Resolved NM - Albuquerque, WhtMale UP8116, 20-25, on mesa near Four Hills, Dec'00 - Name withheld

[carbuff]

Another possibility: he was an American, possibly local, who had traveled to Germany for business or pleasure. There are a lot of international companies with facilities in both the US and Germany; two of my neighbors are in Germany on business right now.

 

[Gardener1850]

I was going through my unidentified cases in Namus, and then it hit me, this guy looks alot like Lyle Stevik. Could they maybe be related? Anyways, this guy deserves a name too (I couldn't find a thread for him)

Decedent was found by dirt bikers that were riding in the area. Laying on side with scattered personal belongings nearby. No identification on or near body. Noted to have geographical magazines from out of the country.

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/8116

Bumping. I just happened across his NaMus profile today. I can't believe he hasn't been ID'd! He has such a recognizable face.

 

[Otterly]

Bumping. I just happened across his NaMus profile today. I can't believe he hasn't been ID'd! He has such a recognizable face.

I'm thinking with the "geographical magazines from out the country" that he was visiting from a foreign country.

 

[Gardener1850]

I'm thinking with the "geographical magazines from out the country" that he was visiting from a foreign country.

That is possible. This is a case that really could benefit from an isotope test, IMO.

 

[Melt71]

19 years and 1 week since this man was found.

 

[carbuff]

Here are the rule outs so far.

Travis Killen 1979 New Mexico
Phillip Mounts 1979 Hawaii
Gregory Vice, Jr. 1977 Louisiana

One more exclusion:

MP18930 Corin Brackelsberg 06/01/1999 Los Angeles CA

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[vermontaigne]

I live in Albuquerque and this is the first time I've ever heard of this UID. I'm wondering if there is a typo on his NAMUS page, though. They say he was found at "West mesa of Four Hills" and I'm having trouble understanding what they mean because we have an area called the West Mesa and another area called Four Hills; both are areas around the city of Albuquerque, but they are at opposite corners of the city. I find it confusing. I should try to plot the coordinates on a map, but I'm not sure how to do that.

Maybe the Four Hills are arranged in such a way that there is one furthest to the west, which they are referring to as the west mesa of the Four Hills.

 

[carbuff]

Maybe the Four Hills are arranged in such a way that there is one furthest to the west, which they are referring to as the west mesa of the Four Hills.

I thought that was probably what they meant, but not being familiar with the area, I wasn't sure.

 

[TonyMontana]

Under documents in his nameus profile is a cup (?) from Econolodge that is from a modelbuilding (small modelairplanes etc) company in Lubbecke.
So he ha a motelroom in Econolodge? Obviously german connection!?
How did he die? What is the area where he was found like? Seems people dirtbiking found him....questions questions...? Googled and found nothing' no articles etc

Econolodge is a cheap motel in Albuquerque

 

[TonyMontana]

This looks like an interesting case. Good find Beamie!

So, with the maps, tour magazines, pocket knife etc., are we presuming a tourist of some kind with a possible German connection? Was he hiking? Hitch-hiking? Though, for the latter, you'd expect ID to be in his backpack and there wasn't it - unless his cards/wallet were swiped.

Here's the 'cup' that was found, with LE writing on the document.

What do LE mean exactly? An EconoLodge cup like below with an advert on the back for the "Elektronic-Zentrum-Lubbecke" company?

Presumably, the cup was taken from an EconoLodge motel in the Lubbecke area, then? The "Quality Hotel Bielefeld" owned by Choice Hotels is the closest to Lubbecke (Choice Hotels own EcoLodge). Here's their website. "Elektronic-Zentrum-Lubbecke" is 50 km to the hotel, so they probably advertised across a large area and were trying to attract tourists/business people who stayed at the motel. I think where the cup is from is the clue here, not the business advertised on it.

Also, on his NAMUS, it says he was wearing a purple and green jacket, green shirt, purple belt, blue jeans, and grey shoes. What a colorful sight he must have been! Anyone would have seen him coming a mile off.

There must have been a newspaper article from the time - I'll have a look and see if I can find anything, hopefully with more details.

He was found dead at West Mesa of Four Hills. Presuming he wasn't local (the map, international tour magazines etc.), what would have attracted him to this area? Does anyone know? Particular natural landscapes/mountains/hiking trails etc.? It looks like a beautiful - if dry and barren - landscape to me. Google suggests it's a popular cycling route. Can a local shed some light? Here's a photo of the area from Wikipedia:

Just one more thing: if he had his shaving cream and hand mirror with him, it sounds like he was carrying all his belongings in his backpack (if I was taking a day excursion to the mountains, for example, I'd leave the shaving foam in the hotel room). This suggests his ID/wallet/passport (?) were all swiped.

There is no West Mesa of four hills. The West Mesa and four hills are on completely opposite sides of town

 

[Grungster]

Sadly, it appears that this was a suicide. He used an incisor to inflict a wound on his left wrist.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Sadly, it appears that this was a suicide. He used an incisor to inflict a wound on his left wrist.

Do you by chance have a link with this information?

 

[Grungster]

Profile #18: Albuquerque John Doe.

 

[YaYa_521]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Exclusions
MP18930 Corin Brackelsberg 06/01/1999 Los Angeles CA
MP645 Travis Killen 11/23/1997 San Juan NM
MP485 Phillip Mounts 11/26/1999 Kauai HI
MP733 Gregory Vice, Jr. 03/21/2000 Bossier LA

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Profile #18: Albuquerque John Doe.

That is an interesting link, but it doesn't say he had any injuries. It says cause of death is unknown. Am I not seeing it?

On his NamUs page, it looks like he has facial injuries to me.

They think he was found the same day he passed away, but yet no autopsy results?

 

[Grungster]

If you go down to the "Our Questions" section, you will find it. One of the investigators said it was a suicide on that section.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If you go down to the "Our Questions" section, you will find it. One of the investigators said it was a suicide on that section.

Thank you. I see it now.
I wonder how much Interpol was able to assist investigating LE.
May he RIP and hopefully get his name back.

 

[canteloupe]

Has anyone posted this 2016 German article before?

It provides a map of where the body was found, which was new to me.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

If he was a tourist visiting the U.S. from Germany, I'd expect some of his clothing, deodorant, and/ or shaving cream would be from Europe. You'd be able to tell easily from the labels. That information doesn't seem to be available?

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Has anyone posted this 2016 German article before?

It provides a map of where the body was found, which was new to me.

Interesting article, @canteloupe. Thanks for posting it.