Found Deceased CO - Saza Lee, 54, didn’t return from bike ride, Longmont, 10 Sep 2021

[ZhaZhaHa]

Looking at the photo--It's a Trek, which according to Mr. Carbuff, who bikes, is a quality brand, but not a $20K racing bike or anything. It appears to be dark blue or black with white trim.

Mr. Carbuff says Mr. Lee could go as far as he wanted with it, on bike trails or roads, even cross country. It's not an off-road bike though.

eta: it doesn't look new to me.

Big issue in Colorado and in Boulder county....everybody jogs and bikes. It's a thing here. So finding the bike under another cyclist is a big ask. And Trek is a very popular brand here. It's higher quality and lower price than the REALLY expensive ones. Easy to find and buy.

 

[JnRyan]

Big issue in Colorado and in Boulder county....everybody jogs and bikes. It's a thing here. So finding the bike under another cyclist is a big ask. And Trek is a very popular brand here. It's higher quality and lower price than the REALLY expensive ones. Easy to find and buy.

ESPECIALLY Boulder. Boulder is known as one of the more popular cycling locations in the USA and one of the biggest online retailers of bike products, Excel Sports, is based in Boulder.

That said, I was really surprised when I searched bike shops in the area and I only found one - Longmont Velo - that had anything on their website or Facebook page about Saza Lee.

 

[carbuff]

That's surprising. The bicycle crowd usually sticks together. Are they not aware of the case? If I was out there, I'd take flyers around to all the stores.

I'm not surprised that Trek is popular there--it's big here too. Good quality at a much better price than the department store brands. Mr. Carbuff's bike is a Specialized but mine's a Trek. Unfortunately I don't ride much any more because of balance issues. Getting old sucks.

 

[AlwaysReading]

Someone upthread wondered about money issues. The news stories mention that he works as the Executive Director of Life Care Center - according to the COVID outbreak data it looks like the the center in Longmont had approximately 40 covid deaths - I wonder if that is related?

 

[JnRyan]

At this point, over 2 weeks later, I don't know how LE can state they do not believe he was a 'victim of a random crime'.
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...woman-seeks-answers-in-husbands-disappearance

If he was a victim of being hit by a motorist wouldn't that be random? Especially if the motorist took steps to conceal the accident? To be sure most of the time when this has occurred the motorist either calls 911 or flees the scene, but there have been cases where the victim and bike were taken away and placed else where. It is one of the theories to the disappearance of Tara Calico. He was riding at night....victim of drunk driver?

 

[slowpoke]

At this point, over 2 weeks later, I don't know how LE can state they do not believe he was a 'victim of a random crime'.
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...woman-seeks-answers-in-husbands-disappearance

If he was a victim of being hit by a motorist wouldn't that be random? Especially if the motorist took steps to conceal the accident? To be sure most of the time when this has occurred the motorist either calls 911 or flees the scene, but there have been cases where the victim and bike were taken away and placed else where. It is one of the theories to the disappearance of Tara Calico. He was riding at night....victim of drunk driver?

MOO, I’ve got to believe the last “cell phone activity..along the bike path near the park” (the police’s statement) must have factored strongly into the police believing he was “not a victim of a random crime.” It must have showed intent not to return in some way. Yet, even if he left/started out voluntarily missing (which we don’t know if he did) something untoward still could have happened to him, either of his own doing (self harm) or at the hands of another by now. JMO and thoughts

 

[JnRyan]

Wow! This case is really starting to drop off the radar quickly. A search of the internet over the last 7 days doesn't really provide anything. LE obviously has considered his phone activity as it was stated his phone's last activity/location was known. (So why couldn't they not continue to track it after that point?) I still wonder if he isn't the victim of a hit and run. If he had an accident or health issue on the trail he would likely have been found by now. Purposely disappearing? I don't see that on a bike. But then we've just had a case else where in CO - Suzanne Morphew - where the missing person was supposedly on bike and it now appears to not be the case. I'm not putting that high on my list of possibilities though.

 

[JEM1975]

We are working on getting Saza's wife verified and she will be happy to share all of the information she has! Please keep sharing and talking about Saza. He is still missing and we are working on a few different things to help get the word out about Saza!

 

[mlhenn]

This isn’t a new article, but I wanted to repost it for the wording of the article.


Update: Longmont Police as of Monday afternoon are still seeking the assistance of the public in locating a missing Longmont man, Saza Lee.

Police now believe Lee left his home Friday, Sept. 10, on his own accord and that he is not a victim of a random crime. Nor is this a random disappearance, Longmont Police spokeswoman Robin Ericson said in an email.

Police are asking that if anyone has information that would lead to the location of Lee, to call Det. Piotrowski at 303-774-4478.

