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

New Posts

Status
Not open for further replies.
Pictures of Steve Gardin without beard.

1048335_10152980678755257_1176171433_o.jpg


He is more or less in center, in a similar or the same shirt to the other photos.

859137_10152552114955257_1861598175_o.jpg
 
I will note that one page seems to say that Steve Gardin may have been found safe, with no further information, although I can't find any other confirmation.

I Am Missing

I'm also unable to find him by manually searching on Canada or British Columbia's official missing sites.

He looks so similar to Mostly Harmless in some photos, which I think is helped by him wearing virtually identical clothing. I do think it's possible that Steve's ears stick out a bit more. While I think Steve's story is more consistent with the sort of person who would just keep on hiking indefinitely (seems to have no real online presence past about 2014, known to be living off the grid/outdoorsy, was living in intentional communities and traveling/hostels prior to that), it is completely inconsistent with what Mostly Harmless seemed to tell people about himself (from NY/NJ, worked in tech, family in the US).
 
I don't hold on much to what Harmless told people as being the truth. He wanted to leave his past behind and start anew. He did not want to be found. To do that he had to distance himself from family/friends/jobs and his past. When planning a disappearance, you have to totally lose your past. You have to leave behind false trails, you don't disappear where they will be looking for you or where they think you are and you make up a new past and learn to tell it like its true. You have to lie and mislead almost constantly for the rest of your life about your past until the past becomes the new you.

I also think Steve's ears are off (stick out more). I also could not confirm he has been found safe nor if he was still missing. No word from the Sheriff's office yet.
 
I was thinking the same thing about MH's story--if he really was trying to hide out or run from his past, he might have embroidered, left out significant facts, or manufactured people and events. Heck, people do that even when they're not running from their past, to make themselves look better or keep private things to themselves. So I personally wouldn't rule anybody out just based on a discrepancy in their stories.
 
Last edited:
carbuff said:
I was thinking the same thing about MH's story--if he really was trying to hide out or run from his past, he might have embroidered, left out significant facts, or manufactured people and events. Heck, people do that even when they're not running from their past, to make themselves look better or keep private things to themselves. So I personally wouldn't rule anybody out just based on a discrepancy in their stories.
Click to expand...

Good point. I first didnt think the handyman could be him because no mention of IT work but after reading further I realized the hiker may have lied about being in IT work if he was hiding his past.

What an interesting and amazing hiker he was whoever he was. He hiked so far it was incredible. Basically from NY to Florida. Just incredible.

Hope we can help ID the person found deceased in Florida.

Been reading back and hope I got most of this post accurate with things I just mentioned. :)

Thanks everyone for caring about the missing and unidentified. Your work is appreciated. :)
 
Owutatangledweb said:
Just reminded me of MH's teeth in pic in post 728. Seems like a shadow?
Click to expand...

Could be...I looked for more photos of him without any luck. Checked for any family looking for him...Nothing on the FB friends/family about him.

Can't believe family/friends are not plastering photos all over about their missing loved ones...I don't care how long they been gone, I would flood facebook pages, twitter, newspapers, etc if it was one of my family/friends missing.
 
From two days ago. Unfortunately, I am not seeing any new information:

“Collier detective: Tips will be 'crucial' to identifying hiker found dead in Big Cypress five months ago”

“The hiker had no obvious injuries, and his death did not prompt suspicion of a crime, the Sheriff's Office reported. The cause and manner of death have not been determined, and further examinations are planned, according to the Collier County Medical Examiner's Office.

An autopsy report and tissue and teeth exams have been completed, said Elizabeth Nunez, the office's director of operations. She said via email that the body will receive a full anthropological examination, which will take several months.

Investigators entered some of the man's forensic information in databases that match unidentified individuals to missing people, according to a social media post on the Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

[SBM]

Investigators have received tips and photos from several hikers who think they might have encountered the man on the Appalachian and Florida trails. Investigators think the man in the photos they received is the same man found in the preserve.

[SBM]

‘Neither of the names given by the decedent to other hikers has aided in identifying his real identity,’ Sheriff's Office Detective Mark Williamson said in an emailed statement. ‘Nicknames could be chosen for a variety of reasons related to an individual’s character or simply to conceal a true identity.’

Investigators think the man has ties to New York state and Louisiana. He might have worked in the technology industry.

Anyone with information about the hiker is asked to call the non-emergency line of the Sheriff's Office at 239-252-9300.

‘The public’s assistance is crucial in this case,’ Williamson said via e-mail. ‘Detectives are hoping a citizen may recognize the decedent and provide a name, location of residence, relative or any other piece of additional information that would aid in determining his true identity so that his family could be notified.’”
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.naplesnews.com/amp/2424552002
 
Owutatangledweb said:
Does he seem to have the messed up finger noted previously by posters?
Click to expand...

I'm not totally sure about the messed up finger for Mostly Harmless. It's a red haring. If you take a piece of paper and hold it like that there is no messed up finger, just the way humans hold a piece of paper like that. Try it yourself. IMO
 
Messed up finger was mentioned as I was looking for anything that is making the Collier sheriffs office rule out profiles that people are suggesting so fast. Perhaps a detail we are not noticing. The last suggested profile, Karl, is not in any databases but was ruled out in less than 5 minutes..This has been the immediate response to all suggestions so far...Until this last one, Steve Gardin...although they immediately looked at the information as soon as it was sent there has been no response...Most likely due to the holidays
 
Classito said:
Messed up finger was mentioned as I was looking for anything that is making the Collier sheriffs office rule out profiles that people are suggesting so fast. Perhaps a detail we are not noticing. The last suggested profile, Karl, is not in any databases but was ruled out in less than 5 minutes..This has been the immediate response to all suggestions so far...Until this last one, Steve Gardin...although they immediately looked at the information as soon as it was sent there has been no response...Most likely due to the holidays
Click to expand...

Mostly likely Karl had been previously submitted and all they had to do was look at their list.
 
Classito said:
Messed up finger was mentioned as I was looking for anything that is making the Collier sheriffs office rule out profiles that people are suggesting so fast. Perhaps a detail we are not noticing. The last suggested profile, Karl, is not in any databases but was ruled out in less than 5 minutes..This has been the immediate response to all suggestions so far...Until this last one, Steve Gardin...although they immediately looked at the information as soon as it was sent there has been no response...Most likely due to the holidays
Click to expand...
I guess being from Canada may slow things down too.
 
Benjamin Trommels
Missing Feb 11, 2016
24 yrs old
5'7-5'8
Shaved head-Looks brown
Hazel eyes-Look blue in photos
Scar over left eyebrow

Looked him over because of age..But his eyes keep bringing me back...

B Trommel.JPG Ben Trommel 2.jpg Ben Trommel 3.jpg Ben Trommel.jpg

Also noted the left eyebrow seems to have the same dark area above it as Harmless--May be nothing

Ben Eyebrow.JPG
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

DNASolves

Who is Escambia County John Doe (1989)?

Members online

... and 174 more.
Total: 3,637 (members: 175, guests: 3,462)

Online statistics

Members online
175
Guests online
3,462
Total visitors
3,637
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
592,594
Messages
17,971,561
Members
228,837
Latest member
Phnix
Back
Top