MT MT - Paul Batson, 45, Stillwater Co, 29 Apr 2018

[loreet]

An earlier poster said that the weekend Paul went missing was one when Bozeman would be full of people from out of state, something to do with the university?

Was the weekend Danielle went missing the same sort of thing?

The only similarities so far are the library and the Sunday. Different gender, one has a car while the other is homeless and presumably no vehicle, they don't sound consistent, so I'm interested in whether the weekends were similar, because it is quite close in time and it's a very strange coincidence.

No, I am not remembering anything unusually busy happening around town the weekend Danielle went missing. Classes were still in session at MSU, Winter Commencement was 2 weeks away -- and that is a smaller ceremony, drawing fewer people from out of state. A more careful read of her missing poster DOES indicate she is considered a Bozeman resident. Huh.

I'm not sure I can give an informed answer to the question of nearby compounds or militia related groups. Not that I know of? Montana generally, though, yes, this is a fiercely independent state and some small towns (and 'places' meaning communities not even large enough to be a 'town') do have a protective vibe, where an 'outsider' would be noticed. Even driving through you can feel eyes on you. But Bozeman proper is a typical University town, known for its proximity to Yellowstone and National Forest and great outdoor recreation -- hiking, sight-seeing, and great skiing in the winter. Livingston has been gaining a hip and artsy vibe. The amenities in the area draw many visitors.

Still very quiet as far as local media. I'm with all of you who are completely puzzled about Paul's disappearance. Yes, people do go missing hiking, climbing, skiing. But from the Library and/or from Reed Point? Usually someone is climbing a mountain and falls, or is fishing or rafting and a tragic accident occurs. There is nothing in Paul's circumstance to indicate the usual recreational peril. And like anywhere there are incidents of violence and even (hate to say this) murder in Bozeman, those are rare and occur between people who know one another. There is no indication Paul knew or interacted with anyone in Montana on his travel. Thus far, it also seems unlikely from the information we have that Paul was experiencing a medical condition, depression or was at risk for self harm.

This is a horrible thing to say, but if I were looking for a deliberate access point to a fast river, Reed Point in the spring as run-off is spiking would be a good place to go.

I am so very sorry to even suggest that. I feel awful for his family and friends and hope everyone has answers soon.

Here are some links of 2018 spring flooding in Montana rivers and dramatic rescues.
http://www.ktvq.com/story/37996663/montana-flooding-update-video-of-water-rescue-on-the-hi-line
http://www.kpax.com/story/38169264/drone-footage-shows-challenges-of-clark-fork-river-rescue-video

 

[loreet]

I'm not sure I can give an informed answer to the question of nearby compounds or militia related groups. Not that I know of? Montana generally, though, yes, this is a fiercely independent state and some small towns (and 'places' meaning communities not even large enough to be a 'town') do have a protective vibe, where an 'outsider' would be noticed. Even driving through you can feel eyes on you. But Bozeman proper is a typical University town, known for its proximity to Yellowstone and National Forest and great outdoor recreation -- hiking, sight-seeing, and great skiing in the winter. Livingston has been gaining a hip and artsy vibe. The amenities in the area draw many visitors.

I missed the time-window for being able to edit my last post so I have to quote myself. My sources indicate that yes, it is possible that an out-of-state visitor would be noticed in the Reed Point area. There is a primitive campground just to the north across the bridge from the car-parking location -- which looks like it is open all year -- and fishing/boating access, so for sure there are visitors coming and going.

 

[randd]

Some one is asking about the population of Batavia, Illinois, where Paul lives. Wikipedia says 26,000 or so. Paul's mail route is in Geneva, which borders on Batavia, population around 22,000, if I recall. Since this is a pretty densely populated area, I don't know believe Paul would necessarily have known the other guy from Batavia someone was asking about. This is not Small Town, USA.

