Found Deceased CA - Philip Kreycik, 37, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, 10 Jul 2021

[MichelleAntonia]

I thought there were searches already underway at the time the shouts were heard, and the consensus was that it was most likely searchers shouting "Philip" which could easily sound like "help".

MOO

That makes sense, but weren't the shouts heard at night? Were there still searchers out there after dark? Beginning of July in NorCal, it gets dark pretty late (although not as late as other places in the country). Would people be out there past 10pm?

 

[slowpoke]

That makes sense, but weren't the shouts heard at night? Were there still searchers out there after dark? Beginning of July in NorCal, it gets dark pretty late (although not as late as other places in the country). Would people be out there past 10pm?

Bobcats can make sounds at night that might sound kinda human. Here’s an example:

 

[distracted]

Amazing to me that the cops came out for a grown man being an hour late.

It wouldn't happen where I live in CA and our terrain is very similar to that of Pleasanton, with a very large SAR and LE presence.

There would have to be a threat of some kind like physical harm or suicidal tendencies.

 

[Andreee]

If I'm recalling correctly, he was purported to have run from the Moller Ranch staging area, passing the water tower/Moller Ranch bench, onward to some uncharted trails, with the hopes of eventually ending up in Pleasanton Ridge RP.

From the park maps, we all found out this route is not possible. As someone so 'analytical' and 'intelligent' as purported by those close to him, why on Earth didn't he, at the very least, check Google maps to see that these trails DO NOT link up, at any point!?! What made him think he could park where he did and end up where he told others,unless he never really intended on being there in the first place? (classic misdirection!)

You know what trails DO link up? The one from the Moller Ranch staging area to the Preserve Staging area, with only a 0.4 mile distance. (The Preserve area also has a small loop trail, which would be way more manageable in the short amount of time he had to complete his run.) Did he change his initial course and end up going North to the Preserve instead of South to Pleasanton Ridge?

If he did, did he use this short trail run to escape? He could have parked his car at Moller Ranch, made a quick run over to the Preserve trailhead parking lot, hopped in a different car, or a bike (he had more than enough time to stop here first and leave a bicycle at the staging area on his hour drive from Berkeley to Pleasanton, which only takes about 30 minutes).

I've driven Laurel Creek Dr., the road where the Preserve staging area is, plenty of times as a shortcut from Stoneridge Dr. to Dublin Canyon Rd. to Palomares Rd. in Castro Valley. Coming from Stoneridge Dr., you will reach the Preserve staging area before you drive through the actual neighborhood. There are no houses leading up to the staging area parking lot when traveling from Stoneridge/Foothill.

I'd wager you could enter this area completely undetected, park, hike, leave your car or bicycle for several hours at the trailhead and no one would bat an eyelash, especially when it's so hot, there are few other hikers/witnesses. Additionally, Laurel Creek Dr., the road the Preserve trailhead is on, connects to Dublin Canyon Rd, which is a very popular and beautiful rural biking route that takes you through rolling hills, farmland and vineyards.

I believe that whatever he did, it wasn't seen as unusual, and didn't stick out in any other trail user's mind, if anyone saw him at all.

All of this to ask -Did he have a bike with him when he dropped off the package in Oakland? Are there cameras entering The Preserve, or at the intersection of Foothill/Laurel Creek Dr. that may have spotted him coming in/out of the area? Is anyone looking into his call records and cell phone/car GPS to figure out where he was during a brief window of unaccounted for time? All MOO.

Here's a question that I haven't seen asked re. the riding a bike theory. If Philip walked to the beginning of the trail as the scent dogs detected, then nothing, would that be because he mounted a bike and rode off? In other words, can dogs not detect a bicyclist's scent?

 

[dtowndetective411]

This article gives a 9am time, but it’s not for dropping off the package. It states Philip left his home in Berkeley at 9am. Then drove to Oakland to drop off the package before going to Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park for a run.
Mystery over missing runner Philip Kreycik continues as official search efforts end after five days
Using this info:
9:00 Leaves home in Berkeley
10ish Drops package off in Oakland
11ish Arrives in Pleasanton for a run

Thank you! I wish they would come out and give a definitive timeline, and update the public as to some specific points of evidence, such as whether he was seen alone in the car on the fasttrak cameras, etc.

