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

[Eevee Pie]

I’m still shocked that someone could emphatically state that he was the last person to see Paul alive. How could he know that to be true unless he witnessed Paul’s demise?

 

[zecats]

I’m still shocked that someone could emphatically state that he was the last person to see Paul alive. How could he know that to be true unless he witnessed Paul’s demise?

Well, no one else has seen Paul. Maybe Neil meant he saw Paul, and Paul was alive when he saw him. I not getting any suspicious inklings about Neil. He really never needed to come forward because no one knew he was on that trail either, afaik. Jmo as well.

 

[carbuff]

But if he's telling the truth, his times don't match with the official narrative.

If he's not telling the truth, it gets weird in other ways, but was probably just one of those people who makes up something to get attention.

Either way, it's another little thing that can probably be explained but doesn't quite fit.

If it was the only one, it wouldn't bother me. None of the other little discrepancies, by themselves, bothers me. They all seem explainable. But there are so many--it's starting to bother me. I still think accident is by far the most likely but I'm starting to have serious doubts.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Then we have a poster here, Neal? that he claims he passed him on the trail, and that he:
1. Knows it was Paul
2. Knows he was the last person to see him alive
3. Knows that he died up there

My questions re this, are:
1. How does he know all of this? I’ve honestly never heard a poster / witness make such an adamant a statement as this.

I’m still shocked that someone could emphatically state that he was the last person to see Paul alive. How could he know that to be true unless he witnessed Paul’s demise?

I have no knowledge of Neil's truthfulness or not, but his actual words were not hyperbolic as quoted above.

He simply made statements without attaching the requisite "IMO" or using other qualifying language to indicate that he was giving an opinion.

I agree that it's frustrating when posters do that, but it happens a lot and I see no reason to read "He died out there" as being "emphatic" or "adamant" as opposed to interpreting it as "He most likely died out there" or "He died out there IMO."

Written English, especially factoring in WS has posters from many different cultures and native languages and English dialects, is really difficult to interpret correctly, particularly all the nuances being implied from a plain statement.

I wish we knew what happened to Paul.

 

[tarabull]

2 months ago today Paul was reported missing at Joshua Tree National Park...

Where is Paul??

 

[Dushi]

But if he's telling the truth, his times don't match with the official narrative.

If he's not telling the truth, it gets weird in other ways, but was probably just one of those people who makes up something to get attention.

Either way, it's another little thing that can probably be explained but doesn't quite fit.

If it was the only one, it wouldn't bother me. None of the other little discrepancies, by themselves, bothers me. They all seem explainable. But there are so many--it's starting to bother me. I still think accident is by far the most likely but I'm starting to have serious doubts.

You said it so much better than I could have.
I feel there is something so wrong with all of this.
The timing, the witness , the dogs.....

I am not convinced that PM went on that hike
JMO

 

[meanmaryjean]

You said it so much better than I could have.
I feel there is something so wrong with all of this.
The timing, the witness , the dogs.....

I am not convinced that PM went on that hike
JMO

Same here. And it's been my belief from Day One.

 

[RickshawFan]

You said it so much better than I could have.
I feel there is something so wrong with all of this.
The timing, the witness , the dogs.....

I am not convinced that PM went on that hike
JMO

I'm not convinced he went that morning.... the evening before would make a whole lot more sense. So many questions....

 

[Gulliver]

Could the witness be part of some “plan”
He only posted here once (or twice) I believe someone said another post of his might have been removed.

Of all of things on this thread the witness seems the strangest.
I mean he shows up and then practically disappears??

With such detailed info.

 

[Kaley Smith]

My first impression was his wife sure reported him missing quickly, just 3 hrs after he went on his hike.

 

[rosesfromangels]

My first impression was his wife sure reported him missing quickly, just 3 hrs after he went on his hike.

Because they had a flight to catch, so she knew something was wrong.

 

[Kaley Smith]

Because they had a flight to catch, so she knew something was wrong.

Thanks for that info. Strange to me he would go on a hike so shortly before a flight. Would be good to know his habits, his morning routine and his personality traits.
I also would think the dogs would have picked up a scent.

 

[Kaley Smith]

Find Paul Miller: calls to continue searching for missing Guelph man

 

[rosesfromangels]

Thanks for that info. Strange to me he would go on a hike so shortly before a flight. Would be good to know his habits, his morning routine and his personality traits.
I also would think the dogs would have picked up a scent.

If you've read the entire thread, you know I have been quite skeptical, but decided to get off the fence and take a position. As such, given the reasons I posted upthread, I'm going with the theory Paul is in the park, yet to be found. I'm sticking with that position.
I will say, however, the most difficult thing for me to understand is why his wife left so quickly. That has really bothered me.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Kaley Smith]

I guess the dogs have a hard time tracking in hot weather and rocky terrain: How Does Scent Work? -

 

[zecats]

My first impression was his wife sure reported him missing quickly, just 3 hrs after he went on his hike.

They had a plane to catch in Las Vegas. And needed to check out of hotel by 11am.

 

[zecats]

Could the witness be part of some “plan”
He only posted here once (or twice) I believe someone said another post of his might have been removed.

Of all of things on this thread the witness seems the strangest.
I mean he shows up and then practically disappears??

With such detailed info.

As I heard witness did not wish to become verified on WS. Not sure, but perhaps that means something in TOS. And imo, witnesses often become suspects and are frequently harassed on SM. Sadly, again jmo.

 

[wary]

I guess the dogs have a hard time tracking in hot weather and rocky terrain: How Does Scent Work? -

Thanks! That's what I've heard before from other sources.

So....the conditions were 110 degrees Farendheit, and zero humidity--which sounds like the worst possible conditions for tracking. My conclusion: that we can't draw any conclusions from the fact that the dogs didn't pick up his trail.

Edited to fix typo--make that 110 degrees.

 

[neesaki]

I have no knowledge of Neil's truthfulness or not, but his actual words were not hyperbolic as quoted above.

He simply made statements without attaching the requisite "IMO" or using other qualifying language to indicate that he was giving an opinion.

I agree that it's frustrating when posters do that, but it happens a lot and I see no reason to read "He died out there" as being "emphatic" or "adamant" as opposed to interpreting it as "He most likely died out there" or "He died out there IMO."

Written English, especially factoring in WS has posters from many different cultures and native languages and English dialects, is really difficult to interpret correctly, particularly all the nuances being implied from a plain statement.

I wish we knew what happened to Paul.

Each of his statements were stated as a fact, without question. He could have said “he thinks”, “he suspects”, “he believes”, etc. He didn’t. Whether it was as you say some cultural / language barrier, or, he was deliberately trying to mislead , we have no way of knowing. So I personally have to take his claims with a grain of salt until they can be verified.

Do we know if he was verified by LE to be a witness, and was there on the trail? ? I haven’t found anything about a witness except one at the trailhead. Does anyone know? TIA

 

[Dushi]

Each of his statements were stated as a fact, without question. He could have said “he thinks”, “he suspects”, “he believes”, etc. He didn’t. Whether it was as you say some cultural / language barrier, or, he was deliberately trying to mislead , we have no way of knowing. So I personally have to take his claims with a grain of salt until they can be verified.

Do we know if he was verified by LE to be a witness, and was there on the trail? ? I haven’t found anything about a witness except one at the trailhead. Does anyone know? TIA

I have found nothing.
Way back in the first thread I had posted two quotes, one from LE or ranger and one from the above witness.
The quote from LE contradicted the witness quote.
There is no way I am going to look for the post.
So I hope you will take my word for it

ETA
Upon further thought, the LE quote may have contradicted the witness post on here.
I simply can't remember