This is what I love about Websleuths. So many different theories to consider, mull over, research. I hadn't even considered the pot farm issue.
Excellent input!
This is where my mind went from the very beginning!
I looked in the marijuana growing activity around Malibu Creek State Park and here are just a couple of tidbits that I found about it:
Agencies Prepare for Pot Growing Season This would fit into the timeframes we discussed with the exemption of the January incident.
I picture they would have night-vision equipment at a minimum and from other sources I have found they are definitely armed and have shot at hikers that discovered their illegal growing fields.
The War On Drugs In Our Backyards? Rangers Warn Marijuana Cultivation A Growing Problem In SoCal
Region's rugged terrain draws pot farms
Some interesting comments about Topanga State Park. It's not Malibu Creek State Park but still around Malibu:
Grass Roots - Los Angeles Magazine
Pro's of this idea being related: Big money at stake for the growers, so they have an interest in keeping people away from their growing operations. Growing does happen in state parks and has happened in Malibu Creek before. They are armed and probably mostly active at night, a high powered pellet rifle has been used to shoot at people before and ammunition has been found. They could be trying to scare people away at night from the park surroundings so they can move around undetected. With the warning to stay away from midnight to morning that would have been kind of achieved. Maybe the idea is to scare away hikers in general so they don't go looking deeper in the canyons.
Con's of this idea being related: These are older reports, no articles about recently discovered growing activity in the area. Now that it's legalized maybe this is less of an issue? TB and the couple sleeping in the car weren't actively roaming around in the hiking areas and the camping area specifically doesn't seem like it would pose a threat to the growers with the exemption that they want to keep people out in general?
As always just thinking out loud.
Thank you for concisely presenting this theory! I tend toward big picture. So here are some thoughts on this subject:
1) TB avid outdoorsman looking forward to this time with daughters. JMO
2) Unknown what time they arrived at MCSP. They could have arrived early and gone for a hike.
JMO
3) On this hike, they could have seen something pertaining to an illegal grow, ie tubing, water diverted from stream, dead animals from the toxicants used at the grow, etc. Inadvertently told the wrong person or was watched while he inspected/took photos on his phone. Even though the grows are deep in remote areas, they have to tap into water that may be on well traveled areas and the Santa Monica Hills presents that issue as posed in this article:
The Frog and the Pot Farmer Battle for Land in the Santa Monica Mountains
4) Perhaps TB stumbled upon the kill site of Francisco Reynaldo Cruz (52 year old stabbing victim dumped in drainage ditch by Hindu Temple on 5/16) and inadvertently told the wrong person what he saw or was being watched while he investigated site/took photos on his phone.
Names Of 2 Men Killed Near Malibu Released – 99.1 KBUU is RadioMalibu.Net
5) As ScorpioRising indicated upthread & also in above PBS article about frog, illegal pot grows will utilize any means to scare people away, including rifles. But since TB was a lover of camping, hiking and all things outdoors, as well as a scientist, IMHO he knew about the huge problem illegal California pot farms dealt with - which is the highly toxic pesticide, Carbofuran, that is illegal in the US, Canada and the EU, and what signs to look for in animal life. “It is so powerful, that a QUARTER OF A TEASPOON can kill a 300 pound bear.” As the laborers have to pack in everything they bring in with them to camp to last an entire season, this chemical is popular to them bc they have to bring so little of it.
Study: Deadly Pesticide Use Increases at Illegal Pot Farms
All of this is what I have been perculating over since last Friday or more correctly when TB’s brother said the shot was horizontal, when TB’s brother was so adamant that the family felt it was a random act, and that TB’s brother spoke to non-MSM site. Also, I do not believe in coincidences as pertains to Francisco’s body being dumped weeks before TB’s death just yards away? Again, JMO.
Prayers out to the family and to the sweet girls who had to witness their father go through this horrible death firsthand.