CO CO - Roger Ellison, 17, Cedaredge, 10 Feb 1981 #2

Anything is possible. Would the dating relationship be with a fellow student, someone in the community, a teacher, church member -- what are your thoughts?
 
Anything is possible. Would the dating relationship be with a fellow student, someone in the community, a teacher, church member -- what are your thoughts?
That Roger might have been homosexual, and held compromising information about a city leader? This I think is indicated in others's thoughts above.

Perhaps not unusual, but having no girlfriend as a senior is interesting when that person goes missing.
 
If Roger might have had a relationship with an older person, i.e. a city leader, I think it's very possible someone else in that town would have been aware of it. These kinds of secrets rarely remain secrets forever.
 
Roger had no steady girlfriend but had dated in high school. In fact, the FBI looked into a threat made a year or so earlier from another student over a girl Roger was dating who had previously dated the other student. They decided that it wasn't reasonable to think the other boy waited over a year to follow through on the threat. His sister didn't believe Roger to be homosexual, but in such a small conservative town, if he were I doubt he would have discussed it with even her. His ski coach and other members of the ski team did not seem to believe it either, they would probably have a better notion of it than even his sister.
 
Roger had no steady girlfriend but had dated in high school. In fact, the FBI looked into a threat made a year or so earlier from another student over a girl Roger was dating who had previously dated the other student. They decided that it wasn't reasonable to think the other boy waited over a year to follow through on the threat. His sister didn't believe Roger to be homosexual, but in such a small conservative town, if he were I doubt he would have discussed it with even her. His ski coach and other members of the ski team did not seem to believe it either, they would probably have a better notion of it than even his sister.
Do you have a link or links for this info? I think his late sister did say here that Roger was not gay. As for the coach and teammates, I haven't heard that before.

To say, based on one picture, that Roger might have been gay is silly, I know. Yet I and others here think his photo cries out, "Closeted!"
 
I don’t think one needs to reach far or overthink this. It happened in a small town and I think the perp was ensconced in that small town - until he wasn’t. Wonder who the sister might have thought the possible perp was - did she ever say?
 
I don’t think one needs to reach far or overthink this. It happened in a small town and I think the perp was ensconced in that small town - until he wasn’t. Wonder who the sister might have thought the possible perp was - did she ever say?
I can't recall her saying; looking for silver1sb posts might unearth something.
 
What is it about the photo that makes you feel that way?
I get from it the feeling he was careful in his appearance, but something beyond appearance, too. I have known many gay men over seven decades, and his look triggers something in me - gaydar, that putative ability, perhaps! Very much too little evidence in a picture to say, of course.

One thing that bothers me is the relative silence of this town to an enormous mystery which transpired in living memory. What's up with that, do you suppose?
 
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I get from it the feeling he was careful in his appearance, but something beyond appearance, too. I have known many gay men over seven decades, and his look triggers something in me - gaydar, that putative ability, perhaps! Very much too little evidence in a picture to say, of course.

One thing that bothers me is the relative silence of this town to an enormous mystery which transpired in living memory. What's up with that, do you suppose?
I’ve always wondered if Pash had been sexually abusing Roger.

Maybe Roger was finally ready to tell someone (e.g., school administrators, LE), gave Pash a heads-up or Pash otherwise found out, and he did something to Roger to make sure he couldn’t.

By the way, I totally believe in gaydars. I had quite a few gay friends back in college, and mine seldom fails ;). In Roger’s case, I personally find it difficult to tell since I have only seen a few photos. He certainly was a very handsome young man.
 
I’ve always wondered if Pash had been sexually abusing Roger.

Maybe Roger was finally ready to tell someone (e.g., school administrators, LE), gave Pash a heads-up or Pash otherwise found out, and he did something to Roger to make sure he couldn’t.

By the way, I totally believe in gaydars. I had quite a few gay friends back in college, and mine seldom fails ;). In Roger’s case, I personally find it difficult to tell since I have only seen a few photos. He certainly was a very handsome young man.
------------------------------------

Indeed he was a handsome and seemingly accomplished young man. His parents seemed to be so proud of him. I think it literally killed them to have to experience the heartbreak of never seeing him again. And Roger seemed like a really nice person. Too bad he crossed paths with a devil that won't suffer for its heinous crimes.
 
There is a website started by a friend of Becky's (Roger's now deceased sister) in which there were interviews with his ski club coach (now also deceased I believe) in which he states he knew of no reason that Roger would either run away or harm himself. Now, back then being gay in a small midwestern town would certainly count as a reason. Further, if his ski club teammates thought him gay you can bet everyone would have heard about it I think. As to Mr. Pash, he has always denied the stories of students partying at his home and underage sex & drinking. One should remember that Mr. Pash was and is I believe a very liberal person in terms of social and political outlook. Such sentiments did not endear him to the people in Cedaredge... read his many comments posted here over the years. He discusses blatant racism and even a book burning.. the final straw in his decision to leave and move to California. Now, none of that precludes the notion that could have had inappropriate relations with students... in fact, one posted anonymously that he was present at such events involving underage drinking, drugs, and sex... but anonymous posting does not hold much weight for me. For whatever reason, Roger's family always believed Mr. Pash was somehow involved. There is a long story about how Mr. Pash went to Roger's mother after he disappeared and told her Roger was suicidal and he had been counseling him privately. Roger's mother flatly didn't believe such a story. Roger's father supposedly had told Mr. Pash to stay away from his son. In his posting Mr. Pash offers a very different spin on these stories. Why Mr. Pash became the center of attention in this case, I have never been able to ascertain. However, while there are many ideas about a motive, there is no evidence to support any of them. Also, there is the matter of timing. Roger is on his way to class, walks away from his locker toward the doors that lead (nowadays from photos of the school) to a parking lot. Mr. Pash's home is 500 yards across the lot. So, does Mr. Pash force Roger to go to his home, with a parking lot of people present? And no one, as far as I know, ever reported seeing Mr. Pash around that area that morning. If Mr. Pash had the intention of harming Roger there were certainly better opportunities with less risk. Mr. Pash was interviewed by the LE, but I would suppose all of Roger's teachers were. In addition, if memory serves, Mr. Pash had an alabi.. he coached the Wrestling Team and they were away the weekend before and I am not sure if Mr. Pash was even at school that day... he discusses in his posts here some years back. There were a variety of stories of what happened to Roger, one was that he left, ended up in Kansas working at a gas station. Often rumors are started to throw people off the track, it would be interesting to know who started such rumors. Whoever did may have had a motive to keep others believing he left of his own accord.
 
