Found Deceased CO - Joseph Keller, 18, Antonito, 23 July 2015 - #1

[tumbleweed1]

A few thoughts...

First, I think that Joe's relationship to the ranch may have been overstated. From looking at the ranch website, Joe's aunt is not listed among the hosts, so her position at the ranch may not necessarily be that important. Joe's brother stated that his last trip to the ranch would have been around 8 years old, so to a young boy the difference between "the ranch my aunt owns" and "the ranch my aunt works at" may be negligible. So, when Joe and his friends were going to stay at "his aunt's ranch" it could have simply meant "the ranch she works at" rather than "the ranch she owns" as some of the early posts imply. I think this clears up some of the confusion over why the ranch didn't shut everything down, do more, etc. for a missing "family" member. This would also explain why Joe's parents stayed at another lodge while there searching.

Secondly, the offensive post from RTR may have been a scheduled post. Many businesses use Facebook's ability to schedule posts to promote events, specials, etc. Especially for things that happen yearly or monthly. The post could have been written well before Joe's disappearance and scheduled to post to promote the ranch in the coming season. Maybe just a case of bad timing.

Thirdly, CF's seemingly unconcerned Facebook posts may be a result of his privacy settings not showing some of his posts publicly.

Lastly, FJK Facebook page is admin'd by friends and family of the boys involved. Joe's parents have been monitoring some of the site, but others have been handling admin duties to be able to post while they had limited access, were searching, etc.

 

[Treelights]

A few thoughts...

First, I think that Joe's relationship to the ranch may have been overstated. From looking at the ranch website, Joe's aunt is not listed among the hosts, so her position at the ranch may not necessarily be that important. Joe's brother stated that his last trip to the ranch would have been around 8 years old, so to a young boy the difference between "the ranch my aunt owns" and "the ranch my aunt works at" may be negligible. So, when Joe and his friends were going to stay at "his aunt's ranch" it could have simply meant "the ranch she works at" rather than "the ranch she owns" as some of the early posts imply. I think this clears up some of the confusion over why the ranch didn't shut everything down, do more, etc. for a missing "family" member. This would also explain why Joe's parents stayed at another lodge while there searching.

Secondly, the offensive post from RTR may have been a scheduled post. Many businesses use Facebook's ability to schedule posts to promote events, specials, etc. Especially for things that happen yearly or monthly. The post could have been written well before Joe's disappearance and scheduled to post to promote the ranch in the coming season. Maybe just a case of bad timing.

Thirdly, CF's seemingly unconcerned Facebook posts may be a result of his privacy settings not showing some of his posts publicly.

Lastly, FJK Facebook page is admin'd by friends and family of the boys involved. Joe's parents have been monitoring some of the site, but others have been handling admin duties to be able to post while they had limited access, were searching, etc.

http://rainbowtroutranch.com/colorado-dude-ranch-staff/

"Your Dude Ranch Hosts."

"Doug & Linda run the ranch with the help of their son David and daughter-in-law Jane who live at the ranch year round with their three children."

"When you call or email, you will most likely get Linda or Jane and we will be so happy to help you plan your Rainbow Trout Ranch vacation."

ETA:
http://www.coloradoranch.com/ranches/rainbow-trout-ranch

This also lists his Aunt as a Host.

His Aunt J. is very much a part of the ranch, and an important part of the ranch.
IMOO.
ETA:
http://rainbowtroutranch.com/seasons-end-at-rainbow-trout-ranch-high-in-southern-colorado/

ETA:

"Well established dude ranch,Rainbow Trout Ranch, hosted a Wrangler Training class May 24th. Assisted by the ranch owner family head wranglers David and Jane Van Berkum",(snipped by me...)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/5/prweb10782651.htm

 

[kodi]

It's great to finally see Joe's case as a major headline!

"So far, the only lead is a report of a suspicious black van seen in the area where Keller disappeared. Galvez's office said that clue turned up in a comment on a Facebook page related to the case, and authorities have not yet verified it."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/2...n-who-vanished-while-2064374409/?intcmp=hpbt3

 

[Treelights]

It's great to finally see Joe's case as a major headline!

"So far, the only lead is a report of a suspicious black van seen in the area where Keller disappeared. Galvez's office said that clue turned up in a comment on a Facebook page related to the case, and authorities have not yet verified it."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/08/2...n-who-vanished-while-2064374409/?intcmp=hpbt3

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/new...ffs-office-out-of-leads-in-missing-hiker-case

 

[Yvettea]

Law-enforcement often implies keeping information to themselves protects their investigation. We see how well that is working in this case. :/

 

[Eileen730]

Maybe they found internet searches for La Jara on his computer at home or something?

Or someone's phone pinged there.

 

[OldFashionWithaFlair]

Or someone's phone pinged there.

Can someone refresh my memory as to where they searched in La Jara? Thanks.

