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

[Treelights]

That's what I keep wondering about - what does he gain by lying? Is he hiding something?
And the comment ""Sheriff Galvez asserted that he would have no direct communication with the Kellers in the future," the post reads." WHY???
It sounds like more than just "don't care about people from out of town" and more than "my county, my jurisdiction". IMO
Are there things going on in "his" county that he doesn't want anyone else to know about?
I wonder if anyone ever opposes him at election time?
Frustrating doesn't even begin to address what his family is feeling. Everyone here thinks there is much more to the story.

The article mentions that the sheriff and Joe's dad don't see eye-to-eye.
There could, imoo, have been heated discussions, and frankly the sheriff IS the sheriff.
It's the sheriff's job, and it is how he wants to run it.
It's like Sheriff Howard Sills out of Putnam County, Georgia.
People question why he hasn't enlisted the help of the GBI in the Shirley and Russell Dermond case. He is the Sheriff and he feels otherwise, so it is what it is.
Whatever their reasons are as Sheriffs, it is up to them to determine.

I feel for Joe's family. I hope there is closure of some sort. It has been a long time now.

I feel there is more to the story, and when I say that, I mean it in Joe's personal life.
I think there are things in Joe's personal life that are NOT being said, and that is just my opinion.
IMOO.

 

[CookieM]

The article mentions that the sheriff and Joe's dad don't see eye-to-eye.
There could, imoo, have been heated discussions, and frankly the sheriff IS the sheriff.
It's the sheriff's job, and it is how he wants to run it.
It's like Sheriff Howard Sills out of Putnam County, Georgia.
People question why he hasn't enlisted the help of the GBI in the Shirley and Russell Dermond case. He is the Sheriff and he feels otherwise, so it is what it is.
Whatever their reasons are as Sheriffs, it is up to them to determine.

I feel for Joe's family. I hope there is closure of some sort. It has been a long time now.

I feel there is more to the story, and when I say that, I mean it in Joe's personal life.
I think there are things in Joe's personal life that are NOT being said, and that is just my opinion.
IMOO.

I agree with you on all points you've made here.

 

[Sutton]

I haven't followed this case the way many other posters have. But I'm from TN and I think most of us pay attention to missing persons from their home states.

From the articles posted today

• Sheriff Galvez says the FBI is involved in the case. The FBI says they are not involved.
• Sheriff Galvez says the CBI is involved in the case. The CBI says they are not involved.
• Sheriff Galvez says he will not communicate directly with Joe's family.
• Residents claim they've called the Sheriff's office with tips and have been hung up on and told not to call back.

These details, if true, are indicative of a Sheriff who is grossly incompetent or does not want Joe's disappearance investigated.

There may be personal issues in Joe's life that aren't being discussed. The TN Sheriff over-stepped his bounds. But those are separate issues and don't explain the inconsistencies and questionable behaviors listed above.

Unless I'm totally missing something here... I've read all past posts, but it isn't clear what's going on.

<modsnip>
People think Joe's friends were involved and the TN Sheriff is sheltering them? Might be true, but it doesn't explain the issues listed above.

What am I missing here?

 

[krig101]

My opinion about that is that he didn't lie, that he did contact them, and he perhaps did not ask for help.
IMOO.

Galvez also told commissioners the FBI had assisted the investigation at his request. Denver FBI spokeswoman Deborah Sherman denied this, saying Galvez had not asked for FBI help "and we're not involved now."

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...could-bones-found-colorado-be-kellers/346394/

I just don't get it.

He may very well have just left just like in the Michael Goetz case a few months back. But I just don't know. Totally baffled.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[Treelights]

I haven't followed this case the way many other posters have. But I'm from TN and I think most of us pay attention to missing persons from their home states.

From the articles posted today

&#8226; Sheriff Galvez says the FBI is involved in the case. The FBI says they are not involved.
&#8226; Sheriff Galvez says the CBI is involved in the case. The CBI says they are not involved.
&#8226; Sheriff Galvez says he will not communicate directly with Joe's family.
&#8226; Residents claim they've called the Sheriff's office with tips and have been hung up on and told not to call back.

These details, if true, are indicative of a Sheriff who is grossly incompetent or does not want Joe's disappearance investigated.

There may be personal issues in Joe's life that aren't being discussed. The TN Sheriff over-stepped his bounds. But those are separate issues and don't explain the inconsistencies and questionable behaviors listed above.

Unless I'm totally missing something here... I've read all past posts, but it isn't clear what's going on.

<modsnip>

People think Joe's friends were involved and the TN Sheriff is sheltering them? Might be true, but it doesn't explain the issues listed above.

What am I missing here?

https://www.facebook.com/FindJoeKeller/posts/930598987003931

Okay well back in August the facebook for missing Joe said for Everyone and Anyone to call the Conejos County Sheriff's Office and inquire about Joe.

