Found Deceased AZ - Rob Hinderer, 44, Left Airbnb in Quartzsite, 29 June 2020

[ludakristen]

It sounds like a small area (town) any chance local gas stations, mini markets would have CCTV to see if he stopped for gas or food? Praying your friend comes home safe @ludakristen

We have called every gas station, grocery store and restaurant to ask if anybody has seen him. We can't request camera footage though and are assuming/hoping the police are on that.

 

[ludakristen]

Any chance of a drone or other aircraft?

Lots & lots of territory to cover!

Prayers for Mr. Hinderer, friends & family, and searchers!

Should we contact SAR ourselves? Or would police do this?

 

[rosesfromangels]

Rob's phone pinged near Hovatter Road, which is why they are focusing the search there.

After looking at this terrain, I speculate he was likely looking at his phone for directions or taking a photo and went off road. I would look for signs of this and look off road in that general area. I will study the terrain a bit more and offer up any suggestions for a more specific location.

I can see the allure of going to the Wildlife refuge, and really believe this is a car accident. My best suggestion is to deploy drones as quickly as possible. They will be able to cover much more territory quickly than any human effort.

Praying for this fellow

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

Should we contact SAR ourselves? Or would police do this?

I would ask police who they would recommend for drone SAR. Go from there.

Big question - is his SUV an AWD vehicle? Has he gone "off road" in the past? Reason I ask is that mapping his last known ping (btw those pings go to the closest tower and are not necessarily super accurate), is near Hovatter road. I do not know that area well enough to draw informed opinions, but....when I google map Quartzsite to the Wildlife refuge (no matter from what location within 100 miles, it takes me via 95 and NOT hwy 10. The wildlife refuge appears to be accessed via a road just off 95.

SO - this suggests that he attempted to get to the Wildlife refuge via hwy 10 - and off-road. Could be completely wrong, but that's what it's looking like. If this hypothesis is accurate, look for the dirt roads leading off Hwy 10 that would seemingly lead down to the Wildlife refuge.

This is 100% amateur opinion and speculation.

 

[ludakristen]

I would ask police who they would recommend for drone SAR. Go from there.

Big question - is his SUV an AWD vehicle? Has he gone "off road" in the past? Reason I ask is that mapping his last known ping (btw those pings go to the closest tower and are not necessarily super accurate), is near Hovatter road. I do not know that area well enough to draw informed opinions, but....when I google map Quartzsite to the Wildlife refuge (no matter from what location within 100 miles, it takes me via 95 and NOT hwy 10. The wildlife refuge appears to be accessed via a road just off 95.

SO - this suggests that he attempted to get to the Wildlife refuge via hwy 10 - and off-road. Could be completely wrong, but that's what it's looking like. If this hypothesis is accurate, look for the dirt roads leading off Hwy 10 that would seemingly lead down to the Wildlife refuge.

This is 100% amateur opinion and speculation.

Thanks for this. Rob's sister drove to Hovatter Rd. yesterday and got off a real exit there from Hwy. 10. That's where we think he went, whether he made it into the refuge or not, we don't know. We agree on the phone pings. It's the only tower for miles but we are grasping at straws for a starting point.

 

[AC's Grandma]

The police should also be pulling the video from the cameras on the highways I-10 to see if they can track him that way. Prayers that he is found safe and well.

 

[ludakristen]

The police should also be pulling the video from the cameras on the highways I-10 to see if they can track him that way. Prayers that he is found safe and well.

We know they are scanning plates.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Thanks for this. Rob's sister drove to Hovatter Rd. yesterday and got off a real exit there from Hwy. 10. That's where we think he went, whether he made it into the refuge or not, we don't know. We agree on the phone pings. It's the only tower for miles but we are grasping at straws for a starting point.

Is his SUV an AWD vehicle? It certainly seems rational to think this is a car accident. I think you are absolutely on the right track searching in that area, in my amateur opinion.
If his vehicle is AWD, he likely attempted to approach from the Hovatter side of the refuge and he met with unstable ground. Again, just an amateur guess here, but I think this hypothesis makes the most sense. Dang it, you guys need a drone out there immediately.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[ludakristen]

Is his SUV an AWD vehicle? It certainly seems rational to think this is a car accident. I think you are absolutely on the right track searching in that area, in my amateur opinion.
If his vehicle is AWD, he likely attempted to approach from the Hovatter side of the refuge and he met with unstable ground. Again, just an amateur guess here, but I think this hypothesis makes the most sense. Dang it, you guys need a drone out there immediately.

Amateur opinion and speculation

I don't know if his car was AWD or not, sorry. I don't think his sister knows either.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I don't know if his car was AWD or not, sorry. I don't think his sister knows either.

I just checked the Mazda site, and it seems as if they have offered AWD on various vehicles (and most especially their SUV's) for several years. This somewhat reinforces the speculation that he attempted an off-road manuever.

Here's what I would want to find out immediately. *IF* he was attempting to get to the Wildlife Refuge entering from Hwy 10/Hovatter Road....what is the remainder of that journey to gain access to the Wildlife Refuge? Given that you don't have any other concrete info to work from, I'd attempt to identify that path and look there. I'm trying to find a map of the refuge area that shows detail.

Prayers continued.

Amateur opinion and speculation

ETA: Better yet call LE and ask - they would know those back roads. Call the refuge and see if you can enlist anyone to help look as well. At minimum, give you info about the back roads.