Police looking for missing man - The Longmont Leader

When I read this it makes me think for whatever reason LE believes his disappearance was intentional and not crime related YET they still need to locate him.
So my question is what are scenarios where a person disappears in this manner yet LE still looks for them?
How much does LE really know about the circumstances around his disappearance?
I feel like if it were a case of an adult wanting to take a break or start a new life, then LE wouldn’t still be searching? Right?
Another question! Would LE share their findings with his wife or are their circumstances where LE would be obligated to keep those details from a spouse?

 

[mlhenn]

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...woman-seeks-answers-in-husbands-disappearance

To Note:
Bobbie Lee's husband, Saza Lee, hasn't been seen since Sept. 10. Bobbie Lee says he came back from work and planned to go on a bike ride from the area of Main Street and Mountain View Avenue in Longmont heading west on the bike trail to Kanemoto Park.

"He left about 8 p.m. to go on his bike ride. The last text message I got from him was 8:13 p.m., and he was supposed to be home around 10 to 10:30 p.m. and he never came home," Bobbie Lee said. "I just texted him and told him that I was going to Loveland and I'd be back and he said, 'OK, baby. I love you.'"

Officers said his last cell phone activity was along the bike path near the park.


Questions
•Was his last cell phone activity that LE is referring to the last text his wife received? Or did Saza communicate with anyone else after his text to his wife at 8:13?
•Is the bike route his wife states that he planned to use that night one he specifically shared with her or is she assuming that’s the route he was going to take because that’s what he normally did?

Sorry for all the questions. Not that I expect someone to have all the answers to them; just trying to wrap my head around this case and try to make some sort of sense out of it.

 

[mlhenn]

Longmont police continue search for missing 54-year-old Longmont man – Longmont Times-Call

This article was updated September 27.

At 8 p.m. Sept. 10, a man who goes by the name Saza left for a bike ride from the area of Main Street and Mountain View Avenue. He was estimated to return about 10 p.m. that night, according to past reporting.

“His route generally takes him along the Longmont greenways to Sandstone Ranch and then west toward Hover Street,” Longmont Public Safety spokeswoman Robin Erickson wrote in an email. “He did not return home.”

“We have searched Kanemoto Park to Main Street and all the way to Sandstone Ranch on the bike trail,” he said. “We have searched with search dogs and people. We have hit that area very hard.”

Following his disappearance, Saza was spotted on surveillance camera biking toward the south side of Longmont, Cage said.

“We are actively looking and following any and every lead that we get,” he said. “If anybody sees him and knows anything please contact us.”

 

[Curious_in_NC]

RSBM
Police now believe Lee left his home Friday, Sept. 10, on his own accord and that he is not a victim of a random crime. Nor is this a random disappearance, Longmont Police spokeswoman Robin Ericson said in an email.

I apologize in advance - it's because I took courses in statistics and logic in college, but here's what I interpreted this as:

"not a victim of a random crime" = either he's a victim of a non-random crime or he's not a crime victim

not "a random disappearance" = either a deliberate disappearance, not a disappearance (we know where he is but can't disclose it?), or it's a statistically non-random disappearance (ie, it's entirely predictable, people disappear every Friday in Longmont after 10 pm)

I'm sure I'm reading too much into this. My hunch is Ms. Ericson just means they know more about this case but can't disclose it. I'm wondering, has LE been involved in, or supportive of in some way, of any of the local search efforts?

 

[JnRyan]

Police now believe Lee left his home Friday, Sept. 10, on his own accord and that he is not a victim of a random crime. Nor is this a random disappearance, Longmont Police spokeswoman Robin Ericson said in an email.

By non-random could mean he was targeted. That is, someone wasn't just after the first person that came along, but Saza Lee specifically. So does LE have POI's?

Of course, someone would have to know his USUAL routine/route.

That said, I have a difficult time with my theory above. As a cyclist, when I hear of someone who doesn't return from a bike ride it usually involves a vehicle accident. But it in almost all of those cases the driver either remains on the scene or flees immediately afterwards. Rarely - although it has happened - does the driver attempt to hide the bike and victim. Whatever happened, occurred at night, in the dark, where actions have a greater chance of being concealed. Also more likely to cross paths with a drunk driver. But then that would be a random event, something LE doesn't believe occurred.

So, I'm at a loss as far as a possible theory. The non-random event I'm hoping for is that he voluntarily disappeared and will turn up sometime later.

 

[slowpoke]

By non-random could mean he was targeted. That is, someone wasn't just after the first person that came along, but Saza Lee specifically. So does LE have POI's?

Of course, someone would have to know his USUAL routine/route.

