Found Deceased CA - Philip Kreycik, 37, Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, 10 Jul 2021

[mlhenn]

Search Resumes for Berkeley Man Who Went Missing at Pleasanton Ridge Park

July 31, 2021
Authorities on Saturday resumed the search for Philip Kreycik.

"We have about 17 outside agencies that came back upon the request from Alameda County Search and Rescue," Pleasanton police Lt. Chris Niederhaus said. "Now we’re going with lower probability areas we already searched, but we’re putting more efforts into those to clear every single area up there on the ridgeline, anywhere near the original path Philip was going to take."

On Saturday, teams were searching in the Tehon Canyon area with drone teams, dog teams, rapelling teams and more than 100 searchers. And they were reminding people about their tip line, hoping to find some answers.

Kreycik's family talked about the gratitude they have for the outpouring of support they've received over the past few weeks as search and rescue teams returned to a canyon area that could have been a route to his car.

Pleasanton police say the renewed search was prompted by the anaylysis of data gathered using technology during their searches.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

I'm trying to think back to any similar missing persons' cases here in the Bay Area, and any I can think of had SOME kind of resolution within a few weeks. I think it's fair to say that this is just so odd, that there are virtually zero answers, let alone clues, after so much effort

The only one I can recall with a missing person with no resolution and that has never been found locally is Ilene Misheloff. She disappeared about 5 blocks north of the intersection of Moller Ranch Dr and Foothill Rd and has never been seen again. Both Misheloff's and Kreycik's last known locations are close to the I-580 interchange at Foothill Rd/San Ramon Rd.

Foothill Rd. turns into San Ramon Rd north of 580. She was last seen close to the intersection of San Ramon Rd and Amador Valley Blvd. She was walking home from Wells Middle School, possibly cut through a shopping center called Shamrock Village, then through a shortcut in a park called John Mape Park in Dublin, but she has never been found.

Since the backpack was found in the park after the search teams looked for her, some speculate it was placed there after search teams began looking for her. Ilene Beth Misheloff – The Charley Project

So even though they found her key fob and backpack I believe in the park, I don't think any eyewitnesses placed her actually in the park. In spite of everything, they have never been able to find her.

It is still an open case. They believe she was abducted either in John Mape Park, right before John Mape Park, or somewhere close by to it. More info is at Ilene Misheloff Disappearance | Dublin, CA - Official Website

 

[Unalienable Rights]

The only one I can recall with a missing person with no resolution and that has never been found locally is Ilene Misheloff. She disappeared about 5 blocks north of the intersection of Moller Ranch Dr and Foothill Rd and has never been seen again. Both Misheloff's and Kreycik's last known locations are close to the I-580 interchange at Foothill Rd/San Ramon Rd.

Foothill Rd. turns into San Ramon Rd north of 580. She was last seen close to the intersection of San Ramon Rd and Amador Valley Blvd. She was walking home from Wells Middle School, possibly cut through a shopping center called Shamrock Village, then through a shortcut in a park called John Mape Park in Dublin, but she has never been found.

Since the backpack was found in the park after the search teams looked for her, some speculate it was placed there after search teams began looking for her. Ilene Beth Misheloff – The Charley Project

So even though they found her key fob and backpack I believe in the park, I don't think any eyewitnesses placed her actually in the park. In spite of everything, they have never been able to find her.

It is still an open case. They believe she was abducted either in John Mape Park, right before John Mape Park, or somewhere close by to it. More info is at Ilene Misheloff Disappearance | Dublin, CA - Official Website

I remember the Ilene Misheloff case very well. It is so sad, and almost certainly an abduction. Her family and the community have been so diligent throughout the years in keeping her name before the public. In her case, she went missing from a flat, commercial area and there were no environmental hazards.

Expanding beyond Pleasanton and going throughout the East Bay, I can't think of any hikers who have gone missing and not been found.

