Found Deceased CANADA - Ben Kilmer, 41, Cowichan, 16 May 2018

[Jenrain]

If Ben was last seen around 11am and Ryan and Dan were picked up at around 2:12pm that is almost precisely the amount of time it takes to drive from where the running van was found and where Ryan and Dan were picked up.

 

[Snoopster]

Welcome @caturious and @tasha Brooks ! It's so helpful to have locals contributing their knowledge to cases.

 

[Sjm_qc]

If Ben was last seen around 11am and Ryan and Dan were picked up at around 2:12pm that is almost precisely the amount of time it takes to drive from where the running van was found and where Ryan and Dan were picked up.

What? Dan and Ryan were seen on camera in Ucluelet at 1.54pm (ish). That’s over 3 hours AFTER Ben was last seen on camera AND OVER 3 hours driving time away from where Ben was last seen/his van found.


I’m not seeing what connection you’re trying to make?

 

[Jenrain]

What? Dan and Ryan were seen on camera in Ucluelet at 1.54pm (ish). That’s over 3 hours AFTER Ben was last seen on camera AND OVER 3 hours driving time away from where Ben was last seen/his van found.


I’m not seeing what connection you’re trying to make?

The video of them walking off with their bags shows the time as 14:12:55 which is almost 2:13pm. I just noticed that the time is close to the travel time. Maybe there was an alternate car waiting there for him and he did a switch, then drove to the harbour. (maybe I watch too many detective show).

 

[Sjm_qc]

The video of them walking off with their bags shows the time as 14:12:55 which is almost 2:13pm. I just noticed that the time is close to the travel time. Maybe there was an alternate car waiting there for him and he did a switch, then drove to the harbour. (maybe I watch too many detective show).

Ah, I understand your “train of thought”/speculation now.

I DON’T think, given the data available from MSM, LE, families in both cases, that Dan & Ryan’s and Ben’s disappearance are connected in anyway.

Welcome to WS, by the way.

 

[Snoopster]

ill have to look up more info on the road blocks.
My aunt drove by his vehicle parked on the side of the road and it was facing towards lake cow.
The search effort was very .... discombobulated the day I volunteered. Sent us to a place where we couldnt event access with effort. (Fenced off private property). We tried to drive around to a different access point, but was down a private driveway. Waste of time.
Im still thrown off by the search efforts being so skutz falls focused. I understand the hopeful thinking, but the first few days were so important.

As i understand the area is known for drug transactions - perhaps he witnessed something. But in that case i would think the tranaction would have to be substantial and close up.

Still would like to know how much access wife has to bens personal accounts (email facebook text)

So you and caturious both confirm that the car was facing west. It was on the right hand side of the road, just west of Menzies. This means that the van did not likely come from Lake Cowichan, but either from town (Duncan) or north on Menzies and turned left onto Cowichan Lake Rd. Of course someone could have driven there from Lake Cow and turned the van around to make it look like it hadn't come from there.

 

[Snoopster]

The video of them walking off with their bags shows the time as 14:12:55 which is almost 2:13pm. I just noticed that the time is close to the travel time. Maybe there was an alternate car waiting there for him and he did a switch, then drove to the harbour. (maybe I watch too many detective show).

And welcome to Jenrain as well!!

We were all focused on figuring out how the Ucluelet duo (or whoever picked them up) could have made it to the Duncan area by the time Ben disappeared. (and of course they couldn't have) But raise a different thought...that Ben or someone involved with Ben's disappearance could have made it to Ucluelet and were involved with the two missing me there. I think it's a long shot, but another possibility in the long list of possibilities.

Good to see new members contributing to this case!

 

[Jenrain]

Maybe he walked to the pond to drown his phone and then walked back to his van and smashed it, cutting himself in the process.

 

[Vaccine]

My sympathy to the family and friends searching for Ben. I'm surprised there is so little news from LE which would help frame our questions and speculation.

