CA CA - Vernon 'Cody' Matthews, 23, Pollock Pines, 6 June 2014

[LittleMissContrary]

Cody I have been sending hopeful prayers that you might return. This case has struck a nerve with me. He is the youngest of five kids. Such a bright brilliant soul.

 

[LittleMissContrary]

I can't quite understand why they continued to search for the missing firefighter for so long, and only spent a few days looking for Cody. I suppose it might be a case of "one of our own", but that just does not seem right. I also don't understand why the sheriff has not released more information on this case.
One thing which strikes me as odd is the fact that Cody had just moved all of his possessions into the cabin. Considering the fact that the place had just been burglarized, why would he leave the door unlocked?

Something is not adding up here.

 

[katydid23]

Nothing new to report, but keep your eye out for Cody if you live in the area. Supposedly he has been spotted by a few people. I find it hard to believe he would not contact his family.

I don't have much faith in sightings. They usually turn out to be mistaken identity. Unless the witness already knows the person they are usually false sightings. Sadly.

 

[zwiebel]

His father is a former San Bernardino firefighter, so family hope there's a chance he's headed there.

http://blog.pe.com/breaking-news/2014/06/30/region-missing-college-student-has-ties-to-inland-area/

 

[nikb]

I think that too.

Or maybe he had forgotten something for his dinner, possibly something as ordinary as a soda, and got up to go to a shop before eating? I could see myself doing that.

This isn't being judgmental, I'm just saying, it never ceases to amaze me the stuff people differ about in terms of what's "normal" when we all get posting stories on here.

For example... I'd never go out and get a soda before dinner. If we were out of soda I might be bummed but I'd have water. However I know people who would go out just for that, and it's hard to remember that sometimes. I also saw mention of what time he might normally eat dinner. I know we're weird but it's not uncommon for my husband and I to eat dinner at 9 or 10pm (no kids obviously). Wish we knew more about his 'normal' or 'not mainstream but still normal' behavior.

Many thanks to those who bumped this thread because I'm not far away and I will keep an eye out for him.

 

[LittleMissContrary]

This young man's case needs some attention. Seriously people. This is a beautiful, intelligent, creative person. Why is no one giving it the time of day in the media??

What can we do to help? There has to be something we can do.

 

[charminglane]

School is about to start.
Where are you, President of the Anthropology Assocaition?
You are needed and wanted by family, friends, faculty and students!!!
You have so much to offer the world.

 

[LittleMissContrary]

Ok....here is an update from the official family facebook page,

Help Find Vernon "Cody" Matthews
July 30
Here's a copy of a post from the Bring Vernon "Cody" Matthews Home page:

"It looks like not everyone is able to see the link to my uncle's post, so here's a copy/paste of what he wrote: "Update: There was a reported sighting along the Pacific Crest Trail. The reporting party was a backpacker that believes he met him on the trail. Because word had not got out enough, it wasn't until he got back from his trip and saw a flyer that he realized who he might have met. The already delayed report went to the detective, but the detective wasn't able to start following up until recently. We are hoping the reporting party is still available and so we are also waiting for an update from the detective. I guess I can't stress enough the importance of keeping the word out there and keeping his search alive (even if just passing out flyers or idle chat around a table or on fb or around a campfire or kayaking or on a mountain bike run or off roading gathering or on a hike or something). For those who have been actively doing just that, a big thank you. We may be looking at a payoff for our efforts. Anybody can help just by downloading and printing up some flyers or forward this message. If we can validate he is in fact off in the woods somewhere and is doing OK, at least we will have the peace of mind knowing that our Son is still alive and well (vs any other prospect at this point). If you are a parent, I’m sure you can understand where we are coming from. Any other questions you can visit bringhomevernoncodymatthews.weebly.com or simply Google Vernon Cody Matthews. Thank you for your time, thoughts, and prayers."
Vern Matthews
Cody’s father"

 

[Redux]

Bump up. Looks like there's nothing much new on the Bring Home Vernon Cody Matthews site.

Where could you possibly be, Vernon Cody Matthews?

 

[Honey_West]

Where is Cody???

 

[katydid23]

If he was sighted out on the Pacific Trail, backpacking, then that raises other questions. Like WHY. Was he perhaps dealing with some sudden mental health issues? Sadly, he is the perfect age for sudden onset of certain mental afflictions. If so, he needs to be found, now.

 

[Honey_West]

http://bringhomevernoncodymatthews.weebly.com/

 

[kiwijayne]

http://bringhomevernoncodymatthews.weebly.com/

Thanks for that. He looks like an awesome fun dude.

 

[bizaleth]

I just wanted to give an update on the search for Cody. Cody's parents have both been living at the family cabin where Cody last stayed doing everything they can to find him. Tragically, they had to evacuate from the cabin, and have now learned that it has been lost due to the King Fire. For those who aren't familiar with this fire, it has burned over 80,000 acres in both El Dorado and Placer County in an area east of Sacramento in California. From the sound of the interview I read with Cody's mom, they were really hoping that the start of hunting season would bring more attention to Cody, and they really wanted to continue to stay on the property to continue their efforts to find him.

