CA - Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, daughter, 1 & dog, suspicious death hiking area, Aug 2021 #5

[minazoe]

but what on earth could be the motive for forcing this family to take a trail to die? some of this info I have not been aware of. Weren't airborne toxins ruled out?

I do agree that the single post of the carrier is very unusual..this whole disaster is very unusual. Was the carrier something very expensive and snobby ultra gear? titanium etc? I mean is this carrier of some interest to most of their friends? the post sticks out like a sore thumb in a way...because it doesn't say anything really.

and what is the excuse for leaving these bodies out in the heat like this? I would think they could work faster than
that. I understand it's a complex scene but still. I have trouble seeing them murdered in this way...but that said
I could imagine something sinister in their water supply. and if something in the box is found..then they have to find the source.

mOOO

 

[Lexiintoronto]

Just posting older information sourced from LE in terms of the timeline. (I made additions in brackets, LE is the source from articles linked below.)


“Sequence of Events –

8/14/2021 – John Gerrish researches Hites Cove hike via phone app

8/15/2021 6:45 am—(Ellen Chung uploads a photo of Miju’s backpack/carrier. This is the last known contact from the family.)

8/15/2021 7:45 am – Witness sees Gerrish/Chung family traveling towards the trail head in their vehicle

8/16/2021 11 pm – Family friend reports family missing

8/17/2021 1:53 am – Family car located (Sheriff Briese had a hunch to search the trailhead close to their new home approximately two miles away.)

8/17/2021 1:55 am – Search and Rescue Mission Initiated

8/17/2021 (3:20 a.m—the sheriff’s office reserved a search helicopter for daybreak. They called in a second search team that began winding down the switchbacks that complete the loop back up to the Forest Service gate.)

8/17/2021 11 am – Family Located by Search and Rescue

8/19/2021 – Autopsies completed on Family and Dog- All currently pending toxicology

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for phone found with family

8/20/2021 – Search warrants issued for family home and cars- nothing significant located

8/23/2021 – Additional water samples collected from water sources along the trail area

8/24/2021 – Cell phone delivered to FBI for data extraction- Awaiting results

8/25/2021 – Search Warrants issued for possible social media access

Trail Information –

Hites Cove Rd – Savage Lundy Trail located Inside the Ferguson Fire (2018) footprint.

Entire Trail Loop is approx. 8.5 miles – 5 miles of the trail consists of a steep southern exposure path with little to no trees or shade.

Spot Weather for the area indicates temperatures during 11:50 am – 5:50 pm ranged between 103-109 degrees in certain areas of the trail.”

Most recent Mariposa Sheriff’s statement and update:

Link to statement: Log into Facebook | Facebook

Sources:Mariposa Sheriff’s Office Update on the Gerrish – Chung Family | Sierra News Online

(Bracketed information and map):'Not one clue': The mystery is only deepening around the family found dead on a Sierra trail

ETA: Tag for: timeline, resources, for Gerrish Chung, links, statements.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

but what on earth could be the motive for forcing this family to take a trail to die? some of this info I have not been aware of. Weren't airborne toxins ruled out?

I do agree that the single post of the carrier is very unusual..this whole disaster is very unusual. Was the carrier something very expensive and snobby ultra gear? titanium etc? I mean is this carrier of some interest to most of their friends? the post sticks out like a sore thumb in a way...because it doesn't say anything really.

and what is the excuse for leaving these bodies out in the heat like this? I would think they could work faster than
that. I understand it's a complex scene but still. I have trouble seeing them murdered in this way...but that said
I could imagine something sinister in their water supply. and if something in the box is found..then they have to find the source.

mOOO

BBM They’re not known facts from LE or official sources, and yes, illegal drugs have been ruled out. The area was treated as a hazmat site at first. LE stayed with the bodies overnight to protect the scene. The area was remote, and the remains had to be removed by helicopter.

Source:'Not one clue': The mystery is only deepening around the family found dead on a Sierra trail

We don’t know if a pathologist/ME attended the scene. I haven’t read an official source that gives context to the photo EC shared of the backpack/carrier. I believe it makes sense. (My opinion only).

For example (theory): *photo of prepared carrier/backpack* ‘We’re ready for the day of hiking, this is the new carrier….’ (My speculation only, not a fact. I don’t know if it was new, exactly what the caption was/or if there was one, or where she uploaded the photo to.)

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

If Jon downloaded the only AllTrails map for this area, he had a map on his phone regardless of signal. This map shows Hites Cove Rd as a hike, with unmarked trails shown as well. The 2 unmarked "trails" are SL and HC OHV.