Batavia and Geneva are densely populated suburban towns. Some would refer to them as suburbs or "bedroom communities" of Chicago. There is a commuter train in Geneva that serves to transport Chicago commuters to and from these towns to the heart of Chicago. ​

Rumor has it that Paul loves hiking; can't verify it; he never mentioned it to us. I can tell you that he has a fast and rather jaunty walk and that he seems quite healthy. His route requires him to walk many miles a day, taking mail right up to the door, so that's why he was conversant with his customers.

Popular. Friendly. A jokester. He replaced a mailman named Steve and everyone was sad to see Steve retire, but when Paul took over, we immediately liked him. Best mailman we've ever had. VERY reliable. One​

of the happier individuals I've met in my life. If there is a problem with mail delivery, he is proactive and finds a solution. He cares about his customers and wants to serve them and get the job done. I could be wrong, but self-harm in the wilds of MT does not seem like a probable scenario to me, based on what I know of him.

I know he was scoping out jobs in MT, but I don't know which towns, except for Bozeman. If Reedpoint (Reed Point?) was one of the towns he was considering working for, I can envision him pulling up to the local post office and looking it over. And I think he would likely look for "for sale" sales on any nearby property. I guess if I were employed by law enforcement, I would go look around at any property for sale to see if anyone had been there. That's assuming Reedpoint is on the list of possible job opportunities for him If it isn't, then I would be more inclined to view this town as a pit stop. I don't know. It's hard to conjecture with limited facts.

 

[Hippononymous]

I know he was scoping out jobs in MT, but I don't know which towns, except for Bozeman. If Reedpoint (Reed Point?) was one of the towns he was considering working for, I can envision him pulling up to the local post office and looking it over. And I think he would likely look for "for sale" sales on any nearby property. I guess if I were employed by law enforcement, I would go look around at any property for sale to see if anyone had been there. That's assuming Reedpoint is on the list of possible job opportunities for him If it isn't, then I would be more inclined to view this town as a pit stop. I don't know. It's hard to conjecture with limited facts.

This is a good point. Just because his interview wasn't scheduled to take place in Reed Point, doesn't mean he wasn't considering a job there. A small area like Reed Point isn't likely to conduct their own interviews for a federal position (IMO).

 

[loreet]

I have been looking for 'river floating footage' so everyone can see what the Yellowstone River actually looks like from vantage of the river itself. Keep in mind this is footage from July, several years ago and current conditions are higher now during spring runoff. Also this is an organized annual event; there really aren't people out floating in April. And I am not even going to comment on the mud-wrestling or music choices. But the event starts with people putting in at a park in Livingston, floating over several days and camping along the river at night (including the campground at Reed Point) and then ending at Columbus.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-H_AU0eQ1rU

 

[Kid64]

I'm new to this but I agree with them. Not sure I even did correctly

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[loreet]

I know he was scoping out jobs in MT, but I don't know which towns, except for Bozeman. If Reedpoint (Reed Point?) was one of the towns he was considering working for, I can envision him pulling up to the local post office and looking it over. And I think he would likely look for "for sale" sales on any nearby property. I guess if I were employed by law enforcement, I would go look around at any property for sale to see if anyone had been there. That's assuming Reedpoint is on the list of possible job opportunities for him If it isn't, then I would be more inclined to view this town as a pit stop. I don't know. It's hard to conjecture with limited facts.

Thank you for your insight into Batvia and Paul. He is obviously very well-considered among people who know him. I hope very much that he was treated kindly and respectfully as a visitor to Montana. I thought the same about Paul possibly checking out properties in the Reed Point area (2 words, at least that's how I know to refer to it). There are several I have seen listed.

 

[SeesSeas]

I'd think that if Paul was interested in checking out Reed Point for job and/or property and/or sightseeing, he would go on Monday after his scheduled Monday morning meeting at the Bozeman post office. He would then be driving east toward home (Illinois), rather than a 3+ hour round-trip drive on late Sunday afternoon Bozeman to Reed Point and then back to Bozeman.

I am spontaneous and ok with spur-of-the moment decisions, but even I would not choose to do that. Arrive late Sunday afternoon in Reed Point and then drive back to Bozeman early Sunday evening. Nope. No way. I'd go on Monday.