As if this wasn't enough, all of this has happened over Cody's birthday. This is just such heartbreaking news, and I really cannot imagine what it must be like to be dealt such another blow when they need answers.

As a resident of the area, I have been consumed with worry for my community over a fire that is still going and has seemed out of control, but I know my worries are nothing in comparison. My thoughts are with Cody's family.

http://fox40.com/2014/09/21/search-for-missing-hiker-complicated-by-growing-king-fire/

 

[Mountaingazer]

How heartbreaking! My thoughts continue to be with Cody and all his family and friends. I hope they get answers soon.

 

[Topcat]

bump......

 

[rosesfromangels]

Two immediate impressions come to mind. First, the cabin looters returned and he chased them to the river. A tragedy occurred there.
Second, a related incident somehow tied to the cabin looting caused him to flee. The nature of that reason would be known to others. Trouble of some sort; what were the looters expecting to find? Is he on the run hiding because he owed someone something?

 

[steelman]

I just sat here and read all 4 pages of this thread, along with the circumstances of his disappearance. I lived in a wilderness area similar to this in Arizona for 15 years. The first impression I got after reading everything, is that he may have had a fatal encounter with a female bear with cubs. While he walked along a trail, a bear would have been able to pick up his scent as well as any sound he was making. Cody probably would have had no idea a bear was anywhere around until she charged on him. This attack could have come from any direction, front, rear, sides. Even though he is a big guy, he would have been no match for a pissed off 600 pound Momma bear protecting her cubs. He could have been overpowered and disabled within a matter of seconds. Even if he had a gun with him, which I don't believe he did, there probably wouldn't have been enough time to recognize the danger, pull the weapon, and fire it. If all he had was a knife.....forget about it.

If this was an attack by a bear, what happened to his remains would be total speculation. Within a week out in the wilderness though, I 'm not too sure there would be much left of him to find. Every predator in the forest is part of the food chain. The only thing they might be able to find at this stage would be something along the lines of the hunting knife or his clothing and boots. There would also be no way to know if he was dragged off or partially concealed either. The wilderness has a way of concealing evidence.

The only good news with this scenario, if there is such, is that he more than likely is within a mile radius of the cabin. Hunting season is here now, someone should stumble across something fairly soon.

 

[EmmaRose]

Two immediate impressions come to mind. First, the cabin looters returned and he chased them to the river. A tragedy occurred there.
Second, a related incident somehow tied to the cabin looting caused him to flee. The nature of that reason would be known to others. Trouble of some sort; what were the looters expecting to find? Is he on the run hiding because he owed someone something?

I thought from the beginning that whoever broke into the Matthews cabin were using it/or the property for nefarious reasons and Cody got in the middle of it.

I read in the past that there were possible Cody sightings on a trail. Hope it was him but don't know how to confirm or deny since nothing after that was reported.

 

[Topcat]

I just sat here and read all 4 pages of this thread, along with the circumstances of his disappearance. I lived in a wilderness area similar to this in Arizona for 15 years. The first impression I got after reading everything, is that he may have had a fatal encounter with a female bear with cubs. While he walked along a trail, a bear would have been able to pick up his scent as well as any sound he was making. Cody probably would have had no idea a bear was anywhere around until she charged on him. This attack could have come from any direction, front, rear, sides. Even though he is a big guy, he would have been no match for a pissed off 600 pound Momma bear protecting her cubs. He could have been overpowered and disabled within a matter of seconds. Even if he had a gun with him, which I don't believe he did, there probably wouldn't have been enough time to recognize the danger, pull the weapon, and fire it. If all he had was a knife.....forget about it.

If this was an attack by a bear, what happened to his remains would be total speculation. Within a week out in the wilderness though, I 'm not too sure there would be much left of him to find. Every predator in the forest is part of the food chain. The only thing they might be able to find at this stage would be something along the lines of the hunting knife or his clothing and boots. There would also be no way to know if he was dragged off or partially concealed either. The wilderness has a way of concealing evidence.

The only good news with this scenario, if there is such, is that he more than likely is within a mile radius of the cabin. Hunting season is here now, someone should stumble across something fairly soon.

I think the phone ping by the river was an indication he was around that area and a bear attack would have left something behind which imo, would have been spotted in the days proceeding his disappearance. As far as looter(s) returning I'm not sure they would have returned but we don't have proof of that. The location of the cabin (since burned down) and it's condition when discovered by Cody are some of the missing pieces of this puzzle to me. What was missing after Cody went missing? Well we don't know because we don't know the condition before he left to take a hike. Food was out so it seems he returned from his hike(and was interrupted) or never left to go hiking,started to prepare a meal and was interrupted. To prepare to eat and then run out without touching your food is unusual ,imo. Some might say he stopped to run out and maybe get a soda. Well how close is the nearest store? How did his phone ping end at the river and when was he there? Just looking at the shoes he was purported be wearing doesn't bring visions of any type of climbing ,walking yes.