MN MN - Albert Lea, I-90, WhtMale 40-55, UP13731, garnet/ruby ring, clothes, coins 1965-1992, Apr'15

[carbuff]

Here is what NamUs states for Mr. Clemons: "
Clemons was employed as a truck driver in 2000. He was a resident of the New York City borough of Brooklyn at the time. Clemons was scheduled to deliver a truck to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area in June 2000. He became stuck in the mud near Rochester, Minnesota on June 17, 2000 and was helped back onto the road by the police, who gave him directions to Milwaukee. Clemons never arrived at Milwaukee, however. <B>He was last seen walking away from the vehicle near Interstate 90 and Interstate 43 in Beloit, Wisconsin.</b> Clemons does not usually make deliveries; his job is to maintain the shipping yard for the trucking company, which had employed him for ten years prior to his disappearance. However, Clemons's boss states that he was anxious to make the delivery to Milwaukee. He has not been seen or heard from since June 17, 2000."

BBM - I had not really noticed this before. So really thinking it's not him at this point.



Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Why was he in Minnesota if he was delivering from Brooklyn to Milwaukee? And if he was stuck in the mud, he must have left the highway, too. Poor guy must have been really confused.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

 

[Tippy Lynn]

Here is what NamUs states for Mr. Clemons: " <snip>
Clemons was scheduled to deliver a truck to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area in June 2000. He became stuck in the mud near Rochester, Minnesota on June 17, 2000 and was helped back onto the road by the police, who gave him directions to Milwaukee. Clemons never arrived at Milwaukee, however. He was last seen walking away from the vehicle near Interstate 90 and Interstate 43 in Beloit, Wisconsin."

I had not really noticed this before. So he was actually last seen in Wisconsin? I'm really thinking it's not him at this point.

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/8050/15

I don’t think it’s a match

 

[Tippy Lynn]

Why was he in Minnesota if he was delivering from Brooklyn to Milwaukee? And if he was stuck in the mud, he must have left the highway, too. Poor guy must have been really confused.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

He didn’t usually make deliveries, but he was anxious to make the delivery. So sad.

He was last seen walking away from the vehicle near Interstate 90 and Interstate 43 in Beloit, Wisconsin. Clemons does not usually make deliveries; his job is to maintain the shipping yard for the trucking company, which had employed him for ten years prior to his disappearance. However, Clemons's boss states that he was anxious to make the delivery to Milwaukee. He has not been seen or heard from since June 17, 2000.

 

[itsrak]

Clemons had to be disoriented. He was heading from NJ to Milwaukee to deliver a truck. Yet police helped get him un-stuck in Rochester, MN, he was last seen walking away from the truck along I-90 near Beloit, WI, credit records show his card was at one point used in Des Moines, IA (straight south of Albert Lea on I-35), (Albert Lea is a crossroads, being at the intersection of two cross-country major interstate highways, I-90 and I-35) and the last sign of life of him was use of his credit card at a Conoco gas station in Albert lea, around 3 miles from where unident's remains were located just inside the interstate fenceline on south side of I-90.

Here's an article from 2000 that covers when Clemons went missing near Beloit. It quotes a Nicole Clemons, who is James Clemons grand-daughter. Presumably investigators showed her the picture of the interesting ring found with unident's remains. She must not have recognized it as belonging to her grandfather, because if she had this case would have been closed in 2015.... http://www.beloitdailynews.com/archive/article-e2d3e3ed-5237-5024-8efc-1f289e1c85ac.html

Here's another article that suggests that the reason Clemons left the truck along I-90 near Beloit was because he had run out of gas. http://www.beloitdailynews.com/archive/article-479c24fc-0ff1-5c67-b1c5-9b973bf61e07.html

Here's an article from two months after Clemons disappearance, notes that a trucker, responding to a missing person ad, reported that he'd seen a man resembling Clemons in Mankato, MN (alas, doesn't say when). Mankato is an hour northwest of Albert Lea. To drive to Mankato from Albert Lea, one takes Highway 13. Highway 13 intersects I-90 less than a mile west of where unident's remains were found... http://www.beloitdailynews.com/archive/article-535e12de-69ab-524b-ab0c-774beccbc89f.html So, basically, it appears that Clemons may have passed through Albert Lea several times. Curious.

