WA WA - Samantha Sayers, 28, Vesper Peak, North Cascades, 1 August 2018

[Melanie G. FRENCH]

He knew which trail she was going to hike, so he drove there to look for her when she didn't contact him after she was done hiking, as planned. From this article: Massive Search Underway For Missing Seattle Hiker | HuffPost

"Samantha Sayers was supposed to contact her boyfriend, Kevin Dares, that day around 6 p.m. When she didn’t, he went looking for her. He located her vehicle parked at the trailhead. Despite increasing darkness, he hiked 2 miles along the rocky pathway before he fell and broke his flashlight. Dares said he used light from his cellphone to make his way back to his car and then sought help from a ranger station."

The night she did not return, did KD search in the dark? How did he know where to look, and how far was he able to search with a flashlight?

 

[Melanie G. FRENCH]

Sasha is correct. The family /friends noted early on that because Sam was an avid hiker very familiar with this trail she and KD always had a timeline for contact and the trail location if she were going on a solo hike - not uncommon for her it seems. This trail head where her car was still parked is where he started her search. It was my understanding that the police have verified his whereabouts that day just as they would do with a significant other of any missing person.

 

[sasha17]

Sasha is correct. The family /friends noted early on that because Sam was an avid hiker very familiar with this trail she and KD always had a timeline for contact and the trail location if she were going on a solo hike - not uncommon for her it seems. This trail head where her car was still parked is where he started her search. It was my understanding that the police have verified his whereabouts that day just as they would do with a significant other of any missing person.

Yes, he didn't go on the hike with her because he had to work that day. I would expect his coworkers would have verified that he was there at work.

 

[spiritkiss]

I know people disappear and are found later injured or had fell off a cliff etc. But this one for some reason screams someone caused her to be missing. I may be wrong. The odds are she was injured or lost but I keep getting that strong feeling another was involved. Not her family or boyfriend but another on the trail. Odds are against that theory but it nags me still.

 

[i'm someone]

I know people disappear and are found later injured or had fell off a cliff etc. But this one for some reason screams someone caused her to be missing. I may be wrong. The odds are she was injured or lost but I keep getting that strong feeling another was involved. Not her family or boyfriend but another on the trail. Odds are against that theory but it nags me still.

I think at some point in these sort of cases where there is more unknown than known there comes a time where foul play is just as possible as any other outcome. Let's hope not.

 

[i'm someone]

And for some uplifting and hopeful news, here is a story with some good ideas of how Sam can and probably would stay alive for an extended period of time:

What the search for Sam Sayers teaches all of us | News, Sports, Jobs - Journal News

 

[ChelaKitty]

Press release from Sheriffs office:

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[Nancy Schubert]

I know people disappear and are found later injured or had fell off a cliff etc. But this one for some reason screams someone caused her to be missing. I may be wrong. The odds are she was injured or lost but I keep getting that strong feeling another was involved. Not her family or boyfriend but another on the trail. Odds are against that theory but it nags me still.

I totally agree spiritkiss! They said that cell phone ping #3 was an anomaly. Depending on what time the ping was and Lord not one person has the ping times, Errrr! Let's say ping #3 was at 5:30 pm. Then it's not that unfathomable that she made it to the parking lot where some creep grabbed her and threw her cell phone out the window. Because pin # 3 is very close to the parking lot. So, Heart wrenching!

 

[GraceG]

Yes, he didn't go on the hike with her because he had to work that day. I would expect his coworkers would have verified that he was there at work.

He's partner with another Realtor in a high-end realty/property management company. This time of year they'd be busy, people really try and get a house sold before cold weather hits. So working instead of hiking makes perfect sense.

 

[search4justice]

I totally agree spiritkiss! They said that cell phone ping #3 was an anomaly. Depending on what time the ping was and Lord not one person has the ping times, Errrr! Let's say ping #3 was at 5:30 pm. Then it's not that unfathomable that she made it to the parking lot where some creep grabbed her and threw her cell phone out the window. Because pin # 3 is very close to the parking lot. So, Heart wrenching!

I agree. Given the lack of any other evidence on the trail, I’m not so sure that ping should be so easily written off.

