Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian missing in Joshua Tree Natl Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018 #2

[MelmothTheLost]

So he was not wearing a wristwatch? Experienced but not having a way to tell time to know when he had to be back at the hotel before catching the plane?

It should be remembered as well that if you have a clear sky and a watch with hands you can use your watch as a compass.

 

[Toddp76]

When Paul left to go hiking did he take his passport with him.

 

[rosesfromangels]

When Paul left to go hiking did he take his passport with him.

That's a very interesting question...

 

[carbuff]

Hypothetically, a Canadian could get away living in the US for a very long time without passport issues if they have other ID. There's generally nothing about the mannerisms or accent to trigger suspicion. Even if somebody notices and comments on a Canadian origin, they can hypothetically just say, "I grew up there but I've lived here for 30 years," or whatever, and it would be very unlikely that anybody would follow up. It just doesn't occur to people that a Canadian might be an illegal immigrant.

I'm not saying I think anything like this really happened.

 

[muggles63]

Hope it is okay to post this: Mysterious Stories Blog
Interesting article on Paul and other missing hikers

 

[rosesfromangels]

Hope it is okay to post this: Mysterious Stories Blog
Interesting article on Paul and other missing hikers

This is not considered "main stream media", so you may want to ask a Mod if it's permissible. I thought it was a good write up, as it just stuck to the knowns. I did find one sentence particularly important; "....Due to steep ravines and cliffs, technical specialists with high-angle rescue skills were also deployed."

And this has been my theory all along. He's fallen in to one of those ravines, or between rocks, yet to be seen. I still believe he is absolutely in there.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

And this has been my theory all along. He's fallen in to one of those ravines, or between rocks, yet to be seen. I still believe he is absolutely in there.

In theory that does sound the most plausible explanation, but what makes me hesitate is that, despite search and rescue being in the area within hours, there have never (AFAIK) been any reports of carrion birds circling over any part of the relevant area. Surely a body would have attracted scavangers of various types.

 

[rosesfromangels]

In theory that does sound the most plausible explanation, but what makes me hesitate is that, despite search and rescue being in the area within hours, there have never (AFAIK) been any reports of carrion birds circling over any part of the relevant area. Surely a body would have attracted scavangers of various types.

There are aspects of this missing persons case that are real head scratchers for sure. I sat on the fence a long time on this case, but the eyewitness account from Neil rings true.

He is in there. We just haven’t found him yet. I’m sticking with this.

 

[jash]

Regarding his passport, to my knowledge this has never been explicitly addressed by the family. However the wife addressed "ID" in general in a radio interview she did.

Interviewer: He left that day to go on the hike, and he left his cellphone behind. Was that unusual?
Paul's wife: Oh no, he never carried his cellphone.
Interviewer: Oh OK. So that was very normal so. And he had all of his ID with him and everything?
Paul's Wife: Noo. I have everything. He took what he needed for the hike. He took water, he took food, he had a knife on him, he had what he needed for a hike. That's what he had.

(@5:06) Guelph Man Missing In California

I detailed the points of the radio interview in the first thread here.

 

[neesaki]

Regarding his passport, to my knowledge this has never been explicitly addressed by the family however the wife addressed "ID" in general in a radio interview she did.

Interviewer: He left that day to go on the hike, and he left his cellphone behind. Was that unusual?
Paul's wife: Oh no, he never carried his cellphone.
Interviewer: Oh OK. So that was very normal so. And he had all of his ID with him and everything?
Paul's Wife: Noo. I have everything. He took what he needed for the hike. He took water, he took food, he had a knife on him, he had what he needed for a hike. That's what he had.

(@5:06) Guelph Man Missing In California

Why would he leave his ID behind if he was driving a car to the trailhead. That and leaving his cell phone are things I can not wrap my head around.

 

[frisson]

Have cadaver dogs been used? Or can they not get in the ravines? IDK, but it still seems like they could pick up a scent.

Do we still have no answers on the passport and the watch? The cell was left at the hotel. (right?)

There are so many odd things.

 

[carbuff]

It was said upthread (maybe early thread 1?) that in hot dry conditions a body can mummify very quickly, hence not attracting carrion feeders.

 

[MelmothTheLost]

It was said upthread (maybe early thread 1?) that in hot dry conditions a body can mummify very quickly, hence not attracting carrion feeders.

Thanks. I obviously missed that.

 

[MaryG12]

What about his wallet? Drivers license?

 

[jash]

Why would he leave his ID behind if he was driving a car to the trailhead. That and leaving his cell phone are things I can not wrap my head around.

All I can think of is that they were staying so close to the trailhead that he thought it was low risk. I would never do that though.

On one of my trips to the desert, I explored the Salton Sea area (cool and creepy place, btw). On the drive back to Palm Springs, we were stopped at a border control checkpoint and the official asked to see our passports. Boy was I glad I had them in my purse instead of leaving them back at the hotel! I didn't even know such checkpoints existed outside of an actual border crossing.

 

[MaryG12]

OK I took a look at the VIQUA website and their blog. The company is based in Guelph, Ontario.

I wonder if Paul took an assignment in a region (Central? South? America) that is risky, and maybe his wife did not want him to go there.

From their website:

VIQUA is proud to be the world’s leading supplier of residential and light commercial UV water disinfection systems, providing treated water without the use of chemicals.

 

[MaryG12]

Why would he leave his ID behind if he was driving a car to the trailhead. That and leaving his cell phone are things I can not wrap my head around.

Did that interview with his wife - did she specifically state Paul had his driver's license with him when he went back to JT?

But -

If she has his driver's license, then did he go with someone else?

Something does not add up here.

 

[neesaki]

His wife stated, quote: “she wasn’t worried until several hours without communication passed, so she contacted police.”

He didn’t have his cell phone and she said it wasn’t unusual for him to leave it behind. So how would he have communicated with her?

Wife of missing Joshua Tree hiker speaks out

 

[1&2&3]

How far in on the trail was his camera located? Was it on the trail?

His purpose for this last minute hike was to hopefully see some type of sheep, big horned sheep?, to photograph them. So finding his camera is suspicious to me.

It sounds like he planned a getaway - to start a new life or suicide. He had nothing with him to identify himself.

 

[neesaki]

How far in on the trail was his camera located? Was it on the trail?

His purpose for this last minute hike was to hopefully see some type of sheep, big horned sheep?, to photograph them. So finding his camera is suspicious to me.

It sounds like he planned a getaway - to start a new life or suicide. He had nothing with him to identify himself.

They found his camera ? How did I miss this, do you have a link? TIA