 

[Andreee]

Thank you! I wish they would come out and give a definitive timeline, and update the public as to some specific points of evidence, such as whether he was seen alone in the car on the fasttrak cameras, etc.

And also, wasn't he going to finish his run at 12:35ish? (texted his wife that?)

 

[Cascadia Mount]

I am but I’m not. It could depend on how busy the department was that day. As the wife of a first responder, it’s not unusual for someone to follow up faster if there was a connection (eg maybe they had a friend/mutual acquaintance on the dept). Also (and this may have been mentioned before and I might have missed it) the wife could have called it in as a medical emergency originally. For instance, “my husband is running and I think he’s had a heat stroke and I can’t reach him but I know his location” will almost always bring out the fire dept/paramedics which then in turn might bring out the police. It all depends on how it was called in.

Makes sense with the possibility of heat stroke.

 

[MichelleAntonia]

Here's a question that I haven't seen asked re. the riding a bike theory. If Philip walked to the beginning of the trail as the scent dogs detected, then nothing, would that be because he mounted a bike and rode off? In other words, can dogs not detect a bicyclist's scent?

Good question. But where would the bike have come from? Wouldn't his wife notice, after he went missing, that his bike was missing also? Wouldn't traffic cam footage have caught his car with the bike mounted on it? On a Prius, the only thing you can do is put the bike on top or attack it to the trunk door, as the bike racks go. I don't think that if you wanted to, that you could conceal an adult man's bike inside the trunk of a Prius, even with the backseats down. I can do that in my Honda Civic, but the Civic is seemingly larger front to back, and I'm small and have what amounts to a kid's bike.

 

[Andreee]

Makes sense. No, I just saw someone mention maybe he had a bike with him so that got me to thinking about the dogs losing the scent at the trailhead. But from what you said, it sounds like we can strike the bike idea off!

 

[avalonisland]

It wouldn't happen where I live in CA and our terrain is very similar to that of Pleasanton, with a very large SAR and LE presence.

There would have to be a threat of some kind like physical harm or suicidal tendencies.

I agree. Plus, Stockton is only about 45 minute drive to Moller Ranch Staging Area so I wonder if family arrived first at Moller Ranch or contact LE first for some sort of welfare check. PK and his 2 run buddies seemed to have no problem having a cellphone or some sort of digital camera on the run the night of 7/9 Oakland area run, and one runner even brought beers to enjoy during run and took photos, so for PK to leave cellphone in car on 7/10 Sat solo run makes no sense to me that the weight of a cellphone adversely affects a runner's strava time as a reason for not bringing cellphone on7/10 run. Pleasanton community especially area where PK parked car 7/10 is safe neighborhood with many paved paths for running and easy access on foot to nearby houses, transportation, shopping, etc. At no time to my understanding has LE closed any of the paths at or near Moller Ranch Staging Area to public, on or since 7/10/21, which if LE were concerned about wild animal attacking PK, I would think the paths would be temporary closed.

 

[avalonisland]

And also, wasn't he going to finish his run at 12:35ish? (texted his wife that?)

12:35 eta Stockton, so imo the run would need to be completed by about 11:30am- 11:45am. PK texts to friend on 7/9/21 implies PK was requested by family to be in Stockton between 12pm and 12:30pm, so if PK was trying to get some sort of fast run before Daddy duty, I just don't see why PK left cellphone in car, as PK had been using cellphone for texts and call to wife since morning of run and just before start of run and his only way to communicate with family that morning.

 

[MichelleAntonia]

I hadn't thought of the cellphone thing. Maybe leaving it in the car was the unusual part, as if he didn't want to be contacted? I can see not wanting to run with a phone, but going into any kind of wooded area by myself, especially if people were expecting me soon after, I'd take it with me.

Does the fitness watch have calling capabilities usually? Mine is so basic that it doesn't, but PK's wasn't an Apple watch, was it? Don't the fancier kind have to be tethered to a phone, or do they just have to be included on a data plan through your wireless carrier, like a iPad?

 

[Beekarina]

This is why I asked if there were "free bikes" anywhere in the general area.

With that said, a bike could come from anywhere.