I believe they didnt know the route they took was an access road. Thought it was an unmarked trail to the river. Once at the river consulted the map and struck out for the other unmarked trail (SL) back up. I cant know why.

 

[Adrenaline]

but what on earth could be the motive for forcing this family to take a trail to die? some of this info I have not been aware of. Weren't airborne toxins ruled out?

I do agree that the single post of the carrier is very unusual..this whole disaster is very unusual. Was the carrier something very expensive and snobby ultra gear? titanium etc? I mean is this carrier of some interest to most of their friends? the post sticks out like a sore thumb in a way...because it doesn't say anything really.

and what is the excuse for leaving these bodies out in the heat like this? I would think they could work faster than
that. I understand it's a complex scene but still. I have trouble seeing them murdered in this way...but that said
I could imagine something sinister in their water supply. and if something in the box is found..then they have to find the source.

mOOO

I’m not local so don’t know any possible motives. I explored a couple but got into trouble over it. Even a couple of innocent posts were deleted. Logically, if this was the scenario or a variant, there would be four possibilities. Simple logic that any detective would have to go thru. To do with Jon, to do with Ellen, to do with both, to do with neither. In my experience, every individual who has lived a bit, has had unique experiences. That can be seized on as explanations to subsequent events. And yet can be completely unrelated. So no, I dont know.

Sometimes it’s like bullying. An innocent person is punished for someone elses activities.

Yes I think they were there in the heat for a long time. Which would make toxicology harder. But then I dont know the dynamics involved in organising their helicopter retrieval. So just have to run with it. Regards.

 

[jonjon747]

I've done a lot of hiking/camping in the Lassen National Park area in Northern Cali. It can get pretty hot there---but when you end up on switchbacks, with the red lava rock, and/or the granite walls along the trail, the heat from the sun is scalding. And there is no escaping it while you are 'trapped' on the switchbacks because there is rock wall on one side and steep cliff drop off on the other.

I get the feeling that some of their hike was in a similar environment.

S&R found their bodies around 11am.
They searched and hiked just like the family going around finishing almost the whole loop.
I've heard of one of the S&R members getting sick, but not sure how severe his/her condition was (was it heat related or other health issues?),
it just doesn't seem like hiking the whole loop started from the morning would be seriously a life threathening level.
I'm assuming that the S&R teams scoured the area for about 6~9 hours straight.

 

[RickshawFan]

Perhaps, but I don't think they would have ventured down a trail that wouldn't have given them a path back to the truck. After all, they went 2 miles down the river. Would they do that not knowing if there was a trail leading back to the truck? Not knowing where the river trail went (winging it) would risk them having to double back all the way to HC at some point. I just don't see that. What I suspect is that they may not have known how far it was to SL (2 miles) and what SL would be like (brutal). MOO

They will have been aware there was an alternate trail up from the canyon, for the simple reason that it came to the same parking lot AFAIK.

 

[RickshawFan]

S&R found their bodies around 11am.
They searched and hiked just like the family going around finishing almost the whole loop.
I've heard of one of the S&R members getting sick, but not sure how severe his/her condition was (was it heat related or other health issues?),
it just doesn't seem like hiking the whole loop started from the morning would be seriously a life threathening level.
I'm assuming that the S&R teams scoured the area for about 6~9 hours straight.

The first order for SAR was to go on the switchbacks. The family was in the trail. They would have been found right away.
There may have been some forensic activity in the area to follow up, e.g. evidence search. Some times SAR might assist with that, I would guess.

 

[Adrenaline]

BBM They’re not known facts from LE or official sources, and yes, illegal drugs have been ruled out. The area was treated as a hazmat site at first. LE stayed with the bodies overnight to protect the scene. The area was remote, and the remains had to be removed by helicopter.

…………..

So What facts are you disputing?

1. I acknowledge that the picture of the new baby carrier was most likely taken an hour earlier.
2. Yes I did accept as sufficiently factual, the repeated assertions from different local sources, that the S-L area was one known for marihuana plantation.

The toxic traps and trip wires info come from official publications and warnings to investigators.

My record of local police activities and search and rescue don’t conflict with your timeline. Yours is just far more detailed.

But then yours does gloss over when the bodies were actually removed, implying Tuesday, whereas a media report (Daily Mail) states that they still hadn’t been removed by Wednesday afternoon. So when do you claim exactly?

