Hi, I'm another newby that has been reading along. The lack of disclosure on many fronts unfortunately leads to much speculation. What we do know is he contacted a school friend, which since he left without informing his family, is information that did not come from him. It had to come from his family members and LE discovering this information after he was found missing, so I'd say it's likely correct.
It has been reported that he was "upset" and that he "ran" into or towards the wilderness area and that he was meeting a third party. There have also been contradictory reports to this.
I'd like to point out that if he was using a social media app like grindr to hook up with a new or former hookup up that these apps track and broadcast your location information in real time. What if a former or new hookup was attempting to compromise him or set him up for harm and the meeting went south and he consciously turned off the gps in an effort to mask his location from that person?
With the little information given it does seem to me that he was possibly drawn out to the location rather than setting up a complex hook up involving a driver in a very scary (at night) isolated location for a brief encounter. It just makes more sense.
I also have a question for those of you familiar with the area. From his drop off location would using the trail possibly be a "shortcut" to any homes adjacent to the trail or to swing back to the shopping center? In other words, if he was meeting with someone who 'couldn't be seen' or was wanting to mask that he was going to a home close by would getting dropped there and using the trail accomplish this?
That hat is so scary. I don’t know anything about those apps like Grindr and Tinder, this is the first I’ve ever heard of Grindr since following this case. I’m not old, but omg I would have been terrified to meet someone in that way.
But ues, I would agree that that would be a reason to turn off the location service.