Found Deceased OR - Owen Klinger, 18, University of Portland, 6 Oct 2019

[Curiousobserver]

True, although that in and of itself would be a clue. If he didn't take his phone (I think he did though, was that reported? Can't remember), that would be a huge clue. If he took his phone but had location services turned off and has made zero phone calls, that would be a clue, too. A very sad one.

But he did take money from an ATM, so he must have been planning something. If there's absolutely no phone records, then he was planning something he wished to be secret.

I'll go back and reread first part of thread, surely roommates must know whether he took his phone (and even, maybe, whether he routinely carried a charger for it, as most students do).

IIRC- he did take his phone but shut it off shortly after he used the ATM.

You know, I can remotely start my car from anywhere in the world that has cell service, why can't we put a chip in phones that we can ping even if they are shut off?

 

[10ofRods]

Okay, so phone was off "since Sunday evening," but apparently he did have it with him (when he didn't go to Lacrosse meeting). If phone was off, he wasn't using What'sApp or something to continue communicating with a person for a meet-up. He wasn't using his maps to get somewhere. He hasn't turned it back on, which is extremely concerning.

If he headed out of Portland toward parkland or wilderness, then it makes sense. But where is he?

I wanted to mention that most profs would allow friends or family to make an announcement to a class, asking for more information (including information about upcoming exam stress). It's only the profs who are bound by FERPA.

Also, I would try to get surveillance video from any Target, Walmart, Cabelia's or similar that sells camping or survival equipment.

Best case scenario is that he just wanted a total break from people, from society, from stress.

 

[gliving]

"Owen’s family is now going through cell phone records, but is hoping someone out there knows something.

"We just need people that were in contact with Owen to share with us anything they have from those conversations, if he gave any indication of why or what or where that this was about," Mary Klinger said. "Everyone that we've talked to that has talked with him said he was doing fine, his grades were good, getting ready for midterms, but he had plans for the break the week after that he was looking forward to and it just doesn't make sense."

'It just doesn't make sense': Still no sign of missing University of Portland student

 

[Kapua]

True, although that in and of itself would be a clue. If he didn't take his phone (I think he did though, was that reported? Can't remember), that would be a huge clue. If he took his phone but had location services turned off and has made zero phone calls, that would be a clue, too. A very sad one.

But he did take money from an ATM, so he must have been planning something. If there's absolutely no phone records, then he was planning something he wished to be secret.

I'll go back and reread first part of thread, surely roommates must know whether he took his phone (and even, maybe, whether he routinely carried a charger for it, as most students do).

A cell phone not working or powered off for days is usually a very bad sign, IMHO. There are exceptions, and I agree that if he took a substantial amount of cash from the ATM, he was planning to do something. I hope he turns up safe and very soon.

 

[Bree1950]

If I’m remembering the timeline correctly, the cell phone went off about the same time as the last video caught him on the street. We don’t know who turned off the phone? Possibly, if someone picked him up they turned it off or tossed it. I’m hoping they were able to search the garbage cans in the immediate area.

 

[PdxErn]

"Owen’s family is now going through cell phone records, but is hoping someone out there knows something.

"We just need people that were in contact with Owen to share with us anything they have from those conversations, if he gave any indication of why or what or where that this was about," Mary Klinger said. "Everyone that we've talked to that has talked with him said he was doing fine, his grades were good, getting ready for midterms, but he had plans for the break the week after that he was looking forward to and it just doesn't make sense."

'It just doesn't make sense': Still no sign of missing University of Portland student

The article you shared also indicates that LE has accessed video from homes and businesses around where he was last seen. Somewhat encouraging that they are making that effort. It also looks like the family is launching another search party tomorrow evening.

 

[GordianKnot]

Maybe I'm overthinking this, but if Owen went somewhere to harm himself and he didn't want to be found, going to the ATM and withdrawing money seems like a good way to throw people off their tracks and assume something else happened. Just thinking out loud here...

The ATM withdrawal has been the one aspect to the case that is hardest to reconcile with a suicide scenario.

Having said that, the following thought has occurred to me:

IF OK absented himself with the intent to self-harm, it may be that he wanted one of his final acts on earth to be a kind and generous one. He may have withdrawn the money with the intent to perform a RAOK.

IF this is a self-harm scenario, he knew he wouldn't be needing the money any longer.
That money would be meaningless to him, but it could be very meaningful to others.

