CO CO - Roger Ellison, 17, Cedaredge, 10 Feb 1981 #2

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10 Cases Of Students Vanishing From Their Schools

10 - Roger Ellison

At approximately 8:30 AM on February 10, 1981, 17-year-old Colorado student Roger Ellison showed up at Cedaredge High School and stowed his books in his locker, which he shared with another student. This student would provide the last confirmed sighting of Roger, who did not attend any of his classes that day and was never seen again. Roger was a very popular straight-A student who had already been accepted at college and, since he left behind all his personal belongings, there was no reason for him to have disappeared willingly. However, John Pash, a social studies teacher/wrestling coach at Cedaredge, soon became a person of interest in the case.

Pash visited Roger’s mother shortly after his disappearance and claimed that Roger had been experiencing a lot of personal problems and was suicidal, which she did not believe. Pash’s home happened to be located right next to the school and Roger was known for frequently visiting the home to turn in his homework. In 1994, one of Roger’s classmates claimed that his body might be buried underneath Pash’s house. Pash had long since sold the place, but authorities searched it with ground-penetrating radar. While they did detect some anomalies underneath the concrete garage floor, they ultimately decided not to dig through it. John Pash has always maintained his innocence, and after more than 30 years, Roger Ellison has still never been found.

http://listverse.com/2013/07/11/10-cases-of-students-vanishing-from-their-schools/
 
Is the case classified as an abduction on an LE database or just charley project?

I think he went to the woods. I'm not familiar with the area i.e density, size, landscape--but I'm thinking it wasn't thoroughly searched. If it could be searched again, maybe a bone or a shoe or SOMETHING would be found... but it's been thirty years... Sadly, it would be difficult to find anything but worth a shot. Bones are scattered by animals, clothing deteriorates... But he would have had to use something to commit suicide... Rope? Surely something would be there still, if only searchers could find it...
 
Danaya said:
Is the case classified as an abduction on an LE database or just charley project?

I think he went to the woods. I'm not familiar with the area i.e density, size, landscape--but I'm thinking it wasn't thoroughly searched. If it could be searched again, maybe a bone or a shoe or SOMETHING would be found... but it's been thirty years... Sadly, it would be difficult to find anything but worth a shot. Bones are scattered by animals, clothing deteriorates... But he would have had to use something to commit suicide... Rope? Surely something would be there still, if only searchers could find it...
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Good observation. What rivers, lakes, or streams are in the vicinity of the high school? Was the old building taken down and re-located? If it was not relocated, I think I remember reading it is now a Middle School. Cederedge High School I believe is now a different building, but I am not sure. Can anyone provide a comparative assessment of the building and surrounding area back than and what the location is like today?

Rivers and lakes would presumably still be there, but the buildings may be different today.

Satch
 
Satch said:
Good observation. What rivers, lakes, or streams are in the vicinity of the high school? Was the old building taken down and re-located? If it was not relocated, I think I remember reading it is now a Middle School. Cederedge High School I believe is now a different building, but I am not sure. Can anyone provide a comparative assessment of the building and surrounding area back than and what the location is like today?

Rivers and lakes would presumably still be there, but the buildings may be different today.

Satch
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Just wanted to comment a bit on the area and the terrain (rivers, lakes, streams, etc). My hubby is from nearby Grand Junction and we lived there for many years and I have been to Cedaredge many times. It is on, what we refer to, as the backside of the mesa or the southern gateway to the Grand Mesa. A creek does run thru the valley, (Surface Creek) and there is another one, as well, but don't recall the name at the moment.

The Grand Mesa has over 300 lakes on it, is very rugged in most places. Is home to deer, elk, moose, bears, etc. A sportsman's paradise, if you will. It is also open range country, cattle are free to roam where ever. You can be driving along, come around a curve and find a herd of cattle on the road. Just have to wait until they move along. Mountain side is full of scrub brush/oak, pine trees, aspens. Very thick in many places. Some places you can only reach by horseback.

The town really has not grown much over the years. Mostly just new homes have been built. We looked at buying some places there back in 1999. It has been at least 5 years since I was in Cedaredge so I can't say what has been done since then.