 

[NSamuelle]

Has the footage of Philip dropping off the package been released? If not, why? We would all like to see evidence of his life that morning.

 

[Emi]

@ElizabethAnne I can think of the Sierra LaMar case even though the killer has been convicted she has never been found
Also, I can think of Sydney West who has been missing frim Berkeley area for almost a year now

 

[MichelleAntonia]

The only one I can recall with a missing person with no resolution and that has never been found locally is Ilene Misheloff. She disappeared about 5 blocks north of the intersection of Moller Ranch Dr and Foothill Rd and has never been seen again. Both Misheloff's and Kreycik's last known locations are close to the I-580 interchange at Foothill Rd/San Ramon Rd.

Foothill Rd. turns into San Ramon Rd north of 580. She was last seen close to the intersection of San Ramon Rd and Amador Valley Blvd. She was walking home from Wells Middle School, possibly cut through a shopping center called Shamrock Village, then through a shortcut in a park called John Mape Park in Dublin, but she has never been found.

Since the backpack was found in the park after the search teams looked for her, some speculate it was placed there after search teams began looking for her. Ilene Beth Misheloff – The Charley Project

So even though they found her key fob and backpack I believe in the park, I don't think any eyewitnesses placed her actually in the park. In spite of everything, they have never been able to find her.

It is still an open case. They believe she was abducted either in John Mape Park, right before John Mape Park, or somewhere close by to it. More info is at Ilene Misheloff Disappearance | Dublin, CA - Official Website

I did not know about this, I was a young child at the time. But I do recall that in the late 80's, there was a lot of "stranger danger," and whether it was true or not, child abductions happening more often.

It seems only a coincidence that this occurred a stone's throw away from PK's last known location. Sad history for the area nonetheless.

 

[terracotta1982]

I'm also from the Bay Area -- I'm less than 2 miles from where PK went missing -- and I can't remember anything like this happening in this area. I'm incredibly impressed with the response from his friends, family, volunteer searchers and LE. Still praying for his safe return.

What about this person, happened last year? Family: Missing Pleasanton chef ID'd as person found dead near trail - News Break

 

[terracotta1982]

Hi, I just have two questions- was the shirt that was found in PK's car the same one he wore on Friday night? And why is it assumed that PK was "probably" shirtless when he ran?

Thanks!!

Also, a Question: Has there been confirmation from any LE that the picture footprints are a match for PK's Saucony running shoes?

 

[Unalienable Rights]

What about this person, happened last year? Family: Missing Pleasanton chef ID'd as person found dead near trail - News Break

You're right. I missed this one.

 

[Andreee]

I haven't given much credence to the possibility that Philip, for whatever reason, is not in that park. But with all of the extensive efforts to find him, and no sign of him other than the possible footprints, I am really beginning to wonder if he just isn't there.

 

[MichelleAntonia]

I haven't given much credence to the possibility that Philip, for whatever reason, is not in that park. But with all of the extensive efforts to find him, and no sign of him other than the possible footprints, I am really beginning to wonder if he just isn't there.

Same. Not much can be said for random people's instincts, but a lot can be said for evidence. And there simply isn't any to back up the notion that he's there. Or was ever there at all. The scent on the trailhead, to my understanding, ended very near to the staging area. As if he promptly turned around.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

Why would Kreycik right before a really hot day with potentially record breaking temperatures have created a longer route to run with a larger loop going via Turtle Pond and the Loop trails that was on his phone when he already had a route on Strava defined in Aug 2019 with a shorter loop via Mariposa?

The only other route difference between the Aug 2019 and the cell phone one seems to be the starting point. Aug 2019 seems to be on Tehan Canyon Road near the Moller Ranch trail/Tehan Canyon Road intersection point and the cell phone one seems to start either on Moller Ranch Dr or somewhere close to that.

For Strava users, can anyone explain this? Also for the one found in his car, can anyone explain if that longer loop is a loop others on Strava indicated they have run? Has anyone who has run it on Strava - are they followers of Philip or is Philip a follower of them on Strava?

