Found Deceased CA - Fang Jin, 47, flew to LA from China, train to Palm Springs, Morongo Basin, 21 Jul 2023, w/ John Root Fitzpatrick, 55, (fnd dec.), 30 Jul ‘23 #2

[Cedars]

[[/QUOTE]

Anything is possible, but as it was sent to a range of people known to Fang, I would assume it was sent by her phone. There's no specific evidence that Fang was with her phone, but our VI has said that the family received a brief message about the lights of the city and plans to go camping. Sounds like she sent it, to me.

Also, using her favorite Chinese apps, to her desired audience, and written in Chinese.

 

[ch_13]

JRF (ex)wife from which he is still divorcing was(is) also Chinese , so it could be that JRF knew some basic Chinese but certainly not enough I assume to write that little sentence in Chinese ...

Also the movie is quite vague , maybe he drugged her because she writes : ‘this is a small town in the desert, there are quite many lights during this hour…….we plan to go camping soon'

Movie was taken in passenger side of car in Adobe rd 29palms (4 min from entrance of Marine base direction north) , so very very bizar .... because we expected a sentence like this : 'Look it is very nice here to observe the lights along the road, we are preparing our camping for the coming days ...so now first fuelling our car and tomorrow after a good rest at trailerhome of John (not far from here) we will have a great new another adventure more south' ....
which would have sound very acceptable to us without any worry....Why should you go searching for a camping place in neighbourhood of Adobe rd if your trailerhome is that close ? Why you would send this message to your most precious family and friends , specially when that area is not at all precious enough to show or communicate about ?

@mark1969, have you had an opportunity to speak with JRF’s ex?

Of course she wouldn’t have any direct knowledge. But she might provide some insights into his character and what he may or may not be capable of.

 

[slowpoke]

JRF (ex)wife from which he is still divorcing was(is) also Chinese , so it could be that JRF knew some basic Chinese but certainly not enough I assume to write that little sentence in Chinese ...

Also the movie is quite vague , maybe he drugged her because she writes : ‘this is a small town in the desert, there are quite many lights during this hour…….we plan to go camping soon'

Movie was taken in passenger side of car in Adobe rd 29palms (4 min from entrance of Marine base direction north) , so very very bizar .... because we expected a sentence like this : 'Look it is very nice here to observe the lights along the road, we are preparing our camping for the coming days ...so now first fuelling our car and tomorrow after a good rest at trailerhome of John (not far from here) we will have a great new another adventure more south' ....
which would have sound very acceptable to us without any worry....Why should you go searching for a camping place in neighbourhood of Adobe rd if your trailerhome is that close ? Why you would send this message to your most precious family and friends , specially when that area is not at all precious enough to show or communicate about ?

Just my observation, but (at least on a prior sample of her WeChat Moments), Fang writes short, ‘poetic’ style captions to go along with her photos or videos.

So, writing a longer narrative including chronology of plans wouldn’t match the way she generally writes.

(JMO, admittedly based on a tiny sample, so I may have faulty thinking)

 

[Sundog]

Mystery surrounds missing San Bernardino man found dead in Anza-Borrego state park

EAST COUNTY — A mysterious death, a missing woman and many unanswered questions are at the heart of an investigation into a 52-year-old man found dead last month in Anza-Borrego Des…

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

"Hoss said he reported his friend missing when Fitzpatrick didn’t return from an extended camping trip to the desert state park. He said he usually wouldn’t be worried because his friend was well trained to survive in rough terrain."

So why was he worried then? Was it the amount of time JRF was gone and DH expected him back sooner?

 

[Megnut]

I don't have that nighttime video at hand but was it narrated?

Was it perhaps filmed from an awkward angle, namely an arm's breadth from the driver's seat and not naturally from the passenger's?

An attempt to obfuscate?

Just how many parties might be involved? Was the violence perpetuated on JRF and his truck and his body were dumped? Is FJ a victim of homicidal violence.... or could she be a captive?

That highway drive, so many lights. I suppose, when compared to a vast desert... but if it -- snd the message -- felt "off" to those receiving, I trust them.

At what point truly was she separated from her phone?

I'm hopeful that warrant returns will piece this all together.

