Found Deceased CA - Paul Miller, 51, Canadian, Joshua Tree Natl Park, San Bernardino Co., 13 Jul 2018 #3

[rosesfromangels]

I believe you know exactly what I'm talking about when I say remains can take on the color of the surroundings, same as clothing. Especially as seasons change, time passes. A hunter or hiker can come stumble upon remains and not know exactly what they're looking at but know it's out of place. Searches are difficult, recoveries are difficult.

Yes I do know, and you are spot on. He will be found. It’s just sad it’s taking so long.

 

[MissMYB]

By zero evidence I meant zero evidence he is STILL in the area. Not a scrap of equipment or clothing. Very odd and telling IMO

 

[Luckyzmom]

Continue to pray for Paul and his family. The not knowing is do difficult.

 

[crhedBngr]

Thoughts of this Paul and Paul B.

 

[tarabull]

Missing hiker found in park
November 29, 2019
_______________________

Where are you Paul???

 

[zecats]

Missing hiker found in park
November 29, 2019
_______________________

Where are you Paul???

That's the truth. He realistically should have been located by now. IMHO How does someone go so completely missing with no trace in so short a time?? (after he was reported missing and a search began). A true mystery.

 

[Luckyzmom]

There are more cases than most people would imagine, it is mysterious and heartbreaking

 

[MissMYB]

That's the truth. He realistically should have been located by now. IMHO How does someone go so completely missing with no trace in so short a time?? (after he was reported missing and a search began). A true mystery.

Agreed. The search started in just THREE hours after he left the hotel!!!!!

 

[Perry2]

I still think he's probably in the park. There have been past Joshua Tree rescues where they barely found the person, and the person was very lucky to be found. I sketched out my observations and opinions in yellow on this map:
Possible Search Routes (Paul Miller)
The easiest way to read my yellow markings is to uncheck the Markers and Lines & Polygons folders at the bottom of the left menu.

 

[Jinkasaurus]

There is a podcast that features missing persons cases in national parks ... its called Locations Unknown. Locations Unknown I don't think they've covered this case, though.

 

[MntnHiker]

There is a podcast that features missing persons cases in national parks ... its called Locations Unknown. Locations Unknown I don't think they've covered this case, though.

BBM. They did! It is episode #2. Thanks for mentioning this podcast--I hadn't heard of it.

 

[Jinkasaurus]

BBM. They did! It is episode #2. Thanks for mentioning this podcast--I hadn't heard of it.

That was a long time ago- I can't believe I forgot about it!

 

[RickshawFan]

The keys were not left with the vehicle in this case. The family had issues with the rental car company because they kept charging PM's credit card despite being told that both PM and the keys were missing.
Rental company charging missing man's credit card

I'm not sure why it would be relevant that the keys were not left with the vehicle...Maybe someone else took them.

 

[RickshawFan]

I don't think it is fair to say there is "zero" evidence of him being on the trail - there was a credible eyewitness account and a car parked at the trailhead and the statement of intention by Paul that this was what he was planning to do.

Of course, nothing can be ruled out until he is found. But I still believe this is misadventure. I have also spent a lot of time in JTNP and sadly over those years there have been other missing persons who have never been located despite a lot of searching.

All of that is MOO and this is a forum for discussing ideas and theories and I enjoy reading others ideas on what may have happened.

Apart from my hinky meter going full on hinky when I hear Canadian friends and family talk about the case,

1.We don't know that Paul drove to the trailhead. We only know his car did.
2. We have only a vague witness report that he was encountered on the trail.
3. We have no corroboration that Paul intended to hike the trail that day. If he was as experienced in the outdoors as his family are claiming, he would not have been on the trail.
4. The equipment and clothing they say he took would not be the right set up for an "experienced" outdoorsperson. There is no corroboration for it.
5. Evidently, no one thought to check video at the hotel, e.g. in the parking lot.
6. SARS was out there quite soon and didn't find anything.
7. Where was the second set of car keys? They only had one?

 

[zecats]

Apart from my hinky meter going full on hinky when I hear Canadian friends and family talk about the case,

1.We don't know that Paul drove to the trailhead. We only know his car did.
2. We have only a vague witness report that he was encountered on the trail.
3. We have no corroboration that Paul intended to hike the trail that day. If he was as experienced in the outdoors as his family are claiming, he would not have been on the trail.
4. The equipment and clothing they say he took would not be the right set up for an "experienced" outdoorsperson. There is no corroboration for it.
5. Evidently, no one thought to check video at the hotel, e.g. in the parking lot.
6. SARS was out there quite soon and didn't find anything.
7. Where was the second set of car keys? They only had one?

Don’t forget the dog who tracked him as far as the oasis. The handler and Paul’s sister have verified this.

 

[jash]

I'm not sure why it would be relevant that the keys were not left with the vehicle...Maybe someone else took them.

I did not say it was relevant. I was merely replying to your post where you wrote that you thought the keys were left there (snipped quote below).

No one knows when the car got to the parking lot.... The keys were there, IIRC? Why? You don't just leave your keys at a trailhead when the car could be easily clouted.

 

[j_in_c]

Apart from my hinky meter going full on hinky when I hear Canadian friends and family talk about the case,


4. The equipment and clothing they say he took would not be the right set up for an "experienced" outdoorsperson. There is no corroboration for it.

7. Where was the second set of car keys? They only had one?

Only replying to these two items in the list:

4- The clothing and equipment he had is what they had brought with them for travel and adventure. I would definitely be described (if I went missing outdoors) as "experienced" and when I have flown places, I go much lighter (especially for what I anticipate would be a 3 hr short hike). I don't fly with my swiss army knife or solar light and several other things that I keep in a daypack that I grab when I head out from my own house. Unless his wife stated that she believed he was packed oddly for a hike, we should assume nothing about what he packed or wore was unusual for him and for his intended hike.

7- In the last 5 or so years, I have noticed (much to my annoyance) that rental cars lock both car keys together on a ring when you rent. This is extremely annoying as when my husband and I travel - we both want to keep a key on us! I have no idea how this specific rental car was setup, but it is definitely possible (based on my rental experiences) that both sets of keys are with Paul.

I still don't see enough information to lean towards foul play over lost/misadventure (MOO).

 

[MissMYB]

Don’t forget the dog who tracked him as far as the oasis. The handler and Paul’s sister have verified this.

I had not heard this. Link??

 

[zecats]

I had not heard this. Link??

Linked up thread many times. But I’ll look for it again.

 

[zecats]

Linked up thread many times. But I’ll look for it again.

Here is link and quote:

‘CLINGING TO HOPE’: Ontario man missing since last year in Joshua Tree National Park

“There was a witness that saw him part-way in. The witness was on the way out. He said they spoke briefly. He said Paul was moving really fast, which made sense because I’ve hiked with Paul many times and he’s a fast hiker.”

The original search included a dog team that followed Miller’s scent as far as the oasis.

ETA The handler was quoted as saying the dog's paws were getting burned due to the heat and had to stop for the day.