I admit I don't know what Strava does or does not do, whether people can direct message each other on Strava or not, and what it does. But from the beginning I wondered why there was a longer run found on the cell phone in the car when there was a shorter one already on his Strava routes from Aug 2019.

Also how long does it take to define a route and can it be done on a cell phone or is it put on Strava in some sort of private mode and downloaded to a cell phone? Does anyone know what the timestamp of when the cell phone route was actually saved on the phone? Was it before or after the UPS drop off, that morning, or the evening prior? CT stated in the AMA that Philip had 'liked' on Strava the route they ran in Oakland the evening of July 9. Is it possible to see on Strava the last time Philip logged on to Strava?

Also I still don't understand why if the UPS drop off took place around 9 AM why it took until 10:46 AM to arrive from Oakland to Pleasanton. If he was in the car putting together this cell phone route on his phone (assuming that is how you do it....again I don't know) how long would it have taken him to do that?

 

[MichelleAntonia]

Why would Kreycik right before a really hot day with potentially record breaking temperatures have created a longer route to run with a larger loop going via Turtle Pond and the Loop trails that was on his phone when he already had a route on Strava defined in Aug 2019 with a shorter loop via Mariposa?

The only other route difference between the Aug 2019 and the cell phone one seems to be the starting point. Aug 2019 seems to be on Tehan Canyon Road near the Moller Ranch trail/Tehan Canyon Road intersection point and the cell phone one seems to start either on Moller Ranch Dr or somewhere close to that.

For Strava users, can anyone explain this? Also for the one found in his car, can anyone explain if that longer loop is a loop others on Strava indicated they have run? Has anyone who has run it on Strava - are they followers of Philip or is Philip a follower of them on Strava?

I admit I don't know what Strava does or does not do, whether people can direct message each other on Strava or not, and what it does. But from the beginning I wondered why there was a longer run found on the cell phone in the car when there was a shorter one already on his Strava routes from Aug 2019.

Also how long does it take to define a route and can it be done on a cell phone or is it put on Strava in some sort of private mode and downloaded to a cell phone? Does anyone know what the timestamp of when the cell phone route was actually saved on the phone? Was it before or after the UPS drop off, that morning, or the evening prior? CT stated in the AMA that Philip had 'liked' on Strava the route they ran in Oakland the evening of July 9. Is it possible to see on Strava the last time Philip logged on to Strava?

Also I still don't understand why if the UPS drop off took place around 9 AM why it took until 10:46 AM to arrive from Oakland to Pleasanton. If he was in the car putting together this cell phone route on his phone (assuming that is how you do it....again I don't know) how long would it have taken him to do that?

You’re right, Oakland to Pleasanton does not take upwards of an hour and a half, or more on a Saturday morning. I go that way all the time, and it wouldn’t even take 45m. Is there confirmation of what time he left UPS and got into his car?

 

[ElizabethAnne]

You’re right, Oakland to Pleasanton does not take upwards of an hour and a half, or more on a Saturday morning. I go that way all the time, and it wouldn’t even take 45m. Is there confirmation of what time he left UPS and got into his car?

No but the text message from the AMA has the question "When are you leaving?" timestamped at 9:18 AM

Then there is no reply until 10:46 AM with a reply back about the ETA being 12:35.

That is a fairly large gap. Don't know if there are text messages between that time that were deleted or why it took an hour and 28 minutes to reply. Or maybe there was a verbal phone conversation between the two timestamps.

Also the press conference referred to the drop off location of the parcel as a 'kiosk.' I don't know what that means and whether that implies a retail store or a drop box only. In one of the press conferences as well the police representative from Pleasanton Lt. Erik Silacci discusses working on firming up the timeline and asks the public to come forward if they saw Philip in the morning parked or driving one to two hours before the incident or sometime that morning. This request is about at minute 21:18 of the press conference that KTVU posted on Youtube-

Because of that request for the public to come forward, in my opinion, it is possible that they cannot yet confirm that Philip was actually the one driving the vehicle that was found parked at the trailhead.