 

[randd]

I'd think that if Paul was interested in checking out Reed Point for job and/or property and/or sightseeing, he would go on Monday after his scheduled Monday morning meeting at the Bozeman post office. He would then be driving east toward home (Illinois), rather than a 3+ hour round-trip drive on late Sunday afternoon Bozeman to Reed Point and then back to Bozeman.

I am spontaneous and ok with spur-of-the moment decisions, but even I would not choose to do that. Arrive late Sunday afternoon in Reed Point and then drive back to Bozeman early Sunday evening. Nope. No way. I'd go on Monday.

I'm with you. I'd be chilling out in a Bozeman hotel room the night before an interview. But not sure Paul would do that. He is a high-energy type of guy.

 

[SeesSeas]

I'm with you. I'd be chilling out in a Bozeman hotel room the night before an interview. But not sure Paul would do that. He is a high-energy type of guy.

There is such a variety of high-energy activities to do in Bozeman and near Bozeman. I'd have a quick list of ten things to do which wouldn't require 3+ hours driving late on Sunday.
I wish we knew when Paul arrived in Bozeman. Did he arrive Saturday, travelled around the nearby area, and then was bored enough to leave Bozeman late Sunday afternoon to drive east to Reed Point?
I'm high-energy, but I am sensible and practical. I'd stick around Bozeman Sunday afternoon and hike Gallatin Park, Palisade Falls, etc.

 

[Jazzy5980]

People come from all over to recreate in the Bozeman area. If Paul wanted to get out of town he could have gone to the Bridgers, headed to Big Sky, West Yellowstone, Paradise Valley, Gardiner, etc. Myriad recreational opportunities and splendid scenery. Which begs the question why would he travel nearly 200 miles (RT) on the interstate to a small town with no mountains and nothing going on and that is on his return route to Illinois?

 

[SeesSeas]

Still no photo of Paul on the Montana DOJ Missing Person website.
https://app.doj.mt.gov/enforcement/missingpersons/searchdetail.aspx?RecordKey=30111

They have a photo for missing Danielle Diamond on her page:
https://app.doj.mt.gov/enforcement/missingpersons/searchdetail.aspx?RecordKey=29511

Very odd - "Photo not available" on the official website - MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Missing Person Details
https://app.doj.mt.gov/enforcement/missingpersons/searchdetail.aspx?RecordKey=30111

MONTANA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Missing Person Details

Name: BATSON, PAUL PHILIP
Aliases:
Gender: MALE
Date of Birth: 09/18/1972
Race: WHITE
Hair Color: BROWN
Eye Color: BROWN
Height: 6' 2''
Weight: 175 LBS.

Incident Information
Date of Last Contact: 04/29/2018
Age Now: 45 YEARS
Other Reported Dates of Birth:
Investigating Agency: BOZEMAN POLICE DEPARTMENT,(406) 582-2000
If you have information about this individual, contact your local law enforcement agency or the Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse, (406) 444-1526.

 

[loreet]

People relocating to the Bozeman and Livingston areas often experience 'sticker shock' when looking at our local housing costs. There is a constant housing shortage that new construction doesn't seem to keep up with and people are willing to pay to live here. So very often people looking at employment in Bozeman will look outside of town to find affordable property. By 'outside of town' I mean Belgrade or Four Corners, not Reed Point. That I have heard about anyway. But if someone was considering alternate communities for relocation of course they would check properties ... wherever.

 

[loreet]

This article states that Paul entered the state of Montana from the west on April 29th and gives a pretty detailed account of his visit to the library, etc
http://billingsgazette.com/news/local/search-continues-for-missing-illinois-man-nearly-two-weeks-after/article_f06d188a-eda5-55f9-a9f2-8886ba28798d.amp.html
Another article I can't really locate at the moment specifies that he was last seen wearing a dark button up shirt and jeans. I am thinking it is likely that update came from the library footage.