This is the problem, there is no evidence of anything, apparently. NO evidence that Roger was suicidal, unhappy, gay, walked away on his own, was lured somewhere, was threatened, or anything else. He was just gone. Everything else is just speculation. I would be helpful to be able to speak with fellow classmates of Roger’s to get their impressions. Of course, without any concrete evidence, any impressions are basically worthless. And the perpetrator knows that -
 
There is a website started by a friend of Becky's (Roger's now deceased sister) in which there were interviews with his ski club coach (now also deceased I believe) in which he states he knew of no reason that Roger would either run away or harm himself. Now, back then being gay in a small midwestern town would certainly count as a reason. Further, if his ski club teammates thought him gay you can bet everyone would have heard about it I think. As to Mr. Pash, he has always denied the stories of students partying at his home and underage sex & drinking. One should remember that Mr. Pash was and is I believe a very liberal person in terms of social and political outlook. Such sentiments did not endear him to the people in Cedaredge... read his many comments posted here over the years. He discusses blatant racism and even a book burning.. the final straw in his decision to leave and move to California. Now, none of that precludes the notion that could have had inappropriate relations with students... in fact, one posted anonymously that he was present at such events involving underage drinking, drugs, and sex... but anonymous posting does not hold much weight for me. For whatever reason, Roger's family always believed Mr. Pash was somehow involved. There is a long story about how Mr. Pash went to Roger's mother after he disappeared and told her Roger was suicidal and he had been counseling him privately. Roger's mother flatly didn't believe such a story. Roger's father supposedly had told Mr. Pash to stay away from his son. In his posting Mr. Pash offers a very different spin on these stories. Why Mr. Pash became the center of attention in this case, I have never been able to ascertain. However, while there are many ideas about a motive, there is no evidence to support any of them. Also, there is the matter of timing. Roger is on his way to class, walks away from his locker toward the doors that lead (nowadays from photos of the school) to a parking lot. Mr. Pash's home is 500 yards across the lot. So, does Mr. Pash force Roger to go to his home, with a parking lot of people present? And no one, as far as I know, ever reported seeing Mr. Pash around that area that morning. If Mr. Pash had the intention of harming Roger there were certainly better opportunities with less risk. Mr. Pash was interviewed by the LE, but I would suppose all of Roger's teachers were. In addition, if memory serves, Mr. Pash had an alabi.. he coached the Wrestling Team and they were away the weekend before and I am not sure if Mr. Pash was even at school that day... he discusses in his posts here some years back. There were a variety of stories of what happened to Roger, one was that he left, ended up in Kansas working at a gas station. Often rumors are started to throw people off the track, it would be interesting to know who started such rumors. Whoever did may have had a motive to keep others believing he left of his own accord.
Is this the one?

Help crack a cold case

Its creator and keeper is also deceased now, sadly.
 
Yes, it is. Mr. Pash makes several observations about the information given on the site, many of his observations are well taken and well thought out, but then again, Mr. Pash's father worked for the CIA as I recall. Much of the information is speculation or third-hand information or just opinion. I agree with The Phantom, there is no evidence of anything, nothing to even base an opinion on. I tend to believe that Mr. Pash was regarded as an outsider by the community... and had been harassed by the community and we all know what happens to outsiders who are seen as different and don't quite blend in. If he were indeed responsible in some way, he moved away years ago so there should be no reason for everyone to maintain their silence. Do you believe the testimony (deathbed testament) of the hunters who saw a young man (Roger) hand bound, being led through the forest and then hearing a gunshot... if it's a lie... what was the point? The man was dying. If it was true, the hunter said it was "in the early spring" Roger disappeared in February... so where was he being held for those weeks? Any why? Keeping him as a hostage would be very dangerous. At some point in time, the story had enough credence that the local college anthropology class searched an area in the forest northeast (?) of the town. Found nothing. With no close living relatives left... parents long gone, sister now gone and his other siblings who have been quiet all these decades and apparently not looking to keep up the search, I doubt that there will not be any new answers forthcoming. The local LE and media have no apparent interest in pursuing this case further. I do believe Roger is dead and has been since 1981, the why, where & who will probably never be known. One more sad note for a family who had suffered so much loss... on Becky's FB page some months back is a post with pictures of Becky's granddaughters... a pretty young lady, apparently in her early 20's, has been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
 

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