OH OH - Tyler Davis, 29, Columbus, 24 February 2019

[Dre]

I just finished both episodes of the podcast as well. She laughed soo many times and the reference to herself being a single mom also really bothered me.. I thought maybe she was in denial of the situation until I heard that comment something is off in my opinion as well!

 

[Beansie]

I'm new here and wondering if it's OK for anyone to share the link to the TD facebook discussion group. If it has already been mentioned I didn't see it. Thanks!

Edited to add
I found it. It is a closed group.

 

[ChickaDee221]

Great post, welcome ChickaDee!

Statistics are a great way to look at things, especially when obscure theories get proposed (doesn't mean they are wrong).

Always look at who was last with a person.
Always look at romantic partners.
Always look for motive.

If I do that here, I don't see much supporting evidence or questions to implicate the last two people with Tyler. It is easy to say things are suspicious, but usually there is supporting evidence, ie marital trouble, evidence of planning a crime etc. Nothing lines up with premeditation.

Accidental death is always an option, but accidental death and no body is very unusual.

Searches often miss that they are looking for, and I'm question LE effort here. So Tyler's body could be out there within a search area.

1) I'm leaning accident and body is out there and not obvious. Drowning or hypothermia. Tyler sounded confused on the last call, and "could see the Hilton", maybe he was delirious and thought he saw the Hilton- due to hypothermia.
2) Backup theory is accidental death due to excessive alcohol/drugs (or even natural causes) and someone removed his body as a result (for fear of being implicated).

Thanks for being so respectful in your response! It seriously could even be a combo of those 2.
I do believe there are things being omitted in the story. But, it could be for character preservation. I mean look at Brandon Lawson. It wasn't until the Crawlspace interview with Kyle that we knew a little more about what happened. But, it's still not the whole story. And, still no evidence of what exactly happened to him.

 

[ALS89]

If we think logically on the death by accident due to alcohol/drugs theory this is what I come up with; Tyler was an average sized guy, even if not intoxicated that means he would walk at about 3.1 miles per hour. We don’t exactly know when Tyler met his demise in this scenario, but according to the National Weather Service in 29 degree weather with 17 mph wind a person would be in the frostbite zone relatively quickly (I included the graph in the pictures below). So with no coat and with no one reporting seeing him at a gas station or business to get warm (which would have probably been noticed that time of night) he probably didn’t walk much more than an hour and a half without severe physical consequences and that’s pushing it.

I used mapping software to see where Tyler could have walked (keep in mind this is the average person with no mitigating factors like cold or alcohol) in the 1.5 hours. It’s a decent sized area yes, but a lot of it is highly trafficked. This is also not taking into account that the friend supposedly saw Tyler close to the hotel during the time frame in question. The wooded areas in the zone would not be hard to search as they are relatively small with the exception of Blendon Woods Metro Park, the Champions of Columbus Golf Course/Innis park, and the wooded areas dotted along the river.

I know searches in all the surrounding woods have been done according to BD, and like I said most of everything in that area is highly populated or trafficked so I would say that it’s highly possible Tyler is not in any wooded areas near the hotel or they would have probably found him by now. At the very least kids playing in the woods on the edges of their subdivisions etc (most common wooded areas around there) would have seen or smelled something by now. And if he just fell victim to the temperature or a health issue in a street or parking lot somewhere on his way back he would have been found by now. Looking at the map there really isn’t any wooded area “shortcuts” to the hotel either except for the area behind Costco which was searched.

This leads me to think about reasons he wouldn’t be found easily, which to me would include someone transporting him out of the area, Tyler leaving the area voluntarily, or someone using forensic counter measures such as burial, water disposal, or debris to hide the body. With the exception of Tyler leaving voluntarily or him falling in the river, these things all require another person involved.

 

[ChickaDee221]

Welcome to Webseluths! great first post @ChickaDee221 ! I agree with you....did you see the pictures further back on the thread of the storm drains in the area? I wonder if those have ALL been searched...other than falling in one of those and possibly being stuck, injured from his fall and unable to move or yell, I think foul play is a definite possibility. Still, such a strange thing he hasn't been found yet.

I also wonder if there is a possibility someone could have hit him while they were driving drunk (at that time of night a definite possibility) and freaked out and loaded his body into their car and left? Seems so unlikely though that someone would do that - AND there are so many cameras around.....

I feel like it's a good possibility that his body isn't in the area. I took a quick peak on the storm drain situation. Most incidences are reported after flooding.
That being said, I did tell my son yesterday to stay off the storm drain or the sewer snakes will get him. So, I guess I think it's a possibility to fall in. (Also, I am a Baby Jessica era "kid")
It's possible. But, how likely is it? I know it's not a 0% chance. But, it has to be .1 or something insanely small.
I think what I like most about this page is that I never considered a storm drain situation. It's a new perspective, that didn't even cross my mind!
Thanks for being so gracious and non-judgmental in your response to my post!

