Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male Hiker, Denim & “Mostly Harmless” July 2018 - Vance Rodriguez #2

[Owutatangledweb]

We see pics of M.H. with the braces on during the A.T. hike. In Florida its mostly easy going flat land hiking. The guys that found him. Originally had a hard time getting to where he was. The Big Cypress Preserve is a huge piece of land. There are many unmarked trails. There are also many that become submerged during the rainy season in Florida. He could have been there for many days. If he were ill and got turned around or wasnt able to travel his intended route, I dont think there would have been many or any people to come across him that he would have been able to reach out to. Also and I know this is a stretch, there are people that get hypothermia in Florida. It actually happens a lot. With a low body weight and afternoon/evening soaking storm and dip in temp could have caused this. I know the timeline for his Florida hike puts him in the window for wild weather fluctuations. I wish someone could put together a photo time line. If there already isnt one.

There is one in this thread somewhere which is imposed over a map of the course of the trail.

 

[pppsuedio]

I wish someone could put together a photo time line. If there already isnt one.

There is one in this thread somewhere which is imposed over a map of the course of the trail.

Here it is

FL - Big Cypress National Preserve, Male hiker, "Denim" and "Mostly Harmless", 23 July 2018 #2

 

[MadMcGoo]

The photos someone recently posted (again, I apologize that I didn't quote your message, I mean no disrespect) are ones that I've seen but only cropped portions of them. Are these photos in their entirety new to anyone else? I may have missed them, but I don't recall seeing them anywhere. If not, I wonder why they're slowly starting to surface now.

ETA: And where are they coming from or being found?

 

[Ursamajr]

Although there are no photos yet, and the height doesn't match, I think this new NamUs MP case might be MH - Michael Paul Ozalas.

His nickname is listed as Mike, and I found this C# Corner profile for a Mike Ozalas - he only posted this one question as far as I could tell.

I had a gut reaction to Mike Ozalas that was strong enough that I have already emailed both the agencies involved (well, hopefully I used the right email addresses to contact them!) I am not in the US otherwise I actually might've called them.

I'm having a gut feeling about this too. Weird thing is: NameUs states this - "Subject has no known: vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s), active social media, phone number or means of financial resources." Then who reported him missing? How do they know where he was last seen? Would skipping town while having a warrant for your arrest end up with you being listed on NameUs?

 

[Ursamajr]

I have found a phone number, last address, email address and possible relatives of a 'Michael P. Ozalas" (current age 40) in State College, Pennsylvania.

What the heck can I do with this without getting dangerously close to doxing.

Edit: looked up the address. A new tenant lives in the apartment. MPO is gone. This is the last known address for MPO that I can find.

Edit #2: This person also lived in Lehigh County - same as listed in NameUs

 

[Owutatangledweb]

I'm having a gut feeling about this too. Weird thing is: NameUs states this - "Subject has no known: vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s), active social media, phone number or means of financial resources." Then who reported him missing? How do they know where he was last seen? Would skipping town while having a warrant for your arrest end up with you being listed on NameUs?

Maybe wife or ex-wife?

 

[rinnai]

Maybe wife or ex-wife?

Or a neighbour? That could explain why there is no photo.

 

[MichelleBlue]

I’ve only ever emailed them, but if I were to call them instead, I think they’d still be able to tell me “yes” or “no” during the same conversation. As in, within a few minutes.

(Quote snipped) Did you email the CCSO? How soon did you hear back? Just curious as I didn't get a response about my MP submission.

 

[mp_1989]

I'm having a gut feeling about this too. Weird thing is: NameUs states this - "Subject has no known: vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s), active social media, phone number or means of financial resources." Then who reported him missing? How do they know where he was last seen? Would skipping town while having a warrant for your arrest end up with you being listed on NameUs?

Maybe his work reported him or something? Or whoever he may have been renting from?

 

[rinnai]

Maybe his work reported him or something? Or whoever he may have been renting from?

