The fact that Owen took out a specific amount of money, and less than I think a lot of us were assuming, just goes to further support the theory that Owen had set out with a specific goal that night (Craigslist meet up? Impulse tech purchase? Something more risky?) and likely meant to return that night. Doesn't bode well for the ending to this story, I'm afraid.
Found Deceased OR - Owen Klinger, 18, University of Portland, 6 Oct 2019
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Occam's Zebra
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My thought was that he was meeting someone but didn't want to be tracked. The phone would allow him to contact that person (or people) without anyone else knowing.
10ofRods
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It’s that time of semester, especially if midterms were so early and a break was coming up. Potent mix for the student who has disappointing results in their first quarter (I’m assuming it’s a quarter system if midterms were last week).
There’s a lot of research regarding the shock that occurs to many freshmen, and the current group has a higher rate of depression, anxiety and suicidality.
I hope Owen is spotted somewhere among the street people, since he didn’t head toward his family’s cabin. Or trying to use/charge his phone somewhere. He’s been gone a very long time, by a young person’s standards.
PixieStix
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Someone stated on an earlier page that UP does not have fraternities.
I have run through my mind all the most likely scenarios that could have happened, and now 10 days out with no sightings or info, none of them have happy endings. The only possible situation in my mind that could potentially still have some hope is if he left voluntarily to run away or escape. Still, it would be hard to stay hidden for this long with the amount of money he had on him. I assume all the bus stations etc. have been checked to see if he bought a ticket somewhere. The fact that the searches still seem concentrated in that area tells me no bus tickets were found to be purchased by him.
PaulR
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$150 seems like an oddly suspicious amount of money. It's almost certainly not the maximum the ATM will dispense - that's usually $250+. It's probably not his entire account balance, or we would have heard about it.
And something else... I'm not that young but I know plenty of people in that age range. They generally don't use cash. Credit/debt cards, Venmo, sure. Cash is considered an antique.
And something else... I'm not that young but I know plenty of people in that age range. They generally don't use cash. Credit/debt cards, Venmo, sure. Cash is considered an antique.
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It's already known that he didn't make it to the LaCrosse meeting. And teenagers these days, take water bottles wherever they go. The police have also said they don't suspect foul play (not sure what their evidence is, but they must have some to conclude that).
PixieStix
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It is an odd amount of money, especially considering most people take out cash in increments of '20s. You are right that he had a debit card and lots of people Venmo etc. That means he must have needed the cash for something, or, didn't want his debit card traced.
I don’t have the source but I believe his mother confirmed it was not his entire balance. The fact that it was a very specific amount of cash (and a suspicious amount, as you note) means he was likely headed 1) To buy something that was cash only. Either a Craigslist type exchange with someone who didn’t use Venmo or something under the table, or 2) To buy something he didn’t want his parents to know about. I don’t know how closely they monitored Owen’s financial activity, but I had a friend in college who would use cash to buy things like alcohol so that her parents wouldn’t see where the money was going
PajamaSleuth
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Does anyone know if he had a favorite place? Or at least type of place? My son is a similar age and loves rivers.
Like a lot of things in this story...missing lots of info. Below is report from ABC station.
"He told his dorm roommates he was leaving for a lacrosse team meeting around 7:30 p.m. Sunday night, but he never showed up at the gathering."
Would be nice to know?
1. There was meeting at x time at x location.
2. There was x number of players that showed.
3. No one heard from OK.
4. It was odd for him to just miss without saying something.
5. What type of lacrosse gathering/meeting happens in the pitch dark?
Maybe it was just a team meeting to start the year. Maybe it happened. And maybe it has nothing to do with this. That just hasn't been said as clearly.
Just no solid info on that point like many others.
No evidence of foul play. Great, but it is odd they aren't sharing video from TriMet. Maybe things like that take time due to privacy but I feel like videos go up online all the time in cases like this. Especially, when police are looking for tips.
Curiousobserver
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I wonder if there is adult entertainment he could have walked to? Just thinking out loud
88GlavineRC
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Economically advantaged, loving family, sports activities, church going background. IMO a really, really nice education at Grant High. I think Owen would have known the limitations of how long one could travel on $150 dollars. Some of the Portland natives i meet are real mature and street smart by 17, regardless of economic caste or neighborhood. It's a city that allows kids to learn about public demonstrations by leaving campus for christs sake. Compared to myself at 17 some of these high schoolers look like junior CEO's.
It seems strange to me that his roommate was so involved as to keep tabs and call in a disappearance immediately. This level of hovering seems really bizarre to me (coming from an 18yo) unless there was some kind of pre-existing concern for Owen. Did the two bond over something shared or dramatic that was lesser known to parents and other friends? Was this roommate informed or prodded by Owens parents before fall semester to keep especially close watch?
Placing myself in a scenario where freshman roommate is tracking my coming and goings, maybe relaying info to my parents.... well i would have been evasive too. More likely i would lose my cool and tell them to back off. I guess every young adult is going to have different boundaries with their long term friends. Curious if the oversight from the roommate was natural, of if in the past few weeks if it irked Owen.
It seems strange to me that his roommate was so involved as to keep tabs and call in a disappearance immediately. This level of hovering seems really bizarre to me (coming from an 18yo) unless there was some kind of pre-existing concern for Owen. Did the two bond over something shared or dramatic that was lesser known to parents and other friends? Was this roommate informed or prodded by Owens parents before fall semester to keep especially close watch?
Placing myself in a scenario where freshman roommate is tracking my coming and goings, maybe relaying info to my parents.... well i would have been evasive too. More likely i would lose my cool and tell them to back off. I guess every young adult is going to have different boundaries with their long term friends. Curious if the oversight from the roommate was natural, of if in the past few weeks if it irked Owen.
