CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019 - #2

[Trudie]

Ranch managers do not have authority to make or veto land sales so I really can't see that being a motive for murder.

I think poster questioned if any potential sale of NR might be off the table if good management could improve it.
Not that Ben would or could sell property he has no ownership in. Jmo

 

[zecats]

Search for Ben Tyner “done for now” - Merritt Herald

Rats. Not the way I’d hoped this search would end.

 

[MistyWaters]

Rats. Not the way I’d hoped this search would end.

Looks like some type of logging happening on NR as well. In the photo on that link I notice huge piles of logs and sawdust in the background where the officers were searching, I think a portable sawmill as well. I wonder why they chose that location to search or if that’s where Ben lived? The noise of a logging operation, if it was active, sure wouldn’t be very quiet and peaceful to listen to on his days off.

 

[zecats]

Looks like some type of logging happening on NR as well. In the photo on that link I notice huge piles of logs and sawdust in the background where the officers were searching, I think a portable sawmill as well. I wonder why they chose that location to search or if that’s where Ben lived? The noise of a logging operation, if it was active, sure wouldn’t be very quiet and peaceful to listen to on his days off.

I’d rather not think of any other reason. Ugh

 

[otto]

I have a friend who is a rancher. The family did some logging on the land, and then they pulled the stumps. That left quite a mess of turned soil. It would be easy for a body to disappear in an area like that.

 

[zecats]

I have a friend who is a rancher. The family did some logging on the land, and then they pulled the stumps. That left quite a mess of turned soil. It would be easy for a body to disappear in an area like that.

I'm so afraid that his body will not be found. There are so many possibilties, none of which I want to consider...but really, where do they go now? It may take a confession or someone to tell the truth on someone else. How did Ben become a target in such a short time?

 

[MistyWaters]

I’d rather not think of any other reason. Ugh

Me either.

One thing I’m curious about, if NR owned land on Swakum Mountain and was there any reason whatsoever for Gunny to be found there or for Ben to have gone riding in that general? If that’s connected to the reported story about Ben looking for stray cattle on his days off, I’d presume however said it knows where the ranch’s cattle stray to, but maybe not. What I’m getting at, if foul play was definitely involved and Gunny was staged to be found in an area that Ben had reason to be, the perp must’ve had firsthand knowledge of the ranch’s operations. Otherwise if he had reason to be there, it seems LE isn’t quite 100% what caused his disappearance.

Also, the trapper said he couldn’t have rode from the ranch, yet I notice there’s several mountain bike trails north of Merritt. A lot of mixed messages...
Merritt|MOUNTAIN BIKING BC

 

[otto]

I'm so afraid that his body will not be found. There are so many possibilties, none of which I want to consider...but really, where do they go now? It may take a confession or someone to tell the truth on someone else. How did Ben become a target in such a short time?

Unfortunately, there's only a small window of time to find his body and retrieve good forensics between the snow melt and the soaring summer temperatures. Did RCMP use heat detecting tools when he disappeared? Are they using those tools now? I realize that would be very challenging in cattle country and it would take time to review imagery, but it would be worth the effort given that this was a murder.

Ben's murder must be related to his work. He wasn't in the area long enough to have any other relationship that would result in murder. Furthermore, the murderer must be good with horses, as only a horse person would view moving a horse from a ranch to a backcountry logging road as the easiest way to hide a murder.

As the new ranch manager, he must have become familiar with everything related to the ranch, the property boundaries, cattle, accounting, equipment and day to day management. If anything was out of order, that would be one reason to eliminate him.

I wonder if the RCMP or the owners have requested an audit on the ranch to review management prior to Ben's arrival.

ETA: they may have been looking in the wrong area
"So a very big search effort overnight. We brought out our PEP air, air search and rescue, as well as our drones. Hoping to locate a campfire or a heat signature from the infrared, but unforunately we didn't find anything at all."

Searchers narrow time frame of Merritt cowboy's disappearance

 

[zecats]

Unfortunately, there's only a small window of time to find his body and retrieve good forensics between the snow melt and the soaring summer temperatures. Did RCMP use heat detecting tools when he disappeared? Are they using those tools now? I realize that would be very challenging in cattle country and it would take time to review imagery, but it would be worth the effort given that this was a murder.

Ben's murder must be related to his work. He wasn't in the area long enough to have any other relationship that would result in murder. Furthermore, the murderer must be good with horses, as only a horse person would view moving a horse from a ranch to a backcountry logging road as the easiest way to hide a murder.

As the new ranch manager, he must have become familiar with everything related to the ranch, the property boundaries, cattle, accounting, equipment and day to day management. If anything was out of order, that would be one reason to eliminate him.