 

[x_files]

I feel like it's a good possibility that his body isn't in the area. I took a quick peak on the storm drain situation. Most incidences are reported after flooding.
That being said, I did tell my son yesterday to stay off the storm drain or the sewer snakes will get him. So, I guess I think it's a possibility to fall in. (Also, I am a Baby Jessica era "kid")
It's possible. But, how likely is it? I know it's not a 0% chance. But, it has to be .1 or something insanely small.
I think what I like most about this page is that I never considered a storm drain situation. It's a new perspective, that didn't even cross my mind!
Thanks for being so gracious and non-judgmental in your response to my post!

Storm drains would be my first place to search, retention ponds, creeks, ditches and storm drains.

 

[ChickaDee221]

If we think logically on the death by accident due to alcohol/drugs theory this is what I come up with; Tyler was an average sized guy, even if not intoxicated that means he would walk at about 3.1 miles per hour. We don’t exactly know when Tyler met his demise in this scenario, but according to the National Weather Service in 29 degree weather with 17 mph wind a person would be in the frostbite zone in 30 minutes (I included the graph in the pictures below). So with no coat and with no one reporting seeing him at a gas station or business to get warm (which would have probably been noticed that time of night) he probably didn’t walk much more than an hour and a half without severe physical consequences and that’s pushing it.

I used mapping software to see where Tyler could have walked (keep in mind this is the average person with no mitigating factors like cold or alcohol) in the 1.5 hours. It’s a decent sized area yes, but a lot of it is highly trafficked. This is also not taking into account that the friend supposedly saw Tyler close to the hotel during the time frame in question. The wooded areas in the zone would not be hard to search as they are relatively small with the exception of Blendon Woods Metro Park, the Champions of Columbus Golf Course/Innis park, and the wooded areas dotted along the river.

I know searches in all the surrounding woods have been done according to BD, and like I said most of everything in that area is highly populated or trafficked so I would say that it’s highly possible Tyler is not in any wooded areas near the hotel or they would have probably found him by now. At the very least kids playing in the woods on the edges of their subdivisions etc (most common wooded areas around there) would have seen or smelled something by now. And if he just fell victim to the temperature or a health issue in a street or parking lot somewhere on his way back he would have been found by now. Looking at the map there really isn’t any wooded area “shortcuts” to the hotel either except for the area behind Costco which was searched.

This leads me to think about reasons he wouldn’t be found easily, which to me would include someone transporting him out of the area, Tyler leaving the area voluntarily, or someone using forensic counter measures such as burial, water disposal, or debris to hide the body. With the exception of Tyler leaving voluntarily or him falling in the river, these things all require another person involved.

You're so fancy with your maps! I feel lame now!
If I remember my high school education, alcohol thins the blood. Which lessens the time in which frostbite would set in? But, he wouldn't feel frostbit? I think that's right? Isn't that how people pass out in the snow? They don't realize how cold they actually are.
I certainly feel that if he were to have succumb to the elements in a more natural way, his body would be somewhere that was a little more traceable. The dogs would be able to find him.
Here is a weird question... What is the wildlife situation in Columbus? In the city I just moved from, you'd catch coyotes out in the middle of the city in the wee hours of the morning.

 

[ChickaDee221]

Storm drains would be my first place to search, retention ponds, creeks, ditches and storm drains.

I'm unfamiliar with Columbus. Do they have a problem with people falling into storm drains? Definitely the first ones. I'm actually recalling a time in college a (no longer) friend stormed off from the bar (wasted), we found him more than 3 miles away passed out in the ditch. So, yes. Definitely a possibility!

 

[ALS89]

Correct me if I’m wrong because I don’t know much about this, but don’t the majority of storm drain accidents happen when there is major flooding? There wasn’t even rain that night and no flooding. Also Tyler was a slightly larger guy so I’m not sure he would have went down a lot of storm drains easily without getting caught. When I googled it your chances of falling in a storm drain as a non construction accident are so rare. I can see creeks, rivers, or ponds happening though. That seems to be a thing in Ohio.

 

[ChickaDee221]

Correct me if I’m wrong because I don’t know much about this, but don’t the majority of storm drain accidents happen when there is major flooding? There wasn’t even rain that night and no flooding. When I googled it your chances of falling in a storm drain as a non construction accident are so rare. I can see creeks, rivers, or ponds happening though. That seems to be a thing in Ohio.

That's what I found, too. Most instances happen after flooding.