 

[bakerlady]

I have been browsing this thread after reading about Joe in the DailyMail (I know it's not a great source but I browse it while bored at work). One thing that stood out to me is this (BBM)

"According to a ******** page set up by Collin's family, Joe is 5'7', 150 pounds, has an athletic build, and a British-sounding accent.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...dmit-stumped-baffling-case.html#ixzz3jOtvij9E
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook"

On another page I read that one of the boys was his friend since Kindergarten. So is Joe British? Or perhaps his family is and he was born here? Why would it say British sounding and not just British?

I know a few British families. One of my friends moved her when she was 12 from England and she has no accent left whatsoever. I also know another family with and Irish mom and an English dad, the kids are American. And none of the kids have accents.

Also, are there wolves and/or bears known in the area where the boys were running?

 

[Treelights]

For the above post about Joe's accent.... A British sounding accent, perhaps South African?

IMOO.

 

[Treelights]

Can someone refresh my memory as to where they searched in La Jara? Thanks.

From the Conejos County Sheriff's Office Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1618503908418111&id=1595594977375671

From August 1, 2015:

"Thanks to those who were able to volunteer on the search today, which was in the area of La Jara Reservoir. Unless something new develops, our next post will be Monday."

 

[bakerlady]

The Find Joe Keller FB page has a few Interesting posts by a woman AL. Her thoughts mirror my gut feeling about this case. Something about this reminds me of the Brandon Lawson case as well.

 

[OldFashionWithaFlair]

The Find Joe Keller FB page has a few Interesting posts by a woman AL. Her thoughts mirror my gut feeling about this case. Something about this reminds me of the Brandon Lawson case as well.

I can't find anything with initials AL?

 

[OldFashionWithaFlair]

The Find Joe Keller FB page has a few Interesting posts by a woman AL. Her thoughts mirror my gut feeling about this case. Something about this reminds me of the Brandon Lawson case as well.

Never mind, found it. I'm sure anything is possible, but this person seems to be into conspiracy theories and why would JK be the first person missing from the ranch if this were true. MOO.

 

[bakerlady]

I can't find anything with initials AL?

It's a comment by a woman on the post dated Yesterday at 6:37am. It's basically mentioning local riff raff and drug dealers.

When I looked at the area and thought about 3 seemingly upper middle class (my assumption) guys I thought they must stick out like a sore thumb. Two of these young men go jogging off the main roads and who knows who they crossed paths with. I think that Joe was possibly kidnapped and is being held for ransom because the kidnappers could tell he was from a wealthy family, and the possible British accent might have furthered that assumption along because for some reason Americans seem to associate British accents with wealth and status.

Again these are all my assumptions.

Another angle I considered is that the boys were looking around for a 'good time' while on vacation and inquired about some drugs and dealt with the wrong people.

I am not trying to talk negatively about an area I have never been too but I do know that some parts of America are very very different than others. I grew up in a wealthy metropolitan area in New England. Years ago I took a road trip with a girlfriend and we got lost in South Carolina in a very rural area and it was horrifying. I felt like we went back in time 30 years and ended up in a completely different country. I was so naive and had no idea people actually lived like the people I saw in this town. And it was very obvious and depressing that almost everyone we saw was either drunk or high and had been like that for years. Very sad. And when we asked for directions several of the people there had acted like they never left the town in their life. We were gawked at and cat called and followed for miles on long country roads that seemed to never end. This was back in the Mapquest days and our ancient cell phones were of no use in the middle of nowhere.

So, I just have a hunch that these boys stuck out and were targeted by criminals.

 

[bakerlady]

Never mind, found it. I'm sure anything is possible, but this person seems to be into conspiracy theories and why would JK be the first person missing from the ranch if this were true. MOO.

I agree with you but it just struck a chord with me in regards to my initial thoughts other than being attacked by a bear or falling off a cliff...

 

[bakerlady]

Never mind, found it. I'm sure anything is possible, but this person seems to be into conspiracy theories and why would JK be the first person missing from the ranch if this were true. MOO.

I agree with you but it just struck a chord with me in regards to my initial thoughts other than being attacked by a bear or falling off a cliff...

 

[ceci]

Zoe Rooken Smith is from South Africa, I went to HS with Neal and im 55. The Kellers have been farmers for many generations. I assume he picked up his Mothers accent cause Neal speaks southern.

 

[Treelights]

It's a comment by a woman on the post dated Yesterday at 6:37am. It's basically mentioning local riff raff and drug dealers.

When I looked at the area and thought about 3 seemingly upper middle class (my assumption) guys I thought they must stick out like a sore thumb. Two of these young men go jogging off the main roads and who knows who they crossed paths with. I think that Joe was possibly kidnapped and is being held for ransom because the kidnappers could tell he was from a wealthy family, and the possible British accent might have furthered that assumption along because for some reason Americans seem to associate British accents with wealth and status.

