Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” July 2018 - Vance Rodriguez #2

[MadMcGoo]

I only knew of CCSO saying anything about Lake George. It seems like it was something about the “codes” they found in his belongings that prompted them to release that info. I do remember seeing a NY newspaper article about it...and the two states were in contact regarding Denim...

In fact, let me see if I can find the article...
Yes! I don’t have a link, it’s just been saved in my Drive, but the paper was from The Post-Star (Glens Falls, New York) · 23 Feb 2019, Sat · Page A3

Eta: There was a lengthier article, but I apparently didn’t save that one...

 

[snickums]

Feel like you're on to something there Narkj, quote from one of the blog posts...

"I was employed with a small tech start-up at the time and did not have health insurance."

Benjamin

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Just wondering how populated that Florida Trail is from April to July. Possibly, he couldn't get help ear the end because no one was around, particularly during the hellishly hot month of June in Florida.

 

[carbuff]

I’m new to this so forgive me if I did this wrong but I was also thinking it could be along the lines of my family. I have 9 siblings & we are not close. We’ve all grown up and most moved away. If I left to surprise my sibling w/a visit & didn't make it I doubt anyone from my family would report it because we don’t speak often. My mom would of course be calling my husband but we don’t know that he has any parents still living. My husband & kids of course would notice & report it but if he isn’t married or have children old enough to know somethings wrong & report it then who would? His employer if he had one would just assume he decided to quit but you’d think his roommate or whoever he was renting from would notice & possibly report it but maybe he owned a home but seems like the mail would be piling up along with utilities being shut off but would they report it? Probably not. It’s hard to imagine someone could get lost in today’s technology but it seems it’s easier than we thought

LE won't necessarily accept a missing person report from a coworker or roommate. Some areas do, but we've read about quite a few place where they wouldn't.

 

[Countem]

You would think that this case would be an exceptional candidate for online DNA analysis using a forensic genealogist.

Has the police department ever addressed this as a possibility?

 

[K9Enzo]

You would think that this case would be an exceptional candidate for online DNA analysis using a forensic genealogist.

Has the police department ever addressed this as a possibility?

They actually did address DNA/genealogy testing. The podcast series was good. IMO, it's worth listening to. It was released by the Sheriff's Department.

CCSO Media Relations

 

[carbuff]

You would think that this case would be an exceptional candidate for online DNA analysis using a forensic genealogist.

Has the police department ever addressed this as a possibility?

Florida apparently has strict rules about when it can be used--I think the phrase I was told (on a different case) was that they have to prove they've "exhausted all other options" before they can use a technique that seriously violates the privacy of lots of people

 

[K9Enzo]

They actually did address DNA/genealogy testing. The podcast series was good. IMO, it's worth listening to. It was released by the Sheriff's Department.

CCSO Media Relations

Replying to my own post with a better podcast link.

Sworn Statement | Collier County, FL Sheriff

 

[MadMcGoo]

I agree, if you’ve not listened to the Podcast, I highly recommend that you do!! Between that and a timeline that IIRC @Gardener1850 made early on...those are the two most informative resources! IMO

(BTW...Gardener, I love your new timeline tag line )

 

[Narkj]

Forgive me if this has been posted before. . . .
1. The woman at the CLC hiker center said she went through the log and he did not sign in.
2. Since many of my Google searches for "Bilemy" came back to Turkey, I posted on a bunch of Turkish FB groups. If you said the words "Ben Bilemy" aloud in Turkish" it would more or less mean "I don't know." Written as two separate words, though, didn't make sense to Turkish speakers. Ben means "I" and "Bilemy" on its own has no meaning. It is not a surname in Turkish. They don't think he looks Turkish either.

The thought is tantalizing, though, to think when asked to write out his full name, he could have been writing "I don't know." It's all a guess. I still think the name is some variant of a real thing. Not sure who or why anyone's ever studied aliases. A LE guy I know says they're often not far off the real name, and the closest match, "Bellamy" is a big pool, though more common in Louisiana than say, Maine.

That's it.

 

[neesaki]

Forgive me if this has been posted before. . . .
1. The woman at the CLC hiker center said she went through the log and he did not sign in.
2. Since many of my Google searches for "Bilemy" came back to Turkey, I posted on a bunch of Turkish FB groups. If you said the words "Ben Bilemy" aloud in Turkish" it would more or less mean "I don't know." Written as two separate words, though, didn't make sense to Turkish speakers. Ben means "I" and "Bilemy" on its own has no meaning. It is not a surname in Turkish. They don't think he looks Turkish either.