I wonder if the RCMP or the owners have requested an audit on the ranch to review management prior to Ben's arrival.

@otto I was just going to post the same thing. I think he was targeted and eliminated because of what he was doing and where he was working rather than who he was. Not a personal attack, IMO, but a case of elimination to preserve or protect a "way of life" or continue to cover up something illicit. He was not there long enough at all to personally make an enemy in the social arena. Again IMO. Makes the most sense.

And someone familiar enough with the ranch, Ben's routine, Ben's equipment as well as the area and good places to dispose of a body and dump a horse, has to be responsible.

 

[Trudie]

Unfortunately, there's only a small window of time to find his body and retrieve good forensics between the snow melt and the soaring summer temperatures. Did RCMP use heat detecting tools when he disappeared? Are they using those tools now? I realize that would be very challenging in cattle country and it would take time to review imagery, but it would be worth the effort given that this was a murder.

Ben's murder must be related to his work. He wasn't in the area long enough to have any other relationship that would result in murder. Furthermore, the murderer must be good with horses, as only a horse person would view moving a horse from a ranch to a backcountry logging road as the easiest way to hide a murder.

As the new ranch manager, he must have become familiar with everything related to the ranch, the property boundaries, cattle, accounting, equipment and day to day management. If anything was out of order, that would be one reason to eliminate him.

I wonder if the RCMP or the owners have requested an audit on the ranch to review management prior to Ben's arrival.

Ben’s friends describe him as a true professional on official Missing Ben Tyner Facebook. Therefore imo, he got down to business immediately upon arriving at NR. I’ve posted a few times that inventory & cataloguing the herd would possibly be one of his first tasks. As manager one would think he’d like to know exactly what he was managing, asset wise.
All moo

 

[otto]

@otto I was just going to post the same thing. I think he was targeted and eliminated because of what he was doing and where he was working rather than who he was. Not a personal attack, IMO, but a case of elimination to preserve or protect a "way of life" or continue to cover up something illicit. He was not there long enough at all to personally make an enemy in the social arena. Again IMO. Makes the most sense.

And someone familiar enough with the ranch, Ben's routine, Ben's equipment as well as the area and good places to dispose of a body and dump a horse, has to be responsible.

It's the only thing that makes sense. His murder wasn't a result of a psychopathic maniac hiding in the hills, and it wasn't to steal Ben's saddle or horse. Ben disappeared from his job and doing his job, and his murder was staged to give the impression that he was backcountry riding because of his job. Everything points to his murder being related to his job.

I agree that the only person who could pull this off must be someone who is familiar with horses and with Ben's routines, comfortable on the ranch, and who would blend in putting Ben's horse in a trailer and leaving the property.

 

[otto]

Ben’s friends describe him as a true professional on official Missing Ben Tyner Facebook. Therefore imo, he got down to business immediately upon arriving at NR. I’ve posted a few times that inventory & cataloguing the herd would possibly be one of his first tasks. As manager one would think he’d like to know exactly what he was managing, asset wise.
All moo

I agree. He would have been doing his own audit of ranch assets as soon as he arrived so that he knew what he was accountable for in his role. If he noticed any discrepancies, rather than go to the owners, he most likely asked around the ranch to get more information. If anything irregular was happening at the ranch, and he started asking questions, that could explain why he was murdered.

 

[Trudie]

I agree. He would have been doing his own audit of ranch assets as soon as he arrived so that he knew what he was accountable for in his role. If he noticed any discrepancies, rather than go to the owners, he most likely asked around the ranch to get more information. If anything irregular was happening at the ranch, and he started asking questions, that could explain why he was murdered.

NR wasn’t Ben’s first rodeo, as we know. IMO, he knew exactly what to look for and knew exactly what his findings revealed. It is also MOO the owner/s briefed him well on their expectations for their ranch.

 

[MistyWaters]

I agree. He would have been doing his own audit of ranch assets as soon as he arrived so that he knew what he was accountable for in his role. If he noticed any discrepancies, rather than go to the owners, he most likely asked around the ranch to get more information. If anything irregular was happening at the ranch, and he started asking questions, that could explain why he was murdered.

LE haven’t yet declared they have reason to believe Ben was murdered. It’s concerning if they’ve no evidence one way or another at this point in time. What they did say is the case may involve criminality and Ben’s disappearance is suspicious.

Then only two days ago -

“RCMP Sergeant Janelle Shoihet says the scope of the search hasn’t changed much since Ben Tyner first disappeared......

Sgt. Shoihet says the search would resume at the ranch and then police would retrace their steps now that the weather has changed.