If Roger did/was taken somewhere on the mesa, it is possible, to me at least, that he may never be found. Simply because, having lived on the west side of the mesa, I know what the area is like.
 
DaisyBill said:
Just wanted to comment a bit on the area and the terrain (rivers, lakes, streams, etc). My hubby is from nearby Grand Junction and we lived there for many years and I have been to Cedaredge many times. It is on, what we refer to, as the backside of the mesa or the southern gateway to the Grand Mesa. A creek does run thru the valley, (Surface Creek) and there is another one, as well, but don't recall the name at the moment.

The Grand Mesa has over 300 lakes on it, is very rugged in most places. Is home to deer, elk, moose, bears, etc. A sportsman's paradise, if you will. It is also open range country, cattle are free to roam where ever. You can be driving along, come around a curve and find a herd of cattle on the road. Just have to wait until they move along. Mountain side is full of scrub brush/oak, pine trees, aspens. Very thick in many places. Some places you can only reach by horseback.

The town really has not grown much over the years. Mostly just new homes have been built. We looked at buying some places there back in 1999. It has been at least 5 years since I was in Cedaredge so I can't say what has been done since then.

If Roger did/was taken somewhere on the mesa, it is possible, to me at least, that he may never be found. Simply because, having lived on the west side of the mesa, I know what the area is like.
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Thanks for this information!

I would also guess that if Roger had left voluntarily, or even if he tragically committed suicide, he could have gone quite far away along that mesa path and because it is very rustic and rural, neither he nor his remains may ever be found. It could be sadly, that if Roger's disappearance was a suicide that animals could have gotten to the remains, before investigators could get to the area. Very sad!

Satch
 
IIRC Roger had a car, (and a motorcycle?) so why did he ride the bus that day? Did he ride the bus everyday? I believe the content of Roger's assignment would speak volumes about what actually occurred that day. WHY can't LE share that information? A cold case by nature is only as cold as it's last piece of information...this case begs for information. It's time.
 
At this point in time, teachers are considered mandated reporters- meaning they are, by law, obligated to refer to their principal and school counselor any child who they suspect is neglected or abused or any suspicious markings. After a teacher reports this, the rest is out of his/her hands. The school counselor and/or social worker will interview the child and contact authorities if needed.

In the 1980's, teacher had no such requirement. Doing the right thing and having to do the right thing are two totally different arguments.
 
Satch said:
Exactly!

I would like to know what LE has in the files that moves this case toward an abduction rather than the other proposed theories? I would anticipate some evidence leading to this assumption, and hopefully they didn't put it in Roger's case file just because people "believed it at the time, so it must be true."

Even if we could have a definitive starting point as to where Roger started to go or went to that morning? How far was his locker from the nearest exit, or any exit door in the school, where Roger might have gone? I do remember looking up the weather for that day, and it was cold and I think rainy. I do remember it was not the kind of weather where a person would want to go a long distance without planning or preparation as to what he/she would do that day.

Satch
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BBM. This is a good point, he was very experienced with the outdoors. As a skier he would be well aware of the dangers of hypothermia and exposure. If he indeed wandered off into one of the many very rugged areas hoping not to be found, he could have passively committed suicide via exposure. If his body had been found, his parents would not live with the stigma, guilt, shame of a child committing suicide as it would have been ruled a misadventure.

I think it would be very helpful for LE to release a few more details, especially the assignment details. However, if there was any chance of suicide, the family might not want people to know (stigma, etc) and the case would still be stalled. If the assignment had something to do with coming out or something, the family would request it not be released. So, we are at a dead-end unless we get a few more clues. :banghead:
 
I live in this area and I am willing to post flyers and do leg work.
After reading, I can't help wonder if it might be a simple accident? If he went for a quick run to clear his mind and fell. The frustrated emotions of not finding him and not knowing by everyone involved and not involved but affected by story would warrant theories in all aspects. To even imagine what a horrific loss this would be to those who loved him is devastating...loss of boy and future.
 