 

[ALS89]

You're so fancy with your maps! I feel lame now!
If I remember my high school education, alcohol thins the blood. Which lessens the time in which frostbite would set in? But, he wouldn't feel frostbit? I think that's right? Isn't that how people pass out in the snow? They don't realize how cold they actually are.
I certainly feel that if he were to have succumb to the elements in a more natural way, his body would be somewhere that was a little more traceable. The dogs would be able to find him.
Here is a weird question... What is the wildlife situation in Columbus? In the city I just moved from, you'd catch coyotes out in the middle of the city in the wee hours of the morning.

Yes you’re correct about alcohol thinning the blood. As far as wildlife we don’t have anything that would attack and pull a man of his size into a den or wooded area or something. Coyotes usually just feed on the soft tissue and leave the larger heavier parts. Worst predators we have in this area of Ohio are people.

 

[DutchTreat]

There are so many confusing things about this story. Especially when you start looking at numbers. The probability of certain things just seems unlikely.
Let's say, human trafficking. Reportedly, 2% of people trafficked are men (not including young boys and teens). Most for labor.
So, are we talking a crime of opportunity? Hey, here is this 29 year old man, smoking, hopefully he is a hard worker! Let's snatch him?
Let's move to the fact that he was "drugged at the club"... So, they drugged him, let him leave, followed him, and hoped at some point he would walk off in the wee hours of the bitter cold morning, all alone into the darkness? According to the wife, they waited outside for the Uber... Seems like a prime opportunity to rob someone you have drugged. Instead of following them for nearly 20 minutes, and waiting outside the hotel for another opportunity to take what he had.
Let's move to random homicide. In Columbus, there were 103 in 2018. 70 percent were African American, and almost half were in specific areas of the City. What I didn't dive into were how many were domestic situations vs random mugging homicides.
The Uber driver? He was, what? So mad that he waited around for this guy to be alone? His GSP would say so, if that was the case.
As far as all these missing men in Columbus. I'm wondering, are they unreported? I could only find 4 on the Attorney General's website in OH. One being Tyler. Two of them according to articles, were reported to have been acting paranoid. One, there wasn't anything on, the other was Tyler. So, unless there are dozens of unreported men missing in OH that the AG refuses to list, then it's 4. In 2019. That is not a crazy amount of missing men. I do however understand that there may be individuals who are not reported missing that turn up. Mostly they are high risk. Not your "out for a night on the town, 3x a year, full time job, supporting his family, regular" husband and father.
I just have so many questions. Mainly... What are the chances of a 29 year old white, average, low risk, "regular" male being abducted, assaulted, or murdered by a stranger in 29° weather at 4 am?
Now, what are the chances of a 29 year old white, average, low risk, "regular" male being abducted, assaulted, or murdered by someone they know in 29° weather at 4 am?
I think statistically, one of them is more realistic.
Though both seem out of the realm for normal people to understand.
I would love to hear from a few people. The strippers who spent time with them that evening. The bartender. The bounce. And, finally the Uber driver.
I don't think an accident could be ruled out. But, then were is the body? Someone came along and said, here is body... Guess I'll dispose of it?
You'd have to believe that he traveled to some obscure, out of range place, where his body would never be found.
So, here is where I've landed... In order for this to work, he has wondered off in to some weird, obscure, wayyyyy off the beaten path place and died. Because according to the family, they've searched the water, the woods, and entire area without finding a trace of him.
I'm a brand new poster guys! I'm only here because TCG has me riveted with this insane, bizzaro case!
Please don't tear me apart too bad. These are just my thoughts written out.
(All my numbers can be found through a bit of searching and reading on google)

Reports allege druggings at campus bars and off-campus house

A third report was made by a man not affiliated with the university. He contacted OSUPD after becoming aware of the Feb. 14 safety notice. In the report, the man said he had been “dosed” three or four times over the past year while drinking at two campus-area bars

Safety alert for the LGBTQ community as the death of Joey LaBute, Jr. remains unsolved

Let's assume someone is targeting (gay) young men. Like a serial killer. Joey Labute was found dead in the river in 2016 but he didn't drown.
Now the gay community has been warned, the student community has been warned so where drug young men next.
A strip club would be great to do that.

Brittany says at the end of the TCG interview part two that she thinks someone took Tyler and that 5 more men went missing in that area recently.

Could Tyler have talked to someone, told him where they were staying and being followed after being drugged?
Hoping that Tyler would go for a walk to smoke (in which case you might want to drug a smoker).

 

[DutchTreat]

I feel like it's a good possibility that his body isn't in the area. I took a quick peak on the storm drain situation. Most incidences are reported after flooding.
That being said, I did tell my son yesterday to stay off the storm drain or the sewer snakes will get him. So, I guess I think it's a possibility to fall in. (Also, I am a Baby Jessica era "kid")
It's possible. But, how likely is it? I know it's not a 0% chance. But, it has to be .1 or something insanely small.
I think what I like most about this page is that I never considered a storm drain situation. It's a new perspective, that didn't even cross my mind!
Thanks for being so gracious and non-judgmental in your response to my post!

