Found Deceased CA - Fang Jin, 47, flew to LA from China, train to Palm Springs, Morongo Basin, 21 Jul 2023, w/ JohnRoot Fitzpatrick, 55, missing, 30 Jul ‘23

[NervousNellie]

On all pictures of her inside the vehicle, she is always in the driver seat.
Is she driving the truck?

But in new picture of him outside the vehicle, only the driver's door is opened and he is all alone, no selfie this time ...
Are we sure that's her taking the picture? Just wondering, I'm suspicious about that picture of him.

(Edited by me)

Found Deceased - CA - Fang Jin, 47, flew to LA from China, train to Palm Springs, Morongo Basin, 21 Jul 2023, w/ JohnRoot Fitzpatrick, 55, missing, 30 Jul ‘23

“Fitzpatrick was hired to be Jin’s tour guide of the Morongo Basin area,” said Sheriff’s Department public information officer Gloria Huerta. “They were supposed to go camping, but the amount of time was not disclosed.” Fitzpatrick was reported missing by a friend from the Morongo Basin area...

www.websleuths.com

Images taken on a cell phone have flipped/mirror images. She is the passenger.

 

[megs1477]

Someone previous asked where in China Fang Jin was from.
Guangdong, China

Chinese woman missing after US trip to meet net friend; embassy seeks police help

A Chinese woman who traveled to Southern California to meet an online friend has gone missing, and t

www.shine.cn

 

[ClaireNC]

On all pictures of her inside the vehicle, she is always in the driver seat.
Is she driving the truck?

But in new picture of him outside the vehicle, only the driver's door is opened and he is all alone, no selfie this time ...
Are we sure that's her taking the picture? Just wondering, I'm suspicious about that picture of him.

(Edited by me)

Found Deceased - CA - Fang Jin, 47, flew to LA from China, train to Palm Springs, Morongo Basin, 21 Jul 2023, w/ JohnRoot Fitzpatrick, 55, missing, 30 Jul ‘23

“Fitzpatrick was hired to be Jin’s tour guide of the Morongo Basin area,” said Sheriff’s Department public information officer Gloria Huerta. “They were supposed to go camping, but the amount of time was not disclosed.” Fitzpatrick was reported missing by a friend from the Morongo Basin area...

www.websleuths.com

She’s in the passenger’s seat in those pictures. Selfies taken with a phone are reverse images.

What makes you suspicious of the picture of him alone? I initial reaction the first time I saw it was ‘creepy’, but I don’t know why I felt that way. I think in FJ’s mind she was traveling to the US to meet her new “boyfriend” and the pictures she sent to her family were to show him off. IMO

 

[ClaireNC]

I reversed the images to show him in the drivers seat.

 

[10ofRods]

The High Desert Star, a local newspaper, publishes that the Sheriff confirms that FJ hired JRF:

Sheriff confirms missing woman hired missing Morongo Valley man as guide

MORONGO BASIN — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed late this week that missing woman Fang Jin and missing man John Root Fitzpatrick are still missing out of the

www.hidesertstar.com

She hired him, according to the article. That's what the Sheriff says, anyway. I'm glad to see news trickling out.

IMO.

 

[ClaireNC]

The High Desert Star, a local newspaper, publishes that the Sheriff confirms that FJ hired JRF:

Sheriff confirms missing woman hired missing Morongo Valley man as guide

MORONGO BASIN — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed late this week that missing woman Fang Jin and missing man John Root Fitzpatrick are still missing out of the

www.hidesertstar.com

She hired him, according to the article. That's what the Sheriff says, anyway. I'm glad to see news trickling out.

IMO.

I’m not sure why the sheriff’s office chose to state it that way in that particular interview. It’s not the story her family gave in initial reports.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

I reversed the images to show him in the drivers seat.

She’s in the passenger’s seat in those pictures. Selfies taken with a phone are reverse images.

What makes you suspicious of the picture of him alone? I initial reaction the first time I saw it was ‘creepy’, but I don’t know why I felt that way. I think in FJ’s mind she was traveling to the US to meet her new “boyfriend” and the pictures she sent to her family were to show him off. IMO

I can't explain that feeling, I'm looking at the picture and I get something like a vibe. Could be totally wrong in trying to find some clues on the pictures, if any.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

I reversed the images to show him in the drivers seat.

My apology to all Iphone users, still using the old camera to take pictures.

 

[10ofRods]

<modsnip: quoted post was removed>

It's still possible that this is a desert misadventure, sadly.

IMO.

 

[Herat]

This still all has the vibe of a looking for foreign asian bride stuff to me.

And perplexing why they would undertake this trip in the very hottest part of the year where little outdoor activities like hiking can occurred.

I ended up camping at Red Rock State Park in California one July weekend and the temps were 100 at midnight. It was just intolerable.

