NY NY - Colin Gillis, 18, Tupper Lake, 11 March 2012

[SilentSleuth]

Somewhere, deep inside, I feel LE has a POI but is just keeping it quiet, and waiting for the right evidence to procure an arrest and viable charge.

I completely agree. The people at that party need to be checked again.

It doesn't seem possible that a person can just vanish like this.

 

[SunsetGirl]

Hi everyone,

I have spent a couple days catching up on this case and mulling it over, and have a few thoughts/questions:

If Colin did not have his coat on, hypothermia would have set in by the time he was seen or shortly afterwards, and could explain the staggering. I know you have all kicked this around also, but it should not be dismissed so easily. Whether he could have gotten hypothermia or died from exposure is not really in question (it is certain if he had no coat), so whether he was wearing his coat and how long he was exposed is an extremely important detail. If he did not have his coat but hypothermia did not kill him, then we know he was picked up or something else happened within 45 minutes or so. According to Google Maps, this is also the approximate time it would take to walk 2 miles from the party to the bridge W of Dump Road on Rt 3, which I imagine would be the most obvious indication that he was going the wrong way (assuming he took a wrong turn.) Sadly I do not think there is any way he could have walked the 5-7 miles home in those temps without a coat.

According to the NamUS info it doesn't sound like they know for certain that he had the coat or backpack. Someone at the party must be able to remember seeing him leave and can confirm what he was wearing. https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/14305/1/

Here is an article on hypothermia and burrowing for anyone who is not totally familiar with it. http://www.livescience.com/41730-hypothermia-terminal-burrowing-paradoxical-undressing.html (sources a peer-reviewed medical study here)

It was mentioned some time back that footprints were found or there was other indication he had stepped over a guard rail. Guard rails start between Setting Pole Dam Rd and Mt Matumbla Rd. going west. Do we know if it was the south or north side the footprints were found? Approximately where?

https://goo.gl/maps/OPKpq

The question this scenario brings up, of course, is why hasn't even a shoe or scrap of clothing been found?

On to the foul play angle:

I recall a map of the search area with a 1 mile radius - this is not enough, obviously, and I think someone said the search was widened, but do we know if the Piercefield Flow was searched, especially the area around and under the bridge? What about the cluster of ponds near Dump Rd and on the other side of the bridge? Pumphouse Rd is especially creepy and convenient if someone needed to quickly get rid of a body.

At three years, we can only hope to find clothing or the backpack and larger bones if he was placed nearby Rt. 3. With the cold weather and abundance of water, I really don't think anyone would take the time to bury him, and if he went into the larger body of water, it is also likely his remains are very spread out or partially buried in silt at this point. Has there been cadaver dogs or a dive team?

Final question, does LE have a POI or suspect whatsoever? Have they even considered foul play as a possibility?

Hi Vail. Thank you for all the time you obviously have spent examining Colin’s disappearance. At one point we had a Verified Insider (Kadence) who was asking the family our questions. I'm not positive but I don't think Kadence has been available in a long while so at the moment we don't have any close connections to the 'case' to get further info. I don't know what efforts the family is currently making to keep Colin's name in the media besides the NY Times article in Nov 2014 (which was very informative). I'm disappointed that Colin wasn't mentioned in any of our local news here in Vermont this week.

It would be great to hear more from LE as to what they're leaning towards - foul play or maybe Colin did succumb to hypothermia & has yet to be found.

From reading all news reports & social media re: searches for Colin - they were very extensive (well beyond a 1 mile radius) and a lot of water searches took place also. I'm not sure if cadaver dogs were used.

Thanks again for all your observations & questions!

 

[TripleA]

Always thinking of Colin and his family. So close to home for me in many ways. I will pray until the day that Colin is brought home.

 

[cutter99]

One thing I learned, first hand last year from a case in PA, is that if there is not much information given in a case by LE, there is a reason for it. In this particular case, LE was very purposely vague and almost misleading because they knew who the missing person was last seen with and what plans they had. LE had an idea of what happened, but did not know for sure where the missing person had been disposed of.

I would think in Colin's case LE has a person or persons of interest and they are waiting for something to break loose. Until that something happens, they may not have enough information to either locate Colin or prosecute and convict anyone involved in his disappearance!

 

[TripleA]

Was it snowing the night Colin disappeared - even just a little? I am sure that the info is in the thread somewhere but I know that someone here can tell me without searching.

 

[andalso]

TripleA: From what I remember (without looking, so I could be wrong) it was a cold, clear night with a bright moon.

I think about Colin and that night often.

I haven't been here lately because, well...there are a # of reasons, but mostly...this case makes me so frustrated, and literally sick to my stomach from how much I care. Yet, I feel like we are going in circles trying to solve it. What can we actually do? I even reached out to the NY Times reporter and heard nothing back. We have 'lost' our insider and the case seems to have just faded from focus up in Tupper or with LE.

Who is working on this case? What is going on? Why is everyone so tight lipped?
I have my (very strong) theories on what happened to Colin, thoughts reflected in my posts.

