Found Deceased TX - Caleb Harris, 21, Texas A&M University student, Corpus Christi, 4 Mar 2024 #4

[PommyMommy]

AUG 7, 2024

Caleb Harris' missing persons case is closed, but death investigation is still active, CCPD says

"We potentially exhausted every potential lead that we could think of," CCPD Assistant Chief Todd Green said.

www.kiiitv.com

While the missing persons case for Caleb Harris has been closed, Corpus Christi Police Assistant Police Chief Todd Green said the investigation into his death is still active.

Green said that police essentially had to work backwards in their investigation. Normally, in more traditional cases police have blood, bullet casings or even a body to help establish evidence, which is why they ruled out foul play.

[...]

Green said the results of the autopsy report showed that there were no serious injuries to Harris' body.

"No major broken bones, fractures; there were some damages to parts of the body," he said.

[...]

 

[Angelcat13]

I don't fault any parent for grasping at straws when it comes to the types of deaths like those of Caleb and Riley, or any death that seems undetermined. It just leaves you hanging, wondering forever, if someone literally got away with murder. I think the rational part of your brain gets suppressed by the emotional part because you can't comprehend that your child may have been the architect of their own misfortune. I think the same thing happened with the families of the three men who were found frozen to death after a fentanyl overdose. (Although, in that case, I think maybe the families are not being entirely truthful about their deceased loved ones).

AGREE! I am fortunate (if you can call it that) that I know how my son died. Even though I know it was accidental, every now and then I am horrified when a fleeting spider walks across my soul and says, “maybe it wasn’t accidental…maybe VF had something to do with it.” I know it’s not true…or even rational…but I guess it’s the heart/mind/soul’s way of trying to find a REASON and someone to blame for the loss of your child and a pain that is essentially unable to bear.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to feel this every minute of every day when you truly DON’T KNOW how your child died.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Angelcat, I am so sorry for your loss.

 

[SMK777]

AGREE! I am fortunate (if you can call it that) that I know how my son died. Even though I know it was accidental, every now and then I am horrified when a fleeting spider walks across my soul and says, “maybe it wasn’t accidental…maybe VF had something to do with it.” I know it’s not true…or even rational…but I guess it’s the heart/mind/soul’s way of trying to find a REASON and someone to blame for the loss of your child and a pain that is essentially unable to bear.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to feel this every minute of every day when you truly DON’T KNOW how your child died.

I’m saddened to hear that you went through such pain.

 

[SMK777]

Just thinking out loud: I remember years ago reading the story of a Canadian hockey player [Duncan McPherson] who disappeared in Europe. After about 14 years, his body was found. Police surmised that he’d been on a beginners snowboard slope in the Alpines, and had been injured and was waiting for help. Due to extremely heavy fog, someone driving a snowcat machine had run over and killed him, and hidden his body where it was later found in a melting glacier.

With regard to Caleb, I know people had also wondered about the fog and someone hitting him and hiding him. I am assuming that the autopsy has ruled this out completely. Just want to make sure I have that right.

 

[pixiepixel]

Very interesting! And as you mentioned, sadly no testing for hallucinogens or shrooms.

I guess it’s another one of those details we will never learn? It could have explained any unusual behavior that evening or what might have led him into that field. ( shortcut? exploration? Hallucination? Photo op? , headed towards a meeting?)

I wonder what Caleb’s parents think may have happened? They apparently think it was foul play— do they have a specific person or scenario in mind? ( rhetorical question, I know none of us are privy to that at this point)

Regardless of the tox reports, I believe Caleb's roommates would have known or had their suspicions if he used any drugs that night. If so, I'm certain they would have shared that information with the family; any incentive to stay quiet to protect Caleb from "getting in trouble" is long gone now. Then, it's up to the family to share that information with the public or keep it to themselves. All that to say, we may never truly know if he was intoxicated, and that's okay.

I do believe that this case will continue to be investigated, perhaps for many years, until answers are found. If Caleb did fall into an open manhole, a wrongful death suit is almost guaranteed, so it's in the city and PD's best interests to rule that out as soon as they can - if possible.

 

[Angelcat13]

I’m saddened to hear that you went through such pain.

Thank you.

 

[MassGuy]

Just thinking out loud: I remember years ago reading the story of a Canadian hockey player [Duncan McPherson] who disappeared in Europe. After about 14 years, his body was found. Police surmised that he’d been on a beginners snowboard slope in the Alpines, and had been injured and was waiting for help. Due to extremely heavy fog, someone driving a snowcat machine had run over and killed him, and hidden his body where it was later found in a melting glacier.

With regard to Caleb, I know people had also wondered about the fog and someone hitting him and hiding him. I am assuming that the autopsy has ruled this out completely. Just want to make sure I have that right.

They said they tracked down all the vehicles in the area that night. When someone is hit by a car, there’s almost always signs left behind (car pieces, blood, etc).

