VA - Grateful Dead Fan - Unidentified male, 26 June 1995 - #1

i think the key to this case is in the deadhead community. even if he didn't follow the band around -- even if he went to just a show or two, SOMEONE out there has to remember him, or something about him, or something about one of the carolines.

i'm involved in the 'community' of another band that has a large live following and trust me, everyone knows everyone.

while this case has been discussed on the deadhead message boards from time to time, i don't think that is enough -- new 'heads are joining the boards all the time; others may not check the boards every day. if we want to solve this case, we need to put ourselves out there on those fan websites until they get sick of us! :crazy:


and obviously the more we know the better .. does anyone know who is the detective on this case? has anyone here spoken to him/her before? shecky, the greenville county sheriff's office would probably have some info for you.

anyways gotta go .. moving halfway across the country this weekend, must peel myself away from WS for a bit!

Fairy1 said:

I sure would like to know if the tickets they found on him were just stubs or complete tickets. Also wondering if he had any cash on him. Seems these are points that would have been covered in the LE report. Or the ME report!

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I believe it is stated that they were stubs. At least, that is what it says on Doe Network. I want to see the actual photos of "Jason", that is, providing there is anything to really be seen after such a horrible accident. But I'd like to have an idea of just how accurate that composite is. I'd also really like to find out just how far LE pursued that phone number on the note. Even without an area code, it couldn't have been that difficult to track down!

blue_the_puppy said:

i think the key to this case is in the deadhead community. even if he didn't follow the band around -- even if he went to just a show or two, SOMEONE out there has to remember him, or something about him, or something about one of the carolines.

i'm involved in the 'community' of another band that has a large live following and trust me, everyone knows everyone.

while this case has been discussed on the deadhead message boards from time to time, i don't think that is enough -- new 'heads are joining the boards all the time; others may not check the boards every day. if we want to solve this case, we need to put our
selves out there on those fan websites until they get sick of us!

and obviously the more we know the better .. does anyone know who is the detective on this case? has anyone here spoken to him/her before? shecky, the greenville county sheriff's office would probably have some info for you.

anyways gotta go .. moving halfway across the country this weekend, must peel myself away from WS for a bit!

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Thank you BTP! I agree we should probably focus on the deadheads. Jason, Caroline x 2, etc. The only reservation I have about this direction is, why did he have to hitch a ride from a stranger if he was a deadhead? If he was a follower, seems he would most likely have had at least a small circle of friends to travel with. Then again, maybe he was new to it....IDK!!!!!!

BTW - good luck with your move!!!

Shecky said:

I believe it is stated that they were stubs. At least, that is what it says on Doe Network. I want to see the actual photos of "Jason", that is, providing there is anything to really be seen after such a horrible accident. But I'd like to have an idea of just how accurate that composite is. I'd also really like to find out just how far LE pursued that phone number on the note. Even without an area code, it couldn't have been that difficult to track down!

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Agreed. Don't know if they have any actual post-mortum photos. (That sounds icky!). I'm generally not a big fan of re-creations, but if the injuries were severe, they will not post actuals. I know they say stubs, but I would like to have that verified. Difficult for me to make those calls during the day as I have an 8-5 job in a "big brother" corp!

ok, I re-read the entire site, took notes, and have come up with new questions. They're for trying2id, Lizza, Richard, and islanders.

trying2id, we all want you to come back here. This was your thread, you began this. It's time for all of us to get it back together to send this Guy home with his name.

Lizza, you posted:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1709811&postcount=305

and

Lizza said:

I have got response from the investigators regarding a possible match between the guy who disappeared in January 1995 and "the grateful dead fan". At this moment I think it´s the best not to give the name of the guy. I have already understand that they not thought that it was the best thing to do when I post the photo in this way, but they have been nice and let me know that they seriously see this as a possible positive match. As I aprehend of their questions, there are more authorities involved in this case. We´ll se what happends next.

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Has anything become of this? Please post back.

Someone else, (forgot the name) ,posted a group of possibilities

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2163270&postcount=360

Did anyone investigate these? There didn't seem to be a response to the poster.

There also doesn't seem to be a response to this one either:

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2262273&postcount=378

islanders, did you ever get a response to this?

islanders said:

Hello everyone,

There was a possible identification in a Grateful Dead forum. I looked up the name and found the address and family. I reported this tip to the Missing Children’s site, and the Virginia Medical Examiner’s office and emaild them, but the person who was assigned to he case no longer worked there, my emails were discarded.

I called around and finally tracked down the office and person in charge of the case but didn’t talk to her directly. One of her colleagues said she would tell her.

I followed up with a phone call and left a message but still haven’t heard back.