He may have given the $$$ away to homeless people there in Portland, assuming there is a homeless population there somewhere close...does anyone know if that's the case?

If so, then LE should be canvassing homeless hangouts and shelters, showing the people OK's picture and asking if they've seen him in the past couple of weeks.

They should also be checking to see if any local charities have received any anonymous cash donations that match the withdrawal amount in the past couple of weeks.

Sadly, I do think suicide is a very real possibility here, especially given the fact that there have been no sightings reported of OK since that camera captured him on the Sunday night he went missing.

JMO.

 

[LAborn]

If I’m remembering the timeline correctly, the cell phone went off about the same time as the last video caught him on the street. We don’t know who turned off the phone? Possibly, if someone picked him up they turned it off or tossed it. I’m hoping they were able to search the garbage cans in the immediate area.

The timeline is he was last seen by a Trimet bus stop at 7:50, and his phone was off at 8:30.

 

[PaulR]

He may have given $$$ away to homeless people there in Portland, assuming there is a homeless population there somewhere close...does anyone know if that's the case?

Is there ever. They call it "urban camping" now.

 

[LAborn]

The ATM withdrawal has been the one aspect to the case that is hardest to reconcile with a suicide scenario.

Having said that, the following thought has occurred to me:

IF OK absented himself with the intent to self-harm, it may be that he wanted one of his final acts on earth to be a kind and generous one. He may have withdrawn the money with the intent to perform a RAOK.

IF this is a self-harm scenario, he knew he wouldn't be needing the money any longer.
That money would be meaningless to him, but it could be very meaningful to others.

He may have given the $$$ away to homeless people there in Portland, assuming there is a homeless population there somewhere close...does anyone know if that's the case?

If so, then LE should be canvassing homeless hangouts and shelters, showing the people OK's picture and asking if they've seen him in the past couple of weeks.

They should also be checking to see if any local charities have received any anonymous cash donations that match the withdrawal amount in the past couple of weeks.

Sadly, I do think suicide is a very real possibility here, especially given the fact that there have been no sightings reported of OK since that camera captured him on the Sunday night he went missing.

JMO.

I live in the immediate area and in the last few years we've lost so many people to suicide via the St. Johns bridge, which is about 2 1/2 miles from U of P. These stories typically don't make the news, but on the neighborhood FB page, they do. I hope this isn't the case here.

 

[Curiousobserver]

I live in the immediate area and in the last few years we've lost so many people to suicide via the St. Johns bridge, which is about 2 1/2 miles from U of P. These stories typically don't make the news, but on the neighborhood FB page, they do. I hope this isn't the case here.

Isn't that in the wrong direction though? (being hopeful) He was heading up Portsmouth Ave toward Lombard.

It was late already as well at 7:50pm, it would have been dark. What is just beyond that intersection that a person would lie to his friends about going to? Assuming he intended on being back that night.

 

[LAborn]

Isn't that in the wrong direction though? (being hopeful) He was heading up Portsmouth Ave toward Lombard.

It was late already as well at 7:50pm, it would have been dark. What is just beyond that intersection that a person would lie to his friends about going to? Assuming he intended on being back that night.

I'm not sure it's been publicized which direction he traveled on Lombard, but you're right, it would be less direct, as Willamette Blvd is right by the school. Both streets go to the bridge. Whatever he had planned, he didn't want his roommates to know, for whatever reason. There is nothing beyond that intersection but more residential area. I sincerely hope he simply took off and is safe somewhere.

 

[88GlavineRC]

I live in the immediate area and in the last few years we've lost so many people to suicide via the St. Johns bridge, which is about 2 1/2 miles from U of P. These stories typically don't make the news, but on the neighborhood FB page, they do. I hope this isn't the case here.

Take Lombard East from last known location and the viaduct going over the slough to delta shopping area is very tall. I-5 bridge is further off in that direction also. If you draw a triangle from swan island, to kelley point, to expo center there is just a ton of greenspace. Driving west on N Columbia you can see there is just a ton of unused, abandoned land primarily on the north side. Golf courses, Bybee Wetlands, huge tracts of warehouses. I'd speculate all this area needs searching soon. After that maybe even Forrest Park or the corridor of hwy 30.