But Clemons is probably NOT unident, because investigators have presumably already compared unident's dental with the dental records of Mr. Clemons, with no match, and have presumably shown unident's ring to Clemon's closest relatives, such as his grand-daughter Nicole.... Also, he apparently used his credit card in Albert Lea. So if he then died a few miles away along I-90, his credit card would likely have been found with the remains (I'd think a credit card would survive 15 years - 2000 when Clemons went missing to 2015 when unident's remains found). Right?

 

[itsrak]

Given that Mr. James Clemons was known to have been disoriented and traveling I-90 both by vehicle and then on foot, and given that Clemons' last known location (based on credit card use) was a location 3 miles from where unident's remains were located along I-90, Clemons would be an obvious missing person to consider and rule out. At that point, in Albert Lea, he was without vehicle, and presumably hitchhiking or on foot. Most likely died shortly after last using credit card in Albert Lea, since he was never heard from again.

And investigators have what they need to rule him out. And presumably they have. How could they not?!

Yet, nearly 3 years in, investigators have for some odd reason not placed Clemons' name on the list of those ruled out as decedent in this case.... https://identifyus.org/en/cases/13731

Curious.

 

[carbuff]

He didn’t usually make deliveries, but he was anxious to make the delivery. So sad.

He was last seen walking away from the vehicle near Interstate 90 and Interstate 43 in Beloit, Wisconsin. Clemons does not usually make deliveries; his job is to maintain the shipping yard for the trucking company, which had employed him for ten years prior to his disappearance. However, Clemons's boss states that he was anxious to make the delivery to Milwaukee. He has not been seen or heard from since June 17, 2000.

Sorry, my post appears to have been unclear. I was asking whether he was really so confused that he drove 250 miles past Milwaukee and off the road somewhere enough to get stuck. But the article Itsrak posted makes it pretty clear that he was indeed that disoriented.

 

[Damarna]

Given that Mr. James Clemons was known to have been disoriented and traveling I-90 both by vehicle and then on foot, and given that Clemons' last known location (based on credit card use) was a location 3 miles from where unident's remains were located along I-90, Clemons would be an obvious missing person to consider and rule out. At that point, in Albert Lea, he was without vehicle, and presumably hitchhiking or on foot. Most likely died shortly after last using credit card in Albert Lea, since he was never heard from again.

And investigators have what they need to rule him out. And presumably they have. How could they not?!

Yet, nearly 3 years in, investigators have for some odd reason not placed Clemons' name on the list of those ruled out as decedent in this case.... https://identifyus.org/en/cases/13731

Curious.

So....has anyone actually submitted him as a match? On NamUs and Charley Project it indicating he is missing from Beloit... Not Albert Lea, MN. This is about a 4.5 hour drive.

I may have missed where it indicated they showed his granddaughter the ring?

I probably am just missing a piece of the puzzle?

 

[itsrak]

How could they not , after 2.5 years, have shown the granddaughter and/or other relatives or co-workers an image of the ring? That is my point. Or compare dental with dental records. Unless they have some non-publicized way of knowing unidentified remains are not those of James Clemons.

I suppose Mr. Clemons is officially missing from Beloit because that is where he is last known to have been seen. Whereas last solid indication that he was alive is, if reported facts are correct, Albert Lea, where his credit card was last used, not long after he was last seen in Beloit along a road fronting the I-43 / I-90 interchange.

