Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian, Joshua Tree Natl Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018 #3

[zecats]

I don't think a search of that size has ever been conducted by any agency, state, federal or local. At this point, I believe it would be considered a recovery mission, as well. Not sure where all the volunteers would come from.

And since only a tiny fraction of the perimeter of the park is available by a reasonable hike, searchers are limited there too. They'd have to be reprovisioned and all that (just as the original perps would have had to have been).

He can only have wandered so far and if he was abducted, I doubt he was literally carried off - there was a car involved. But I seriously doubt that they've even searched with a 5 mile radius of all roads...it would be an enormous search. 100's of square miles. Weeks and months of volunteer coordination.

At this point, finding some evidence randomly is the best to hope for, IMO. Hopefully (not for the unfortunate hiker who would come across possible remains) someone walking in the park/area will discover him.

Also, his sister Dawne has discussed returning yet again in the fall and has acquired permission to use drones to search for him. Perhaps the drones will spot something more easily than a random passer-by on the ground. I sure hope she has success this time. What a long and painfully drawn-out nightmare for all his family and friends.

 

[Suglo]

The same man (Tom Mahood) who found the Death Valley Germans has also been looking for a missing hiker (Bill Ewasko) in Joshua Tree National Park. Bill went missing over 9 years ago and has yet to be found. There have been hundreds of searches for him yet they still haven’t found him. Of course there are some who do not think he is in the park.

Here’s the link to the search for Bill Ewasko:

Searching for Bill Ewasko

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

The same man (Tom Mahood) who found the Death Valley Germans has also been looking for a missing hiker (Bill Ewasko) in Joshua Tree National Park. Bill went missing over 9 years ago and has yet to be found. There have been hundreds of searches for him yet they still haven’t found him. Of course there are some who do not think he is in the park.

Here’s the link to the search for Bill Ewasko:

Searching for Bill Ewasko

Geez, nine years of the family left wondering.....so terribly sad.

 

[atlstnspc]

Back on September 2 I searched an area below and just above this dry falls. It’s close the Oasis and a rough trail runs past it that connects from the main trail though the wash, over the rim of the canyon then down to the Oasis. There are a couple of crevices someone could fall into and I checked them out thoroughly. I did look up.

 

[atlstnspc]

The view from inside. Tight fit. I looked up and I could see daylight shining through the rocks and sand that I had just been walking on. I thought I was on rock solid ground and I probably was, but it could have given way.

 

[atlstnspc]

I found these vertebrae below the falls. They are badly weathered and a little on the small side to be human.

 

[rosesfromangels]

View attachment 204527
Back on September 2 I searched an area below and just above this dry falls. It’s close the Oasis and a rough trail runs past it that connects from the main trail though the wash, over the rim of the canyon then down to the Oasis. There are a couple of crevices someone could fall into and I checked them out thoroughly. I did look up.

Thank you! Please keep taking this "look up" approach. I really believe this was his fate.

 

[rosesfromangels]

View attachment 204536
I found these vertebrae below the falls. They are badly weathered and a little on the small side to be human.

Please alert LE regardless. Ya never know.

 

[atlstnspc]

Please alert LE regardless. Ya never know.

I reported a bone that looked like a finger bone to me but it didn’t pan out. I don’t want to be a PITA and wear out my welcome at JTNP.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I reported a bone that looked like a finger bone to me but it didn’t pan out. I don’t want to be a PITA and wear out my welcome at JTNP.

Perhaps it makes sense to ask LE, “I seem to come across bones frequently, and of course we have a missing hiker. I don’t want to be a PITA. When would you ever want to be alerted on my finds?”

 

[j_in_c]

I reported a bone that looked like a finger bone to me but it didn’t pan out. I don’t want to be a PITA and wear out my welcome at JTNP.

Firstly - thanks for sharing and taking the time to get out there and look. From your posts, it sounds like you are searching carefully and prioritizing your own safety!