I believe people in that town have thus far gotten away with murder. And then I look at Colin's smiling face and I get infuriated that this he hasn't been found and this hasn't been solved.

Anyway...I haven't stopped sleuthing and here I am, frustration and all. :thinking:

So, here are a couple of things of note recently in Tupper.


This happened on Feb 19th this year **I changed name to initials

http://adirondackdailyenterprise.co...id/550561/Police-and-Fire-Calls.html?nav=5008

TUPPER LAKE - Village police charged **AT, 21, of Tupper Lake with robbery in the third degree, a felony, and harassment in the second degree, a violation, on Thursday at 8:45 a.m....was arraigned in Tupper Lake village court and released on $5,000 bail.

and this to NT in Sept 2014 **changed name to initials

http://adirondackdailyenterprise.co...id/545890/Police-and-fire-calls.html?nav=5008

TUPPER LAKE - Village police arrested **NT 25, of Tupper Lake, at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday at 104 Main St. He was charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment. Information on what the charges stem from wasn't immediately available. **NT was remanded to the Franklin County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond.

Just saying'.....

 

[andalso]

The thing I keep getting caught up on is the 'fact' that AT says he drove by twice and spoke with Colin and offered him a ride. We know AT was at the party and we know that there was a fight at the party. So, are we supposed to believe that AT and Colin were on the same side (so to speak) in the fight? I mean, if they were against each other...would AT have been kind enough to stop 2x and offer him a ride?

It also seems that the timing of LE arriving and AT offering the 2nd ride would have to be pretty close in time. Right? The sequence of events here needs to be cleared up, but I am unsure of how to do so.

Re: the fight. I had a thought. Was Colin physically injured in the fight? If so, would that account for him not being able to put his coat on, I am thinking hurt arm or something? Also, would that explain his seemingly strange behavior when the newspaper editor drove by.

Just a little food for thought, in hopes it will somehow help.

 

[andalso]

Just trying to make sense of some of this. Feel free to chime in on what I am missing here!

AT was driving his cousin JA home to Piercefield that night, looks to be about 6 mins away from where he spoke to Colin. He then drops off JA and heads back towards Colin, another 6 mins at least.
At what point does the newspaper editor see him? Cause when newspaper editor sees him he drives straight the the Tupper Lake police department, approx 8 mins from where he saw Colin. RR (editor) goes in TLPD and reports what he saw and LE heads off towards where Colin was last seen. How long did it take for LE to leave in search of Colin. I think I remember reading it took them about a 1/2 hour to get there, which seems about right with about an 8 min drive, the report being taken and them leaving the station.

So, did AT pass by the 2nd time, during that 1/2 hour, and offer Colin the ride? Because if that is the case, there is a very short time span between when Colin was last seen and when LE were looking for him due to the RR sighting.
Then, somewhere in there..did we hear that someone else also saw Colin? A women? When did that happen, any links to that?

I have read the last cell contact was at 1:30am. But I am confused as to what time the editor saw him and what time AT/JA and then AT alone saw him. It seems that this all happened within a very short time span, though.

Hmmmm.....just pondering and putting out some of my jumbled thoughts.

 

[ontheclock]

One thing I learned, first hand last year from a case in PA, is that if there is not much information given in a case by LE, there is a reason for it. In this particular case, LE was very purposely vague and almost misleading because they knew who the missing person was last seen with and what plans they had. LE had an idea of what happened, but did not know for sure where the missing person had been disposed of.

I would think in Colin's case LE has a person or persons of interest and they are waiting for something to break loose. Until that something happens, they may not have enough information to either locate Colin or prosecute and convict anyone involved in his disappearance!

I'm in 100% agreement with your post. My thoughts exactly.

I just want closure for Colin's family at this point.

I want him FOUND, and who/those responsible held accountable.

 

[tarabull]

TripleA: From what I remember (without looking, so I could be wrong) it was a cold, clear night with a bright moon.

I think about Colin and that night often.

I haven't been here lately because, well...there are a # of reasons, but mostly...this case makes me so frustrated, and literally sick to my stomach from how much I care. Yet, I feel like we are going in circles trying to solve it. What can we actually do? I even reached out to the NY Times reporter and heard nothing back. We have 'lost' our insider and the case seems to have just faded from focus up in Tupper or with LE.

Who is working on this case? What is going on? Why is everyone so tight lipped?
I have my (very strong) theories on what happened to Colin, thoughts reflected in my posts.

I believe people in that town have thus far gotten away with murder. And then I look at Colin's smiling face and I get infuriated that this he hasn't been found and this hasn't been solved.

Anyway...I haven't stopped sleuthing and here I am, frustration and all. :thinking:

So, here are a couple of things of note recently in Tupper.


This happened on Feb 19th this year **I changed name to initials

http://adirondackdailyenterprise.co...id/550561/Police-and-Fire-Calls.html?nav=5008

TUPPER LAKE - Village police charged **AT, 21, of Tupper Lake with robbery in the third degree, a felony, and harassment in the second degree, a violation, on Thursday at 8:45 a.m....was arraigned in Tupper Lake village court and released on $5,000 bail.

and this to NT in Sept 2014 **changed name to initials

http://adirondackdailyenterprise.co...id/545890/Police-and-fire-calls.html?nav=5008

TUPPER LAKE - Village police arrested **NT 25, of Tupper Lake, at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday at 104 Main St. He was charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree harassment. Information on what the charges stem from wasn't immediately available. **NT was remanded to the Franklin County Jail in lieu of $2,500 cash bail or $5,000 bond.

