Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” Jul'18 - Vance Rodriguez #5

[MadMcGoo]

I’m not one to put much stock into Wikipedia, nor do I discount some of the things on their site. But… Vance’s seems inadequate. I’d rather he not have a page at all. Right?

Death of Vance Rodriguez - Wikipedia

 

[GatorFL]

I’m not one to put much stock into Wikipedia, nor do I discount some of the things on their site. But… Vance’s seems inadequate. I’d rather he not have a page at all. Right?

Death of Vance Rodriguez - Wikipedia

There are some things missing but overall it is accurate.

 

[MadMcGoo]

There are some things missing but overall it is accurate.

Accurate, yes. I guess because a lot of us have learned so much more than what’s there. Guess it doesn’t need to be there.

 

[Ursamajr]

He seemed to have many obstacles earlier in life. He wasn't perfect but none of us are but he seemed to be working on himself. Vance still crosses my mind every once in a while.

 

[MadMcGoo]

He seemed to have many obstacles earlier in life. He wasn't perfect but none of us are but he seemed to be working on himself. Vance still crosses my mind every once in a while.

Definitely. They remain with you long after being identified, don’t they? I hope people like Vance can see that now. He mattered.

 

[moonriverfarm]

Thinking of MH today and wondering if there was ever a medical opinion on why he starved to death.

 

[GatorFL]

Thinking of MH today and wondering if there was ever a medical opinion on why he starved to death.

There was not. I think his mental issues which included Aspergers and Borderline Personality Disorder plus his history of zoning out for days at a time support the theory that he starved to death because of psychological reasons instead of a physical illness.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Thinking of you today Vance. Your spirit lives on.

 

[lonewanderer]

Thinking of you today Vance. Your spirit lives on.

I was JUST thinking about him today. It was around Christmas time last year that there was rumblings of him being identified with exciting posts about people claiming to know him.

It was like 4am in my old apartment and my heart was racing from excitement.

Rest in peace, Vance.

 

[GatorFL]

There is a documentary being made about Vance.

 

[Luckymissrose]

There is a documentary being made about Vance.

Any update to this? After watching the unraveling for two years, I would be interested in seeing that put into motion. Craziness.

 

[GatorFL]

Any update to this? After watching the unraveling for two years, I would be interested in seeing that put into motion. Craziness.

Still in production as far as I know.

 

[lonewanderer]

This scene with Timothy Olpyhant reminded me of him quite a bit.

 

[fred&edna]

Still in production as far as I know.

I wonder how his family feels about this documentary and if any of them are participating.

I'm not exactly a fan of delving more deeply into his life.

jmo

 

[branmuffin]

I wonder how his family feels about this documentary and if any of them are participating.

I'm not exactly a fan of delving more deeply into his life.

jmo

Well, his family has never made any public statements regarding their son and brother. They have neither confirmed nor denied any information that has been stated and verified online, either through friends, girlfriends, or journalists.

I think the appeal of Vance is, for the general population, even with verified accounts of his cruel behavior towards the women in his life, is that with all that, he's still an enigma.

He's like a cipher, an empty slate where people, regardless of the information that has been confirmed, will continue to create a back story for him to suit their own fulfilment.

Depending on the reasons for the documentary; is it a cash grab to benefit financially before interest wanes or are they truly trying to find the essence of Vance Rodriguez?

He held the same interest to me as the Gabby Petito case, although with Gabby we were privy to the last few days of her life, whereas Vance was a total mystery, even down to the cause of death.

 

[GatorFL]

Well, his family has never made any public statements regarding their son and brother. They have neither confirmed nor denied any information that has been stated and verified online, either through friends, girlfriends, or journalists.

I think the appeal of Vance is, for the general population, even with verified accounts of his cruel behavior towards the women in his life, is that with all that, he's still an enigma.

He's like a cipher, an empty slate where people, regardless of the information that has been confirmed, will continue to create a back story for him to suit their own fulfilment.

Depending on the reasons for the documentary; is it a cash grab to benefit financially before interest wanes or are they truly trying to find the essence of Vance Rodriguez?

He held the same interest to me as the Gabby Petito case, although with Gabby we were privy to the last few days of her life, whereas Vance was a total mystery, even down to the cause of death.

I know for one person who is a distant relative of Vance, who never knew him, and who vehemently opposed a documentary on his case, there was a miraculous reconsideration. I say this because I heard he taped his segment before Christmas.

I wouldn't consider a distant DNA match to be family however.

I would be surprised if the family is involved but I don't know for sure.

 

[branmuffin]

I know for one person who is a distant relative of Vance, who never knew him, and who vehemently opposed a documentary on his case, there was a miraculous reconsideration. I say this because I heard he taped his segment before Christmas.

I wouldn't consider a distant DNA match to be family however.

I would be surprised if the family is involved but I don't know for sure.

I'm in agreement. It's possible the doc's creator made overtures to the immediate family but it may have just been a courtesy since they were pretty tightlipped during the whole discovery of who he was and his personality.

There are so many docs out there regarding mysteries, whether missing persons or unidentified individuals who are subsequently identified. Mysteries appeal to people. It's just the way it is.

The issue for me is that when a situation like Vance's takes on a life of its own, it's better to document the facts than trade in fabulism. If his family have demurred involvement they won't be able to be critical after the fact. However, we don't know if in fact they are involved.

I mean, there are still people out there who still think Elvis and JFK are still alive so facts don't change someone's fantasy.

 

[fred&edna]

I'm in agreement. It's possible the doc's creator made overtures to the immediate family but it may have just been a courtesy since they were pretty tightlipped during the whole discovery of who he was and his personality.

There are so many docs out there regarding mysteries, whether missing persons or unidentified individuals who are subsequently identified. Mysteries appeal to people. It's just the way it is.

The issue for me is that when a situation like Vance's takes on a life of its own, it's better to document the facts than trade in fabulism. If his family have demurred involvement they won't be able to be critical after the fact. However, we don't know if in fact they are involved.

I mean, there are still people out there who still think Elvis and JFK are still alive so facts don't change someone's fantasy.

BBM That is a very good point. Actually, you've made several good points in this post and the previous one Maybe I should say I have problems with documentaries, etc that seem to be only for financial gain and satisfy curiosities... which may or may not be the case with this one... I really don't know.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

On July 23, 2018, a hiker was found dead in his tent near the Appalachian Trail in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida; he appeared to have starved to death. He was estimated to be between 35 and 60 years old, was 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall and weighed 83 pounds (38 kg). He had graying dark brown hair, an unkempt gray and brown beard, and blue eyes. He also appeared to have a faint scar across his abdomen. Rodriguez was found wearing a beige shirt with neon green and gray accents, gray "Russel" brand shorts, "Performance" brand underwear, and a Columbiabaseball cap. He was also found with various camping and hiking items. He had been seen alive various times previously, and went by the names "Mostly Harmless", "Ben Bilemy", and "Denim" to those he met, possibly referencing Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.[29]

Othram Inc. was contacted in July 2020 to help identify "Mostly Harmless". On January 12, 2021, it was announced that "Mostly Harmless" had been identified as Vance John Rodriguez of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, who had moved to Brooklyn, New York after he was recognized by a former co-worker after seeing a flyer.
Othram | Wikiwand

 

[GatorFL]

I heard through the grapevine the documentary will be dropped soon.