But again, male remains were found along I-90 in Albert Lea on the one hand, and on the other hand, 15 years prior a disoriented man - who been driving along and then perhaps hitch-hiking along I-90 and was last seen along I-90 - goes missing and his last known location was in Albert Lea (where he was apparently on foot, having left his vehicle in Beloit) 3 miles from where the remains were found. Needless to say, that'd be about the first missing person one would try to link to the remains.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

The male body found along I-90 is estimated to be that of a male teens to 50 years old and Clemons was 72 years old when he disappeared in 2000. Would they get the age off by 20 + years? Also Clemons was wearing boots and shoes were with I-90 male.
It doesn’t match up the best, but it’s still the best I’ve seen and I think it’s worth it to see if it’s a match. JMO

Clemons
Date of Birth
12/25/1927 (90)

Age
72 years old

Height and Weight
6'0 - 6'1, 160 - 170 pounds

Clothing/Jewelry Description
A blue and white velour shirt, jeans and black boots.

Medical Conditions
Clemons may have been suffering from the initial stages of Alzheimer's Disease at the time of his 2000 disappearance. He may be disoriented as a result of his condition.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[itsrak]

Yeah, it is a long-shot to be Clemons, cuz there are thousands of missing persons. I just think there are a bunch of factors (my prior posts) that should have compelled investigators to seek to investigate and rule him out by now - check dental and/or show that ring to relatives. So easy. He should have been the first one to rule out - been up and down I-90, disoriented, elderly, last known to be in Albert Lea, so when a skeleton turns up along I-90 three miles from where Clemons last used credit card many years prior, who is the first missing person to consider? Mr. James Clemons!

As to the boots, my read is that that is was what Clemons was wearing when he set out in the dump truck from his place of work in NY (or maybe the cops who helped him get un-stuck in Rochester (one hour drive from Albert Lea, BTW) provided the info as to what Clemons was wearing?). Presumably, he'd bring a change of clothes for a trip that long. Maybe changed into shoes. Who knows.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

Yeah, it is a long-shot to be Clemons, cuz there are thousands of missing persons. I just think there are a bunch of factors that should have led investigators to rule him out by now - check dental and/or show that ring to relatives. So easy.

As to the boots, my read is that that is was what Clemons was wearing when he set out in the dump truck from his place of work in NY (or maybe the cops who helped him get un-stuck in Rochester (one hour drive from Albert Lea, BTW) provided the info as to what Clemons was wearing?). Presumably, he'd bring a change of clothes for a trip that long. Maybe changed into shoes. Who knows.

I know the area well. In fact, I know the guy who found the male when he was cleaning up his property along I-90.

 

[carbuff]

Broken Bones Raise Questions in Freeborn County Skeletal Remains Case

(Sent from ABC 6 NEWS)
http://www.KAALtv.com/article/stories/s3934550.shtml?cat=10151

Freeborn County Sheriff Kurt Freitag says they include broken ribs, a broken pelvis, a broken arm, and broken leg. All of the fractures are on the right side of the body.

Sheriff Freitag says this is the only clue relating to what may of happened to the person. He says it raises the possibility of the person being hit by a car, but also says the fractures could have been caused by a larger tractor or lawn mower after they'd been placed along the Interstate.

Sounds like he could be a hitchhiker hit by a vehicle. Looking at the picture of the recovery site upthead, mowing equipment doesn't seem likely.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

 

[itsrak]

Could be. But the remains were so far from the road that the victim would have to have been dumped there or crawled there. And if a bad character hit someone, why would you stop and carry them to the fence line - you wouldn't, you'd keep on rolling. And why would a hit/run victim crawl there - he wouldn't.

The simpler answer, IMO, is that the bones of the skeleton were likely broken by a mower blade attachment. I've been to the site, and it is regularly mowed. They use big, heavy tractor-pulled mowers along interstates, and the weight of the mower attachment could probably easily crush old, dried out bones.