I am impressed with your faith in official reports. (I lost mine at a tender age watching LBJ stepping out of Airforce1 and denying the murder of my hero JFK. I haven’t trusted an American President since.)

And I saw the video of the Gerrishes being removed in body bags. (I used to take a personal body bag for when I did difficult canyons. So as to save them the trouble of having to get one for me, in body retrieval.)

But whatever I didnt seen hide nor hair of any ME on that scorching hillside with those bodies. Ever. Though I think I would have stayed in my swimming pool.

 

[Lexiintoronto]

I brought this resource up on another thread in regards to missing person behaviour. The examples below are for missing hikers and SAR data (IPP is Initial Planning Point, usually where a missing person was last seen, or in this case also where their vehicle was found):


https://web.archive.org/web/20180101000000*/https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/files.php?file=SearchManagement/Missing+Person+Behaviour+Handbook+June+2003.pdf

It’s old data and I’ve found newer resources online for areas similar to Mariposa in terms of terrain and climate. I just wanted to add this element to the topic.

(Tags: missing person behaviour, targeted search areas, SAR areas Gerrish and Chung.)

 

[Lexiintoronto]

…………..

So What facts are you disputing?

1. I acknowledge that the picture of the new baby carrier was most likely taken an hour earlier.
2. Yes I did accept as sufficiently factual, the repeated assertions from different local sources, that the S-L area was one known for marihuana plantation.

The toxic traps and trip wires info come from official publications and warnings to investigators.

My record of local police activities and search and rescue don’t conflict with your timeline. Yours is just far more detailed.

But then yours does gloss over when the bodies were actually removed, implying Tuesday, whereas a media report (Daily Mail) states that they still hadn’t been removed by Wednesday afternoon. So when do you claim exactly?

I am impressed with your faith in official reports. (I lost mine at a tender age watching LBJ stepping out of Airforce1 and denying the murder of my hero JFK. I haven’t trusted an American President since.)

And I saw the video of the Gerrishes being removed in body bags. (I used to take a personal body bag for when I did difficult canyons. So as to save them the trouble of having to get one for me, in body retrieval.)

But whatever I didnt seen hide nor hair of any ME on that scorching hillside with those bodies. Ever. Though I think I would have stayed in my swimming pool.

? Sorry, you lost me. I’m only going by MSM that I trust and LE reports. I believe the investigation is fluid and the details may change. No glossing involved. There’s a lot that could be added to the timeline, some of it may prove to be inaccurate…but it’s to the best of my knowledge.

 

[RedHaus]

If Jon downloaded the only AllTrails map for this area, he had a map on his phone regardless of signal. This map shows Hites Cove Rd as a hike, with unmarked trails shown as well. The 2 unmarked "trails" are SL and HC OHV.

I believe they didnt know the route they took was an access road. Thought it was an unmarked trail to the river. Once at the river consulted the map and struck out for the other unmarked trail (SL) back up. I cant know why.

BBM
And you know, @MrsEmmaPeel, how many times have we all read "Investigators said...Gerrish had been researching the Hites Cove hike on a phone app on Aug. 14"? from this article: Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

But... what does that really mean --- "the Hites Cove hike"?

Given our research sleuthing into the crazy trail and road names in that area:

A. Did JG research the Hites Cove OHV Trail (the 'access road' that starts at junction of Hites Cove Road, near where the truck was parked)?
B. Did JG research the Hite Cove Trail that starts at a trailhead on Route 140 and is a very popular trail, especially for spring flowers?
C. Did JG research the Hites Cove Trail / Hites Mine Trail that starts near Yosemite Cedar Lodge further down Route 140?
D. Did JG research all of the above on 8/14?

Sometimes I just wonder if their intent was to do "B" based on JG's research, and somehow got confused, disoriented, distracted, etc. and ended up doing "A" on 8/15.

Reattaching my map in case it helps anyone follow along this crazy question, that to me seems perfectly reasonable at this point?

 

[Yvettea]

Do we know if their truck was 4x4? Even the road to the parking lot looks treacherous.
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/t...ve-road?mobileMap=true&ref=sidebar-static-map

 

[Lexiintoronto]

BBM
And you know, @MrsEmmaPeel, how many times have we all read "Investigators said...Gerrish had been researching the Hites Cove hike on a phone app on Aug. 14"? from this article: Investigators have ruled out 2 causes of death in case of Mariposa family, but still have no answers

But... what does that really mean --- "the Hites Cove hike"?

