Found Deceased OH - Joey LaBute, 26, Columbus, 4 March 2016 #1

[osu]

CPD solve rate for missing persons is actually quite high, somewhere around 90% the last time I looked.

Also, re: the shirt. It's possible it was easily dismissed because there are 100 different shades/tones of gray and if he had looked at the snapchat photos provided by the cousin, knew at immediate glance that it was the entirely wrong shade of gray to have been Joey's shirt from that night.

This article from NBC4-Columbus says Joey was last seen wearing a blue and brown flannel shirt with a blue tee shirt underneath.

"His family said he was last seen wearing a brown and blue flannel shirt with a blue T-shirt underneath and blue jeans."

http://nbc4i.com/2016/03/09/police-turn-to-surveillance-footage-in-hopes-of-finding-missing-man/

 

[taradiane]

True and yeah that may have been, that was the first time I've ever been involved in a search so it was all new to me with how things are done but thanks for your input

Just for clarification sake because I don't want readers getting confused - was using gray as just a generic color example. Joey's shirt that night was blue (another color with many shades/tones). Have gray on the brain, apparently.

To reiterate, he was wearing: brown,off-white with reddish-maroon stripe flannel shirt with a blue t-shirt underneath and charcoal jeans

To my knowledge from what CPD said on Saturday, they do not know which shoes he was wearing that night.

 

[taradiane]

Yes, I clarified what I meant right as you were posting that. I should have been more clear that I was using gray as just a generic example.

 

[ryajus]

Just for clarification sake because I don't want readers getting confused - was using gray as just a generic color example. Joey's shirt that night was blue (another color with many shades/tones). Have gray on the brain, apparently.

To reiterate, he was wearing: brown,off-white with reddish-maroon stripe flannel shirt with a blue t-shirt underneath and charcoal jeans

To my knowledge from what CPD said on Saturday, they do not know which shoes he was wearing that night.

I don't know the flier and family said blue but yet the cop that day told us all gray, so I believe there is some confusion somewhere along those lines. I don't know for 100 percent though which is correct and yeah I know there was no mention of shoes as well.

 

[ryajus]

Yes, I clarified what I meant right as you were posting that. I should have been more clear that I was using gray as just a generic example.

Haha no worries

 

[Janxter]

Exactly! His dad said he hadn't been at work [modsnip].

 

[wendybtn]

So, in googling this bar, it's a "Gay friendly" bar. I wonder if that has something to do with his disappearance - men who are believed to be gay can be targets of attack.

And, of course, the bar is about a mile from two different rivers. There is absolutely no way - IMHO - a man who went to the bar area of a restaurant could "accidentally" end up getting lost and falling into a river a mile away outside the bar. Prayers he isn't one of the many, many young men who vanish suddenly and "accidentally" drown.

I wondered about sexual orientation after looking at his Facebook page. I don't know that it has anything to do with his disappearance, though.

 

[taradiane]

I don't know the flier and family said blue but yet the cop that day told us all gray, so I believe there is some confusion somewhere along those lines. I don't know for 100 percent though which is correct and yeah I know there was no mention of shoes as well.

Yes, I remember the cop telling us that, too, but someone in the crowd corrected him.

 

[wendybtn]

I too agree and think SOMEONE had to see him but the family is going with CPD on this and they don't want to "disturb" their progress which personally I don't think is anything. I participated in the search last weekend for Joey and was out for 5 hours looking all around the Arena District and when I came upon a ripped and tattered undershirt matching the description of what Joey last had on, I called it in and the CPD officer that showed up barelt walked up and examined it and just said, "Nope that's not it". I was like how can you tell since you didn't even come up and look closely?!? but any who I hope there are answers soon and this isn't going to be another "Brain Shaffer" incident. Joey is a friend of a friend and lives right around the corner from me so this has hit pretty close to home for myself and I have been doing whatever i can to help and assist. People just DON'T DISAPPEAR! :notgood:

Unfortunately, they do, if you read the different cases on here. Prayers for you, Joe, all his family and friends.

 

[RybieMagoo]

True and yeah that may have been, that was the first time I've ever been involved in a search so it was all new to me with how things are done but thanks for your input

I didn't realize that you were also involved in the search until I started reading through more comments today. The area that our group of four had was where Thurber is. It was a really large space for four people. We actually only got half of it done and had to come back because our fourth person had to leave. They have the other half out to another group.

 

[cwosigns]

If you are in touch with technology, single, and in your 20's-30's, you have probably used it and/or heard about it! With the amount of tourists that were in Cbus that weekend, there was probably hundreds of people on that app (looking for a hookup and whatnot). It is possible that he met someone on the Tinder app (or other dating app mentioned), messaged each other or exchanged numbers with someone and made plans to meet up in the Short North somewhere. It is just a speculation, but I know some people that use the Tinder app when they are out of town to meet people/go out for drinks/hook up.
I just think it is a possibility!

I actually thought of this angle last weekend, and downloaded an app and logged in to see if I could see his profile. The app that I used showed that he was 5 miles away from me when he last logged in, which would be in the area of the Union Café. I did call CPD and give them the tip that it looks like he might have been on that app while he was at Union, and that he could have met up with someone from the app. Unfortunately, it did not say when he was last online. And I don't know how much information the app maker has about who he may have been talking to, or his specific location information. But I did call CPD and pass along the information, since any information may prove to be helpful.