 

[Beekarina]

The "missing time" is one of the reasons I have asked repeatedly (annoyingly?) about other surveillance in the area. It may be something as boring as PK went out for coffee & a bagel somewhere, or otherwise noodled around, traffic was outrageous, etc but it seems a long enough gap to be possibly significant.

 

[ElizabethAnne]

The "missing time" is one of the reasons I have asked repeatedly (annoyingly?) about other surveillance in the area. It may be something as boring as PK went out for coffee & a bagel somewhere, or otherwise noodled around, traffic was outrageous, etc but it seems a long enough gap to be possibly significant.

I completely agree with what you say. There are automated license plate readers ALPRs on Foothill Rd at several intersections south of I-580 at the exit including one at Laurel Creek Dr/Stoneridge Drive at Foothill Rd, but not one at Moller Ranch Dr at Foothill Rd. This is the area around the Stoneridge Mall so there may be more. They would be able to read a license plate from what I have heard to see if a vehicle drove by, but don't take a photo of the actual vehicles themselves. I may be wrong on this, but that is what I've been told so take what I say as not the absolute truth.

As far as surveillance cameras in the staging area at Moller Ranch or whether the HOA in the neighborhood has them on the property, I don't know if they have them at all or if they do have them and he didn't appear on them. Also I don't know if EBRPD has them either in the parks or their parking lots.

All I know is that if someone has picked him up on a camera, any camera, any Ring or doorbell video, any Tesla camera, or any satellite photo in Pleasanton that day, any GoPro camera mounted on a mountain bike or any of the wildlife motion detector activated game sensors in the park, I have not heard about it.

Also there is a BART station nearby and no one has said anything about him being picked up on their security cameras (and I would think that would have been one of the first places that Pleasanton PD would have approached to examine video). The drive throughs at some of the fast food chains have cameras...no word on him being spotted on their cameras either.

Also I know that the area transit buses have dash cams on them that definitely record video. I don't know whether any routes are nearby to the staging area, but I assume that some regularly stop at Stoneridge Mall. I don't know if the police have checked the dash cams of buses, but so far, I have not heard of any video showing him driving being discovered either.

At this point, I am very puzzled. The AC Sheriff says they are "perplexed." And so am I.

 

[distracted]

There are automated license plate readers ALPRs on Foothill Rd at several intersections south of I-580 at the exit including one at Laurel Creek Dr/Stoneridge Drive at Foothill Rd, but not one at Moller Ranch Dr at Foothill Rd. This is the area around the Stoneridge Mall so there may be more. They would be able to read a license plate from what I have heard to see if a vehicle drove by, but don't take a photo of the actual vehicles themselves. I may be wrong on this, but that is what I've been told so take what I say as not the absolute truth.

As far as surveillance cameras in the staging area at Moller Ranch or whether the HOA in the neighborhood has them on the property, I don't know if they have them at all or if they do have them and he didn't appear on them. Also I don't know if EBRPD has them either in the parks or their parking lots.

All I know is that if someone has picked him up on a camera, any camera, any Ring or doorbell video, any Tesla camera, or any satellite photo in Pleasanton that day, any GoPro camera mounted on a mountain bike or any of the wildlife motion detector activated game sensors in the park, I have not heard about it.

Also there is a BART station nearby and no one has said anything about him being picked up on their security cameras (and I would think that would have been one of the first places that Pleasanton PD would have approached to examine video). The drive throughs at some of the fast food chains have cameras...no word on him being spotted on their cameras either.

At this point, I am very puzzled. The AC Sheriff says they are "perplexed." And so am I.

