CANADA Canada - Ben Tyner, 32, cowboy, his horse returned w/o him, Merritt, British Columbia, 26 Jan 2019

[Deleted member 158085]

I think there are people who do not realize some facts, yes facts, about this situation with Ben.

1) This is no small area with nice flat clear terrain to search. It is terrain that is difficult to search in the best of circumstances. -24C and snow cover is not the best of circumstances in any way! Not only can this terrain contribute to the circumstances of a missing person, it can make searching for them downright deadly, especially when coupled with below freezing temperatures.

2) Canadians typically do not bear a lot of animosity towards Americans. Americans are usually seen as allies, plus Canadians are some of the nicest people you will meet.

3) Ben is no stranger to the agriculture world, which is a small world no matter what country you are in. Many people know each other or know of each other. I would be fairly sure that Ben did not take this job blindly, and that he had a pretty good idea of who and where he was going to work.

4) Not everything is a conspiracy. Accidents and terrible things happen to people every single day.

5) LE is not required or obligated to put out any information about an ongoing investigation. And even when they do release information, you are only getting a small amount of what they have.

6) A fall from a horse can potentially be life ending in itself. A fall from a horse in temperatures below freezing in complicated terrain is even worse.

7) Occam’s Razor

This thread has frustrated me because there is a lot of information on it that is being put out in public that is anything but factual. We all know what is said about assumptions.

Nicola Ranch does not have a bad reputation anywhere. There have been no accusations of cooked books, vengeful former employees, or other issues in any sort of public domain. We have a local here who has had nothing negative to say about the ranch or the area. There may not be much information about Nicola Ranch because it is privately owned, just like my farm is.

Sometimes things just happen. People get hurt, or worse, in day to day life every day.

Thank you for this very sensible input.

 

[cutter99]

Work place violence is very common in the US. It’s not unusual for a disgruntled employee to seek revenge.
In this situation, with Ben recently moving (Nov 18/18, he was still in WY according to FB), & acclimatizing to his new surroundings, I THINK his circle of friends would be small & perhaps confined to NR staff. Jmo
My curiosity is heightened since non of his “hands” have spoken. I don’t like “friends” coming forward because they really offer nothing, as they are “friends”. They all have basically the same things to say. But, a co-worker can offer
a different perspective, imo.

You have absolutely no idea who has talked to LE about what. Just because it has not been made public, does not mean people have not been talking and working with LE. At this point they are working at finding Ben, not keeping the public in the loop about search operations, as that is not nor should be the priority.

Unless is there is evidence of a crime committed against Ben, or they find evidence that he purposely left the area or was removed from the area against his will, or evidence that the general public is at risk, I would not expect much to be made public.

 

[Trudie]

You have absolutely no idea who has talked to LE about what. Just because it has not been made public, does not mean people have not been talking and working with LE. At this point they are working at finding Ben, not keeping the public in the loop about search operations, as that is not nor should be the priority.

Unless is there is evidence of a crime committed against Ben, or they find evidence that he purposely left the area or was removed from the area against his will, or evidence that the general public is at risk, I would not expect much to be made public.

I’m entitled to my opinion & to discuss this case.
I do feel confident ranch hands have not spoken out. Right, idk if they have talked with LE. I’m assume they have.

 

[Trudie]

So are you saying because no one else refers to her as a 'girlfriend'
or no one else knew he had a 'girlfriend' that this isn't the case?
I don't understand your comment.
Do you know if LE pursued info from her? From her ex's?

Good find Enelram!
Hopefully this woman knew of Ben’s intentions for Sunday.
Do we know, did Ben move to NR alone?
This is the first info we’ve had regarding Ben’s personal social life, afaik.

 

[Hoosier952]

I still think accident. A low-lying branch, bailing and falling wrong or on something, maybe even something that didn't happen when he was riding. If Ben had tied up the horse to do something and didn't return, how long would a horse stand tied before trying to get away? What if something spooked the horse while it was tied up? I don't think a broken rein necessarily means Ben was holding on to the rein when it broke. Ben may have even been chasing after a spooked horse when something happened.

As far as foul play goes, I think it's far more likely it was a rash decision after an argument. But I don't see why someone would go to the effort and risk of hauling a horse up into the mountains when it could have just been left at the ranch and I think if someone was up in the mountains with Ben, then not a single logger or hunter saw them and they didn't tell a single soul where they were that day.

 

[cutter99]

I’m entitled to my opinion & to discuss this case.
I do feel confident ranch hands have not spoken out. Right, idk if they have talked with LE. I’m assume they have.