How is it helping when people are TYING UP THE TELEPHONE LINES????? Just to INQUIRE about Joe?????

I think this was a BIG mistake to INQUIRE about Joe. The sheriff's office helps ALL people, think about it. The sheriff's office is there for a reason. For ALL emergencies.
When people call to INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF JOE, then the EMERGENCY THAT SOMEONE HAS, well Tough luck for them because they can't get through because the facebook for Joe wants to tie up the lines concerning INQUIRING about Joe.

To me that was RIDICULOUS.

I understand they want to find Joe, but come on, to the detriment of others that might need help, so they tie up the line with INQUIRIES????
This facebook post for Joe mentioned INQUIRING ABOUT JOE.
That isn't thinking about anyone else but their agenda!!!!!!
Inquiries aren't EMERGENCIES for heaven's sake.
Don't tie up the sheriff's office phone.

Rant Over!

IMOO.

 

[Sutton]

https://www.facebook.com/FindJoeKeller/posts/930598987003931

Okay well back in August the facebook for missing Joe said for Everyone and Anyone to call the Conejos County Sheriff's Office and inquire about Joe.

How is it helping when people are TYING UP THE TELEPHONE LINES????? Just to INQUIRE about Joe?????

I think this was a BIG mistake to INQUIRE about Joe. The sheriff's office helps ALL people, think about it. The sheriff's office is there for a reason. For ALL emergencies.
When people call to INQUIRE ABOUT THE STATUS OF JOE, then the EMERGENCY THAT SOMEONE HAS, well Tough luck for them because they can't get through because the facebook for Joe wants to tie up the lines concerning INQUIRING about Joe.

To me that was RIDICULOUS.

I understand they want to find Joe, but come on, to the detriment of others that might need help, so they tie up the line with INQUIRIES????
This facebook post for Joe mentioned INQUIRING ABOUT JOE.
That isn't thinking about anyone else but their agenda!!!!!!
Inquiries aren't EMERGENCIES for heaven's sake.
Don't tie up the sheriff's office phone.

Rant Over!

IMOO.

Add that to the list of problems outside the CO Sheriff's office. It doesn't explain or justify the actions of the Sheriff's office.

If people were encouraged to call the Sheriff and ask about Joe for the purpose of 'harassment' then this is wrong. But it isn't acceptable or professional to hang up on them.

 

[Caramel]

If people were encouraged to call the Sheriff and ask about Joe for the purpose of 'harassment' then this is wrong. But it isn't acceptable or professional to hang up on them.

Acceptable and professional aside, it may be necessary for exactly the reasons it was wrong to call in the first place.

<modsnip>

 

[Sutton]

Acceptable and professional aside, it may be necessary for exactly the reasons it was wrong to call in the first place.

<modsnip>

I will not argue if hanging up on residents was necessary or not (I doubt it was, but I might feel differently if I were the one answering the phone).

<modsnip>

But that doesn't address the other issues, quoted below.

I have never heard of a law enforcement officer behaving in such a manner. I am trying to understand why some posters are supporting his actions--there must be something I'm missing.

...
&#8226; Sheriff Galvez says the FBI is involved in the case. The FBI says they are not involved.
&#8226; Sheriff Galvez says the CBI is involved in the case. The CBI says they are not involved.
&#8226; Sheriff Galvez says he will not communicate directly with Joe's family.
&#8226; Residents claim they've called the Sheriff's office with tips and have been hung up on and told not to call back.

These details, if true, are indicative of a Sheriff who is grossly incompetent or does not want Joe's disappearance investigated...

Snipped.

 

[Caramel]

Read back over the thread and you will see most...maybe all...of these issues addressed, abundantly. Short form is that media outlets have been inconsistent in their claims about the involvement of (appropriate) other agencies and have quoted, whether accurately or not, conflicting statements allegedly from law enforcement sources.

 

[Sutton]

Read back over the thread and you will see most...maybe all...of these issues addressed, abundantly. Short form is that media outlets have been inconsistent in their claims about the involvement of (appropriate) other agencies and have quoted, whether accurately or not, conflicting statements allegedly from law enforcement sources.

I have read the thread. It isn't clear in any way whatsoever. I posted in my original post, that I have read the thread.

I'm not expecting you to explain it, I'm asking anyone who can and wants to explain it, to do so.

Don't want you to feel like I'm singling you out bc I keep quoting your comments.

 

[Caramel]

I wonder what anyone is hoping the CBI or FBI will do. Do they want the friends and family questioned more closely? Because otherwise there's nowhere else to take an investigation. There are no clues. Neither agency is going to conduct searches, especially repeat searches. Until there's something to investigate, there's nothing for an investigative agency to do.