One idea I would share is to add a scale to your photo when you find something like bones - that can immediately help an investigator determine what animal it could belong to. If you carry a compass - some have a short ruler on the side that you can lay down next to the item being photographed.

I am hopeful in Paul's case (unlike the Ewasko search) that there will be answers as where he went missing seems to be a more limited area.

 

[zecats]

Firstly - thanks for sharing and taking the time to get out there and look. From your posts, it sounds like you are searching carefully and prioritizing your own safety!

One idea I would share is to add a scale to your photo when you find something like bones - that can immediately help an investigator determine what animal it could belong to. If you carry a compass - some have a short ruler on the side that you can lay down next to the item being photographed.

I am hopeful in Paul's case (unlike the Ewasko search) that there will be answers as where he went missing seems to be a more limited area.

I was hopeful in the beginning, as the search for him began relatively quickly. Nothing panned out. If he indeed wandered off and kept wandering due to being lost, he could be out of the immediate area he was hiking in.

Also, rains and flooding in the park a few months later could definitely have moved any sign of him even farther away. Washes may be an area to concentrate a search, however I believe they have been looked at.

The pictures from the park as a result of heavy rain are striking.

Storm clogs roads, takes out power across Hi-Desert

 

[musicaljoke]

I reported a bone that looked like a finger bone to me but it didn’t pan out. I don’t want to be a PITA and wear out my welcome at JTNP.

I think that what you are doing is amazing. You've really opened my eyes to see how a skilled hiker could end up missing, and how difficult it can be to find him. You've also given me hope because you have been able to find tiny bones too.

I hope that you have connected with the family. Your work can save them from countless wasted hours when they go in this fall with a drone. If you need help connecting to the family, send me a pm and I can help.

 

[atlstnspc]

Perhaps it makes sense to ask LE, “I seem to come across bones frequently, and of course we have a missing hiker. I don’t want to be a PITA. When would you ever want to be alerted on my finds?”

Good idea. Thanks for your advice, I’ll do just that. Put the ball in their court and let them decide.

 

[atlstnspc]

I think that what you are doing is amazing. You've really opened my eyes to see how a skilled hiker could end up missing, and how difficult it can be to find him. You've also given me hope because you have been able to find tiny bones too.

I hope that you have connected with the family. Your work can save them from countless wasted hours when they go in this fall with a drone. If you need help connecting to the family, send me a pm and I can help.

I have spent a weekend with Paul’s sister, her husband and friends at the last search in May. We also Facebook. Thanks for your offer.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I have spent a weekend with Paul’s sister, her husband and friends at the last search in May. We also Facebook. Thanks for your offer.

@atlstnspc - did you meet Stephanie, get to spend any time with her at all?

 

[atlstnspc]

@atlstnspc - did you meet Stephanie, get to spend any time with her at all?

No, Stephanie hasn’t returned to JTNP since her husband disappeared. I got to know Dawn, Paul’s sister, and her husband. Real outdoorsy people, strong hikers and up to multi day searches. No doubt that Stephanie would be in her element, she just isn’t ready to go back.

 

[RickshawFan]

Did we ever get any corroboration for Paul's timeline BEFORE he got to the trailhead? I'm suspicious that someone else put his car there, and we don't actually know that he got there himself, or what might have transpired early that morning.

 

[jash]

Did we ever get any corroboration for Paul's timeline BEFORE he got to the trailhead? I'm suspicious that someone else put his car there, and we don't actually know that he got there himself, or what might have transpired early that morning.

I think I know where you're going, and while I'm not on the same path, I do wish we had an exact time for when he left the hotel.

Surely the hotel has cameras in the lobby/entrance area. It's unfortunate no footage was obtained and released of Paul heading out. His wife could not recall what colour shirt he had on that morning.

 

[atlstnspc]

@atlstnspc - did you meet Stephanie, get to spend any time with her at all?

Stephanie was not at the search.