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88GlavineRC
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If the $150 was for a purchase that evening (craigs, offerup), maybe the arrangement was made on a computer or phone yet to be identified and searched. Some college students could even be savvy enough to access/ make purchases on darkweb. Not sure if this would provide an in town meeting point or be mail order.
Did Owen have an interest in URBEX (exploring abandoned buildings)? Did he have an interest in Graffiti/Street Art? Small backpack could have some spray cans? Perhaps a plan to wait till dark and head to Albina Train yard? There are a lot of working and abandoned train lines around the area.
Did Owen have an interest in URBEX (exploring abandoned buildings)? Did he have an interest in Graffiti/Street Art? Small backpack could have some spray cans? Perhaps a plan to wait till dark and head to Albina Train yard? There are a lot of working and abandoned train lines around the area.
muppethead
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UPDATE #2: Additional Details Being Released Regarding Owen Klinger
New info. Possibly interested in hopping freight trains or going to Alaska off the grid. I think I heard that here earlier.
"Investigators believe Owen had been watching videos about hopping freight trains. The direction he was walking was an area where freight trains are commonly staged. He had also watched the movie Into the Wild in which a young man leaves to go to Alaska to "go live off the grid.""
New info. Possibly interested in hopping freight trains or going to Alaska off the grid. I think I heard that here earlier.
"Investigators believe Owen had been watching videos about hopping freight trains. The direction he was walking was an area where freight trains are commonly staged. He had also watched the movie Into the Wild in which a young man leaves to go to Alaska to "go live off the grid.""
Just saw this update. My first feeling is relief. The story initially reminded me of Christopher McCandless (the man whose life Into the Wild is based on). Wow. I hope Owen's out there trekking. Worrisome how ill-prepared he seemed for an outdoor adventure this time of the year...
gliving
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Thanks @muppethead
From the same press release I found a couple of our questions answered:
18-year-old Owen Klinger left the University of Portland campus on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 7:50 p.m. Owen told his friends that he was going to a team meeting. Detectives were able to confirm that Owen did not attend any team meeting nor was one scheduled.
Based on the investigation, we know Owen withdrew money from an ATM on campus. He then turned off his cell phone before leaving campus. He is observed walking on North Willamette Boulevard at North Portsmouth Avenue towards North Lombard Street. Investigators believe he continued north towards North Columbia Boulevard on foot.
From the same press release I found a couple of our questions answered:
18-year-old Owen Klinger left the University of Portland campus on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 7:50 p.m. Owen told his friends that he was going to a team meeting. Detectives were able to confirm that Owen did not attend any team meeting nor was one scheduled.
Based on the investigation, we know Owen withdrew money from an ATM on campus. He then turned off his cell phone before leaving campus. He is observed walking on North Willamette Boulevard at North Portsmouth Avenue towards North Lombard Street. Investigators believe he continued north towards North Columbia Boulevard on foot.
88GlavineRC
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Sunday night used to be a big organized bike ride @9pm. It met in Washington Park, and rode down past the zoo. Was the $150 spent on a bike for the sunday night ZOObomb. It was a fun event years ago but also could be dangerous, easy to lose track of friends. Is this still a thing?
GordianKnot
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Wow, this updated news is hugely, which is to say, HUGELY, helpful to LE.
It also sounds encouraging, all things considered.
This new info absolutely and directly points to OK likely being voluntarily missing d/t a desire to go off the grid.
This beats most of the alternative scenarios by a country mile.
It sounds like it's just a matter of tracking his movements, likely via train.
Hopefully, LE can track him down sooner rather than later, for his family's sake.
JMO.
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88GlavineRC
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It's popular to hop trains south of Albina yard near Burnside skatepark, due south. Worth canvasing the large communities of train riders in Eugene and the Black Butte center for Railroad Culture. This scenario makes sense to me.
I think anyone advising Owen, or any research he did would clearly spell out how much easier it is to ride trains south through Oregon to Cali. And how much more unpredictable it is to ride trains North or East from Portland. It's pretty common knowledge, and any direction you go very likely to get caught, jailed, fined. Maybe he is in small town idaho jail?
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Into the Wild is a beautiful, inspiring movie. Easy to see how an 18-year-old kid stressed about midterms and disillusioned by the monotony of university life could watch it and become consumed with the fantasy of living off the grid. For those who don't know the movie is a portrayal of the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man from a well-off family who disappeared into the Alaskan wilderness after graduating college in the 90s. Christopher did not tell his family where he was going and did not reach out to them after leaving. The roommate must have sensed some of Owen's listlessness, causing him to monitor Owen's activity more than what would be expected. Unfortunately, this vigilance may have driven Owen further towards his desire to escape...
From the police update, it sounds like Owen continued walking North on Portsmouth towards Columbia, rather than turning onto Lombard. As the report implies, this means he was walking directly into a highly industrial area with multiple freight train crossings. Seems like Owen meant to disappear long-term after all. Everything that made us think that wasn't a likely scenario (small amount of cash, casual wardrobe, tiny backpack, etc.) still hold, meaning that he was ill prepared to do what he set out for.
From the police update, it sounds like Owen continued walking North on Portsmouth towards Columbia, rather than turning onto Lombard. As the report implies, this means he was walking directly into a highly industrial area with multiple freight train crossings. Seems like Owen meant to disappear long-term after all. Everything that made us think that wasn't a likely scenario (small amount of cash, casual wardrobe, tiny backpack, etc.) still hold, meaning that he was ill prepared to do what he set out for.