It would also be a great place to dispose of a body.

 

[ChickaDee221]

Reports allege druggings at campus bars and off-campus house

A third report was made by a man not affiliated with the university. He contacted OSUPD after becoming aware of the Feb. 14 safety notice. In the report, the man said he had been “dosed” three or four times over the past year while drinking at two campus-area bars

Safety alert for the LGBTQ community as the death of Joey LaBute, Jr. remains unsolved

Let's assume someone is targeting (gay) young men. Like a serial killer. Joey Labute was found dead in the river in 2016 but he didn't drown.
Now the gay community has been warned, the student community has been warned so where drug young men next.
A strip club would be great to do that.

Brittany says at the end of the TCG interview part two that she thinks someone took Tyler and that 5 more men went missing in that area recently.

Could Tyler have talked to someone, told him where they were staying and being followed after being drugged?
Hoping that Tyler would go for a walk to smoke (in which case you might want to drug a smoker).

If you look up the info on these missing men, I think you might look at it differently.
There are 4 in 2019. One was Tyler. One suffered from aspergers and was said to be acting paranoid by his roommate. One was asked to leave a hotel. He was said to have been acting paranoid as well, but I believe paranoid for different reasons than the first. That of course is an assumption. The last, I could only find the info on the Attorney General's missing poster.
I don't know how heavily trafficked the area is at 3 am. But, I will put it into perspective using my own personal example. I live in a suburb of the 5th largest city in the US. The suburb I live in has approximately 1.5 million people. Tues-Fri I wake up at 2 30 am to be at the gym for 3 am. It's a 15 minute drive from my house. At 2 45 am, there are so few cars on the road that even in my barely awake, no cups of coffee (yet) state, there are so few cars on the road that I would absolutely notice if someone was following me. Don't get me wrong, I walk to the car each morning with a switch blade in my hand to be safe, because you never know (and I listen to way too much true crime).
My point is... There is no one on the road. It's not like during rush hour where you wouldn't notice. And, the driver would have been sober.
There is a chance that if someone was invited back... And, followed them. Which I feel like is more likely than some rando following them hoping to do what? There are 2 men in the party and one woman. They weren't exactly staying at a hole in the wall. So, they most would have to make it past at least a front desk. The wife also didn't say there was a weirdo at the car when they got out of the vehicle. I wonder if some cameras would have caught that.
Also, in no way am I discounting the fact that people get drugged. It happened to me in college. I knew something was wrong and called a friend to get me. It happens all too often in college towns and goes unreported. Which makes it easy for perpetrators to get away with it.

 

[DutchTreat]

Thanks for being so respectful in your response! It seriously could even be a combo of those 2.
I do believe there are things being omitted in the story. But, it could be for character preservation. I mean look at Brandon Lawson. It wasn't until the Crawlspace interview with Kyle that we knew a little more about what happened. But, it's still not the whole story. And, still no evidence of what exactly happened to him.

It could even be as simple a that the friend or both didn't feel like going after a pissed off drunk guy. Never expecting this to happen.
But I can imagine that they would be vilified if that was the case.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

I just keep thinking of Ian Powers...

Found Deceased - CA - Ian Powers, 32, Levi's Stadium, 49ers game, Santa Clara, 12 Nov 2018

Well, sorta I do, on some level... but I'll admit, my hinky is also up a bit here... Just sayin...

 

[ChickaDee221]

It would also be a great place to dispose of a body.

ABSOLUTELY!! It would almost be ideal. I bet they treat sewer water with all kinds of chemicals that would aid in the decay of evidence.
I definitely hope he is found. For the sake of his family and especially for his son.

 

[ChickaDee221]

It could even be as simple a that the friend or both didn't feel like going after a pissed off drunk guy. Never expecting this to happen.
But I can imagine that they would be vilified if that was the case.

Of course. They could have gotten into an argument. As simple as "screw you then"... Just thinking, he'll be back. You always hope it isn't something sinister. But, we all read and listen to these stories, knowing the outcome, 99% of the time, is an unbelievably sad situation.

 

[DutchTreat]

I just keep thinking of Ian Powers...

Found Deceased - CA - Ian Powers, 32, Levi's Stadium, 49ers game, Santa Clara, 12 Nov 2018

Well, sorta I do, on some level... but I'll admit, my hinky is also up a bit here... Just sayin...

That one sounds exactly like Joey Labute.

 

[ASWIN]

On TCG, she said they had two rooms and told the friend he could sleep on the couch of one of them if he was too tired to drive. Is it strange that they had two rooms reserved to themselves for this occasion?