 

[megs1477]

Timeline of known facts so far:

07/14/23​	FL arrived in Los Angeles from China
	Authorities confirm link in two missing person cases in Morongo Basin - KESQ Two missing person cases out of the Morongo Basin area are linked, authorities confirmed to News Channel 3 on Thursday. kesq.com
07/15/23​	FJ took a train from LA to Palm Springs
	Fang Jin - Missing Persons Center Share this missingpersonscenter.org
07/15/23​	Picked up at train station by JRF
	Sheriff confirms missing woman hired missing Morongo Valley man as guide MORONGO BASIN — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed late this week that missing woman Fang Jin and missing man John Root Fitzpatrick are still missing out of the www.hidesertstar.com
	FJ agreed to stay in touch with her friend every other day
	Fang Jin - Missing Persons Center Share this missingpersonscenter.org
07/21/23​	FJ spoke to friend. Indicated she had just returned from camping at JT and was headed out to camp again at a "small town in the desert"
	Fang Jin - Missing Persons Center Share this missingpersonscenter.org
07/22/23​	FJ last heard from by a friend via phone
	Missing woman’s family looks for answers; sheriff now reports man also missing MORONGO BASIN — Limited information has come out about missing woman Fang Jin who was last seen on July 22. Fang went missing from the Morongo Basin area after traveling www.hidesertstar.com
07/23/23​	Calls to FJ's phone go unanswered
	Fang Jin - Missing Persons Center Share this missingpersonscenter.org
07/26/22​	FJ reported missing
	Sheriff confirms missing woman hired missing Morongo Valley man as guide MORONGO BASIN — The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed late this week that missing woman Fang Jin and missing man John Root Fitzpatrick are still missing out of the www.hidesertstar.com
07/30/23​	JRF reported missing by friend.
	Facebook www.facebook.com
08/02/23​	JRF Missing Person Flyer released by San Bernardino Couty Sheriff's Dept, Morongo Basin Station
	Facebook www.facebook.com

The family seems to be the source of all the information in the Chinese Media, which is the same information on the that is not allowed here, so I did not include any information that was not attributed to a LE source or in MSM in English (no google translate).

 

[Ravenmoon]

To anyone from any place near the Salton Sea:
Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Palm Springs, Coachella, etc.

Would you agree that the middle of Summer would push out anyone that isn't forced to live there based on the smell alone?

The fish die in masses, the saline and heat are unrelenting making for unlivable conditions for marine life.

If they went, they didn't stay for long.

There are oddities like Slab city, Salvation Mountain and other places for the curious.
Matter of fact people thought Lauren Cho might be found out that way .

JMO

 

[megs1477]

Random thought….the two are currently classified as “voluntarily missing” per SBSD to the newspapers. Generally, this means minimal effort is being put into looking for them.

However, if JRF is on probation, he is going to miss a check in, if he hasn’t already. A warrant will be issued, which may prompt a change in classification/a little more aggressive searching…hopefully.

 

[charminglane]

So probation would still be active after veterans treatment court? Not a wash?

 

[slowpoke]

I was looking again at (what I am presuming to be) the surveillance capture of JRF’s pickup truck in Thermal on July 22, and find it notable that the bed of the pickup truck is empty—no sign of any gear one might need for camping. There looks to be a little sand or dirt in there, but that’s all.

Authorities confirm link in two missing person cases in Morongo Basin - KESQ

Two missing person cases out of the Morongo Basin area are linked, authorities confirmed to News Channel 3 on Thursday.

kesq.com

So, what are the possibilities:
the gear was already at some campsite?
He dropped off his camping things back at home (done with camping)?
His idea of camping is simply pulling up to a location and sleeping in the cab of the truck?
He has minimal gear, and it’s all in the rear seats area of the pickup truck?

MOO

 

[deadfoot13]

I was looking again at (what I am presuming to be) the surveillance capture of JRF’s pickup truck in Thermal on July 22, and find it notable that the bed of the pickup truck is empty—no sign of any gear one might need for camping. There looks to be a little sand or dirt in there, but that’s all.

Authorities confirm link in two missing person cases in Morongo Basin - KESQ

Two missing person cases out of the Morongo Basin area are linked, authorities confirmed to News Channel 3 on Thursday.

kesq.com

So, what are the possibilities:
the gear was already at some campsite?
He dropped off his camping things back at home (done with camping)?
His idea of camping is simply pulling up to a location and sleeping in the cab of the truck?
He has minimal gear, and it’s all in the rear seats area of the pickup truck?

MOO

View attachment 440836

I just came back from a weekend of camping -- my husband has a 2019 Ford F150 that's a 4-door with the short bed (not a Tacoma, but generally the same size), and all of our gear including coolers and large tent, 2 canopies, sleeping pads, a cot, clothing, extra clothing, pillows, more extra clothing, bags of food, a rubber tote full of lanterns/cookware/axe/etc., and on and on was easily crammed into the backseat of his truck with room to spare. The only thing that rode in the bed of the truck was firewood. If you put the seats up there is a ton of space back there.

MOO.

MOO.

 

[megs1477]

So probation would still be active after veterans treatment court? Not a wash?