What a strange, strange, strange case.

If this were a simple accident or he committed suicide, I strongly feel that his body would have been found by now.

I just get the STRONG feeling based on reading through this thread, the findroger.com blog, and what other information I could find on this case that he unfortunately met with foul play at the hands of somebody he knew. I also tend to think that people out there know what happened and have been very good about keeping it quiet.
 
John,
I'd like to know what was in that assignment. Would you please PM me.
 
I think the article linked above accurately summarizes the facts of this case. Thank you to the kind soul who posted it here.

We could go on and on with theories and guesses, but I think this statement is telling:

“I have this little thing in my stomach that says he didn’t get out of Cedaredge,” former Delta sheriff Bill Blair told Lofholm."


I have always believed "Occam's razor" applies in this case.

It is infuriating to me that there is no justice for Roger -- at least not here on earth. But I believe there will be justice when the perpetrator takes his last breath and meets his maker.

As with each of you and your own personal perspectives, this is mine with regard to this case, and, like many here, I have been studying it for a long time. It is sad that Roger's family has had to suffer all these years. Maybe one of these days a generous, dedicated person will insert themselves into this case and dig for the answers. As with many mysterious disappearances, the answers are there waiting to be found. But either someone has to have the courage to come forward, or, more digging must be done.

Rest in peace, Roger. To the Ellison family, don't ever give up.
 
This is a very odd case...I have read through this thread and I honestly don't know what to think...if he met with foul play, who? If he left the school after placing books in his locker, did anyone see him leave? I'm intrigued by the death bed confession ....why would these guys make that up? Someone pointed out why did the perpetrator let them go after what they'd seen, but what if these guys saw this but the perp didn't see them? What if they freaked and decided to hightail it outta there and that's when they heard the gun shots? Or as people suggested, they were involved? I just cant ignore the fact they both passed the polygraph.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2
 
margarita25 said:
New article on denverpost.com, linked on front page since yesterday ("Mystery Disappearance") which is awesome considering the media audience due to coverage of the Broncos in the Superbowl:

http://blogs.denverpost.com/coldcas...gunpoint-led-woods/7915/?source=hot-topic-bar
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I hadnt read Pash's screed concerning Websleuth back in 2009 I was a bit bemused to read when I found it in the link just now where he took exception to my innocent query about how many pretty young boys he 'mentored' on regular basis.
He characterized Mysterylover and myself as 'vicious' and 'rude'.
Boy. Some people.
 
kline said:
I hadnt read Pash's screed concerning Websleuth back in 2009 I was a bit bemused to read when I found it in the link just now where he took exception to my innocent query about how many pretty young boys he 'mentored' on regular basis.
He characterized Mysterylover and myself as 'vicious' and 'rude'.
Boy. Some people.
Click to expand...

Weeeell, think of it from his point of view. Imagine being an innocent person who works with young people and then being falsely accused by strangers of paedophilia and murder! I would find the query about mentoring pretty young boys was suggesting that he had an untoward interest in pretty young boys and mentoring them was a cover to get close, and sorry but if I was an innocent person dogged by this for thirty years vicious and rude would be the least of my insults.

I'm not saying you were wrong, just that from his point of view its understandable to be mad.

I can't see it being pash, he's remained a teacher, had no complaints raised against him aside from some anonymous blog comment which could be from anyone including the killer!

Like sdo many cases this case has so many rumiurs its hard to separate fact from myth, fact from assumption. Did his mum see him get on the bus, or did she see him leave, see rthe bus leave and assume he was on it! Did the friend actually see Rodger, or did he just see the books and assume he had been there. I know the article states they spoke but how accurate is that as it seems like a quote of a quote of a quote!

The death bed confession is odd. Why lie on your deathbed? But the story was confirmed by the other man, and if Rodger was met by two older men the week before that could fit. I'm not saying I thinks its entirely true, it may be that the men themselves were involved, but I do believe Rodger met with someone he had previously met and was killed out in the woods. Perhaps he had been invited poaching to make some extra cash or something. Was trying to buy something on the cheap like skis etc
 
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