JMO

 

[Dhighsmith]

Mystery surrounds missing San Bernardino man found dead in Anza-Borrego state park

EAST COUNTY — A mysterious death, a missing woman and many unanswered questions are at the heart of an investigation into a 52-year-old man found dead last month in Anza-Borrego Des…

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

"Hoss said he reported his friend missing when Fitzpatrick didn’t return from an extended camping trip to the desert state park. He said he usually wouldn’t be worried because his friend was well trained to survive in rough terrain."

So why was he worried then? Was it the amount of time JRF was gone and DH expected him back sooner?

I’m only speculating and had also posted similar question but now believe it’s possible that JF’s missing persons report may have triggered DH’s concern.

 

[tarabull]

Can someone tell me what this location might be???

34°02'42.1"N 115°42'04.3"W · Morongo Unified School District, CA

Morongo Unified School District, CA

www.google.com

 

[Dhighsmith]

I’m not familiar with California requirements but with active homicide investigation, would the family not qualify for a Victim Advocate to liaison with law enforcement on their behalf? I’m researching but if anyone has experience with California, it will help.

 

[pukasonqo2]

Just speculation on my part, if there was a smell of decay in his trailer could it be that he harmed FJ, took the body to the desert to bury and had a medical emergency on his way to his car?
I really hope she is found for her family’s sake

 

[Sarah McGregor]

It's also not clear that the lower jaw was found.

RSBM

"CBS 8 also obtained photographs of the remains depicting a skull and jawbone separated from other remains nearby."

Family notified ex Navy SEAL found dead in desert, female companion still missing

Bones found in the Harper Canyon area of Anza-Borrego on September 17.

www.cbs8.com

 

[Dhighsmith]

I’m not familiar with California requirements but with active homicide investigation, would the family not qualify for a Victim Advocate to liaison with law enforcement on their behalf? I’m researching but if anyone has experience with California, it will help.

 

[I'm Nobody]

I’m not familiar with California requirements but with active homicide investigation, would the family not qualify for a Victim Advocate to liaison with law enforcement on their behalf? I’m researching but if anyone has experience with California, it will help.

@mark1969 I'm sure you have/are trying everything possible. RE: Victim Advocates: Daughter may eligible. Worth a try.
A non-resident victimized in California is eligible.
The crime must involve: Physical injury, Threat of physical injury, Death, or Emotional injury, in some cases.

A derivative victim (child included here) is an individual with a relationship to a direct victim who has expenses or needs services because of that person’s injury or death.

MOO

Website for CA victim eligibility. Online forms available.

Who Is Eligible - CA Victim Compensation Board

To get compensation, a person must be a victim of a certain kind of crime. In some cases, a witness to a crime may be eligible for compensation. Family

victims.ca.gov

 

[cenazoic]

The reported “smell of decomposition” is interesting. To me, that implies a dead body or bodies which were on-scene some hours to days post-mortem.

The odor isn’t that pronounced until the body enters the the 2nd or 3rd stage of decay (of 5), and is affected by environmental factors like temperature, humidity, etc, so it can be difficult to know exactly when the death occurred based on the presence of the smell.

Interesting chart here: https://academic.oup.com/view-large/90429526

From this journal article:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/90010990

 

[Dhighsmith]

@mark1969 I'm sure you have/are trying everything possible. RE: Victim Advocates: Daughter may eligible. Worth a try.
A non-resident victimized in California is eligible.
The crime must involve: Physical injury, Threat of physical injury, Death, or Emotional injury, in some cases.

A derivative victim (child included here) is an individual with a relationship to a direct victim who has expenses or needs services because of that person’s injury or death.

MOO

Website for CA victim eligibility. Online forms available.

Who Is Eligible - CA Victim Compensation Board

To get compensation, a person must be a victim of a certain kind of crime. In some cases, a witness to a crime may be eligible for compensation. Family

victims.ca.gov

Thanks for sharing details, I was about to also post link.

 

[10ofRods]

The reported “smell of decomposition” is interesting. To me, that implies a dead body or bodies which were on-scene some hours to days post-mortem.

The odor isn’t that pronounced until the body enters the the 2nd or 3rd stage of decay (of 5), and is affected by environmental factors like temperature, humidity, etc, so it can be difficult to know exactly when the death occurred based on the presence of the smell.

