Found Deceased AZ - Benjamin Anderson, 41, Car found burned, Phoenix, 31 Dec 2021

[JJ Ray]

I'm surprised at how wide open the area is. It would seem that someone would have seen something. There wasn't much of an attempt at hiding the body, so they knew it would be quickly found, another reason why it doesn't make sense that they kept the car for so long.

So "desert" is very different than people think. Think lots of brush, cactus, ravines and washes that drain the hills and mountains to the east and North. I will provide video tomorrow. It is one of the great misunderstandings about the Sonoran Desert. In the case of Daniel Robinson (out in Buckeye west of Phoenix) we have been searching every weekend since July 17th to no avail.

 

[evilwise]

I was under the impression the condition Ben's apartment was found in was out of the ordinary, suggesting at the very least that Ben left in a hurry.

 

[branmuffin]

Thanks, I did see that on the map but it's about a km south of Table Mesa Rd. I thought the turn off from I-17 is where he was found.

 

[BenjaminJAndersonAlly]

I wonder if that Stodghill & Sons Mining site has any significance.

Any old mining shafts in the area? Maybe a killer couldn't find one, or the site is secured, fenced?

https://stodghillandsonsmi.wixsite.com/stodghillandsons

 

[whitelilac]

https://stodghillandsonsmi.wixsite.com/stodghillandsons

Nice ! I collect rocks and stones. Would love to do another visit to Arizona again, to hike, around Sedona area.

Well that mining site likely has nothing to do with having located Ben nearby. It was just a thought, probably because I was thinking of another case of a woman found in a mine shaft in Joshua Tree. (Erin Corwin)

I wish LE would give you some updates, but I guess the investigation doesn't allow it for now. Feel so sorry for you, friends and his family....

 

[JJ Ray]

Nice ! I collect rocks and stones. Would love to do another visit to Arizona again, to hike, around Sedona area.

Well that mining site likely has nothing to do with having located Ben nearby. It was just a thought, probably because I was thinking of another case of a woman found in a mine shaft in Joshua Tree. (Erin Corwin)

I wish LE would give you some updates, but I guess the investigation doesn't allow it for now. Feel so sorry for you, friends and his family....

Agreed unless a worker was the one who found the body....I doubt if they have video but I'm sure MCSO asked if the body was even close enough.

 

[Ssk]

Here's what I think happened to Benjamin.
For some reason someone got him to go to hotel maybe killer lives there .....shot him/stabbed or gave him something that killed him ..drove up the 17 slowed down pushed him out and went back to hotel ..they were probably freaking, maybe it was an accident but they burned the car to get rid of their DNA and all the blood.(if any).....maybe a friend of a friend.... Who asked for help getting out and hangs with a bad crew wanted a ride out of there and he hurried there without thinking and.....

 

[formerlyme]

I think it was all just random crime, I wonder how many car thefts end up with a burned car? I know I have seen a few on the news recently. The area where the car was found has a high population of homeless and drug users. I still go with maybe he just didn't feel like brunch we have all come up with excuses to not do something we changed our mind about for whatever reason. I think it may have been a carjacking or just some random crime, maybe even two or three random crimes of opportunity. I am hoping that the perpetrators were messy and get caught. As far as the apartment appearing Amiss....I think we all put on our best face for friends and family, but after a trip north even a day trip, we may be a bit untidy.... and chores were planned for later. All just my opinions, but I can't help but think bad things happen to good people and random things happen. Hoping for quick arrests for the family .

 

[formerlyme]

So "desert" is very different than people think. Think lots of brush, cactus, ravines and washes that drain the hills and mountains to the east and North. I will provide video tomorrow. It is one of the great misunderstandings about the Sonoran Desert. In the case of Daniel Robinson (out in Buckeye west of Phoenix) we have been searching every weekend since July 17th to no avail.

Agreed and it is a common dumping ground, there is not as much traffic at any given time and people are driving so fast on the freeway they don't really notice anything, people don't stop to see if someone needs help on the side of the road, and it was not a high traffic day.

 

[BenjaminJAndersonAlly]

Agreed and it is a common dumping ground, there is not as much traffic at any given time and people are driving so fast on the freeway they don't really notice anything, people don't stop to see if someone needs help on the side of the road, and it was not a high traffic day.

Yes, and I am glad he was found as quickly as he was as the desert wildlife would most likely have taken an interest his body before long. (This was the case with a body that a family member of mine found near Lake Pleasant in the 80s.)

