Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” July 2018 - Vance Rodriguez #2

[janewall]

I honestly wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Collier County Sheriff’s office to follow up.

Agreed, sadly. They seem to view a deceased long-distance hiker without signs of foul play as a transient, and thus far from a priority case.

 

[Gardener1850]

Snipped for focus.

ETA: regarding the Dollar Tree notebook, I just went down the Dollar Tree rabbit hole. Facts: they are headquartered in Chesapeake, VA. They have almost 15000 stores in North America, 35 of which are within 10 miles of my house. MH could have picked up the notebook anywhere, including from another hiker who didn't need it and wanted one less item to carry.

Oh, my! I must live in a Dollar Tree impoverished area. The nearest one is about 60 miles away. I used to live closer to one and it's a great place to get cheap gift wrap... I do agree with you and @bears10 that he could have picked the notebook up anywhere. So there goes my flimsy evidence that he hiked through NC/TN. I'm back to wondering if he paid for a backcountry permit at Great Smokey Mountain NP or if he risked hiking thru without one.

MOO.

 

[Gardener1850]

I honestly wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Collier County Sheriff’s office to follow up.

It's sad but true. I believe they want to solve this case and they even went to what they consider great lengths in producing a podcast about him. Unfortunately the police budget of many small depts does not provide for a detective who can work Unidentified Deceased Cold Cases exclusively. Unless a private detective decides to take on this case or the police decide to give DNA Doe Project a chance to solve it with genetic genealogy, I'm afraid we will be waiting a very long time for Denim/MH to get identified.

 

[bears10]

It's sad but true. I believe they want to solve this case and they even went to what they consider great lengths in producing a podcast about him. Unfortunately the police budget of many small depts does not provide for a detective who can work Unidentified Deceased Cold Cases exclusively. Unless a private detective decides to take on this case or the police decide to give DNA Doe Project a chance to solve it with genetic genealogy, I'm afraid we will be waiting a very long time for Denim/MH to get identified.

bbm. In my heart I think that someone will see his pictures and that is how he will be IDed. Especially since it doesn’t seem like DDP can work their dna magic due to the restrictions in Florida. but I have faith that it is just going to take the right person to stumble across his picture, and hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later.

 

[Gardener1850]

I was just checking his NAMUS and noticed that LE has a new missing poster added June 18 2019:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

I had not seen this flyer before with all of those photos attached. It's good to have confirmation that LE is aware of that many photos of him. I believe that photo collage was posted on the thread by someone here so it's a credit to both LE and our WS member's efforts. MOO.

 

[Gardener1850]

It's sad but true. I believe they want to solve this case and they even went to what they consider great lengths in producing a podcast about him. Unfortunately the police budget of many small depts does not provide for a detective who can work Unidentified Deceased Cold Cases exclusively. Unless a private detective decides to take on this case or the police decide to give DNA Doe Project a chance to solve it with genetic genealogy, I'm afraid we will be waiting a very long time for Denim/MH to get identified.

Just to add to my thoughts above I searched NAMUS Unidentified and there are currently 43 cases in Collier County, FL. The cases go back to 1972. Denim/MH is only the most recent case. With that many cases one would think there is a large city in the County but looking at the map, there is not one-- the largest city appears to be Naples (population of about 20,000): Google Maps
This is so sad that so many remain unidentified. I'm going to take some time this evening and add any Collier County Unidentified cases I see that don't already have a thread here. All these people deserve their names back. MOO.

 

[LadyBadWolf]

He could have had other trail names we dont know about or could have used any other name.

This is where I am at as well. It would be so early (from what we know) in his trip, that he may not have settled on a plan of complete anonymity or the lengths he'd go to preserve it. At this point, the hiking could have still been a bit of a lark.

 

[LadyBadWolf]

Photo was taken July 12, 2017, according to the CLC.

Feel better @SugarQueen !!

It fits so perfectly into his known timeline, I can't imagine it's not him!

 

[gatorale]

Just to add to my thoughts above I searched NAMUS Unidentified and there are currently 43 cases in Collier County, FL. The cases go back to 1972. Denim/MH is only the most recent case. With that many cases, one would think there is a large city in the County but looking at the map, there is not one-- the largest city appears to be Naples (population of about 20,000): Google Maps
This is so sad that so many remain unidentified. I'm going to take some time this evening and add any Collier County Unidentified cases I see that don't already have a thread here. All these people deserve their names back. MOO.

Hello from Collier County! I actually live in Naples, FL. I've been following this case since the beginning—so fascinating and frustrating all at the same time. A little background about the area...while the population of the City of Naples is listed as 20,000, the Collier County Sheriff's Department serves more than 320,000 residents in Florida's largest county. They definitely have their hands full on a daily basis. I believe they have a detective continuing to work the case; I corresponded with him earlier in the year. He was quick in responding to some information I passed along. Anyways, if anyone has questions about the area that might help your sleuthing, please let me know. One of these days, I'm going to head to the Big Cypress National Preserve to check it out too!

 

[janewall]

Welcome, @gatorale ! It's good to have a local on this thread.