 

[loreet]

Yeah, Paul traveling to Reed Point doesn't really make a lot of sense from the 'outdoor recreation' angle with so much else around. Unless maybe he is an avid fisherman or rafter, and then yes. That's why I keep going back to the Fenn angle; or maybe there is something else of historical significance he was looking at? I don't personally know, I'm just putting it out there. Historic post offices maybe? Though I'm not really seeing that on any list of must-see sites. Anyway is there something of specific historical and/or geographic significance that would take Paul to the Library (maybe the Montana Room) and then to Reed Point? Because it would link both destinations together in a way that makes the most sense.

 

[Avalon4ever]

Darn this forum. Some cases get under your skin and Paul is one of those for me. I am reporting from the Bozeman Public Library Sunday at 4:00 PM. It is even busier than I thought it would be around here. The meeting/community rooms are both in use. Yes there is at least one camera outside the library. Probably more.

I see absolutely nothing nor anyone suspicious. Except perhaps by its absence? There are several 'public' bulletin boards and none have Paul's missing poster. The 'Montana Room' is open, which I wanted specifically to check. This is a separate room within the library that houses newspapers, microfiche, Montana and county atlases, rare books and video related to Montana history and geography. The rare books are kept in locked cabinets and I really would have to have an idea of what I was looking for to do any specific research.

Thank you for sharing this with us it's very helpful. We really appreciate your concern for our family. It certainly is the kind of case that gets under your skin.

 

[dub]

Yeah, Paul traveling to Reed Point doesn't really make a lot of sense from the 'outdoor recreation' angle with so much else around. Unless maybe he is an avid fisherman or rafter, and then yes. That's why I keep going back to the Fenn angle; or maybe there is something else of historical significance he was looking at? I don't personally know, I'm just putting it out there. Historic post offices maybe? Though I'm not really seeing that on any list of must-see sites. Anyway is there something of specific historical and/or geographic significance that would take Paul to the Library (maybe the Montana Room) and then to Reed Point? Because it would link both destinations together in a way that makes the most sense.

Reed Point doesn't really fit with the Fenn angle.

Fenns treasure is said to be at a spot over 5k feet elevation, which Reed Point is not close to, and if you look at the map online that contains all possible areas for the treasure Reed Point is too far east (although not by THAT much).

Bozeman and the area surrounding it would qualify, but Reed Point, as far as I can tell, would not.

 

[Avalon4ever]

I’m blown away that there is not a missing persons poster on any of the bulletin boards at the library. I find that very puzzling. Seems one of the most obvious places to place one. Anyone else??


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Yes we the excellent details of the area and public library given earlier, I don't get why no posters or with outside cameras, you certainly would think this area would be the focus of the investigation. Extremely frustrating to us all.

 

[doodles1211]

Yeah, Paul traveling to Reed Point doesn't really make a lot of sense from the 'outdoor recreation' angle with so much else around. Unless maybe he is an avid fisherman or rafter, and then yes. That's why I keep going back to the Fenn angle; or maybe there is something else of historical significance he was looking at? I don't personally know, I'm just putting it out there. Historic post offices maybe? Though I'm not really seeing that on any list of must-see sites. Anyway is there something of specific historical and/or geographic significance that would take Paul to the Library (maybe the Montana Room) and then to Reed Point? Because it would link both destinations together in a way that makes the most sense.

Is it possible for just anyone to put up a poster? Would this be something you could do while visiting the library? Maybe, someone would see it and be able to note something of importance from the day he was there. Just a thought!

 

[loreet]

I am not sure how to quote a previous post in the new format, but I would be happy to print some of Paul's missing posters and take them to the Bozeman Public Library. The only reason I haven't done this before now was out of deference to and respect for Paul's family and friends. I do not in any way want to hamper an investigation or cause them any additional grief during this time of uncertainty and stress.

Maybe a friend or family member could PM me and just let me know that it would be OK with them to hang some posters? I would of course ask at the reference desk about procedure.