 

[formerlyme]

Yes, and I am glad he was found as quickly as he was as the desert wildlife would most likely have taken an interest his body before long. (This was the case with a body that a family member of mine found near Lake Pleasant in the 80s.)

And sadly he was not the only body found in the desert that day, so very sad.

 

[Kpossible44]

Here's what I think happened to Benjamin.
For some reason someone got him to go to hotel maybe killer lives there .....shot him/stabbed or gave him something that killed him ..drove up the 17 slowed down pushed him out and went back to hotel ..they were probably freaking, maybe it was an accident but they burned the car to get rid of their DNA and all the blood.(if any).....maybe a friend of a friend.... Who asked for help getting out and hangs with a bad crew wanted a ride out of there and he hurried there without thinking and.....

Your theory is along the lines of what I’ve been thinking, too. Someone reached out to him via an app on his phone or texted/phones him. They had an urgent need for cash and were in a bad area. This would explain the cash on the counter (taking only the exact amount needed). If he had apps on his phone that show his location real-time, he may have wanted his phone off or was persuaded that having his phone off was the smart thing to do.

Or, he had an overnight guest and they received a call from someone needing help.

 

[LaborDayRN]

And sadly he was not the only body found in the desert that day, so very sad.

I must have missed this. Another body?

 

[Snail13]

Agreed and it is a common dumping ground, there is not as much traffic at any given time and people are driving so fast on the freeway they don't really notice anything, people don't stop to see if someone needs help on the side of the road, and it was not a high traffic day.

I agree. Very common dumping ground and folks don't realize how far out they need to drive these days to be in the middle of nowhere. I think whoever left the body there, thought no one would notice.

Additionally, people really don't pay much attention. There was a case several years back of a woman being hit by 3 different cars on one of the valley freeways.

 

[formerlyme]

I must have missed this. Another body?

Not at the same location, just the same desert

 

[Snail13]

I wonder if the police have tried to look at footage from the Shell on 7th St.

A Lexus UX would likely be nearly out of gas if it had just came back from Flagstaff. If it was, Ben might have stopped there on his way to wherever from his home that morning.

 

[JJ Ray]

I wonder if the police have tried to look at footage from the Shell on 7th St.

A Lexus UX would likely be nearly out of gas if it had just came back from Flagstaff. If it was, Ben might have stopped there on his way to wherever from his home that morning.

I asked the manager on Jan. 3 AM. (I thought Ben lived closer to that corner but he lives north on Ocotillo-about 3 streets) But at that time I was only thinking of someone driving his car through the intersection. Might spin back over there but they have the original flyer that the friends dropped off on Jan.2 and she did not recognize him as a customer at all. Their cameras do cover the pumps but not out to the street. Same story at Jack in the Box on the SE corner. My mechanic/friend is on the SW corner and they have no video cameras at all.
Original post upthread.

 

[Angleterre]

You can also click on the number of messages under a poster's avatar. It will show you every post that person has written from most recent to last. If they are only on one thread, like this one, it's easy to find all their input. It's a bit more difficult if they bounce around to different threads. I know @Spartygirl has said you can find a person's input based on the thread but I don't know how to do that.

You can use the search function and put in the WS members name

Excellent. Thank You so much. Can I copy and use in future threads as a reminder to the members (particularly new ones as each case draws it's own set of new members)? Giving full credit of course.

Absolutely you can and I’m not precious about credit - it’s just useful for people to know just what is happening behind the scenes and why sometimes there is silence initially. I forgot to mention a biggie - House to House strategy for ascertaining witnesses and/ or private cctv and doorbell cameras and PDF’s ( personal description forms of witnesses) as everything gets cross referenced so by all means add this strategy to it . Thank you @jjreay

 

[Angleterre]

So "desert" is very different than people think. Think lots of brush, cactus, ravines and washes that drain the hills and mountains to the east and North. I will provide video tomorrow. It is one of the great misunderstandings about the Sonoran Desert. In the case of Daniel Robinson (out in Buckeye west of Phoenix) we have been searching every weekend since July 17th to no avail.

@JJ Ray - not to hijack this thread but do you have a link for the Daniel Robinson thread pls

 

[Nancy Drew 22]

@JJ Ray - not to hijack this thread but do you have a link for the Daniel Robinson thread pls

Here is the most recent thread on Daniel’s case.
AZ - AZ - Daniel Robinson, 24, remote job site, Buckeye, 23 Jun 2021 #2

JJ has done so much incredible work with Mr. Robinson and his family, and I’m sure I only know a fraction considering I’ve just read through the threads, but I’m blown away nonetheless! A true WS and so much more JJ, thank you for all that you do.