 

[coffeeandacig]

John Wagner Jr. – The Charley Project
John Wagner, Jr.
Missing: Nov. 2, 1994
DOB: Nov. 2, 1968 (would've been 49 years old, when MH's body was found)
Circumstances:
Mother called him to wish him a happy birthday and stated that he was afraid and a mess. He had witnessed the murder of 24 year old Michael Agustin by drug supplier Bradley Hoover in August of 1994. Wagner's testimony to witnessing the murder was recorded, but never used in trial. Hoover was not convicted of the murder of Agustin until 17 years later, in July 2011.

Is it possible that this young man went into hiding, afraid for the safety of himself and his family? Since it took 17 years to convict the killer in the murder he witnessed, is it possible that he remained fearful for his safety if he returned?

Unfortunately, there isn't a great detail of information in regards to his physical appearance on the Charley Project website, and it isn't the clearest picture. But to me, he does seem to have a similar smile, nose, hairline and face shape. What do you think?

I went ahead anyhow, and sent an email to the Vallejo PD to see if I could get more information.

PS...He isn't in the Namus database and not on the Doe Network page.

 

[RichardRyder]

An additional article on John Wagner here. One thing of note is that it does look like Vallejo requested familial DNA in ~2009, but not sure what database that would have made it into (if any).
Cold case: Witness to ’94 murder goes missing before trial – East Bay Times

I also dug a little deeper on social media and was able to find a different picture of JW (attached). There is definitely a resemblance, but I am also thinking that with JW's history of meth use, the "perfect teeth" Denim is reported to have are probably less likely.

 

[coffeeandacig]

An additional article on John Wagner here. One thing of note is that it does look like Vallejo requested familial DNA in ~2009, but not sure what database that would have made it into (if any).
Cold case: Witness to ’94 murder goes missing before trial – East Bay Times

I also dug a little deeper on social media and was able to find a different picture of JW (attached). There is definitely a resemblance, but I am also thinking that with JW's history of meth use, the "perfect teeth" Denim is reported to have are probably less likely.

Thanks for the information @RichardRyder ! Where did you find that picture with him smiling? Yes, you're right. Someone on meth would have the teeth to prove it. However, it never hurts to ask for more information on John Wagner, Jr. if it can be of help. And I wonder, if they got familial DNA, why isn't he entered into Namus?

 

[RichardRyder]

Thanks for the information @RichardRyder ! Where did you find that picture with him smiling? Yes, you're right. Someone on meth would have the teeth to prove it. However, it never hurts to ask for more information on John Wagner, Jr. if it can be of help. And I wonder, if they got familial DNA, why isn't he entered into Namus?

No problem! The picture is from JW’s father’s Facebook. Relatively easy to find using his name and city from the article (don’t think I am allowed to link).
For what it’s worth, I also did a little more digging on the family based on the info in that article and didn’t see any obvious links to the Louisiana, Florida/sister, or Brooklyn connections MH is suspected of. Obviously a lot could have (and had to) change since 1994 for JW though - and we have no idea to what extent MH was ever being truthful with strangers.

 

[eucalyptuz]

Slightly better definition photo of John Wagner Jr at this link:
Cold case: Witness to ”94 murder – Times-Herald

I think his father (John Wagner Sr) died sometime last year...without finding peace about his lost son, however it seems that JW Jr is assumed to be dead.

Physically he looks to be a good match but we have no height/weight info in any posted links...has anybody been able to pin down these details?

 

[RichardRyder]

HOOVER v. FRAUENHEIM | No. 2:15-cv-00082-JKS.... | 20180226746| Leagle.com
This linked case summary is very interesting. I’m not at all convinced JW is a match, but I do find the circumstances of his disappearance pretty intriguing. At the time he disappeared in 1994, Wagner was a key witness in a murder investigation, where a car in his possession may have been involved. He went so far as to provide a recorded statement to police regarding that murder. Witness statements seem to indicate that he was notably intimidated by the accused murderer. Also, supposedly at that same time, JW’s life had been threatened by his own cousin over a drug debt (reported by JW’s mother).

I guess this is the type of thing I’d been trying to imagine someone like Mostly Harmless might want or need to become anonymous for (something other than wanting a life on the trail/dealing with a terminal illness/going through a bad breakup or loss of employment). JW seems like a guy who came from a good family but got mixed up in a bad scene of people and drugs. His parents clearly cared about him and were pretty open about him “not fitting in” with the crowd, but getting carried away with everything. Add in the fact that he had created issues with his own cousin, and maybe he had a moment of clarity and needed to get away from debts and being a key witness against a dangerous guy (Hoover).

...All that being said, JW just as likely could have ended up a victim to an associate of Hoover or his own cousin.

 

[fred&edna]

O/T

Months ago I posted my thoughts that semi trucks traveling around the US should have this guy's photo on the side saying "If you recognize this man please call... ".

I had no idea this was happening with missing persons in Washington State. This is an effort by Washington State Police Homeward Bound Project and Kam-Way Trucking. How could we make this happen in other states for this UID and missing person cases?!

https://www.kentreporter.com/news/missing-kent-woman-to-be-featured-on-semi-trailer-display

Truck posters renew push for answers in decade-old missing woman’s case

 

[K9Enzo]

@fred&edna

That is an outstanding idea.

 

[PropaneYeeter]

Michael Austin Davis has been ruled out.

 

[Horrifiedmom]

This is my first time ever posting here.. I have been searching many missing persons cases since I first heard of this case. I Found a case from 02 that looks a lot like him.. I showed my sister she just said I think that's him.