I'm confused by the statement in the Hi Desert Star.
There are multiple cases. You have to pay to search San Bernardino Court Records, so going by what I found on TruthFinder and UniCourt, there are at least 3 recent cases that resulted in Probation/Probation Violations. These do not include the assault case mentioned by the Hi Desert Star. I read somewhere he was still on probation, but I am not able to find it, so I am thinking it is from foreign media or posts. These are the cases I found:

The People of the State of California vs. JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK

On 08/26/2020 The People of the State of California filed an Other - Other Criminal court case against JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK in San Bernardino County Superior Courts. Court records for this case are available from Joshua Tree Courthouse.

unicourt.com

The People of the State of California vs. JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK

On 03/17/2022 The People of the State of California filed an Other - Other Criminal court case against JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK in San Bernardino County Superior Courts. Court records for this case are available from San Bernardino District Courthouse Criminal, Family Law, Traffic and Probate Division.

unicourt.com

The People of the State of California vs. JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK

On 06/08/2021 The People of the State of California filed an Other - Other Criminal court case against JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK in San Bernardino County Superior Courts. Court records for this case are available from Not Classified By Court.

unicourt.com

I was looking again at (what I am presuming to be) the surveillance capture of JRF’s pickup truck in Thermal on July 22, and find it notable that the bed of the pickup truck is empty—no sign of any gear one might need for camping. There looks to be a little sand or dirt in there, but that’s all.

Authorities confirm link in two missing person cases in Morongo Basin - KESQ

Two missing person cases out of the Morongo Basin area are linked, authorities confirmed to News Channel 3 on Thursday.

kesq.com

So, what are the possibilities:
the gear was already at some campsite?
He dropped off his camping things back at home (done with camping)?
His idea of camping is simply pulling up to a location and sleeping in the cab of the truck?
He has minimal gear, and it’s all in the rear seats area of the pickup truck?

MOO

Glamping? Cabin camping? It would make sense with the weather.

I just came back from a weekend of camping -- my husband has a 2019 Ford F150 that's a 4-door with the short bed (not a Tacoma, but generally the same size), and all of our gear including coolers and large tent, 2 canopies, sleeping pads, a cot, clothing, extra clothing, pillows, more extra clothing, bags of food, a rubber tote full of lanterns/cookware/axe/etc., and on and on was easily crammed into the backseat of his truck with room to spare. The only thing that rode in the bed of the truck was firewood. If you put the seats up there is a ton of space back there.

MOO.

While I like your style, everything but the kitchen sink!!! I had an ex who hiked/camped. There was one backpack that contained tent, hammock, sleeping bag, pillow, bed pad, cooking gear, first aid, 2 changes of clothes, water, I could go on and on. It was all so light and compact. The tent and sleeping bag would fit in a grocery bag and could be in the backseat of the extended cab.

My question...FJ told the friend they had already camped at Joshua Tree and were going to camp at the small town in the middle of the desert. They returned to 29 Palms? for the day in between...where did they stay?

JMOO

 

[NervousNellie]

I wonder whether JRF encouraged FJ to travel to the US in July because he needed an income? He wasn’t considering his client, as he could (should?) have suggested she come at a more appropriate time of year for hiking the dessert.

 

[ClaireNC]

I'm confused by the statement in the Hi Desert Star.
There are multiple cases. You have to pay to search San Bernardino Court Records, so going by what I found on TruthFinder and UniCourt, there are at least 3 recent cases that resulted in Probation/Probation Violations. These do not include the assault case mentioned by the Hi Desert Star. I read somewhere he was still on probation, but I am not able to find it, so I am thinking it is from foreign media or posts. These are the cases I found:

The People of the State of California vs. JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK

On 08/26/2020 The People of the State of California filed an Other - Other Criminal court case against JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK in San Bernardino County Superior Courts. Court records for this case are available from Joshua Tree Courthouse.

unicourt.com

The People of the State of California vs. JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK

On 03/17/2022 The People of the State of California filed an Other - Other Criminal court case against JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK in San Bernardino County Superior Courts. Court records for this case are available from San Bernardino District Courthouse Criminal, Family Law, Traffic and Probate Division.

unicourt.com

The People of the State of California vs. JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK

On 06/08/2021 The People of the State of California filed an Other - Other Criminal court case against JOHN ROOT FITZPATRICK in San Bernardino County Superior Courts. Court records for this case are available from Not Classified By Court.

unicourt.com

Glamping? Cabin camping? It would make sense with the weather.

While I like your style, everything but the kitchen sink!!! I had an ex who hiked/camped. There was one backpack that contained tent, hammock, sleeping bag, pillow, bed pad, cooking gear, first aid, 2 changes of clothes, water, I could go on and on. It was all so light and compact. The tent and sleeping bag would fit in a grocery bag and could be in the backseat of the extended cab.

My question...FJ told the friend they had already camped at Joshua Tree and were going to camp at the small town in the middle of the desert. They returned to 29 Palms? for the day in between...where did they stay?

JMOO

Where did 29 Palms come in? Fitzpatrick lives in Morongo Valley, CA. I assumed they were staying at his home between excursions/camping trips. Here’s a case map.

 

[ClaireNC]

I wonder whether JRF encouraged FJ to travel to the US in July because he needed an income? He wasn’t considering his client, as he could (should?) have suggested she come at a more appropriate time of year for hiking the dessert.

We don’t know if he was getting paid to show her around.