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

[annemc2]

Still have this case on my mind. What happened here!?!

 

[Jazzy5980]

Still have this case on my mind. What happened here!?!

I was raised in the area and there is no further news to my knowledge.

 

[Caring1]

Bump

 

[Piknik]

Was there video proof of him leaving Bozeman?

 

[iusedtofloat]

I still think about this man!!

 

[meanmaryjean]

I still think about this man!!

Same

 

[loreet]

Was there video proof of him leaving Bozeman?

Yes there are working traffic cameras on the edge of town and it was confirmed by local police that Paul was seen leaving town. This footage was never shared with the public.

 

[Piknik]

Yes there are working traffic cameras on the edge of town and it was confirmed by local police that Paul was seen leaving town. This footage was never shared with the public.

Thanks for the info. I'd imagine there's quite a bit of time from when he was last seen on the Bozeman traffic camera until when his car arrived in Reed Point. I wonder if LE has been able to track a direction he was headed as he left Bozeman?

 

[One more thing]

Yes there are working traffic cameras on the edge of town and it was confirmed by local police that Paul was seen leaving town. This footage was never shared with the public.

Hi Loreet. Was he seen leaving on foot?

 

[loreet]

Hi Loreet. Was he seen leaving on foot?

No he was driving. And no one else was seen inside the car.

 

[loreet]

Thanks for the info. I'd imagine there's quite a bit of time from when he was last seen on the Bozeman traffic camera until when his car arrived in Reed Point. I wonder if LE has been able to track a direction he was headed as he left Bozeman?

He went east toward and onto the interstate. There are working interstate cameras as well, which I have to assume were watched and tracked his movements. Those cameras and video were never mentioned in any local (or other) news as far as I remember.

 

[dalsglen]

To be clear, his vehicle was spotted driving, who exactly confirmed that it was paul himself?

 

[loreet]

To be clear, his vehicle was spotted driving, who exactly confirmed that it was paul himself?

To be clear, his vehicle was spotted driving, who exactly confirmed that it was paul himself?

The traffic cam videos were never released to the public. But the Bozeman Police Department confirmed at the time that Paul (himself) was driving out of town to the east and alone. At least one or more members of Paul’s family — a son — came for some of the early searches, which were all in Reed Point and focused on the Yellowstone River. so I have to assume that they would have asked any questions about the city video or any of those on the interstate.

Honestly we do not have a lot of transparency in Bozeman from LE. Not just in this case. It is an ongoing frustration, because the city has grown rapidly and with attendant increases in crime and other urban problems. But we have good people working in LE and solid technology. If there had been any question that Paul had not been driving, or that someone had been with him, that would have been released and investigated.

 

[Piknik]

Was Paul known to sleep in his car? With his car literally being found next to a Post Office in Reed Point it's hard for me to believe he wasn't the person who put it there. It would be the most random thing ever for a person who's career was with the Post Office to have someone else leave his car there.

 

[Anonymous poster]

I can't imagine what would cause him to put his family and friends through that.
IMO