It’s only been two weeks. I’m going to call again tomorrow and find a personal email.

But it has been frustrating! No one will even bother to return a call or email, saying yes or no!

I haven’t posted any personal information on the possible victim’s family. Also, I want to try and contact the VME again, so there wont be any misunderstanding.

I didn’t want to call this family on my own, so I’ll call the police tomorrow also, and I might need some help if I keep getting ignored.

I’ll check back in next week and let you know if anyone has done anything with the possible ID.

John

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http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1709811&postcount=305
Richard, you stated that you saw a photo of the note from the Caroline's. Was there any evidence indicating the note had previously been taped to something? Or, were there any fold lines/creases in the note?

This is what I'm thinking. What if the two Caroline's and our Guy got a motel/hotel room prior to the concert. Our Guy went out for a walk or a smoke, or to party after the concert. He came back to the room and the note was taped on the door.

With that in mind,,,I'm wondering if LE checked out all motel/hotel's (surronding the area where the concert was) to see if anything was left behind in a room. And/or, to check out if any of the rooms had been utilized by a Caroline.

Or maybe they were camping at a nearby campsite and the Caroline's left the note with someone at a nearby tent? Which would explain why there was a "Jason" that left a tool box with someone?

Someone mentioned that "deadheads" may be our biggest help. And I agree with that 100%. I think a few of us need to register on GD's site and start conversing with folks that were at the concert the same night as our Guy.

Well, I've been sitting here at the computer all freakin day. Time to give it up for a night.

Shecky said:

Well, I have the time and the cell phone minutes to make some phone calls if needed. I'd just need to know where to start.

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re: phones & $$$

as a BellSouth customer, I chose an option for unlimited long distance calls, anytime & anywhere (US) for only about $20 a month..... I suggest anyone considering searching via phone should look into a fixed charge for long distance offered by his or her telephone provider.

I know some do have cell minutes to spare, but thought this idea was worth mentioning for those who may have "after hours" or other constraints on their phonelines...... your out-of-town friends & relatives may benefit too.


also.... I would love this case to be solved tonight.... but, if it is still open after I clear a couple obligations off my slate, I plan to join the search.

noZme said:

re: phones & $$$

as a BellSouth customer, I chose an option for unlimited long distance calls, anytime & anywhere (US) for only about $20 a month..... I suggest anyone considering searching via phone should look into a fixed charge for long distance offered by his or her telephone provider.

I know some do have cell minutes to spare, but thought this idea was worth mentioning for those who may have "after hours" or other constraints on their phonelines...... your out-of-town friends & relatives may benefit too.


also.... I would love this case to be solved tonight.... but, if it is still open after I clear a couple obligations off my slate, I plan to join the search.

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:blowkiss::blowkiss::blowkiss:

I know we have the option of unlimited long distance with Cox, but since we're on a bundle package (cable tv, internet, phone- lower $$ together than separate) I'll have to see if it's possible and if it will raise our bill any higher.

I have wondered for a while if he could be Gordon Thomas Page Jr.

mere said:

I have wondered for a while if he could be Gordon Thomas Page Jr.

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Here is Gordon Thomas Page on Charley Project.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/page_gordon.html

I don't think he is our guy- that site states that Gordon Page is 6'3" tall which is at least six inches taller than the greatful dead fan at 5'7"-5'9". Also he would have been 32 in 1995 and JD was around 16-21 yrs old I think?

lorelei said:

Here is Gordon Thomas Page on Charley Project.
http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/p/page_gordon.html

I don't think he is our guy- that site states that Gordon Page is 6'3" tall which is at least six inches taller than the greatful dead fan at 5'7"-5'9". Also he would have been 32 in 1995 and JD was around 16-21 yrs old I think?

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I don't see this being Gordon Page either. JD was too well taken care of, imo, to be GP. Plus all the things you mentioned as well.

I really don't feel like JD was that far from home either, a neighboring state maybe. He just doesn't seem like he followed the GD all over the country (drugs were pretty common among GD followers and JD had 0 in him, plus with Deadheads everybody knew each other, I find it hard to believe that noone remembers him) and maybe just hitchhiked to the RFK concert because it was relatively close. Kind of like my brother who will go to concerts a state or two over if there's someone he really wants to see, since we rarely get big name stars anywhere near here. His favorite is Ozzfest. It doesn't come to Misssissippi, not even sure if it comes to New Orleans, so he goes to the one in Texas.

I also vaguely remember something about someone calling asking personal questions about him after the accident and LE thought it was his family. I haven't been able to find any info on this anywhere and I'm wondering if I'm thinking of another case. Anyone remember?

Has anyone gotten a hold of the year book yet? Just wondering.