 

[ludakristen]

I just checked the Mazda site, and it seems as if they have offered AWD on various vehicles (and most especially their SUV's) for several years. This somewhat reinforces the speculation that he attempted an off-road manuever.

Here's what I would want to find out immediately. *IF* he was attempting to get to the Wildlife Refuge entering from Hwy 10/Hovatter Road....what is the remainder of that journey to gain access to the Wildlife Refuge? Given that you don't have any other concrete info to work from, I'd attempt to identify that path and look there. I'm trying to find a map of the refuge area that shows detail.

Prayers continued.

Amateur opinion and speculation

ETA: Better yet call LE and ask - they would know those back roads. Call the refuge and see if you can enlist anyone to help look as well. At minimum, give you info about the back roads.

LE has been less than helpful but we will try to ask for support on this. We called the refuge and they are not open today, at least nobody is working or manning phones.

 

[ludakristen]

OK I just got confirmation that Rob did have 4WD.

Also spoke to drone operators. They won't search the area because 1) it's a national park, so they aren't allowed without being hired by LEO, and 2) the area is far too big. He recommended a helicopter.

 

[rosesfromangels]

OK I just got confirmation that Rob did have 4WD.

Also spoke to drone operators. They won't search the area because 1) it's a national park, so they aren't allowed without being hired by LEO, and 2) the area is far too big. He recommended a helicopter.

Have you talked to both of these?

Yuma County Sheriff's Office: Search and Rescue Unit

PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines.

I'm partial to the Marines if you can get them to deploy; I've seen their recovery work and it's amazing.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

Another thought - *if* he has an iPhone, does anyone have access to his iCloud account? You can check "find my phone" and it will give a fairly precise range.

Editing to add - here is a rescue from the Kofa area by the Sherriff:

Sheriff's deputies rescue missing Yuma man from Kofa Wildlife Refuge - KYMA

Use this as an example to rally assistance

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

Here are a couple of local clubs - one pilots, and the other drone pilots. Perhaps these folks will help:
Yuma Flying Club - AOPA Airports
Drone Club - ARIZONA Drone Club

Amateur opinion and speculation

ETA: I can understand where the drone pilot you spoke with is coming from, but I would suggest a drone grid search in the area surrounding Hovatter Road *outside* the refuge is in order. One thing you have going for you is that the SUV is bright red.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

Visitor Activities - Kofa - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

In reading on the Kofa Wildlife Refuge site, it really doesn't make sense that he would attempt to access the Refuge from Hwy 10....unless he was heading back home to the Phoenix area, and had a last minute thought to do a little off road exploration.

If he was attempting to access the Refuge, he would have traveled 18 miles South of where he stayed in Quartzsite. "Directions: To reach Palm Canyon, (at the Refuge), take U.S. Highway 95 running north and south between Yuma and Quartzsite, Arizona. Approximately 63 miles north of Yuma or 18 miles south of Quartzsite, watch for the Palm Canyon sign which indicates the junction with a dirt road leading 7.1 miles east to the parking area at Palm Canyon. " (Extracted from link above)

HAS THE PARKING AREA AT PALM CANYON BEEN CHECKED?
He may have arrived there and started hiking the park and gotten lost.
I assume this has been already checked?

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[dscross]

We have called every gas station, grocery store and restaurant to ask if anybody has seen him. We can't request camera footage though and are assuming/hoping the police are on that.

Hi, my wife is friends with Rob from way back. since I work in Law Enforcement she was asking me about missing persons cases and Search and Rescue. I was wondering what was meant when some in a previous post said about the local police being less than helpful? is the family working with the Quartziste PD, the La Paz sheriff's office, or another agency?
My other question; what year and exact model is his car? most cars have GPS, and some have other services, such as onstar with GM vehicles. sometimes it is possible to contact the car company and get a GPS fix on a car. (not all models) with the vin (which police can get from the plate) and an official request it MIGHT be possible to locate the car. It's a long shot I know, but it's worth checking. the phone number for Mazda 24/7 emergency road side assistance is (800) 866-1998. if a law enforcement agency makes the call and gives the vin, they might be able to find the car through the GPS.
Next. I'm checking online public domain sat imagines. Its a long shot, but if a new overhead image of the area has been posted it might help. I haven't seen a red Mazada in the area yet, but there are a lot of satellite companies. It would be expensive, but if someone wants to pay, some companies will task a bird and take pictures of the area. (it's a couple thousand dollars IF the company doesn't have to move the bird.)
Next, someone should contact the Civil Air Patrol. the Az. Civil Air Patrol phone number is Phone: 623-215-4865. (6801 N GLEN HARBOR BLVD STE 202B
GLENDALE AZ 85307-3700) here is the link to the Az. Civil Air Patrol Facebook page. Arizona Wing, Civil Air Patrol
If I get anymore ideas or learn anything else I'll let you know.
Stephen Sanford.

 

[FlamingoLady]

Unfortunately according to a FB Missing group, he has been found deceased. No details given.

 

[dscross]

Unfortunately according to a FB Missing group, he has been found deceased. No details given.

Thank you for the update.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Unfortunately according to a FB Missing group, he has been found deceased. No details given.

Ohh....so sad. Thank you for the update
Ugh. Dang it!

Sending prayers to kristen and Rob's family. I'm so very sorry to hear this outcome.