I can't remember if there is a camera in the parking lot area but, surely, LE has contacted Lyft or Uber to see if a driver picked someone up who fits his description from the parking lot, right? Or, picked up anyone at all from that area?

 

[ElizabethAnne]

I can't remember if there is a camera in the parking lot area but, surely, LE has contacted Lyft or Uber to see if a driver picked someone up who fits his description from the parking lot, right? Or, picked up anyone at all from that area?

I don't know what they have and have not checked and during the press conferences, I heard one of the reporters ask about whether the police had looked at various airports. I don't think the question was answered. In terms of whether they have contacted one of the rideshare services, I have no idea if they have or have not based on what I have read or seen.

I don't know if they plan on holding another press conference tomorrow or whether was one was held this afternoon, but I have not seen one yet. Other than the info on the parcel kiosk, I do not think the police have really said much. At least that is my impression.

The AC sheriff has talked in great detail about the search effort and Sgt Kelly is regularly being interviewed by the TV stations, but the Pleasanton police have said very little about their investigation. I do not recall Pleasanton police appearing on an on camera interview on the TV news to talk about what they are investigating other than to give a brief update on the status of the search effort.

 

[distracted]

I can't remember if there is a camera in the parking lot area but, surely, LE has contacted Lyft or Uber to see if a driver picked someone up who fits his description from the parking lot, right? Or, picked up anyone at all from that area?

I found some info regarding cameras in the area in this article.
Pleasanton community steps up to support missing runner's family

From this quote in the article, it appears PK's mother, Marcia, stated that he was not recorded by cameras near exit points. Now, whether that includes the parking lot or not, I don't know.

"Kreycik's wallet and cellphone were found undisturbed inside his vehicle, and he was not recorded on any surveillance cameras near exit points in the park. Marcia told the Weekly that nothing about her son's disappearance makes any sense."

If you haven't read this article, I recommend it. There's quite a bit of info in it.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

rsbm
For Strava users, can anyone explain this? Also for the one found in his car, can anyone explain if that longer loop is a loop others on Strava indicated they have run? Has anyone who has run it on Strava - are they followers of Philip or is Philip a follower of them on Strava?

I admit I don't know what Strava does or does not do, whether people can direct message each other on Strava or not, and what it does. But from the beginning I wondered why there was a longer run found on the cell phone in the car when there was a shorter one already on his Strava routes from Aug 2019.

Also how long does it take to define a route and can it be done on a cell phone or is it put on Strava in some sort of private mode and downloaded to a cell phone? Does anyone know what the timestamp of when the cell phone route was actually saved on the phone? Was it before or after the UPS drop off, that morning, or the evening prior? CT stated in the AMA that Philip had 'liked' on Strava the route they ran in Oakland the evening of July 9. Is it possible to see on Strava the last time Philip logged on to Strava?

I'll try to answer some of these. I use Strava with a paid account on both a computer and an iphone. It has a slightly different look and features on each. It appears to use Mapbox/OpenStreetMap for its mapping features. You can create routes on phones or a computer. I rarely draw routes first and I suspect most people don't either for familiar areas. But I do sometimes look at heatmap overlays when in a new place to see what's popular. Users create public "segments" which are shorter parts of trails/roads and can also be entire loops. After you upload a run from a watch, Strava matches it to these segments. Users who opt in, have their segment results ranked on public leaderboards. These are the "achievements" you see from PK's Friday run. Or you can share your activities with friends/followers only or keep results private.

Strava has a related feature called "Fly by" that shows other Strava users who you passed or were nearby. About a year ago, maybe due to privacy concerns, they made this opt in only and very few use it now. So it's now harder to find others who might have been in the area apart from what's on the leaderboards.

You can comment within groups and on friend's runs plus add photos. You can receive alerts when comments are added so that's sort of like a form of direct messaging but more awkward.

I can't explain why he didn't use the earlier route. Maybe he forgot it. Or maybe he was seeing if new trails or land access were available.