I have NEVER said you were not entitled to your opinions or to discuss this case. In fact, I have never mentioned a single name in my posts. I expressed frustrations with assumptions and fallacies that are being put out on this thread, which do absolutely nothing to help Ben’s situation.

You are entitled to take from that those comments what you choose to take.

 

[Trudie]

Sorry, I cannot find the article but I have confirmed that the rein was BT's, I have it from two reliable sources, both actively involved with the search that a piece of his broken rein was found "Based on location of horse and broken rein was coming from south"....
~~~~~~~~~~~
Sadly, I too feel like it's likely a recovery situation now.

It's been --24C for days and no-one has found any evidence of fire or otherwise. I hear there have been people out looking at night time; the first days they also used heat seeking devices, along with many dogs and drones and no signs even with 150 people on the ground.

Maybe he's left to start a new life? ( I just read a story about a man from Surrey, BC -- Walter Simek that went missing for well over a year: on purpose).

Maybe not enough eyes looking up ... all so focussed on finding tracks on the ground and maybe he's up a tree? Could have stood on his horse and hopped up, wouldn't even need to leave a footprint if he shinnied up a tree.

If it's foul-play I think it would be something personal-domestic ... there hasn't been talk of this sort but I imagine a decent, fit looking, 32 year old cowboy with a decent career must turn a few eyes? And so, what if he was doing some dating (and wouldn't a guy at that age be looking for a partner?) and he met the wrong girl? Or a nice girl with a jealous X? Or a jilted lover from his past?

My last more happy, hopeful thought is that he bumped his head, stumbled to the highway (not sure which one!) and hitched a ride and he's going to be spotted in Vancouver or Calgary at a soup kitchen or some backwater ranch.

I have been sick about the whole thing; suppose because it's literally close to home ... I used to go out riding on my own frequently; wouldn't always say where I was going and a few times got myself into situations where I knew that it could have been much worse. Even out hiking, same thing...didn't always use to look up, carry bear-bangers and have my knife handy. Close to home also due to the fact that I have many friends and family members that have or do cowboy and there are so many former ranch employees and other locals out there looking ... because it could be anyone and it's easy to place ourselves' in these sickening situations. His family and friends ... I cannot even imagine their pain.

Did Ben have a knife on him and in his saddlebags? I guess he didn't have a gun because there's been no suggestions that he may have a self-inflicted wound, either.

There's a large lake right there barely a minute from the ranch, Nicola Lake .... foul play could put him there, tack up his horse and trailer it away from BT?

But one always has hope that there may be a happy ending. After all, miracles do happen.

Well, if he left to “start a new life” , he had to have some help. If he went up a tree via hopping from his horse, as you posted, he had to eventually come down.

I read the controversy with the Cattle Company & Nicola Lake. Quite interesting.

 

[Trudie]

I still think accident. A low-lying branch, bailing and falling wrong or on something, maybe even something that didn't happen when he was riding. If Ben had tied up the horse to do something and didn't return, how long would a horse stand tied before trying to get away? What if something spooked the horse while it was tied up? I don't think a broken rein necessarily means Ben was holding on to the rein when it broke. Ben may have even been chasing after a spooked horse when something happened.

As far as foul play goes, I think it's far more likely it was a rash decision after an argument. But I don't see why someone would go to the effort and risk of hauling a horse up into the mountains when it could have just been left at the ranch and I think if someone was up in the mountains with Ben, then not a single logger or hunter saw them and they didn't tell a single soul where they were that day.

Hopefully LE knows by now if someone trailered him in.
Iirc, KR immediately suggested Ben was trailered in.
There’s so many possibilities.

 

[cutter99]

Well, if he left to “start a new life” , he had to have some help. If he went up a tree via hopping from his horse, as you posted, he had to eventually come down.

I read the controversy with the Cattle Company & Nicola Lake. Quite interesting.

What controversy?

Why would a single man, who has been at a job for a short period of time feel that he needs to run off to start a new life? Why couldn’t he just pick up and go? He has in the past, so why not now?

 

[zecats]

I still think accident. A low-lying branch, bailing and falling wrong or on something, maybe even something that didn't happen when he was riding. If Ben had tied up the horse to do something and didn't return, how long would a horse stand tied before trying to get away? What if something spooked the horse while it was tied up? I don't think a broken rein necessarily means Ben was holding on to the rein when it broke. Ben may have even been chasing after a spooked horse when something happened.