“In January, when the snow was covered, you know you’re not going to be able to see everything,” she said. “You know you’re hopeful at that point that Mr. Tyner was going to be found alive and that this wouldn’t be a recovery. That being said, you never know, stranger things have happened, so we have to hold out that little bit of hope.”..”
RCMP resume search for missing B.C. cowboy Ben Tyner, last seen in January

 

[zecats]

NR wasn’t Ben’s first rodeo, as we know. IMO, he knew exactly what to look for and knew exactly what his findings revealed. It is also MOO the owner/s briefed him well on their expectations for their ranch.

Wondering...would Ben need to learn any new skills for this job? Was this his first management job? I know he worked in other countries besides the US earlier in his life, but this was his first time in Canada. Each country has their own ways of operating that may be an adjustment for a foreign worker. I wonder if he had a mentor or someone he could go to when he had questions?

Would his duties even include searching for strays? Management is mostly paperwork and directing/scheduling employees, I would think?

Ranching was a familiar way of life for Ben. Did this job include learning any new skills? Hay production was gone 2 years ago but what about logging? If Nicola Ranch has wooded acreage, possible they were in the logging business as well? Photos have shown evidence of that. IMO

Any connection to NR could have exposed Ben to potential trouble. MOO

 

[Trudie]

Wondering...would Ben need to learn any new skills for this job? Was this his first management job? I know he worked in other countries besides the US earlier in his life, but this was his first time in Canada. Each country has their own ways of operating that may be an adjustment for a foreign worker. I wonder if he had a mentor or someone he could go to when he had questions?

Would his duties even include searching for strays? Management is mostly paperwork and directing/scheduling employees, I would think?

Ranching was a familiar way of life for Ben. Did this job include learning any new skills? Hay production was gone 2 years ago but what about logging? If Nicola Ranch has wooded acreage, possible they were in the logging business as well? Photos have shown evidence of that. IMO

Any connection to NR could have exposed Ben to potential trouble. MOO

Can we post his resume?

 

[zecats]

Can we post his resume?

He is the victim. I would think it's ok. Could always ask, just in case.

 

[zecats]

Wondering...would Ben need to learn any new skills for this job? Was this his first management job? I know he worked in other countries besides the US earlier in his life, but this was his first time in Canada. Each country has their own ways of operating that may be an adjustment for a foreign worker. I wonder if he had a mentor or someone he could go to when he had questions?

Would his duties even include searching for strays? Management is mostly paperwork and directing/scheduling employees, I would think?

Ranching was a familiar way of life for Ben. Did this job include learning any new skills? Hay production was gone 2 years ago but what about logging? If Nicola Ranch has wooded acreage, possible they were in the logging business as well? Photos have shown evidence of that. IMO

Any connection to NR could have exposed Ben to potential trouble. MOO

Rhetorical questions mostly. Just pondering connections to his new position at NR.

 

[zecats]

LE haven’t yet declared they have reason to believe Ben was murdered. It’s concerning if they’ve no evidence one way or another at this point in time. What they did say is the case may involve criminality and Ben’s disappearance is suspicious.

Then only two days ago -

“RCMP Sergeant Janelle Shoihet says the scope of the search hasn’t changed much since Ben Tyner first disappeared......

Sgt. Shoihet says the search would resume at the ranch and then police would retrace their steps now that the weather has changed.

“In January, when the snow was covered, you know you’re not going to be able to see everything,” she said. “You know you’re hopeful at that point that Mr. Tyner was going to be found alive and that this wouldn’t be a recovery. That being said, you never know, stranger things have happened, so we have to hold out that little bit of hope.”..”
RCMP resume search for missing B.C. cowboy Ben Tyner, last seen in January

One telling thing in this new search is they are NOT searching the area where his horse was found. They are retracing their steps at the ranch. That said, I believe they are in recovery mode. I doubt they expect to find him hiding in a pile of compost or in a feedlot.

 

[Trudie]

One telling thing in this new search is they are NOT searching the area where his horse was found. They are retracing their steps at the ranch. That said, I believe they are in recovery mode. I doubt they expect to find him hiding in a pile of compost or in a feedlot.

Sadly, you’re right.

One telling thing in this new search is they are NOT searching the area where his horse was found. They are retracing their steps at the ranch. That said, I believe they are in recovery mode. I doubt they expect to find him hiding in a pile of compost or in a feedlot.

There seems to be little relevancy to where Gunny was found, no one knows where she came from. It seems evident the person that dropped her off isn’t going to admit to doing so. I still THINK LE know their man.
All MOO