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

[turanna25]

I have no medical background at all, and it could be very normal, but did anyone else notice bulging veins on the inside of his left elbow? He doesn’t look very vascular elsewhere. Could that be related to any particular condition?

That is what got my attention too. I'm a nurse... it almost looks like a fistula for dialysis. JMO though

 

[Alethea]

If you look at his temples it looks like his hair is curly and grey in the latest picture.

 

[turanna25]

That is a very distinguishable physical mark though.. i would be surprised that PD didn't note it if that was the case. It would also be something documented on the ME report. It would be a very big clue as to his ailments and possibly help figure out who he is.

 

[turanna25]

If you look at his temples it looks like his hair is curly and grey in the latest picture.

Yes, you are right. He has hair sticking out for the wrap on his head that looks curly/wavy and his hair definitely looks gray. Which makes me think he was definitely older than I first thought.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Looks like his hair is pulled back into a high bun of some sort...

 

[turanna25]

In a way, this would explain his first trail nickname - Denim. The sign of an inexperienced hiker, and/or one with limited resources. The caption of this photo states that they're waiting for Deacon's Closet to open, Deacon's Closet being a clothing bank. I looked it up and they try to provide tents and sleeping bags when they can, too. Although as someone stated earlier, MH had worked odd jobs and so on, and seems to have invested in better gear or clothing at least at some point, graduating from his first trail name when he upgraded from jeans.

I personally do not think Steve is our guy. I highly doubt someone would be able to do enough odd jobs to get enough money for the equipment/clothing etc. needed for that long of a hike. Also, wasn't MH found with a few grand too? I just don't see how that could be if he was previously homeless... jmo though

 

[MadMcGoo]

Also notice his stance...how his body weight is distributed and reflected in the positioning of his feet. He carries his weight on the outside and toward the heels of his feet, with his feet slightly turned/pointed outward. Much like that of someone else we’ve seen a photo of recently... IMO

 

[MadMcGoo]

Thrombosis? Aneurysm? DVT blood clots aren’t common in the arms, but would an otherwise inactive person be affected in that way by a year of hiking? I have thoracic outlet syndrome and it’s caused me some serious health issues. Mainly complications from surgeries, and mine is mostly neurogenic, but it reminds me of something like that.

 

[Catmommy]

HIPPA rights do survive after one's death. LE can get medical records during an investigation. They cannot share them with the general public.

As for voluntary starvation, years ago I did a liquid protein diet where you took a tablespoon of liquid protein a day and NOTHING else. After the third day I didn't miss eating or food at all. I did get pretty weak after about two and a half weeks though, nearly passing out in a hot shower. That scared me and I quit. I wouldn't recommend it but hunger wasn't a problem.

 

[MichelleBlue]

Has the Ben Reynolds possibility been explored/discussed here?

Ben Reynolds, Author at The Trek


ETA I see it has been discussed already

 

[janewall]

That is what got my attention too. I'm a nurse... it almost looks like a fistula for dialysis. JMO though

Thank you for posting this observation. I am not a medical professional, but to me it looks like some sort of well-healed wound from a past medical device or procedure, with distension of the immediate area but not obvious scarring. I googled a few ideas but didn't see anything comparable, so I'm glad you're here to narrow down my speculation a little!

 

[navywife]

Pic ive not seen til now, was posted one day ago according to Google

This photo has been around for quite some time. But great to have another refresher!

 

[carbuff]

Hiker found in Florida may have Lake George, tech ties

Here is the Lake George connection reported.

Is that where the store he might have bought his gear at is located? Or is this something else?

 

[Gardener1850]

Is that where the store he might have bought his gear at is located? Or is this something else?

