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

[RickshawFan]

That tent looks small to be a 2 person, but I know next to nothing about such things.

It's tiny. It's basically a bivvy. Just big enough to crawl into. You'd not want to be in it with another person unless you were on a rock face in the middle of a climb, on an emergency situation on a mountain.....

The tent is also the kind that has no fly. Miserably drippy on the inside. There's almost no air in this kind of a tent. You'd be soaked in it with 2 people. If that's a photo of the dead man's personal tent (versus an online photo at a store), this was pretty dire. There doesn't seem to be any footprint or tarp tucked underneath.

 

[RickshawFan]

If that weight estimate is correct he was either a serious athlete or may well have died of starvation.

Taking his age as middle of the estimated range, 42, and his BMI was 12.4.

He might have hiked himself to death. Men can get very skinny on ultra-distance (e.g. thru hikes), and sometimes people get addicted to the thru hiker community, the hobo thing, and overexercising.

If he had a trail name, he likely was a thru hiker at some point.

 

[RickshawFan]

You can even see the two hiking poles, same brand & everything.

Those are not the same poles in the photo of the man versus the ones in the woods. The ones in the woods are almost new and have a thicker stock. The ones in the hiker photo are likely higher quality.

 

[RickshawFan]

some of early risers gear. Do those poles look the same?

5:41

That's very expensive gear! No way that's the same person unless he lost all his gear and had to re-purchase. The dead man did NOT have high quality gear, and the shoes look worn and too narrow: he might have picked them out of a hiker box (free).

 

[RickshawFan]

More pics.

He's already very skinny in those pics from the trail.

 

[RickshawFan]

Found a very interesting article about a fugitive that basically hid while hiking the Appalachain Trail. He was only known by his trail name "Bismarck". Nobody knew his real name. Very interesting.

Fugitive Spent Years Hiding on the Appalachian Trail

No one knows anyone's real name on the AT! You never know who you're sharing the shelter with.....

 

[Bethan]

"They believe he had ties to New York and Louisiana and may have worked in the tech industry.

Investigators think his hike began somewhere in New York.

That information was given by other hikers who encountered the man on various trails this summer"
​

I wish they would circulate the photos of him with less of a beard/towards the start of his hike--I imagine they might be closer to how people in his past life knew him. My suspicion is that if he's been without a phone, etc., this whole time, although his loved ones may have grown concerned, they are probably not in regular contact, and he's not yet been reported missing.

Thank you Nancy.

 

[Bit of hope]

Update:

Oh, oh and also an alias used. This raises an eyebrow or is this normal in the hikers-world?

 

[booghawk]

Oh, oh and also an alias used. This raises an eyebrow or is this normal in the hikers-world?

From the hiking groups I joined, an alias isn't normally used at hostels and such. Most knew other hikers names but used their trail name.

 

[turanna25]

I don't believe early riser and out unidentified man is one in the same either. EarlyRiser has videos posted of hikes he completed with what looks like his son within the last 3-4 months. jmo

 

[LibbyinTexas]

It doesn't seem like he had a social media presence at all and if no one is even looking for him it might be a while before he is recognized from the photos ... the missing pictures probably look nothing like he did when he first started out. From the pics I have seen online that other hikers shared from their own personal photos of him he really looks different - he had a more clean cut version with a big smile then the ones showing on the sheriff page with a very scraggly old man beard and dirty hat. And clearly he didn't want anyone to know who he was. I wish we knew if he was ill and left his job to hike until his death ( one rumor ) or if he was actually homeless and died of starvation. ( another rumor ) ... but several hikers posted pictures of him at a diner or cafe eating ...

 

[Nancy Drew RN]

From the hiking groups I joined, an alias isn't normally used at hostels and such. Most knew other hikers names but used their trail name.

This is actually a good point. It's the norm to use trail names on the trail, but a bit unusual to use another unrelated pseudonym to check in to hostels, etc. So maybe trying to put some distance between him and his past life? I am unable to find the significance of the name Ben Bilemy--apparently they can't find anyone pertinent that seems to be associated with the name, but I thought it might be a reference to something else.

 

[Cinnalauda]

This poor guy, someone must know him. Are we allowed to post URLS to blog posts? I came across a blog post via another forum of a lady who met him on a trail.

 

[coffeeandacig]

Anagram for Ben Bilemy = Ben Ely, IBM?

 

[LibbyinTexas]

"I am unable to find the significance of the name Ben Bilemy--apparently they can't find anyone pertinent that seems to be associated with the name, but I thought it might be a reference to something else."

... and if you google that name you can't even find an online directory that says it's even a real name option - in Hindu the name Bilemy is similar to the meaning of Billy Goat... it is the only thing that Google came up with ... and there is a singer by the name of Ben Bile ... I think... I didnt understand the language but it seems that's what it was ... I thought if he had cancer maybe he was referencing Bile ... but that seems a little bit morbid ... but I feel that that name has some meaning to him somehow - either it's a few meaningful words put together or something ... a poster said he was looking for someone named Liz ... The word Libby is in his name when you try to use it as an anagram and I know Libby is a derivative of Elizabeth so maybe ... ‍

 

[Coffee56]

I know I typed up this info but maybe forgot to hit post. I do that frequently. And now after seeing so many photos of “Ben” in different stages of facial hair I see no similarities. But putting it up.

Early Riser stated in a video he liked a bigger tent cuz he was 6’4” (I believe). I moved on after hearing his height.

 

[moonriverfarm]

Following, and sad for him.

 

[Bit of hope]

Somehow this case "hit home" I did the anagram thing on his alias....nothing came up what could be of any use...my bible...is the only thing that hit me....I search for Ben on LinkedIn....scrolled trough AT class of 2018 members and their friends.... nothing...I would like to know the cause of death.....The Lyle Stevik case is coming back all over again....

 

[LibbyinTexas]

I would like to know the cause of death.....The Lyle Stevik case is coming back all over again....

I wonder if they can do an autopsy without a next of Kin to grant permission to do an autopsy on an unidentified person ? I guess I can google that question

 

[Coffee56]

Somehow this case "hit home" I did the anagram thing on his alias....nothing came up what could be of any use...my bible...is the only thing that hit me....I search for Ben on LinkedIn....scrolled trough AT class of 2018 members and their friends.... nothing...I would like to know the cause of death.....The Lyle Stevik case is coming back all over again....

This one has bothered me too. I followed closely at first but it has been rather difficult to keep up with lately. Every time there is new info I check it out but it never ends up anywhere.