As far as foul play goes, I think it's far more likely it was a rash decision after an argument. But I don't see why someone would go to the effort and risk of hauling a horse up into the mountains when it could have just been left at the ranch and I think if someone was up in the mountains with Ben, then not a single logger or hunter saw them and they didn't tell a single soul where they were that day.

I'm torn between accident and foul play. The current crime unit investigation, even though explained as routine, still piques my curiosity..

As for foul play again, it could be could be accidental, manslaughter or second degree homicide. If someone did indeed trailer up somewhere with the intention to ride together leisurely, or help with strays, this other person could have caused his death (on purpose or accidentally) and easily have hidden a body, since no one knows for sure where they went. Premeditation is bit of a reach for me, to take someone away in a trailer with their horse with the intention to kill him. It would make for a "perfect crime" scenario though and maybe a good crime novel. . IMO

 

[Trudie]

What controversy?

Why would a single man, who has been at a job for a short period of time feel that he needs to run off to start a new life? Why couldn’t he just pick up and go? He has in the past, so why not now?

I don’t know why he’d want to run off. I was replying to SweetAnnas suggestion he possibly wished to start a new life & had climbed a tree.

 

[jewelsmac]

perhaps this kind of disappearance, in this setting, may or may not be unusual. No one saw him leave, he didn’t tell anyone he was leaving. There’s a mention of being trailered out but nobody has copped to that. Could it be that someone did see him leave and we just aren’t hearing about it? There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions as to what is the norm, telling people you’re leaving , someone seeing him leave, and what happened here. Are there answers to when, where and how that I’m not seeing in articles ...that are known elsewhere?

 

[jewelsmac]

I think oftentimes people are asked to not speak to the press or reveal much information. Remember to, it may be at the families request and they would respect that.

absolutely, it does seem that way

 

[Trudie]

perhaps this kind of disappearance, in this setting, may or may not be unusual. No one saw him leave, he didn’t tell anyone he was leaving. There’s a mention of being trailered out but nobody has copped to that. Could it be that someone did see him leave and we just aren’t hearing about it? There seems to be a lot of unanswered questions as to what is the norm, telling people you’re leaving , someone seeing him leave, and what happened here. Are there answers to when, where and how that I’m not seeing in articles ...that are known elsewhere?

No. But I wonder if someone reported seeing a truck/trailer unit in the vicinity.

 

[jewelsmac]

I still think accident. A low-lying branch, bailing and falling wrong or on something, maybe even something that didn't happen when he was riding. If Ben had tied up the horse to do something and didn't return, how long would a horse stand tied before trying to get away? What if something spooked the horse while it was tied up? I don't think a broken rein necessarily means Ben was holding on to the rein when it broke. Ben may have even been chasing after a spooked horse when something happened.

As far as foul play goes, I think it's far more likely it was a rash decision after an argument. But I don't see why someone would go to the effort and risk of hauling a horse up into the mountains when it could have just been left at the ranch and I think if someone was up in the mountains with Ben, then not a single logger or hunter saw them and they didn't tell a single soul where they were that day.

Agreed. The most likely explanation is an accident. I can’t see that anyone would go into an elaborate scenario where they would place the horse where they are searching. However, there are always other possibilities which is what I think people are trying to explore ,especially given so little information. In the end all that matters is that he’s found

 

[Trudie]

Absolutely!
If he’s deceased, I hope he went doing what he loved.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

Well, if he left to “start a new life” , he had to have some help. If he went up a tree via hopping from his horse, as you posted, he had to eventually come down.

I read the controversy with the Cattle Company & Nicola Lake. Quite interesting.

When SAR trains searchers they are told to look underneath and up above because apparently that is where suicide victims have been found.

 

[Deleted member 238131]

I don’t know why he’d want to run off. I was replying to SweetAnnas suggestion he possibly wished to start a new life & had climbed a tree.

Those were two different suggestions, as in perhaps he wanted to start a new life (strange but not unheard of) OR he climbed a tree ...

 

[Deleted member 238131]

Well, if he left to “start a new life” , he had to have some help. If he went up a tree via hopping from his horse, as you posted, he had to eventually come down.

I read the controversy with the Cattle Company & Nicola Lake. Quite interesting.

There is no controversy, we must keep the facts as clear as possible... please don't bring a different ranch in to this thread. Nicola Lake is a Provincial Lake and there's never been any controversy that it's a public lake.

 

[jewelsmac]

Are there independent searches still taking place in the area?