WY WY - David Milton Crouch, 27, Bridger-Teton National Forest, 31 Aug 1997

[ADKGemini]

David Milton Crouch – The Charley Project

David Milton Crouch

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Crouch, circa 1997

• Missing Since08/31/1997
• Missing FromBridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming
• ClassificationLost/Injured Missing
• Date of Birth08/31/1970 (48)
• Age27 years old
• Height and Weight5'10, 175 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry DescriptionA flannel shirt and jeans.
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Brown hair.

Details of Disappearance
Crouch was last seen in Pinedale, Wyoming on August 31, 1997. That day he was on a hiking trip with three friends and a guide in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. He separated from the group and went on a solo fishing trip at Island Lake at 10,500 elevation.

The others began searching for him after he didn't return to the group's base camp at Lost Lake by nightfall, and they reported him missing the next morning. Nighttime temperatures in the Island Lake area were well below freezing, and Crouch didn't have any supplies with him, not even a coat or gloves. Authorities believe it's unlikely he survived even one night exposed to the elements.

He lived in Stevensville, Maryland at the time of his disappearance, and was an avid bicyclist who owned a bike shop with his wife in Stevensville. Extensive searches turned up no indication of his whereabouts, but he is presumed to have gotten lost or injured in the wilderness.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[MagnoliaMountain]

He disappeared on his birthday...how sad.

 

[YaYa_521]

This profile was posted on NamUs today. I'd imagine and hope they compared these remains to David's case.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Circumstances of Recovery
Remains were located on a popular trail in Teton County.

 

[PayrollNerd]

This profile was posted on NamUs today. I'd imagine and hope they compared these remains to David's case.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Circumstances of Recovery
Remains were located on a popular trail in Teton County.

Both list a flannel shirt and jeans as the clothing. I bet that’s him. I wonder how far from the search area the remains were found. The location of the remains would hopefully shed light on whether he really did go fishing or if his disappearance was foul play, suicide or accident.

 

[YaYa_521]

Both list a flannel shirt and jeans as the clothing. I bet that’s him. I wonder how far from the search area the remains were found. The location of the remains would hopefully shed light on whether he really did go fishing or if his disappearance was foul play, suicide or accident.

I don't see the clothing shown on the NamUs profile for John Doe. @Tuck posted a new thread for JD in the unidentified forum. The info in post #2 on that thread isn't on NamUs. Now I'm confused. Is there a secret reading room that I'm not finding on NamUs? Is that where you and Tuck are hanging out reading MP & UID reports?

WY - WY - Teton County, WhtMale Adult, UP67178, May'98

 

[PayrollNerd]

I don't see the clothing shown on the NamUs profile for John Doe. @Tuck posted a new thread for JD in the unidentified forum. The info in post #2 on that thread isn't on NamUs. Now I'm confused. Is there a secret reading room that I'm not finding on NamUs? Is that where you and Tuck are hanging out reading MP & UID reports?

WY - WY - Teton County, WhtMale Adult, UP67178, May'98

I don’t have a NamUS account and that may be how more details were provided on the UID 67178. I now see that this guy was wearing a blue T-shirt, not a flannel shirt as I originally thought.

I apparently clicked on the NamUS link For MP26323 for D Crouch thinking it was UID67178. Then clicked on the Charley Project link for D Crouch and saw the same clothing description. My apologies for my error and causing confusion.

After reviewing UID67178 more closely, I don’t believe they’re a match. Both cases are very detailed and the circumstances, clothing don’t match up enough.

 

[YaYa_521]

I don’t have a NamUS account and that may be how more details were provided on the UID 67178. I now see that this guy was wearing a blue T-shirt, not a flannel shirt as I originally thought.

I apparently clicked on the NamUS link For MP26323 for D Crouch thinking it was UID67178. Then clicked on the Charley Project link for D Crouch and saw the same clothing description. My apologies for my error and causing confusion.

After reviewing UID67178 more closely, I don’t believe they’re a match. Both cases are very detailed and the circumstances, clothing don’t match up enough.

Thank you! I've done the flipping profile errors many times myself.

The profile I see on UP67178 has hardly any detail except:

Circumstances of Recovery - Remains were located on a popular trail in Teton County.

I'm not sure if Tuck and I have the same or two cases tangled in the UID thread. I think I've previously read that info he posted but I don't remember. I'll post here once it's all figured out. But I agree with you that if these remains are the same as the camper's I don't believe they'll belong to David.

 

[John/Jane Doe]

David Milton Crouch – The Charley Project

 

[DD Byrd]

Yes, it's elevation. And Wyoming. But in August, I don't think the temps would generally be 'well below freezing," unless there was an unusual severe drop in temp that night. That said, if he wasn't wearing much and definitely if he got wet, he could succumb to hypothermia in the more likely 50s. I'm just questioning that detail with a mind towards the others.

Is there evidence he even made it to Island Lake? He certainly could have gotten pretty far (in the wrong direction) if he wasn't experienced. But that's why S&R are experienced, and would look deep, up, in caves, etc. If they couldn't start until daylight, he did die in the water, and sank, then it is possible he wasn't found right away. This seems wholly a moot point though, because I'm not seeing S&R searches even done. It just sounds like his friends looked for him and reported him missing. And, has anyone found anything else? Bizarre if that is indeed a national forest.

I'm curious what the guide told him? If he/she was a paid professional, I'd think safety was kept in mind and therefore it was thought ok for David to head off on his own. Esp if he's visiting (1st time?), I'd imagine there is a certain path he'd be told to stick to rather than just pointing off yonder. Him sticking to it is another matter.