I think it's some other connection we are not aware of-- perhaps a hiker recalled him mentioning that area and told LE that? I think we initially thought it could be where he bought the gear because the brand of tent he had was only sold in one store in upstate NY (in 2018 anyway) and it is not currently sold anywhere along the AT nor in the Southeastern US (last I checked anyway). That brand is more commonly sold in the Western US. But we found out from the CCSO podcast that he bought his tent at a hiker store along the AT in Georgia in early Dec 2017*. IIRC, the store owner said that he had the tent in his store for a long time before selling it to Denim, which is why he remembered the transaction. And he also recalls it because Denim paid cash and had a lot of money on him at the time. My speculation is that the owner stopped officially carrying that brand, perhaps because it didn't sell well. That would be why we didn't find the GA store listed on the tent company website as an authorized seller in 2018. MOO.

*ETA: He actually bought the tent the end of Nov 2017. The above was from my memory of the approx timeline. Here's where I posted about the tent right after I listened to the podcast: FL - FL - Big Cypress National Preserve, Male hiker, "Denim" and "Mostly Harmless", 23 July 2018

 

[carbuff]

I think it's some other connection we are not aware of-- perhaps a hiker recalled him mentioning that area and told LE that? I think we initially thought it could be where he bought the gear because the brand of tent he had was only sold in one store in upstate NY (in 2018 anyway) and it is not currently sold anywhere along the AT nor in the Southeastern US (last I checked anyway). That brand is more commonly sold in the Western US. But we found out from the CCSO podcast that he bought his tent at a hiker store along the AT in Georgia in early Dec 2017. IIRC, the store owner said that he had the tent in his store for a long time before selling it to Denim, which is why he remembered the transaction. And he also recalls it because Denim paid cash and had a lot of money on him at the time. My speculation is that the owner stopped officially carrying that brand, perhaps because it didn't sell well. That would be why we didn't find the GA store listed on the tent company website as an authorized seller in 2018. MOO.

Thanks for refreshing my memory. I do remember that about the Georgia store now.

If he bought the tent in Georgia, does that mean he initially planned to hike south to north, which is the more common direction? I think I need to go back to re-watch the videos...

 

[Gardener1850]

Thanks for refreshing my memory. I do remember that about the Georgia store now.

If he bought the tent in Georgia, does that mean he initially planned to hike south to north, which is the more common direction? I think I need to go back to re-watch the videos...

No, he bought it while hiking South on the AT. I thought it was in Dec but I just went back to check and he bought it in Late Nov 2017 at the Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel. Here's a post I made about the tent details after listening to the podcast: FL - FL - Big Cypress National Preserve, Male hiker, "Denim" and "Mostly Harmless", 23 July 2018

 

[carbuff]

No, he bought it while hiking South on the AT. I thought it was in Dec but I just went back to check and he bought it in Late Nov 2017 at the Top of Georgia Hiker Hostel. Here's a post I made about the tent details after listening to the podcast: FL - FL - Big Cypress National Preserve, Male hiker, "Denim" and "Mostly Harmless", 23 July 2018

I definitely missed some stuff...hmmm. So that's not the tent he had for most of his hike, I guess?

 

[Gardener1850]

It still bothers me that Denim stayed at the GA hostel over Thanksgiving weekend but we don't know where he was on Thanksgiving day because the hostel was closed that day. Did he sleep in the woods that night? Go into town and find a hotel or a shelter? Did some kind local take him into their house for a night? Or did he possibly know someone who could have picked him up, taken him to Thanksgiving Dinner and returned him to the trail? Maybe not relevant unless he knew someone but it bothers me that we don't know what he did on holidays.

MOO.

 

[Gardener1850]

I definitely missed some stuff...hmmm. So that's not the tent he had for most of his hike, I guess?

I don't think he had a tent prior to that. Many people reported staying with him in AT shelters along the trail. If he had another tent before the yellow one I haven't heard about it.

ETA: He may have needed the tent to hike the Pinhoti Trail and the Florida Trail. It seems like most of the AT is hikeable without a tent if you use the provided shelters and/or stay at hostels.

MOO.

 

[neesaki]

I have no medical background at all, and it could be very normal, but did anyone else notice bulging veins on the inside of his left elbow? He doesn’t look very vascular elsewhere. Could that be related to any particular condition?

That area appears to be reddened and inflamed. And almost looks like whelps. Maybe poison ivy or insect bites?