That said, I have a difficult time with my theory above. As a cyclist, when I hear of someone who doesn't return from a bike ride it usually involves a vehicle accident. But it in almost all of those cases the driver either remains on the scene or flees immediately afterwards. Rarely - although it has happened - does the driver attempt to hide the bike and victim. Whatever happened, occurred at night, in the dark, where actions have a greater chance of being concealed. Also more likely to cross paths with a drunk driver. But then that would be a random event, something LE doesn't believe occurred.

So, I'm at a loss as far as a possible theory. The non-random event I'm hoping for is that he voluntarily disappeared and will turn up sometime later.

Within comments, admin of the page said this:

Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience
“We do not believe he is missing due to an accident. We believe he is missing based on his own decision. Longmont Police staff, as well as dog rescue groups, searched the vast portion of south Longmont within a short period of time of his disappearance. We have been unable to find him, his bike, or his backpack. We still have staff assigned who are working on this daily.
2 wks”

Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience FB
Log into Facebook | Facebook

 

[LaborDayRN]

Within comments, admin of the page said this:

Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience
“We do not believe he is missing due to an accident. We believe he is missing based on his own decision. Longmont Police staff, as well as dog rescue groups, searched the vast portion of south Longmont within a short period of time of his disappearance. We have been unable to find him, his bike, or his backpack. We still have staff assigned who are working on this daily.
2 wks”

Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience FB
Log into Facebook | Facebook

"We believe he is missing based on his own decision"
I can think of a few scenario's that would fit as being "his own decision".
1. He left of his own accord to start a life somewhere else.
2. He left on his own accord to start a life with someone else.
3. Self harm.
Any other ideas?

 

[slowpoke]

"We believe he is missing based on his own decision"
I can think of a few scenario's that would fit as being "his own decision".
1. He left of his own accord to start a life somewhere else.
2. He left on his own accord to start a life with someone else.
3. Self harm.
Any other ideas?

Instead of leaving to move towards something, he might be just leaving to get away from a situation that is overwhelming. Too much stress? Legal trouble?

I mentioned in an earlier post that this case reminds me of another recent case (he lived in California in a town called Copperopolis (isn’t that a great name?) in case you want to look articles up. WS has since removed the thread.) It seems to have been a mental health issue. Maybe under too much stress, but I don’t know what the stressors were. He was located and reunited with his family, but details are private. However, the wife has made statements in the news saying he is in a fragile state, and also stated, "If you see someone with stress, try to help, try to take the burden off them." Again, this is the Copperopolis case.

Some of you mentioned the pressure nursing homes have been under to keep their residents safe due to Covid-19. Certainly seems possible, since his job is Executive Director at one.

 

[JnRyan]

Within comments, admin of the page said this:

Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience
“We do not believe he is missing due to an accident. We believe he is missing based on his own decision. Longmont Police staff, as well as dog rescue groups, searched the vast portion of south Longmont within a short period of time of his disappearance. We have been unable to find him, his bike, or his backpack. We still have staff assigned who are working on this daily.
2 wks”

Longmont Fire, Police and Community Health and Resilience FB
Log into Facebook | Facebook

Wow! Seems like LE knows something, that hasn't been released to the public, that indicates this. My automatic theory in these cases is that an accident is involved, but LE seems to believe that is not the case.

 

[JnRyan]

He's been missing about a month now and things seem to have gone quiet in the media and with LE. I am surprised the cycling community hasn't done or said much.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

He's been missing about a month now and things seem to have gone quiet in the media and with LE. I am surprised the cycling community hasn't done or said much.

I was curious what bike organizations might be around Longmont. There's this one that seems to include people who would do that sort of biking.
Bicycle Longmont
But I didn't see any mention of Mr. Lee there. They even had a large event a week after he went missing that used many of the same greenway trails he was believed to have been on. Maybe there were posters up or they were distributed there. Despite the name it was apparently a daytime ride.
Lightshine Radler Ride 2021
RIDE ROUTES

 

[slowpoke]

I wonder if Saza’s wife was told anything regarding the nature of Saza’s call to his boss? Who would be Saza’s boss, by the way; do we know?

In this article, Saza’s wife said she texted Saza to let him know she was going to Loveland.
"He left about 8 p.m. to go on his bike ride. The last text message I got from him was 8:13 p.m., and he was supposed to be home around 10 to 10:30 p.m. and he never came home," Bobbie Lee said. "I just texted him and told him that I was going to Loveland and I'd be back and he said, 'OK, baby. I love you.'" https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...woman-seeks-answers-in-husbands-disappearance

I wonder what’s in Loveland that she’d be going there that time of night? Was she going to be gone long? I ask because do they know for certain he didn’t come back to the house while she was gone to Loveland, before disappearing?