Interesting chart here: https://academic.oup.com/view-large/90429526

From this journal article:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/90010990

I was looking at that same chart and didn't want to be the only one interested in this rather unpleasant topic. But it's a crucial topic.

If nothing was found in the mobile home that was decomposing (meat out on the counter), I would assume that they wouldn't mention it in the search warrant (and I think they used it as evidence of possible homicide - hence the homicide appendix to the search warrant).

Most forensics manuals say 48-72 hours before decomp odors are able to be detected by human noses. For the smell to have permeated the house enough to be smelled immediately, the body had to have been there at least 48 hours IMO (I'm choosing the lower end of the time period because it was so hot out there and it's a mobile home - if the A/C was not on during that period, it would go faster). But how could this have happened between July 22 and 24? The truck is sighted in Thermal on the 22nd. JRF's phone is near Julian on the 24th.

It's certainly hard to fit this fact into the timeline (unless JRF went and scouted a place for body removal, knowing the decomp clock was ticking - thinking maybe he had 72 hours before it was too noticeable). Did he then come back to Morongo Valley??

All speculation.

 

[10ofRods]

RSBM

"CBS 8 also obtained photographs of the remains depicting a skull and jawbone separated from other remains nearby."

Family notified ex Navy SEAL found dead in desert, female companion still missing

Bones found in the Harper Canyon area of Anza-Borrego on September 17.

www.cbs8.com

Thank you! (It's good to see you again).

Now all we need to know is whether JRF still had his teeth in the first place. If he had most of them extracted, then he'd be very hard to identify by dental records as the skull and jaw are not specific enough for the task. Teeth are one of the few places that DNA can be found in a skeletonized body, as well. Maybe he did have a few teeth after all - we don't know that he didn't.

 

[10ofRods]

Can someone tell me what this location might be???

34°02'42.1"N 115°42'04.3"W · Morongo Unified School District, CA

Morongo Unified School District, CA

www.google.com

It appears to be south of the Amboy Crater, which is responsible for the lava flow making that black rock. Perhaps a school took a field trip there? There are a series of pictures taken by someone hiking near it (maybe walking or driving along the road).

It's clearly not the Morongo School District.

 

[10ofRods]

JRF (ex)wife from which he is still divorcing was(is) also Chinese , so it could be that JRF knew some basic Chinese but certainly not enough I assume to write that little sentence in Chinese ...

Also the movie is quite vague , maybe he drugged her because she writes : ‘this is a small town in the desert, there are quite many lights during this hour…….we plan to go camping soon'

Movie was taken in passenger side of car in Adobe rd 29palms (4 min from entrance of Marine base direction north) , so very very bizar .... because we expected a sentence like this : 'Look it is very nice here to observe the lights along the road, we are preparing our camping for the coming days ...so now first fuelling our car and tomorrow after a good rest at trailerhome of John (not far from here) we will have a great new another adventure more south' ....
which would have sound very acceptable to us without any worry....Why should you go searching for a camping place in neighbourhood of Adobe rd if your trailerhome is that close ? Why you would send this message to your most precious family and friends , specially when that area is not at all precious enough to show or communicate about ?

The lights of Amboy, 29 Palms and Morongo Valley are in fact considered rather dazzling, as the desert air and the deep black of the surrounding area really makes those towns look like jewel boxes. They actually sell postcards of these sights taken at night (but usually from a drone or with a professional camera, of course).

If you've been out, say, in Mojave National Preserve or Joshua Tree, and you're heading back to civilization after an hour or more of deep darkness on either side of you, the lights can seem exciting and happy making.



This is an image from the 29 Palms Chamber of Commerce - they like to advertise their lit up night time beauty.

Most of Fang's picture show places that many would not consider photographing - but desert lovers *do* photograph them. To me, it's as if Fang is happy, the music is playing, she wants to share the moment with family - it's actually a very American thing to do.

Was she customarily giving daily updates on where she was going the next day? Because if so, then that missing information is odd.

IMO

 

[Ilex]

Given where JRF's remains were found, and the truck's location, is there any trails that would lend themselves to where JRF and JF may have been hiking that day?

 

[Ilex]

And to our Verified Insider, has anyone been in contact with Equusearch? They're particularly skilled at searching areas like this.