I also think it is an unlikely place for someone to dump a body. There are endless wide-open places in rural southern Minnesota to dump a body with no one around, why do it in plain site of passing traffic, where a sheriff might see you stopped?

But I could see where someone disoriented, without a vehicle and hoofing it along the interstate, needing a rest, might walk to the fence line to lay down in privacy afforded by the taller grass. And maybe that material said to have been found around the body was some sort of blanket the victim was carrying with him. It can get cool at night in June in Minnesota.

Who knows.

 

[carbuff]

A male wrapped in a painter's tarp-like material. It appears the body was carried there, possibly in someone's arms, and dropped by the fence.

Police also saw some teeth with the remains.

http://www.postbulletin.com/news/lo...cle_19d43528-3745-5f88-b010-5e7926db109c.html

___

They think the remains have been there anywhere from one to two years.

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2015/04/07/police-investigating-suspicious-death-in-albert-lea/

____

The remains were found tight up against the fence sunken in the dirt, and it did not appear that anyone had taken steps to conceal the body.

http://www.albertleatribune.com/2015/04/bca-searching-area-along-i-90/

Bolded by me. Also the photo. The ditch might be mowed, but it would be hard to get all the way up against the fence with mowing equipment.

One scenario: night, the person who hits him stops, maybe wraps him in a tarp to keep him warm but he's already dead. Person has reason like outstanding warrant or drugs in trunk to not want to deal with cops, and nobody is around, so he quickly carries the dead guy as far as he can get from the highway and drops it as far out of sight as he can, then leaves quickly.

Sent from my SM-T560NU using Tapatalk

 

[itsrak]

Maybe. But the two interstates in Freeborn County, of which Albert Lea is the county seat, have way more traffic than other roads. And there's the long carry to the fence line. Would be just about the last place to dump a body, IMO. Any gravel road would be better, more convenient, less chance of getting spotted.

I don't think the victim was hit by a car. I'd guess his skeleton was run across by wheel of a mower attachment, maybe more than once over the years. Also, if I recall correctly the estimate of the length of time the body may have been there was subsequently lengthened....

 

[Pennysmom1]

For some reason, this missing man seems like a possible match to me. They think he may have been hitchhiking.

THOMAS COOK - Missing since August 14, 2013 From Pueblo Colorado
Age at Time of Disappearance: 25 years old
Height & Weight - 5'8"; 185 lbs
Biracial black/white mixed male. Brown hair; brown eyes
Scars: Scar on right eyebrow scar on lip to right side of nose
Nickname: Tommy

 

[Damarna]

Can't help but think about his family - well is missing him?

 

[Melt71]

@MadMcGoo happy Boxing Day my dear! If you have a chance to get online, would be interesting to see any updated ruleout list! You'll be pleased to know my NY plan is to try and get a Namus account..I used to live in the US so still kind-of have an address..

 

[MadMcGoo]

You know @Melt71 , I’ll admit, I had to Google “Boxing Day” ... and I am pleasantly surprised! (I expected another rubbish sporting event ) So, Happy Boxing Day to you as well my friend! Now, whatever will I have left to do if you go and get yourself a NamUs account?! At least if you’re feeling a bit lazy, you know who to call on!

Ok, back to business...
(Attaching photo of ring)

Current list of exclusions for UID per NamUs:
-- cody christie -- -- MN
MP23168 Michial Annamitta Jr. 11/23/2013 Carlton MN
MP18074 Joshua Bohlen 09/19/2012 Rice MN

 

[itsrak]

I still think the Freeborn County remains may well belong to James Clemons who went missing in 2000, last known location Albert Lea, Freeborn County. AFAIK, they have never ruled that out. Which is quite strange, as it could easily be done. They could easily rule it out by either a) comparing dental remains with dental records of Mr. Clemons from New Jersey, or b) they could show a pic of the distinctive ring found with the remains to Nicole Clemons, granddaughter of James Clemons. SHOW THE RING PIC TO NICOLE CLEMONS.