 

[Michellesv44]

On the New maps they’ve uploaded there is some New info. Mainly, Unidentified blood splatter on rocks. Not sure what the source is, or what the follow through plan. It seems unlikely she was abducted. I feel like there would be signs of foul play. This is a heavily trafficked trail. She wasn’t out in the middle of nowhere. I stand by KD. I think he’s done an amazing job.

 

[carbuff]

Press release from Sheriffs office:

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Could you summarize for the people who don't have Facebook accounts?

 

[Phantasma2624]

I totally agree spiritkiss! They said that cell phone ping #3 was an anomaly. Depending on what time the ping was and Lord not one person has the ping times, Errrr! Let's say ping #3 was at 5:30 pm. Then it's not that unfathomable that she made it to the parking lot where some creep grabbed her and threw her cell phone out the window. Because pin # 3 is very close to the parking lot. So, Heart wrenching!

On one of the maps previously posted on this thread they stated that all cellphone pings came in between 1:44-2:10p.m. on Aug 1st. That is why I believe that the third ping was an anomaly. I should also note that it appears their numbering changes from map to map, as the maps posted reference ping 2 and 3, which are along the search routes, but not 1. This leads me to believe that "one" is the anomaly, and the reason for writing it off is that Sam was seen somewhere else too close in time to that ping. Still, the phone did not ping again after 2:10. This fits with what the family said that she was last seen before that. I also think that this is an indication that this is when she got into trouble. I would think that if she had fallen, she would have tried to call or send an emergency SOS. This did not happen. If she fell and hit her head, she likely would have passed away soon after without giving her time to use her phone. Based off the pictures that I have seen, this isn't out of the realm of possibility.

 

[kgreg2529]

On the New maps they’ve uploaded there is some New info. Mainly, Unidentified blood splatter on rocks. Not sure what the source is, or what the follow through plan. It seems unlikely she was abducted. I feel like there would be signs of foul play. This is a heavily trafficked trail. She wasn’t out in the middle of nowhere. I stand by KD. I think he’s done an amazing job.

Really? I didn’t see that. It’s so hard for me to follow the #findsamsayers Facebook. It’s so confusing and jumbled. It’s easier for me to see things posted here!

 

[carbuff]

On one of the maps previously posted on this thread they stated that all cellphone pings came in between 1:44-2:10p.m. on Aug 1st. That is why I believe that the third ping was an anomaly. I should also note that it appears their numbering changes from map to map, as the maps posted reference ping 2 and 3, which are along the search routes, but not 1. This leads me to believe that "one" is the anomaly, and the reason for writing it off is that Sam was seen somewhere else too close in time to that ping. Still, the phone did not ping again after 2:10. This fits with what the family said that she was last seen before that. I also think that this is an indication that this is when she got into trouble. I would think that if she had fallen, she would have tried to call or send an emergency SOS. This did not happen. If she fell and hit her head, she likely would have passed away soon after without giving her time to use her phone. Based off the pictures that I have seen, this isn't out of the realm of possibility.

If she fell, the phone might have been damaged or dropped where she couldn't retrieve it.

 

[ChelaKitty]

Could you summarize for the people who don't have Facebook accounts?

Text is copied here:
Search operations have been suspended for the Vesper Peak hiker, 28 year-old Samantha Sayers, who has been missing since late August 1. Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel will continue to conduct spot checks of the area as snow continues to melt, as weather and other conditions safely allow.

Since August 2, preliminary numbers show the search operations included:
• 357 hours for air operations, including flight time for both Sheriff’s Office helicopters as well as air support from other agencies
• 105 hours for drone operations in the search area
• 82 hours for the Marine Unit to support search teams going into the search area from Spada Lake
• 329 hours for Sheriff’s Office SAR personnel
• Thousands of volunteer hours from SAR agencies across Washington State, including Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue, Everett Mountain Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, and the Soup Ladies

Assistance and/or volunteers were also provided by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Washington State Emergency Operations Center, U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Angeles, U.S. Navy NAS Whidbey Island, U.S. Air Force 304th Rescue Squad, King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian 2, Snohomish County PUD and SAR teams from King County, Pierce County, Kitsap County, Kittitas County, and Skagit County.

"We have exhausted all leads and tips. We've interviewed all witnesses who have come forward. We have checked and double checked the possible routes we believe Sam could have taken," said Search and Rescue Sgt. John Adams. "If there was a place we thought she could get to, we put people there to look for Sam, often putting our volunteers and personnel at great risk due to the rugged, remote, and dangerous terrain."