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[ryajus]

I didn't realize that you were also involved in the search until I started reading through more comments today. The area that our group of four had was where Thurber is. It was a really large space for four people. We actually only got half of it done and had to come back because our fourth person had to leave. They have the other half out to another group.

Yup I had a huge section of the Arena District and it was exhausting but I was happy to of been able to help try and find anything that day.

 

[bighairdontcare]

I actually thought of this angle last weekend, and downloaded an app and logged in to see if I could see his profile. The app that I used showed that he was 5 miles away from me when he last logged in, which would be in the area of the Union Café. I did call CPD and give them the tip that it looks like he might have been on that app while he was at Union, and that he could have met up with someone from the app. Unfortunately, it did not say when he was last online. And I don't know how much information the app maker has about who he may have been talking to, or his specific location information. But I did call CPD and pass along the information, since any information may prove to be helpful.


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Thanks for doing that ! I just think it's a strong possibility that he may have frequented that app. Since it was Arnold weekend , I presume that MANY people who have used the app would have been in proximity to Joey. Taking into thought that he was probably intoxicated and having a good time , it's a possibility that he may have skimmed through the dating app to see who was in the area. Since these people are strangers on that app ( possibly tourists / foreigners) ... It could be that he found someone that he liked or was attracted to and arranged to meet up with . I've used the app before. You could be anywhere in Columbus and "like" someone in the area .. That could be from Columbus or from out of town. It seems harmless at first.... However,
If he did contact or communicate with someone on this app,.. It could prove to lead to answers or some sort of direction. I don't know....
I would like to consider myself a smart and very responsible individual ... But I have used tinder and I have actually met people through the app... It's a gamble... If he met up with someone through this app, it could have turned sour it that person could have had alternative motives in mind..... Especially if Joey was intoxicated . Makes him much more vulnerable to dangerous situations.


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[neesaki]

So some people will actually use the whole "I'm driving" excuse to get off the phone or not deal with a person other persons but as not to be rude to them or doing other things and just don't want to explain what they're doing. I wonder if this is a case of that.

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I'm sure this has been brought up but I'm behind on the posts, but the "I'm driving" is a pre-programmed message that is available on the Iphone for when you're driving and can't talk or text. Not sure what phone he had though.

 

[mrsobrien]

I'm sure this has been brought up but I'm behind on the posts, but the "I'm driving" is a pre-programmed message that is available on the Iphone for when you're driving and can't talk or text. Not sure what phone he had though.

I have an android with a feature like this. If the phone is in drive mode, it detects movement consistent with driving (via GPS I guess) and will automatically decline calls and auto-reply to texts with a message.

 

[Tssiemer]

But some one verbally said "I'm driving" and they are sure it was him.


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[hey-Debbie]

I actually thought of this angle last weekend, and downloaded an app and logged in to see if I could see his profile. The app that I used showed that he was 5 miles away from me when he last logged in, which would be in the area of the Union Café. I did call CPD and give them the tip that it looks like he might have been on that app while he was at Union, and that he could have met up with someone from the app. Unfortunately, it did not say when he was last online. And I don't know how much information the app maker has about who he may have been talking to, or his specific location information. But I did call CPD and pass along the information, since any information may prove to be helpful.


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Either that or he just had the app open and location services on but not actively using it. I run lots of apps open all day but might not be using them.

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[mrsobrien]

But some one verbally said "I'm driving" and they are sure it was him.


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Oh! I didn't realize they heard his voice! That's good, imo. So frequently we're left wondering *who* is on the other side of cell phone communication.

Joey seems like a fun and happy guy, I hope he is safe somewhere.

 

[bighairdontcare]

I actually thought of this angle last weekend, and downloaded an app and logged in to see if I could see his profile. The app that I used showed that he was 5 miles away from me when he last logged in, which would be in the area of the Union Café. I did call CPD and give them the tip that it looks like he might have been on that app while he was at Union, and that he could have met up with someone from the app. Unfortunately, it did not say when he was last online. And I don't know how much information the app maker has about who he may have been talking to, or his specific location information. But I did call CPD and pass along the information, since any information may prove to be helpful.


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That just goes to prove that Joey DID have that app downloaded and POSSIBLY had used Tinder that evening (if you saw his profile). As stated by another user, it is possible that maybe the app was running but not in use that particular evening. I don't know how all that works. On my IPhone, I know I have to close out apps that I am running to preserve data- however, if the app is "open" but not actively in use or properly closed out, I did not think that it would show that I would be "online" still. I thought you had to actively be using the app in order to see who is in your "area."
Anyways, if had perhaps used Tinder that evening, I would be interested in seeing who he had messaged on that app....
I hope this is something that CPD is diving into.

 

[cwosigns]

Either that or he just had the app open and location services on but not actively using it. I run lots of apps open all day but might not be using them.

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The particular app I saw his profile on (not Tinder) doesn't use location services in the background, so the app would have had to have been open for his location to update. A profile will show a different color dot to show online status (green = online now, orange = online recently, and gray = not online). A user can opt out of showing how long it's been since you were online, which I believe Joey did. His dot was gray, obviously, as he'd been missing a week already by the time I looked for him on there. And it didn't show the last time that he was on, only that he was 5 miles away the last time he did log in, which would put him in the area of Union Cafe.

I'm hoping CPD is contacting the app developer and that they cooperate with the investigation.