Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” July 2018 - Vance Rodriguez#4

[EricaJ4u2]

Re: the foster system speculation- if he was a child in the system, I believe this places even MORE eyes on him. Foster families genuinely care about their foster children’s future and their overall well being. Wouldn’t this theory have brought someone to light?

 

[KatzEye]

RSBM

The point is, if I was MH (living the exact life I live now) my parents and brother, cousins, etc may wonder what I am up to or what I do now, but have a very, very low likelihood of seeing a flyer (On any platform) for a somewhat obscure deceased man. I also doubt they would try (or remotely know where to start) actively looking for me on the internet.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. We WSers think his poster/missing info has been widely circulated, but there's a whole generation and segment of the population who probably are totally unaware of this case. Add to that, if he does have family, and they are anywhere other than FL, it may not even dawn on them this could be connected to a relative they haven't heard from in a long time (this assuming they saw something on their local news). Not all families are in constant contact. I've seen a couple of cases here where relatives were used to someone being gone long periods of time and it took years for them to be reported missing. That said, I truly do hope MH can eventually get his name back.

Just my 2 cents and MOO.

 

[Valiant]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

True Crime Society is not an approved source.

 

[gfinale]

I am terribly conflicted on this. I am 32, and if it wasn’t for my wife and kids, I could very very well be in the same situation as MH.

I am also in IT, but my parents and brother do not use FaceBook, social media, etc. I have a FaceBook, but I do not use it. My parents don’t even have internet.

I didn’t have a falling out with my parents or brother, but we simply do not talk very often. I left my home when I was 17, was in the army for a long time, and have now worked several overseas jobs. None of them have ever lived any more than 20 miles from our family home.

The point is, if I was MH (living the exact life I live now) my parents and brother, cousins, etc may wonder what I am up to or what I do now, but have a very, very low likelihood of seeing a flyer (On any platform) for a somewhat obscure deceased man. I also doubt they would try (or remotely know where to start) actively looking for me on the internet.

People also have odd behaviors. As mentioned in an earlier post, my dad thought I may have died in a helicopter crash, and instead of just texting me, he waited for me to contact him. I have a son of my own now, and I would have been trying to get a hold of him the moment I heard about the crash.

MHs case just goes to show how the complexity of human nature and existence can never be fully explained or predicted based on information that can only be highly suggestive as to how the person and his loved ones lived their lives.

You sound very wise! Unless you are looking for a person, you can easily miss a flyer/website looking for them even when you run into it. You just go by and continue your day. Almost nobody goes to these missing people sites unless they have someone missing as well. His sister may not have internet or do much on it either. I'm a computer guy too which maybe helps us understand this guy and, having looked over his notebook, I believe he is who he says and has a sister but haas nothing to do with his parents.

 

[lonewanderer]

Never seen this one until now:

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I found a social media-ish website for developers and programmers called devRant. It can be keyword searched. I'm trying to look for any relevant keywords MH might have used. There are some posts on there about Screeps. If anyone else wants to hop on board this search:
devRant - A fun community for developers to connect over code, tech & life as a programmer

 

[branmuffin]

I see dirt in the cracks in his foot, I think you're mistaking that for his foot being waterlogged.



You're never getting enough hydration from rainfall and a collapsable bowl. We know he was hydrated so he was getting water somewhere else.



Nobles is elevated. It was a road and airstrip many years ago so no flooding issues there. The freshwater pond he was getting his water from is likely the source of some the gravel they built the place with, along with the canals on the side of the trail. Florida Trail, Big Cypress North

Thanks for posting that. It kinda supports what I said about not having water suitable for drinking.

 

[gfinale]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed>

True Crime Society is not an approved source.

Oh, sorry if that was me. Guess I need to look into what links I can post next time I'm posting them.

 

[gfinale]

Never seen this one until now:

What is on his thighs?

 

[GatorFL]

Thanks for posting that. It kinda supports what I said about not having water suitable for drinking.

Except you keep forgetting two key things. He was not dehydrated, just the opposite he had a full bladder. Dehydration would have been listed as a cause of death and it wasn't. And there is a freshwater pond at the camp, like it says in the link I posted. So not sure how it supports something completely the opposite?

 

[GatorFL]

What is on his thighs?

He wore knee braces, looks like he has them pulled up to his thighs for some reason. I've seen that pic before, I think @Narkj posted it on FB.

 

[GatorFL]

Thanks for posting that. It kinda supports what I said about not having water suitable for drinking.

Here's a video of some other hikers who camped at Nobles and used the pond for water so we can definitively say there is adequate water there:

Somebody on FB reached out to this guy. They were at Nobles July 3, so a few weeks before the other hikers. He said he saw MH's tent but did not see him so they assumed MH was either sleeping (and they did not want to disturb him) or that he was night hiking and away from the tent.

 

[MichelleBlue]

Here's a video of some other hikers who camped at Nobles and used the pond for water so we can definitively say there is adequate water there:

Somebody on FB reached out to this guy. They were at Nobles July 3, so a few weeks before the other hikers. He said he saw MH's tent but did not see him so they assumed MH was either sleeping (and they did not want to disturb him) or that he was night hiking and away from the tent.

Thanks for posting the video. How far is this from where he was found? It looks a lot different than I imagined. A lot less trees and shade than I pictured. IMO

 

[GatorFL]

Thanks for posting the video. How far is this from where he was found? It looks a lot different than I imagined. A lot less trees and shade than I pictured. IMO

I believe he was camped in front of where these guys took their video.

Like I've been saying Nobles is off an old road and the camp itself used to be an airstrip. So not a lot of trees.

 

[gfinale]

Never seen this one until now:

Again, he's got a book open. I assume either a sign in book or his notebook. In several pics he's got a book open. Still trying to figure out what is on his legs. Are they longer compression tights under his shorts or...?

 

[gfinale]

Thanks for posting the video. How far is this from where he was found? It looks a lot different than I imagined. A lot less trees and shade than I pictured. IMO

That would suggest MH stayed in that camp for weeks.

 

[gfinale]

I believe he was camped in front of where these guys took their video.

Like I've been saying Nobles is off an old road and the camp itself used to be an airstrip. So not a lot of trees.

I don't understand why someone would volunarily camp there in the middle of the hot summer. Why wouldn't they camp where there's more shade? I keep thinking he was sick and weak for a month or more and never got better.

 

[GatorFL]

Again, he's got a book open. I assume either a sign in book or his notebook. In several pics he's got a book open. Still trying to figure out what is on his legs. Are they longer compression tights under his shorts or...?

Knee braces pulled up. There are many pics of him with them properly deployed.

 

[GatorFL]

I don't understand why someone would volunarily camp there in the middle of the hot summer. Why wouldn't they camp where there's more shade? I keep thinking he was sick and weak for a month or more and never got better.

There were people camping at a primitive campsite this past weekend, on the FT, near my house when I hiked by. Lots of people camp when it is hot. I don't personally like to do that but I have seen others do it. The guys in the video I posted did as well.

It is obvious he was sick for a long time, he was starving to death.

 

[Pseudonymph]

WHEN he is identified, and he will be, there won’t be any doubt when we see a picture of him. He has a very distinctive face.