 

[Sutton]

I wonder what anyone is hoping the CBI or FBI will do. Do they want the friends and family questioned more closely? Because otherwise there's nowhere else to take an investigation. There are no clues. Neither agency is going to conduct searches, especially repeat searches. Until there's something to investigate, there's nothing for an investigative agency to do.

They could reinterview people at the ranch. I read comments from people at the ranch that said they weren't talked to, and had unsuccessfully tried to contact the Sheriff's office. They could reinterview Joe's friends. They could reinterview the fisherman who spotted Joe's friend. They could administer polygraphs.

I am mostly bothered by the Sheriff's untrue statements. I don't think that the FBI or the CBI could just walk in and solve the case. But a LEO who publicly lies (if he did actually lie) and refuses to communicate with the family or residents should not be in an authority position.

 

[Treelights]

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/3106265...-joe-keller-talks-about-case-six-months-later

"Father of missing teen Joe Keller talks about case six months later."

 

[Treelights]

http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/cbi-worksto-identifydiscoveredremains,26565

"Questions arise about Joe Keller"

"Posted Monday, January 25, 2016 11:18 am"

"Keller has been missing since late July 2015..." (Snipped By Me)

"The 19-year-old was placed on the missing persons list for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation,..." (Snipped By Me)

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Further, I believe that there was a lot of confusion on the part of MSM, especially early on, as to which LE agencies were involved in the investigation into Joe's disappearance. For instance,
a Cleveland Daily Banner article, dated August 19th, reported:

"Quinn and Chastain were also reportedly satisfied with the level of cooperation they received from Conejos County Sheriff Howard Galvez Jr., his officers and staff, as well as members of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Colorado State police."

-RBBM-

More than ever, I believe that MSM reports such as above, sadly, were utterly incorrect. However, if that was what they (media) were being told by LE (i.e., Quinn and Chastain = Lt. and detective, respectively, with the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office), I, for one, cannot put the entire blame for the erroneous reports on the part of the reporters.

I don't usually quote my own posts, but I really felt the need to point out how grossly inconsistent MSM has been in regards to which LE agencies have been involved in the investigation into this case, so if you would please pardon me, here we go .

I also noticed in this article just from yesterday:

"The CBI tells Channel 3 it is not the lead agency on the case and referred all questions to the Conejos County Sheriff's Office."

I would have preferred the article be clear as to the level of (possible) involvement in the case by the CBI: Just because an agency says "it is not the lead agency on the case," that does not necessarily mean that the agency is not involved at all.

I have been following Joe's case fairly closely since the very beginning, and I still cannot say with complete confidence which agencies are involved or to what extent, with the exception of the Conejos County Sheriff's Office, where Joe went missing, and the Bradley County Sheriff's Office, where Joe is from. I must say that I am not the biggest fan of Sheriff Galvez, due to the insensitive and unprofessional (in my opinion only) remarks he has made regarding the case and Joe's family. However, I do not necessarily believe that he is downright lying for no reason. In fact, I think it is possible that agencies such as the CBI or FBI have been assisting in the case, but they are not admitting to doing so, and for a good reason (I have always found it rather odd that the Bradley Co. Sheriff has been so transparent -but not in a good way; sorry I cannot think of a better word for this at the moment :blushing:- about Joe's case).

What I would like to see happen is for us to shift our focus from unproductive bashing and baseless accusations, to something that will really move this case along. I feel strongly that someone (or "someones") is very much benefiting from all of these nonsensical distractions.

All IMHO only. Again, thinking of Joe and his family, especially his sweet mom. I am absolutely heartbroken for her ....

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/3106265...-joe-keller-talks-about-case-six-months-later

"Father of missing teen Joe Keller talks about case six months later."

Thank you so much for posting this, Treelights! While it is absolutely heart-wrenching to watch, I am happy to see Joe's dad keeping his son's story fresh in people's minds. There are others who could be doing the same, in my opinion, not only via MSM but SM as well, but are not, perhaps on the advice of legal professionals.

All IMHO only.

 

[ZhaZhaHa]

They could reinterview people at the ranch. I read comments from people at the ranch that said they weren't talked to, and had unsuccessfully tried to contact the Sheriff's office. They could reinterview Joe's friends. They could reinterview the fisherman who spotted Joe's friend. They could administer polygraphs.

I am mostly bothered by the Sheriff's untrue statements. I don't think that the FBI or the CBI could just walk in and solve the case. But a LEO who publicly lies (if he did actually lie) and refuses to communicate with the family or residents should not be in an authority position.

I feel that the Sheriff feels this is a typical "he got hurt and is out there somewhere" case. People go missing in the wilderness. I know this isn't the nice way to say it but I get that feeling from him. They searched repeatedly, kids passed polygraphs, there are no witnesses coming forward to explain anything other than that....he probably feels Joe will turn up eventually when some poor hiker comes across him. I feel he is a little cocky (for lack of better words), and the people in TN and family don't want to see this. Who would?! That's somebody's son! But he isn't emotionally involved and that's OK to some degree.