Given our research sleuthing into the crazy trail and road names in that area:

A. Did JG research the Hites Cove OHV Trail (the 'access road' that starts at junction of Hites Cove Road, near where the truck was parked)?
B. Did JG research the Hite Cove Trail that starts at a trailhead on Route 140 and is a very popular trail, especially for spring flowers?
C. Did JG research the Hites Cove Trail / Hites Mine Trail that starts near Yosemite Cedar Lodge further down Route 140?
D. Did JG research all of the above on 8/14?

Sometimes I just wonder if their intent was to do "B" based on JG's research, and somehow got confused, disoriented, distracted, etc. and ended up doing "A" on 8/15.

Reattaching my map in case it helps anyone follow along this crazy question, that to me seems perfectly reasonable at this point?

Your maps are very helpful. It seems as though they got off-course and headed to where people/cell coverage might be (?) Maybe they made the decision to walk along the river until it seemed futile. Then up the switchbacks because they had to make it home.

I thought they intended to do the loop, but now I’m not sure, based on your and other’s maps and how far the river is from the trail. The wild card is the dog. My opinion only.

Tag: maps, Gerrish Chung,

ETA: I just thought of the possibility of a febrile seizure with their daughter, brought on by the heat. I had them as a child, and my grandmother and mother panicked when I had my first one (due to a fever, not external heat.) *speculation.

 

[Yvettea]

Do we know if their truck was 4x4? Even the road to the parking lot looks treacherous.
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/t...ve-road?mobileMap=true&ref=sidebar-static-map

Oops. We know the truck must be 4x4 to make that drive and the truck was found in the parking lot; someone obviously drove it there . But the road is something not everyone would attempt and looks treacherous IMO.

 

[Pumphouse363]

Do we know if their truck was 4x4? Even the road to the parking lot looks treacherous.
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/t...ve-road?mobileMap=true&ref=sidebar-static-map

They had a relatively new Ford Ranger Raptor

 

[MrsEmmaPeel]

@RedHaus ~ JG may have researched all those trails, but he traveled only one of them on Sun. Either he downloaded the Hites Cove Rd map from AllTrails or he was using his memory of it to set forth on HCT OHV. Simplest premise. IMHO.

Why else "hike" on an Access Road?

 

[Yvettea]

There are many, sometimes competing interests for wilderness areas. Don’t know if this contributed in some way or if it’s helpful to consider. Just MOO

 

[RedHaus]

@RedHaus ~ JG may have researched all those trails, but he traveled only one of them on Sun. Either he downloaded the Hites Cove Rd map from AllTrails or he was using his memory of it to set forth on HCT OHV. Simplest premise. IMHO.
Why else "hike" on an Access Road?

BBM

Well, perhaps the answer to that question is: To access a Mine? And maybe that is all they intended to do that day... check out a mine and go home. IMO.

Mines
In my 9/8/21, T#3, P#763 I reposted the mine research done by @eptichka83 (T#2, P#292 & P#400), given JG had posted in his AllTrails logs information about mines he visited (recall, JG had labeled those hikes by mine, not trail names, IIRC). So here is a briefer summary for this discussion - may mean more to us now.

There are three mines on the route the family took. Source: Mining Towns in the Western United States

1. Liberty Lode (manganese): Off Hites Cove Road before the parked truck location
2. Blossom #1 (gold): About halfway on "the loop", just off of the South Fork Trail
3. Devils Gulch (gold): At the base of Savage-Lundy Trail

Below is a map image Eptichka83 created from imgur.com. Previously I circled the Liberty Lode mine, where you can see a faint switchback trail up to it.

But now that I ponder this further, and with our new found knowledge of these trails, etc., I wonder if the family's goal was to check out the Devil's Gulch Goldmine.

... Park where they did, go down the Savage-Lundy trail, check out the mine, and hike back before it got too unbearable. But what if they encountered someone or something at the Devil's Gulch mine that caused the beginning of the end for the family? While a tragic outcome, that kind of intent makes some sense to me, IMO.

 

[Pumphouse363]

@RedHaus ~ JG may have researched all those trails, but he traveled only one of them on Sun. Either he downloaded the Hites Cove Rd map from AllTrails or he was using his memory of it to set forth on HCT OHV. Simplest premise. IMHO.

Why else "hike" on an Access Road?

I still can’t see how they got from Hite Cove to the base of Savage Lundy. I can see the maps where the trail is marked but looking on Google maps in 3D there is virtually no sign of a viable road/trail until part way up near Devil Gulch where SL is more clearly defined.