Guys, think outside the box a bit. Step back and pretend you want to disappear. You wouldn't take your cellphone, your credit cards, and the nice new bike you bought or you husband/wife gave to you as a birthday present. You would go get a burner phone at the dollar store or walmart or wherever. (If yuo even got a phone.) You would get a used bike from some kid on Marketplace or Craigslist or a yardsale. If having some cards to use was important? Prepaid cards. Cards for crypto wallets your spouse might never know existed. Cards for things like Chime. Cashapp. And probably a dozen others like it. Set up a phony email that directs to another phony email with a made up name using a public library computer in another town. (Did PK travel for work? I bet he did, at least locally/occasionally.)

Remember, PK is an experienced outsdoorsman. He looks like a guy who would be pretty content with simple things. IF he decided to drop out for awhile, I do not think he would be recreating a big fancy life someplace.

My opinion only.

 

[annpats]

Does the fitness watch have calling capabilities usually? Mine is so basic that it doesn't, but PK's wasn't an Apple watch, was it?

No, it was a Suunto.

 

[MichelleAntonia]

This is why I asked if there were "free bikes" anywhere in the general area.

With that said, a bike could come from anywhere.

Guys, think outside the box a bit. Step back and pretend you want to disappear. You wouldn't take your cellphone, your credit cards, and the nice new bike you bought or you husband/wife gave to you as a birthday present. You would go get a burner phone at the dollar store or walmart or wherever. (If yuo even got a phone.) You would get a used bike from some kid on Marketplace or Craigslist or a yardsale. If having some cards to use was important? Prepaid cards. Cards for crypto wallets your spouse might never know existed. Cards for things like Chime. Cashapp. And probably a dozen others like it. Set up a phony email that directs to another phony email with a made up name using a public library computer in another town. (Did PK travel for work? I bet he did, at least locally/occasionally.)

Remember, PK is an experienced outsdoorsman. He looks like a guy who would be pretty content with simple things. IF he decided to drop out for awhile, I do not think he would be recreating a big fancy life someplace.

My opinion only.

That's not a bad theory, but wouldn't there be digital evidence of him setting meetings up with people from Craigslist, buying prepaid cards? Don't CashApp and Chime require a smartphone to access? A burner wouldn't work in that case, and simple internet access that a library would offer wouldn't allow you to use those funds either.

 

[SomethingGoingonHere]

The family should use the money to hire a PI. JMO.

 

[katydid23]

That's not a bad theory, but wouldn't there be digital evidence of him setting meetings up with people from Craigslist, buying prepaid cards? Don't CashApp and Chime require a smartphone to access? A burner wouldn't work in that case, and simple internet access that a library would offer wouldn't allow you to use those funds either.

But you can get 'burner' smartphones. You just have to buy it with cash and use a brand new name and email.

You can use your new burner for craigslist , etc.

 

[MichelleAntonia]

But you can get 'burner' smartphones. You just have to buy it with cash and use a brand new name and email.

You can use your new burner for craigslist , etc.

I didn't know that, I've been thinking they're flip phones all this time lol

So, theoretically, if one uses cash to buy prepaid cards, a smartphone burner, sets up new emails accounts for CashApp, Chime, etc, none of the activity necessary to plan a fully-fledged escape can be tracked, as far as a digital footprint goes? Do I have that right?

 

[annpats]

I didn't know that, I've been thinking they're flip phones all this time lol

So did I. I thought people just bought a 15 year old phone on eBay.

 

[annpats]

I didn't know that, I've been thinking they're flip phones all this time lol

So, theoretically, if one uses cash to buy prepaid cards, a smartphone burner, sets up new emails accounts for CashApp, Chime, etc, none of the activity necessary to plan a fully-fledged escape can be tracked, as far as a digital footprint goes? Do I have that right?

It could be tracked by location if that is turned on. I think LE could do a sweep of any cell phone transmitting in a certain area. It depends how narrow they can narrow it down.
If they went back through the records and there was an unknown one transmitting from his house (for example) that wasn't his wife's phone or tablet, wasn't his normal phone or tablet, then they could get the evidence this other burner phone was there.
But not sure how they could 100% trace it back to him, unless he was careless with his data on it and gave himself away.

Maybe LE could do a cell phone sweep and see what was bouncing off towers from that area of park in Pleasanton for Saturday morning between 09.30hrs - 12.30hrs. There may have been a phone that isn't traceable to a person and is, as such, anonymous. So, a burner phone. That would be interesting.