Found Deceased CA - Trammell Evans, 25, hiker, Joshua Tree NP, last seen April 30, 2023

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dulcinea said:
The posters on the family's FB page are highly informative. I suggest reading through all of them. Trammell seems like a really interesting guy. Refer to megs1477's post 17 for the link.
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I wonder if he changed his plans and that's why he didn't pick up his water cache, and more importantly why they haven't found any trace of him?

I find it very odd that none of the other 55 hikers on the trail recall seeing him

He only planned to camp a half mile down the trail the first night. He could have decided to cancel his trip the next day and easily exited the trail where he started
 
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It would be so easy to go off the grid and lay low in Joshua Tree, 29 Palms, Desert Hot Springs, or any of the surrounding weird little desert towns. There are also large swaths of residential areas in those towns that don't have cell coverage still.
 
sunflowermomma said:
It would be so easy to go off the grid and lay low in Joshua Tree, 29 Palms, Desert Hot Springs, or any of the surrounding weird little desert towns. There are also large swaths of residential areas in those towns that don't have cell coverage still.
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One of my initial thoughts too, but are these places really that far off the grid?

Imo 2 months is a long time not to use a cell phone, bank acct or contact any friends/family
 
Protectwomenandgirls said:
What do you think could have happened to him? I worry that he was known to travel with large amts of cash...
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I worry that he liked to make his money off of poker. If the wrong person owes him money, it could go south quickly.

The FB page for him says he goes for extended periods without using his phone or credit card. It also mentions he's a hitchhiker (which I don't like). Maybe he encountered some other free spirits who were travelling around and he decided to tag along. I'd be curious to check out Slab City and maybe notify other national parks. A lot of people this time of year go park-to-park. He could be enjoying traveling around with some new found friends.

His family and JT really seem to think he's not in the park, per the postings on the FB page. It states the family hasn't ruled out that he's chosen to go off grid or is having a mental health or substance related issue. I don't know if they are just speculating or if they have reason to believe something along these lines might have happened. If Tram planned to go off grid, the planned hike (to me) was a read herring.
 
dulcinea said:
I worry that he liked to make his money off of poker. If the wrong person owes him money, it could go south quickly.

The FB page for him says he goes for extended periods without using his phone or credit card. It also mentions he's a hitchhiker (which I don't like). Maybe he encountered some other free spirits who were travelling around and he decided to tag along. I'd be curious to check out Slab City and maybe notify other national parks. A lot of people this time of year go park-to-park. He could be enjoying traveling around with some new found friends.

His family and JT really seem to think he's not in the park, per the postings on the FB page. It states the family hasn't ruled out that he's chosen to go off grid or is having a mental health or substance related issue. I don't know if they are just speculating or if they have reason to believe something along these lines might have happened. If Tram planned to go off grid, the planned hike (to me) was a read herring.
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It could also be dangerous for him if he owed someone money!
Was also wondering if he may have met some new friends around JT and decided to travel with them. Good idea about Slab City, not sure if there are any other communities like this where he could be hanging out?
Ah now I see what you mean about the red herring
 
sunflowermomma said:
It would be so easy to go off the grid and lay low in Joshua Tree, 29 Palms, Desert Hot Springs, or any of the surrounding weird little desert towns. There are also large swaths of residential areas in those towns that don't have cell coverage still.
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Garth's Boulder Garden is such a local obvious option for someone tapping out for a bit, that I have to assume it was checked already, but remains another nearby option.
 
Trammell Evans

Evans's backpack was found near the remains, Cathy Tarr, executive director of the Fowler O'Sullivan Foundation, told News Channel 3. The family is waiting for DNA confirmation.
kesq.com

Remains found in Joshua Tree National Park believed to be hiker missing since April 2023 - KESQ

Human remains believed to be missing hiker Trammell Evans were recently found in Joshua Tree National Park, a missing hiker advocate working close to the family told News Channel 3.
kesq.com kesq.com
 
slowpoke said:
Find Tram FB Page

At the Find Tram FB webpage, they confirm his remains were found near Covington Flats in JTNP, and share that he passed away due to complications from alcohol withdrawal. I believe they based this on his journal entries that was found. :(
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Every time that someone goes missing in a remote area, their family says that the area was thoroughly searched and there was no sign of them, and thus they must have been picked up by someone and still be alive. And then sleuths on social media say, the area was thoroughly searched and there was no sign of them, so they must have been picked up by someone and murdered. And nearly every time, the person is found deceased in that remote area, the victim of misadventure or suicide.

I think there needs to be greater understanding of how hard it truly is to search a large area and confirm that there is not a deceased person on it. Bodies are missed on small acreages. There is no way to clear an area as vast and rocky as JTNP. It's not the explanation the family wants, or the most titillating explanation for the folks online, but Occam is usually right.
 
The Palm Desert Sheriff's Office responded to the location, as did the Riverside County Sheriff's Office and the Riverside County Coroner's Bureau.

At this time, the identity of the deceased and the cause of death have not been determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

A statement does not identify the remains as belonging to Trammell Evans, 25, who vanished back in May. But the Desert Sun reports sources claim that it is, in fact, Evans' body.
themessenger.com

Human Bones Found Just off Trail at Joshua Tree National Park Could Be Hiker Who Disappeared Last Year

The search for missing hiker Trammell Evans is likely over, following the discovery of a skeleton in Joshua Tree National Park
themessenger.com themessenger.com
 
imstilla.grandma said:
The Palm Desert Sheriff's Office responded to the location, as did the Riverside County Sheriff's Office and the Riverside County Coroner's Bureau.

At this time, the identity of the deceased and the cause of death have not been determined, and the investigation is ongoing.

A statement does not identify the remains as belonging to Trammell Evans, 25, who vanished back in May. But the Desert Sun reports sources claim that it is, in fact, Evans' body.
themessenger.com

Human Bones Found Just off Trail at Joshua Tree National Park Could Be Hiker Who Disappeared Last Year

The search for missing hiker Trammell Evans is likely over, following the discovery of a skeleton in Joshua Tree National Park
themessenger.com themessenger.com
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We will be waiting for official confirmation of course, but my heart goes out to his family. When I first read this case, with the desert conditions, the water necessary for such a hike in those temps, and his gear (athletic shoes for hiking in rattlesnake land), I was worried about the risks and was hoping he had just said "nope!" and left to do other things without contacting anyone.
 
This was a surprise - his family released that his final journal entry detailed some effects of alcohol withdrawal. If he was getting sober "cold turkey" it can be dangerous at the best of times, depending on the length of abuse of alcohol, but in high temperatures without adequate hydration - my heart just hurts for them. (alcoholism runs in my bio family, so I'm familiar with the dangers). Human Remains Found at Joshua Tree Believed to Be Hiker Who Went Missing Last April
 
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