The thought is tantalizing, though, to think when asked to write out his full name, he could have been writing "I don't know." It's all a guess. I still think the name is some variant of a real thing. Not sure who or why anyone's ever studied aliases. A LE guy I know says they're often not far off the real name, and the closest match, "Bellamy" is a big pool, though more common in Louisiana than say, Maine.

That's it.

Thanks for doing the research . The name is a real puzzle and frustrating, as is the case in its entirety.
As you, my initial thoughts were Bellamy, but, as you say there are a lot of Bellamy’s. ...needle in a haystack.
If he did really work in Brooklyn area and his friends put his belongings in storage, seems someone would know by now he’s actually missing, and have come across this information. Idk if that part of the story is even true though.

Does anyone know if LE can access all DMV records?

 

[Countem]

Replying to my own post with a better podcast link.

Sworn Statement | Collier County, FL Sheriff

Thank you very much for the link! I look forward to marathoning the podcast!

 

[K9Enzo]

Thank you very much for the link! I look forward to marathoning the podcast!

You’re welcome! Check back in with your thoughts after listening.

 

[Gardener1850]

I agree, if you’ve not listened to the Podcast, I highly recommend that you do!! Between that and a timeline that IIRC @Gardener1850 made early on...those are the two most informative resources! IMO

(BTW...Gardener, I love your new timeline tag line )

Thanks! I didn't choose my title of "Timeline Guru" but it was given to me by another member on the JJ Vallow and Tylee Ryan threads. If you haven't read that case we are on thread #7 and it's a quite a crazy case to follow. I had to make a timeline to keep it all straight. (The most updated version is in the media thread if anyone wants to start following that case late ). Back to the topic of Denim/Mostly Harmless: I agree that it's a good idea to listen to the podcast or at least read our discussion of it in thread 1. The Sheriff's Office covers so much info there that was not put out in written articles. I wonder if they would consider doing another podcast to update us on the progress of Denim's DNA testing? It would also be great if they did a Q & A and answered some of our frequently asked questions. MOO.

 

[neesaki]

I'm just now having a chance to read back on the first thread, didn't realize they had stated his cause of death was from starvation. But is that the official COD ? Maybe an illness or disease led to the starvation.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

The most recent rule-out (added within the last couple of days, I think):
Terry Lynn Hattaway, Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last Contact: April 19, 2000
Missing From: Pensacola, Florida

Missing Age: 46 Years
Current Age: 66 Years
Height: 5' 9" (69 Inches)
Weight: 130 lbs

NamUs Case Created: November 5, 2010
Circumstances of Disappearance: Came home from work and has not been seen since.

Hair Color: Brown
Left Eye Color: Blue
Right Eye Color: Blue


Link to the list of exclusions:
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Link to Terry’s NamUs profile: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

There is a slight facial resemblance, IMO.

 

[Alethea]

I spent all day reading these threads and can’t believe he wasn’t identified. If he really worked in tech I have to imagine he would have been identified by now- every tech person I know loves Reddit so you’d think someone would have recognized him.

 

[neesaki]

I spent all day reading these threads and can’t believe he wasn’t identified. If he really worked in tech I have to imagine he would have been identified by now- every tech person I know loves Reddit so you’d think someone would have recognized him.

That part is odd to me too. I wonder whose paying his storage rent for his belongings his friends put in storage.
And why did they put them in storage for him rather than himself doing so. Another oddity, IMO.

I wonder if LE has checked storage facilities in the area they believe he’s from. If no pay, how long before they auction everything off.

 

[janewall]

That part is odd to me too. I wonder whose paying his storage rent for his belongings his friends put in storage.
And why did they put them in storage for him rather than himself doing so. Another oddity, IMO.

I wonder if LE has checked storage facilities in the area they believe he’s from. If no pay, how long before they auction everything off.

Regarding the storage facility, in my experience with one in Queens NY – and I have no idea how typical this is of the industry, but it's been suggested that MH lived in Brooklyn, so it's not a stretch to think similar policies/timeframes could apply – they auctioned off my friend's stored items after 2 months of nonpayment for his space. Unfortunately, if MH did use a storage unit and he did not arrange for a friend to pay the rent indefinitely, his stuff likely was liquidated long ago.

 

[Ursamajr]

Facial hair growth and color, eyelid size and eyebrows are different, but... they look like they could be cousins.