Just saying'.....

:lookingitup:

S 240.26 Harassment in the second degree.
A person is guilty of harassment in the second degree when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person:
1. He or she strikes, shoves, kicks or otherwise subjects such other person to physical contact, or attempts or threatens to do the same; or
2. He or she follows a person in or about a public place or places; or
3. He or she engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which alarm or seriously annoy such other person and which serve no legitimate purpose.

Subdivisions two and three of this section shall not apply to activities regulated by the national labor relations act, as amended, the railway labor act, as amended, or the federal employment labor management act, as amended.

Harassment in the second degree is a violation.

http://ypdcrime.com/penal.law/article240.htm?zoom_highlight=harassment+in+the+second+degree#p240.26

S 160.05 Robbery in the third degree.
- A person is guilty of robbery in the third degree when he forcibly steals property.
- Robbery in the third degree is a class D felony.

http://ypdcrime.com/penal.law/article160.htm#p160.05

-------------------------------------------

:yeahthat:

:thinking:

:fishy:

:waiting:

-------------------------------------------

Where is Colin???

:candle:

 

[mselizabethb]

This case mystifies me the more I read up on it.
I have two ideas that could possibly have lead at the time to further investigation.

1) Since he was stumbling/acting erratically, could he have been hit by a car? And the driver, to avoid prosecution, took the body and buried it himself/herself?
2) *This is a little theatrical* If he was taken by the "friends" who offered him a ride, could he have thrown some of his belongings out the window of the vehicle so that police/family could "track" him?

These ideas may have already been posted, and I am sorry if I copied your idea--I just didn't see it.
These could open some new discussion as to where to search vs. the original 1-mile radius.

 

[travelbug]

This case mystifies me the more I read up on it.
I have two ideas that could possibly have lead at the time to further investigation.

1) Since he was stumbling/acting erratically, could he have been hit by a car? And the driver, to avoid prosecution, took the body and buried it himself/herself?
2) *This is a little theatrical* If he was taken by the "friends" who offered him a ride, could he have thrown some of his belongings out the window of the vehicle so that police/family could "track" him?

These ideas may have already been posted, and I am sorry if I copied your idea--I just didn't see it.
These could open some new discussion as to where to search vs. the original 1-mile radius.

BBM I have seriously considered whether he was hit by the "friends" the first time they saw him and, thinking he was dead, they fled the scene. Then upon returning home the "friend" driving alone saw him, up and stumbling around, picked him up and disposed of him in an entirely different location. jmo

 

[mselizabethb]

The location is what is so mysterious. If you were to hide a body, it would make more sense to go inland where there's a vaster area to dump. This has already been said before, which makes me curious as to why his belongings were on Setting Pole Dam Rd (maybe the belongings were found just off hwy 3, at the entrance of the road). This road travels toward the waterway. Another sleuther mentioned the remote nature of Mt. Matumbla Rd., which is near Setting Pole Dam Rd.

 

[andalso]

I am also mystified by this case and have played through so many scenarios in my head as to what happened.

It's great to hear other theories/ideas and bounce them around...but it seems at the end of every idea we end with 'poof', and Colin is gone.


Recently, in the Rochester area, human remains were found.http://www.whec.com/article/stories/s3770682.shtml As of now, no appx. age nor gender has been given. I do not believe them to be Colin's but it caught my attention for 2 reasons. 1) Initial reports were that the remains may have been there 2 to 3 years and 2) Colin did have some connection to the Rochester area, in that he attended SUNY Brockport. However, the reality is that Rochester has plenty of it's own crime and I am doubtful it could be tied to Colin in any way. In fact, in my own opinion, I feel Colin going missing is very locally tied to the Tupper Lake region. I could be wrong.

I would like to know who Colin was supposed to be getting a ride from that evening, and I would also really like to see the police report from the night he went missing.

Always thinking of Colin.

 

[TMAN2014]

A Summer bump for Colin.

 

[ontheclock]

Bumping for Colin.

 

[TMAN2014]

Another summer goes by, but we still remember Colin. Might the truth be found and we stay vigilante and not accept nothing for an answer.

 

[ontheclock]

Remember Colin.

 

[csa29]

I went over everything and made the mistake of not keeping quotes! lol

I don't understand if this was a planned party Colin and co. could have heard about, or just random?

I would assume they searched any social media he had? I am sure if someone did not have his password, there are hacks around it...

 

[ontheclock]

I went over everything and made the mistake of not keeping quotes! lol

I don't understand if this was a planned party Colin and co. could have heard about, or just random?

I would assume they searched any social media he had? I am sure if someone did not have his password, there are hacks around it...

Hmm, good question. I don't remember what exactly led Colin to that party.