CA CA - Egbert Rimkus (dec'd), Cornelia Meyer, & 2 kids, Death Valley, 26 July 1996

[anthrobones]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_Valley_National_Park

http://www.nps.gov/deva/


http://www.nps.gov/deva/pphtml/maps.html

As for animals, there are coyotes, mountain lions, foxes, bobcats, rattlesnakes (the harmful animals at least). Not sure about bears. Anyone know?

 

[anthrobones]

unless you count cactus.

Or Joshua Trees.

 

[Beyond Belief]

I must have missed something. Were they to return to the cabin? Wheres the luggage?

 

[WhiteWolf]

I don't understand why they do not have a Doe Network page for the youngest boy.

I googled an article that states Cornelia and Max Meyer have been declared legally dead by her family.

 

[KarlK]

I must have missed something. Were they to return to the cabin? Wheres the luggage?

My guess is they would have tried to reach the last sign of civilization they had encountered. Whether or not this was the cabin where the flag had been taken is unclear, as is the distance between the stranded van and the cabin.

While I feel sad for the loss of the tourists it's pretty obvious that the adults have only themselves to blame for what happened. Wandering the desert in a minivan following what amounts to little more than a mule trail not even suited for a Hummer is plain idiotic, and it's not like there aren't plenty of warnings against engaging into such a suicidal expedition.

 

[reb]

i too am confused. how far were they from the last cabin? why did it take so long for their van to be found? because no one was crazy enough to go out there and risk their own lives to find them? i agree with karl,, it's sad but definitely suicidal and irresponsible- especially with a 10-yr old child!!! once again, it's that false sense of security that people have inside an automobile (much like the kim family had)... when really it's just a few feet of temperate air surrounding you keeping you alive, and a few inches of metal between you and a quick death.

 

[KarlK]

i too am confused. how far were they from the last cabin? why did it take so long for their van to be found? because no one was crazy enough to go out there and risk their own lives to find them?

I believe that several factors explain why it took so long to find the van. First of all they didn't tell anyone about their intended itinerary and being foreigners it's likely that they didn't know anybody locally. Also from what I gather their relatives in Germany only had a vague idea of their travel plans and therefore couldn't report them missing in a specific area, nothing beyond the inquiry with the car rental agency.

Secondly the "trail" they were on is obviously very seldom (if ever) used by vehicles as evidenced by the fact that nobody reported finding the van for months, not even rangers appear to venture there. Thirdly a green van parked among desert brush is probably not easy to spot from above especially if you're not looking for it. In fact it was found by pure luck, that area seems to be so remote that it could probably have remained unseen for years had that helicopter not happen upon it by chance.

 

[Julessleuther]

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2089dmca.html

http://lang.sbsun.com/a1/072206.pdf

Interesting that no evidence has ever been found.

 

[forthelost]

http://www.forthelost.org/calikids/WeberRimkusMeyer.doc

 

[kashmir]

This is my first post...but I saw this and it sent a chill through me:
http://ww2.cox.com/myconnection/tulsa/today/news/national/article.cox?articleId=D9BURIH00&moduleType=apNews

I guess this might be our missing family?

 

[annemc2]

Great find, Kashmir! Thanks for posting. Hopefully the family will finally get some closure.

 

[anthrobones]

Wow. I wonder what happened to them.

 

[CrimeSolver]

This case is existentially unsettling, haunting somehow. I'd like to see a map of where all the components of the story are in relation to each other: the visitors' center, the abandoned van, the cabin, and now the bones with the ID.

 

[fran]

I hadn't heard about this case until tonite. I've been through Death Valley. I believe the 'name' says it all. Go off any beaten path and it can be your doom. Tempratures go into the 120's, desolate, scary. Deserts are beautiful but you have to respect them.

FWIW, right now they're investigating this as a 'crime.' But there's nothing to indicate anything except it was most likely four people who got lost in the desert. They turned off onto the wrong road. That's all it would take, imo. Personally, I've always stuck to the main highways through this area. No remote area there for me!

JMHO
fran



http://news.aol.com/article/death-v...eath-valley-bones-may-solve-mystery-of/766810

Death Valley Bones May Solve Mystery

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (Nov. 14) - Skeletal remains found in Death Valley may belong to one or more of the four German tourists who vanished in searing summer heat 13 years ago, authorities said Friday.

Two hikers discovered the bones Thursday in a remote area of the famous Mojave Desert park. The hikers were search-and-rescue workers from Riverside County but they were off duty at the time, Inyo County sheriff's spokeswoman Carma Roper said.


<<<<<<<<<<<<full article at link>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[CrimeSolver]

This is the general vicinity where the tourists got lost and perished:

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&sour...66,-117.096534&spn=0.016486,0.033345&t=h&z=15
The van was found somewhere to the north of the spot marked on the map, the skeletal remains were found somewhere to the southeast, according to the article posted by Fran. Presumably, their intention was to exit the park westbound on Goler Wash Rd./Coyote Canyon Rd.

 

[KT Can]

WOW, irresponsible indeed. I've followed this story from the beginning, but only now do I truly understand the area of which we are talking about...I just youtube'd videos for the Goler Wash/Coyote Canyon area in Death Valley -- and NO ONE should EVER be out there with two children in a MINI-VAN!! What in God's name were they thinking??? Those are NOT roads, this is absolutely totally and completely off-roading type of stuff!!

I have to say that I agree with Karl...I feel sad for the loss of the tourists and their poor little children and the horrible situation with which they found themselves in, but I agree, the adults have only themselves to blame. This was idiotic and suicidal. I am grateful that they may have finally been found though. What a horrible way to go.

YouTube- Goler wash Dec 30

YouTube- Goler Wash, Barker Ranch, Mengel Pass, Death Valley 4x4 part 1

YouTube- Nissan group up Goler Wash - rough cut

 

[gaia227]

If it turns out they did not die from exposure is it possible they ran into Gary Hilton?

 

[scriptgirl]

Who is Gary Hilton?

 

[gaia227]

He was arrested for the murder of hiker Meredith Emerson and is now suspected to have killed several others, all in outdoor, recreational areas.

Gary M Hilton Serial Killer - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/15838537/detail.html

 

[gaia227]

The other person I thought of was Joseph Burgess the man who was killed recently in CA by police. He was the main suspect in the murders of a couple who was camping 37 yrs prior and now he is a suspect in the murders of Lindsay Cutshall and Jason Allen who were killed in a very similar way in 2004.
http://www.truecrimediary.com/index.cfm?page=cases&id=94

http://www.truecrimediary.com/index.cfm?page=cases&id=17 (nice write up about unsolved homicides along the west coast which could all be linked to the same person)