I found this link which gives a list of All GD concerts in 1995 below I posted the ones closest to him being killed including the one he had a ticket stub for

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mleone/gdead/95.html

Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY (Wednesday 6/21/95)
Knickerbocker Arena, Albany, NY (Thursday 6/22/95)
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. (Saturday 6/24/95)
RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C. (Sunday 6/25/95)
The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI (Tuesday 6/27/95)
The Palace, Auburn Hills, MI (Wednesday 6/28/95)
Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, PA (Friday 6/30/95)
Deer Creek Amphitheater, Noblesville, IN (Sunday 7/2/95)
Deer Creek Amphitheater, Noblesville, IN (Monday 7/3/95)
Riverport Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, MO (Wednesday 7/5/95)
Riverport Amphitheatre, Maryland Heights, MO (Thursday 7/6/95)
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL (Saturday 7/8/95)
Soldier Field, Chicago, IL (Sunday 7/9/95)

there's a new thread for this topic, lets move over there
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69822

marylandmissing said:

For awhile I was doing a little research on the cases that were solved by the DoeNetwork and what went wrong. Did a little presentation on this once for law enforcement...What I've seen continually is this:

A. Number one reason is age estimations of the unknown are off. Police may be searching for someone 20-25 when the missing person is 35, and therefore they won't get a hit through NCIC on it.
B. Person isn't reported missing. We've had several at Doe who were never reported missing, but family came to the site for assistance. Various reasons - missing was in trouble with the law, family was estranged and not allowed 'legally' to report the person missing, prime suspect is the one who didn't report them missing, or they were ignorant on how to report a person missing or if the report was still active.
C. Missing was not from the US
D. Foster child who ran more than several states over.
E. AFIS and DNA didn't exist. Florida and other states have cleared up a dozen or so UNID cases by rerunning fingerprints (many didn't have access to national fingerprint databases years ago).
F. Drifters who were reported missing in another state.
G. No one knows exactly when the person went missing, and therefore an estimated date is put into the system. We've seen several cases on Doe where the missing date was July, body found prior, and it matched up.
H. Person disappeared prior to 1985 and the missing person report wasn't in the system anymore.

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Thank you for this very valuable information. I wonder if we should make it a sticky?

outofthedark said:

I sometimes thought that the name that the name "Jason" was maybe an identifying factor about the JD...

If he had a tatoo of a 5-pointed star on his left arm and it's pictured on the Doe Network- don't you think somebody would have recognized it by now? If somebody knows who this JD is- wouldn't they be able to know it was by the tatoo itself

Just a little thought and ponder...

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I wonder if there is a possibility that the boy got the tattoo after he went missing so the family might not of known about it so therefore did not report that to the police. :waitasec:

christine2448 said:

Wow. the younger picture does have some resemblance.

NOTE...I am working on more than one case where the Doe network has had incorrect info.....one inparticular DOE said there were dentals available, and there were NOT. They may have the eye color wrong...look at the pic of the boy, the 1st pic, the eyes DO NOT LOOK BLUE to me.....just a thought...maybe this needs to be looked into???

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Christine, would it be possible to do a side by side pick like the one above with GDF and Daniel Sheppard? Thank you in advance (if you do, lol)

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1466dmsau.html

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/127umva.html

trying2id said:

Please check out this page, I found some of the information at the doenetwork and some from the investigating officer back in 1995. I know that I left some information from the doenetwork out, I did that on purpose. I have posted this everywhere and I did not want the parents (when I find them) to find out certain things from reading a posting on the internet. Please try to help me on this one.

Shawn

[URL="http://www.geocities.com/trying2id/JDpage.html"]http://www.geocities.com/trying2id/JDpage.html[/URL]

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Shawn, You have been thinking about this boy for so many years. I hope he is identified one day for the family's sake but also for you and for the others here on Websleuths, on other sites and the officer who never forgot him and hopes one day to find out who this lad is.


http://vancnews.com/articles/2005/07/07/emporia/news/news02.txt

After the program aired a segment on the case in 1995 the state received calls from as far away as California, said Jones, who was the Virginia State trooper who handled the case in 1995. He is now a sergeant in the Richmond office but has not forgotten the case, which he still hopes to solve.

http://unsolvedgratefuldeadfans.homestead.com/UnidentifiedMale1.html

It appears that our friend Todd Matthews also has a site that features our gratefuldeadfan and others of course.

http://unsolvedgratefuldeadfans.homestead.com/ContactUs.html

im not sure if this has been posted but i found a grateful dead site where you can search people who went to certain shows. i also found a woman on there named caroline but it doesnt appear she went to his show.

http://www.dead.net/member/caroline