Super random; two days ago I was walking to my car and the Conejos County Sheriff passed by me (in Boulder...nowhere NEAR Conejos County). I thought about following him just to get a glimpse but decided against it, LOL! Why would he have been in Boulder County? Maybe transporting somebody to jail or a court case? IDK, it was just odd. My husband asked how on earth I even knew where Conejos County was. Well...

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

I feel that the Sheriff feels this is a typical "he got hurt and is out there somewhere" case. People go missing in the wilderness. I know this isn't the nice way to say it but I get that feeling from him. They searched repeatedly, kids passed polygraphs, there are no witnesses coming forward to explain anything other than that....he probably feels Joe will turn up eventually when some poor hiker comes across him. I feel he is a little cocky (for lack of better words), and the people in TN and family don't want to see this. Who would?! That's somebody's son! But he isn't emotionally involved and that's OK to some degree.

Super random; two days ago I was walking to my car and the Conejos County Sheriff passed by me (in Boulder...nowhere NEAR Conejos County). I thought about following him just to get a glimpse but decided against it, LOL! Why would he have been in Boulder County? Maybe transporting somebody to jail or a court case? IDK, it was just odd. My husband asked how on earth I even knew where Conejos County was. Well...

Respectfully BBM. I think that he definitely did in the beginning, but I don't think that is the only possibility he is looking at any longer: For example, within a week to ten days of Joe's disappearance, the Sheriff's Office led a search of a reservoir. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think there has been any explanation as to why they did this, to this day.

"My husband asked how on earth I even knew where Conejos County was. Well...": Ha !

 

[ZhaZhaHa]

Respectfully BBM. I think that he definitely did in the beginning, but I don't think that is the only possibility he is looking at any longer: For example, within a week to ten days of Joe's disappearance, the Sheriff's Office led a search of a reservoir. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think there has been any explanation as to why they did this, to this day.

"My husband asked how on earth I even knew where Conejos County was. Well...": Ha !

True, there is that. But were we ever told that the search of the reservoir was in connection to Joe's case? There are several missing individuals in his jurisdiction (hello, it is mostly forest land), and it could have been related to anything. I don't recall them saying it was linked to this case and with all eyes on them, people just assumed it was.

I absolutely know what you are talking about though and many times my mind wanders back there.

And a note on MSM...my family has been involved in one tiny little GIANT misprint in a paper and after that it was over. MSM do not typically go back and fix their errors as largely public as they should. When the public reads one thing, that's it. So I never ever take what I read in MSM as fact because it isn't. It is sensationalized and done for show to some degree. Like look a few pages back at the article about the bones found in Conejos County last week. The article SAYS (at the very bottom), that family is certain the remains are their missing Michael Rust from 2009 because his unusual belt buckle was also found. But the article makes you think OMG THEY FOUND JOE!! No, they didn't. There wasn't a need for this TN paper to write this story, but they did to make people read. That makes me upset. Poor Michael Rust was finally found and his story is a mystery, but let's give this big news to Joe.

(Here's that story if you missed it http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...could-bones-found-colorado-be-kellers/346394/ )

Sorry, I'm ranting here.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

True, there is that. But were we ever told that the search of the reservoir was in connection to Joe's case? There are several missing individuals in his jurisdiction (hello, it is mostly forest land), and it could have been related to anything. I don't recall them saying it was linked to this case and with all eyes on them, people just assumed it was.

I absolutely know what you are talking about though and many times my mind wanders back there.

And a note on MSM...my family has been involved in one tiny little GIANT misprint in a paper and after that it was over. MSM do not typically go back and fix their errors as largely public as they should. When the public reads one thing, that's it. So I never ever take what I read in MSM as fact because it isn't. It is sensationalized and done for show to some degree. Like look a few pages back at the article about the bones found in Conejos County last week. The article SAYS (at the very bottom), that family is certain the remains are their missing Michael Rust from 2009 because his unusual belt buckle was also found. But the article makes you think OMG THEY FOUND JOE!! No, they didn't. There wasn't a need for this TN paper to write this story, but they did to make people read. That makes me upset. Poor Michael Rust was finally found and his story is a mystery, but let's give this big news to Joe.

(Here's that story if you missed it http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/...could-bones-found-colorado-be-kellers/346394/ )

Sorry, I'm ranting here.

The search of the reservoir was indeed in connection to Joe's case. Please see the posts from August 1st and July 31st (though a FB page, I am linking here since it is an official LE agency page):

https://www.facebook.com/Conejos-County-Sheriffs-Office-1595594977375671/

I should point out that it does not necessarily say the reservoir itself was searched, but rather, in the area thereof.

I so completely agree with you about the Times Free Press article. How tasteless.