 

[88GlavineRC]

A girlfriend of mine was very heavy into yoga and meditation. If Owen was interested maybe he attended a week long retreat or something of that nature. Some of these retreats are even silent, with no cellphone laptops allowed. Just grasping at straws, but i was a very distracted college student who would pack up and leave for music festivals without a lot of forethought.

 

[PdxErn]

The timeline is he was last seen by a Trimet bus stop at 7:50, and his phone was off at 8:30.

Not to split hairs, but I believe the 7:50 time is when his phone pinged near a TriMet bus stop on the edge of campus. The video footage of him at a different bus stop (about 3/4 of a mile away from campus) is time stamped at 8:30. His phone went dark right around that same time.

 

[PdxErn]

The ATM withdrawal has been the one aspect to the case that is hardest to reconcile with a suicide scenario.

Having said that, the following thought has occurred to me:

IF OK absented himself with the intent to self-harm, it may be that he wanted one of his final acts on earth to be a kind and generous one. He may have withdrawn the money with the intent to perform a RAOK.

IF this is a self-harm scenario, he knew he wouldn't be needing the money any longer.
That money would be meaningless to him, but it could be very meaningful to others.

He may have given the $$$ away to homeless people there in Portland, assuming there is a homeless population there somewhere close...does anyone know if that's the case?

If so, then LE should be canvassing homeless hangouts and shelters, showing the people OK's picture and asking if they've seen him in the past couple of weeks.

They should also be checking to see if any local charities have received any anonymous cash donations that match the withdrawal amount in the past couple of weeks.

Sadly, I do think suicide is a very real possibility here, especially given the fact that there have been no sightings reported of OK since that camera captured him on the Sunday night he went missing.

JMO.

There is a substantial homeless m/impoverished population in parts of N. Portland, and Owen was headed in exactly the right direction to find them. The only other situation that I think makes sense to reconcile the suicide/ATM dilemma was mentioned earlier in the thread. As a kid who seemed to love his family and is close to his friends, he may have intentionally traveled away from the city before ending his life. Perhaps to reduce the odds of someone who loves him finding the body.

 

[happyday]

There is a substantial homeless m/impoverished population in parts of N. Portland, and Owen was headed in exactly the right direction to find them. The only other situation that I think makes sense to reconcile the suicide/ATM dilemma was mentioned earlier in the thread. As a kid who seemed to love his family and is close to his friends, he may have intentionally traveled away from the city before ending his life. Perhaps to reduce the odds of someone who loves him finding the body.

Ugh. I hate thinking of the suicide theory. Another thing that doesn’t reconcile with suicide though, besides withdrawing money, is that he had a backpack that seemed to be full and something resembling a calculator in his pocket. Why take stuff with him if he were going to end his life?

 

[PdxErn]

Ugh. I hate thinking of the suicide theory. Another thing that doesn’t reconcile with suicide though, besides withdrawing money, is that he had a backpack that seemed to be full and something resembling a calculator in his pocket. Why take stuff with him if he were going to end his life?

Me too. I agree that I don’t think there is necessarily substantial evidence pointing to a suicide theory. Very much hoping that it isn’t the case. I agree about the backpack - what’s so interesting to me is that it was too small to point to Owen planning an extended getaway. But full enough to indicate he had some sort of activity or meet up planned. Something just occurred to me - maybe he was headed to a favorite bar or coffee shop to cram a last study session in before midterms? Seems odd that he would have been evasive with roommates over this, but perhaps he was embarrassed? Stressed about missing practice? Feeling overwhelmed and not wanting to explain himself?

 

[GordianKnot]

Ugh. I hate thinking of the suicide theory. Another thing that doesn’t reconcile with suicide though, besides withdrawing money, is that he had a backpack that seemed to be full and something resembling a calculator in his pocket. Why take stuff with him if he were going to end his life?

IF it's a suicide scenario we're looking at here, then what was contained in his backpack would have probably been one or both of the following:

• Items he needed r/t his chosen method of suicide
• Thing(s) he wanted to destroy or dispose of, i.e., things he didn't want people to find after his death

JMO.

 

[bombardier]

Photos of item in pocket while exiting dorm. I tried to manipulate the image to show contrast. The way his arms are both bent at elbows, he may be already looking at his phone.

So what is this - phone? tablet?

the item to me looks like a reusable water bottle with a ribbed, twist-off cap, with a handle also being visible.