All witnesses who came forward that said they were on the mountain the same day as Sayers, including several climbers and hikers, have been extremely cooperative. Each has provided detailed information about where they saw Sayers on August 1. No witnesses reported seeing her return or come back down the trail.

Thank you to all the agencies and volunteers who responded to assist with the search operation.

Further information will be provided if there is anything new to release.

Photo: This map includes an overview of all search areas covered, including by drones, at a 1:50000 scale. The size of the active search area (an irregular shape that includes the summit areas, trail approach, river basins on the west and south, and the north shores of Spada Lake) was approximately 12 square miles. On this coverage map a shape indicates the approximate areas where teams searched. Shapes do not mean that all ground inside the shape was searched. Some areas were not searched by ground teams due to circumstances such as unsafe terrain (i.e., steep slopes and cliffs on the west and south sides of the mountain). In general, such areas were searched by helicopter.
Coverage Map Key:
Purple = K9 team
Black = Ground team search
Yellow = Tracks from drones search

 

[Phantasma2624]

If she fell, the phone might have been damaged or dropped where she couldn't retrieve it.

This is true. I suppose that I am also working off of the assumption that if she were not injured, she would have self-rescued or managed to signal to the searchers in some way by now. At this point, it seems unlikely that she is perfectly fine, but lost.

 

[sasha17]

Official search ends for Seattle hiker missing since Aug. 1

 

[carbuff]

This is true. I suppose that I am also working off of the assumption that if she were not injured, she would have self-rescued or managed to signal to the searchers in some way by now. At this point, it seems unlikely that she is perfectly fine, but lost.

I suppose the only possibility is that she became so lost that she walked completely out of the search area.

 

[Melanie G. FRENCH]

Text is copied here:
Search operations have been suspended for the Vesper Peak hiker, 28 year-old Samantha Sayers, who has been missing since late August 1. Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel will continue to conduct spot checks of the area as snow continues to melt, as weather and other conditions safely allow.

Since August 2, preliminary numbers show the search operations included:
• 357 hours for air operations, including flight time for both Sheriff’s Office helicopters as well as air support from other agencies
• 105 hours for drone operations in the search area
• 82 hours for the Marine Unit to support search teams going into the search area from Spada Lake
• 329 hours for Sheriff’s Office SAR personnel
• Thousands of volunteer hours from SAR agencies across Washington State, including Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue, Everett Mountain Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue, Tacoma Mountain Rescue, Olympic Mountain Rescue, and the Soup Ladies

Assistance and/or volunteers were also provided by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, Washington State Emergency Operations Center, U.S. Coast Guard Station Port Angeles, U.S. Navy NAS Whidbey Island, U.S. Air Force 304th Rescue Squad, King County Sheriff’s Office Guardian 2, Snohomish County PUD and SAR teams from King County, Pierce County, Kitsap County, Kittitas County, and Skagit County.

"We have exhausted all leads and tips. We've interviewed all witnesses who have come forward. We have checked and double checked the possible routes we believe Sam could have taken," said Search and Rescue Sgt. John Adams. "If there was a place we thought she could get to, we put people there to look for Sam, often putting our volunteers and personnel at great risk due to the rugged, remote, and dangerous terrain."

All witnesses who came forward that said they were on the mountain the same day as Sayers, including several climbers and hikers, have been extremely cooperative. Each has provided detailed information about where they saw Sayers on August 1. No witnesses reported seeing her return or come back down the trail.

Thank you to all the agencies and volunteers who responded to assist with the search operation.

Further information will be provided if there is anything new to release.

Photo: This map includes an overview of all search areas covered, including by drones, at a 1:50000 scale. The size of the active search area (an irregular shape that includes the summit areas, trail approach, river basins on the west and south, and the north shores of Spada Lake) was approximately 12 square miles. On this coverage map a shape indicates the approximate areas where teams searched. Shapes do not mean that all ground inside the shape was searched. Some areas were not searched by ground teams due to circumstances such as unsafe terrain (i.e., steep slopes and cliffs on the west and south sides of the mountain). In general, such areas were searched by helicopter.
Coverage Map Key:
Purple = K9 team
Black = Ground team search
Yellow = Tracks from drones search

Thanks