Someone would have to hit him, leave no trace, then miraculously find that open manhole that even law enforcement didn’t know existed at the time.

His body also apparently showed no signs of something like that.

I’m completely sold on this being an unfortunate accident, but I’d just love to know why he was out there, and what exactly happened.

 

[Bahshudc]

Does anyone know if alcohol would’ve been picked up on the tox?

IIRC he and his friends were drinking until around 1/2am?

Perhaps he didn’t drink that much and was sober at the time of his passing?

MOO x

 

[SMK777]

They said they tracked down all the vehicles in the area that night. When someone is hit by a car, there’s almost always signs left behind (car pieces, blood, etc).

Someone would have to hit him, leave no trace, then miraculously find that open manhole that even law enforcement didn’t know existed at the time.

His body also apparently showed no signs of something like that.

I’m completely sold on this being an unfortunate accident, but I’d just love to know why he was out there, and what exactly happened.

I’ve never known your information or instincts to be wrong!
I’m afraid we may never know, unfortunately. But here’s to hoping that they can piece together the likely scenario.

 

[Diavola]

The accident theory really depends on where he fell in imo. If it was an accident I don't think it happened at the pump station - I just can't really see someone randomly going there.

 

[Teche]

AGREE! I am fortunate (if you can call it that) that I know how my son died. Even though I know it was accidental, every now and then I am horrified when a fleeting spider walks across my soul and says, “maybe it wasn’t accidental…maybe VF had something to do with it.” I know it’s not true…or even rational…but I guess it’s the heart/mind/soul’s way of trying to find a REASON and someone to blame for the loss of your child and a pain that is essentially unable to bear.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to feel this every minute of every day when you truly DON’T KNOW how your child died.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[IDK]

A couple separate details stood out to me in this article:

“CCPD detectives began an investigative search on March 6 to find Harris, searching ditches, fields and brush areas in the immediate areas of his apartment, with local and national law enforcement agencies joining in the effort. While the student’s phone has not been found, detectives and forensic computer examiners with CCPD said they became aware of some recent activity on the phone on May 28, sharing the information with the entire investigative team, including the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and the Texas Rangers. “



“Stained clothes, including dark discolored teal pants, dark-stained red, white and blue plaid patterned boxers and a dark baseball cap were also found covered in mud, dirt and plant material, according to the examination notes.”

Texas A&M CC student Caleb Harris' cause of death undetermined, according to autopsy report

The Nueces County Medical Examiner has released Caleb Harris’ autopsy report, stating that the manner of death “cannot be determined with certainty."

www.caller.com

 

[PommyMommy]

AGREE! I am fortunate (if you can call it that) that I know how my son died. Even though I know it was accidental, every now and then I am horrified when a fleeting spider walks across my soul and says, “maybe it wasn’t accidental…maybe VF had something to do with it.” I know it’s not true…or even rational…but I guess it’s the heart/mind/soul’s way of trying to find a REASON and someone to blame for the loss of your child and a pain that is essentially unable to bear.

I can’t imagine what it must be like to feel this every minute of every day when you truly DON’T KNOW how your child died.

(((Angelcat13))) I'm so sorry.

 

[mlhenn]

Caleb Harris’ Family Claims Death Was 'Not an Accident,' Though Police Say They Have No Evidence of Foul Play

After Caleb Harris' autopsy report was released, which stated that his cause of death couldn't be determined, his family said that they do not believe his "death was an accident," although police have said there's no evidence of foul play.

people.com

In an interview with the San Antonio Express-News published on Wednesday, August 7, Randy Harris, Caleb’s father, said that the family is continuing to cooperate with authorities amid the ongoing investigation.

"There are no updates at this point, but we fully believe this is a homicide and not an accident," Randy Harris told the outlet, without providing additional details.

 

[MassGuy]

Caleb Harris’ Family Claims Death Was 'Not an Accident,' Though Police Say They Have No Evidence of Foul Play

After Caleb Harris' autopsy report was released, which stated that his cause of death couldn't be determined, his family said that they do not believe his "death was an accident," although police have said there's no evidence of foul play.

people.com

In an interview with the San Antonio Express-News published on Wednesday, August 7, Randy Harris, Caleb’s father, said that the family is continuing to cooperate with authorities amid the ongoing investigation.

"There are no updates at this point, but we fully believe this is a homicide and not an accident," Randy Harris told the outlet, without providing additional details.

Totally predictable that they'd believe that, and I'd be shocked if they believed otherwise. Homicide just makes no logical sense based on the facts though, and law enforcement has found no evidence to indicate foul play.

His body was located right where it should have been in an accident scenario, and not where it should have been if he had met with foul play.

Foul play only made sense because his body wasn't located in those early days and weeks, and there didn't seem to be another explanation. The brutal thing for the family is that they will likely always believe someone did something to him, and there will never be a way to prove otherwise.