Again these are all my assumptions.

Another angle I considered is that the boys were looking around for a 'good time' while on vacation and inquired about some drugs and dealt with the wrong people.

I am not trying to talk negatively about an area I have never been too but I do know that some parts of America are very very different than others. I grew up in a wealthy metropolitan area in New England. Years ago I took a road trip with a girlfriend and we got lost in South Carolina in a very rural area and it was horrifying. I felt like we went back in time 30 years and ended up in a completely different country. I was so naive and had no idea people actually lived like the people I saw in this town. And it was very obvious and depressing that almost everyone we saw was either drunk or high and had been like that for years. Very sad. And when we asked for directions several of the people there had acted like they never left the town in their life. We were gawked at and cat called and followed for miles on long country roads that seemed to never end. This was back in the Mapquest days and our ancient cell phones were of no use in the middle of nowhere.

So, I just have a hunch that these boys stuck out and were targeted by criminals.

Conejos County is one of the friendliest counties I have been in. (I live in Colorado.)
It is beautiful to boot.
Last year, while we were on the ATV's, 2 young men stopped us in their vehicle and asked us if we knew this lady as they found her purse with drivers license while they were fishing. These young men were from Texas and staying in a friend or relatives cabin nearby to where we were staying.
We told them of a place to go where they could get help, and that person would know of the residents in this small community in Conejos county.

We had a wonderful time last year. It was magical.
We drove up Cornwall Mountain on the ATV's, and also took the ATV's to Blowout Pass, etc. Went through Stunner Pass.
We ate lunch in Platoro. We saw a Marmot!
The people we met were Friendly!! ALL OF THEM!
The photos we took are Breathtaking!
No cell service, and we watched videos at night in the cabin. (Enjoyed family time with my cousins.)
Hummingbirds feeding on the feeders on the balcony.
Deer present in the forest. It was beautiful!
We took our dogs and my cousins took theirs.
They have owned this property for years and years and years and years.
They love it there and so do we.

I don't think Joe and his friends would stick out like a sore thumb at all.
They would blend in.
And being wealthy? Just because Conejos County is one of the poorest counties in Colorado doesn't mean there aren't wealthy people there...Why would Joe stick out?
I am sure the residents of Conejos county have heard people with accents.
Heck, his Aunt J. has an accent, by the video I posted earlier in the thread.
Maybe you have preconceived notions because you haven't been there.
Just my two cents...
IMOO.

 

[bakerlady]

Conejos County is one of the friendliest counties I have been in. (I live in Colorado.)
It is beautiful to boot.
Last year, while we were on the ATV's, 2 young men stopped us in their vehicle and asked us if we knew this lady as they found her purse with drivers license while they were fishing. These young men were from Texas and staying in a friend or relatives cabin nearby to where we were staying.
We told them of a place to go where they could get help, and that person would know of the residents in this small community in Conejos county.

We had a wonderful time last year. It was magical.
We drove up Cornwall Mountain on the ATV's, and also took the ATV's to Blowout Pass, etc. Went through Stunner Pass.
We ate lunch in Platoro. We saw a Marmot!
The people we met were Friendly!! ALL OF THEM!
The photos we took are Breathtaking!
No cell service, and we watched videos at night in the cabin. (Enjoyed family time with my cousins.)
Hummingbirds feeding on the feeders on the balcony.
Deer present in the forest. It was beautiful!
We took our dogs and my cousins took theirs.
They have owned this property for years and years and years and years.
They love it there and so do we.

I don't think Joe and his friends would stick out like a sore thumb at all.
They would blend in.
And being wealthy? Just because Conejos County is one of the poorest counties in Colorado doesn't mean there aren't wealthy people there...Why would Joe stick out?
I am sure the residents of Conejos county have heard people with accents.
Heck, his Aunt J. has an accent, by the video I posted earlier in the thread.
Maybe you have preconceived notions because you haven't been there.
Just my two cents...
IMOO.

Yes I clearly stated I had no idea what I was talking about lol. Thank you for your insights.

I was basing my assumptions off of my facebook browsing of people who lived in the area and what seemed to be their extra curricular activities.

I still don't understand how one grows up in Tennessee and has a 'British sounding' accent but I guess that is neither here nor there.

I get a Breaking Bad vibe from all of this and the mention of the mysterious black van just screams mobile meth lab to me. I also know that cartels and gangs use these rural areas precisely like is portrayed in tv and movies....again just my gut feeling.

 

[doublestop]

We were just there this summer, and there is nothing about the people in that area that would make those boys stand out. There is a mix of small town people, tourists, summer residents, ranchers, all of a wide variety of income levels and interests. There was nothing that made any of us uncomfortable anywhere we were.

Besides, if Joe was just our running in a pair of shorts and running shoes, how would they even know if he were wealthy or not?