My own theories (please forgive me if they offend or seem far fetched):
1) Engine was running because Ben had a driving incident with another driver and stopped to confront them/discuss damage. This got out of hand and he was attacked and ran off or was killed and then his body taken to be disposed of. Or he ran away and in confusion and injury is lying somewhere hurt and disoriented or dead.
2) Engine was running because he stopped to help someone or to give someone a ride. It could have been a trap and something happened after that. Or he up to no good himself...
In both these scenarios, the absence of his body makes it seem quite unlikely. Why would anyone bother to get rid of him and not just leave him at the scene.
3) Voluntarily left to disappear and choose another life - again search of his emails, phone records, text, social media is vital to find out whether he was leading a double life.
4) Voluntarily left due to mental health issues, suffering from depression, overwhelmed by pressures of providing for family, debt or other personal problems.
In both these two scenarios its hard to understand why he would leave the engine running.

Most of these scenarios seem very unlikely. Its really hard to find a logical explanation at all. So sadly, I'd probably opt for the last one as the most likely.

 

[Aescwynn]

4) Voluntarily left due to mental health issues, suffering from depression, overwhelmed by pressures of providing for family, debt or other personal problems.
In both these two scenarios its hard to understand why he would leave the engine running.

Most of these scenarios seem very unlikely. Its really hard to find a logical explanation at all. So sadly, I'd probably opt for the last one as the most likely.

SBM
BBM
I agree, it's looking more likely. It may have been an impulse decision, we'll never know. He pulled over, smashed his phone, walked to the pond and through it; then off somewhere to take care of himself.

 

[Jenrain]

But would someone check in on a job site (part of their work duties) minutes before committing suicide?

 

[Aescwynn]

But would someone check in on a job site (part of their work duties) minutes before committing suicide?

Absolutely. Normalcy is extremely common in suicidal people.

 

[drama_farmer]

If the smashing of his phone was connected to the last phone call or text he made, I'm sure that's a lead for LE.

 

[MariaGG]

Absolutely. Normalcy is extremely common in suicidal people.

Sometimes people who commit suicide are very normal and happy right up to the end. It’s like they have come to terms, and feel a relief in having made a decision to end their life. Their struggle is about over.

 

[Sjm_qc]

<modsnip>

Welcome to WS . As you’re new, you may not know that information from social media (especially closed groups) isn’t allowed, except in very limited circumstances... See TOS.

 

[Jenrain]

What does LE stand for?

 

[Sjm_qc]

What does LE stand for?

Law Enforcement.

 

[Snoopster]

Unfortunately I am starting to lean toward the suicide scenario. Ben and his family seem lovely. Perhaps he bit off more than he could chew and the weight of letting his family down was simply too much.

I guess I'm hoping he ran off to escape his life, because that is the most likely scenario that would result in him being alive. But, I'm just not feeling it.

Sigh.
All I can think about is his family and what they are going through. They don't deserve this pain.

Sigh.

ETA: On further thought...If Ben was committing suicide, why hasn't he been found? Is that why the family has been focused on Skullz Falls area?...because he liked that area? Did he walk and wander while trying to decide what to do? Where is Ben??

 

[Satchie]

Unfortunately I am starting to lean toward the suicide scenario. Ben and his family seem lovely. Perhaps he bit off more than he could chew and the weight of letting his family down was simply too much.

I guess I'm hoping he ran off to escape his life, because that is the most likely scenario that would result in him being alive. But, I'm just not feeling it.

Sigh.
All I can think about is his family and what they are going through. They don't deserve this pain.

Sigh.

ETA: On further thought...If Ben was committing suicide, why hasn't he been found? Is that why the family has been focused on Skullz Falls area?...because he liked that area? Did he walk and wander while trying to decide what to do? Where is Ben??

I just happened to be reading a book about mental illness by a woman whose husband committed suicide. He tried it first in a wilderness area he loved, but was found in time and treated. But then he secrectly decided to do it for sure, and his vehicle was found there abandoned. The info about his depression and previous attempt was never published, out of respect for his and his family's (especially children's) privacy. It was months before searchers found his body, though he was close by. The woods are just very hard to thoroughly search.

Just thought this might be relevant, that the family will naturally hope for the best, but may have good reasons for fairly quickly losing hope.

ETA: The book also reveals how the months/years leading up to the suicide were extremely difficult for the family, especially the spouse. Plus, inevitably, when he disappeared there was a huge amount of guilt. The book is called All the things we never knew.

 

[Satchie]

Re: Skutz falls. My guess is that bodies often stay concealed around falls, they get wedged into rocks or go down deep at the pool below. Along the rest of this river it's calm and shallow, only a visual check would be needed.