made by Michael and co-workers/friends. That being said, I believe Bernie went to work with Michael and that Michael primarily traveled via bicycle to work and around town. However, I could be wrong on all counts. If I come across any comments/posts that clarify one way or the other I will update.
I like the way you think! The big question is where was he headed? Was it a planned destination? It seems like he would have posted about any plans, imo. Eta
By glancing through his FB, it seems as though he may have wanted to settle down...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Missing Person / NamUs #MP85723 Micheal James Kroll, Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact October 16, 2021
Missing From Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Missing Age 41 Years
Current Age 41 Years
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I came here to post NamUs information. We Help The Missing is also actively involved now is helping disseminate his flyer nationally and with assisting by providing a private investigator. They have a tip line set up to help in getting information. We are absolutely certain that Mike would not leave the area without Bernie. They were never apart from each other.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I like the way you think! The big question is where was he headed? Was it a planned destination? It seems like he would have posted about any plans, imo. Eta
By glancing through his FB, it seems as though he may have wanted to settle down...

We did receive a tip that he was overheard at work talking to someone about getting a ride to Bayfield CO. But we do not know why he wanted to go there. And if he did to there we knew that he did not intend to stay there as all this belongings with exception of his phone, wallet, Bernie, and a laptop were left at trailer he was staying in that was next door to the donation center.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Last edited by a moderator:

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
153
Guests online
935
Total visitors
1,088

Forum statistics

Threads
589,935
Messages
17,927,879
Members
228,005
Latest member
vigilandy
Back
Top