Unfortunately, NamUs states MPO has no known "vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s) (...) or means of financial resources". It's really puzzling.

 

[PatLaurel]

Although there are no photos yet, and the height doesn't match, I think this new NamUs MP case might be MH - Michael Paul Ozalas.

His nickname is listed as Mike, and I found this C# Corner profile for a Mike Ozalas - he only posted this one question as far as I could tell.

I had a gut reaction to Mike Ozalas that was strong enough that I have already emailed both the agencies involved (well, hopefully I used the right email addresses to contact them!) I am not in the US otherwise I actually might've called them.

There's a Mike Ozalas from Pennsylvania on FB. If the same person as the missing MPO, he doesn't resemble MH at all...

 

[UnlicensedPI]

I'm having a gut feeling about this too. Weird thing is: NameUs states this - "Subject has no known: vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s), active social media, phone number or means of financial resources." Then who reported him missing? How do they know where he was last seen? Would skipping town while having a warrant for your arrest end up with you being listed on NameUs?

Probably his relatives reported him missing. He has no court records in PA, FWIW. He has a Facebook page with one photo and relatives as his friends.

 

[rinnai]

His nickname is listed as Mike, and I found this C# Corner profile for a Mike Ozalas - he only posted this one question as far as I could tell.

(Quote snipped) I've found another profile for a Mike Ozalas who is a C# Developer. If you look at the URL, it's "mpozalas" - Mike Paul Ozalas.
www.arc.dev/@mpozalas
The only thing is, there is a comment from 2019 from someone who possibly used his services. Maybe these two profiles are connected.

 

[carbuff]

So authorities will not be submitting the DNA of MH but at the same time they are looking to identify him?? How can that be??
I'm no Einstein, but how are missing men being ruled out of there is no DNA for comparison? X

That's not quite accurate. They have and are using his identification DNA.

The DNA that Florida restricts is genetic/family searches, which is not the same thing or the same use. We don't know whether they'll be submitting it, only that there are restrictions on the use and hoops to jump through. For all we know, they are working on it or have already done it.

Also, there are many other ways to exclude a particular person. They have dentals and fingerprints, both of which are highly reliable when available. They've told us that Denim didn't have any tattoos, so anybody with ink can't be a match. He doesn't have any scars, so anybody with major surgical scars can be ruled out. And so forth.

They've put his fingerprints in the national fingerprint system (I forget the acronym--AFIS I think?), so if he had ever been in the military, had a major arrest, applied for a security clearance, etc. he would have showed up.

They're being very thorough. Unlike some other agencies and cases, Denim's LE has done everything right.

 

[carbuff]

I'm having a gut feeling about this too. Weird thing is: NameUs states this - "Subject has no known: vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s), active social media, phone number or means of financial resources." Then who reported him missing? How do they know where he was last seen? Would skipping town while having a warrant for your arrest end up with you being listed on NameUs?

A family member? It doesn't say he hasn't got relatives.

 

[mp_1989]

Unfortunately, NamUs states MPO has no known "vehicle, employment, friend(s), associate(s) (...) or means of financial resources". It's really puzzling.

I was loosely thinking that he may have gone MIA on job and accomodation and that's why they had said the above... ie. He had those things but now does not. Feel like sometimes the admin side of things can be a bit shakey. Just a thought

 

[coffeeandacig]

I was loosely thinking that he may have gone MIA on job and accomodation and that's why they had said the above... ie. He had those things but now does not. Feel like sometimes the admin side of things can be a bit shakey. Just a thought

Looks like he's missing from horse country in PA. Maybe he was a stable hand, who lived on property.

 

[rinnai]

There is no real way of knowing at this point, I suppose. It'll definitely be very interesting to see where this case goes. Especially since circumstances surrounding MPO's disappearance really seem to align with how MH managed to go off the grid seemingly without anyone looking for him. They both left no trace behind.

We can't even be sure when the family (or whomever reported him missing) realized MPO hasn't been seen since the beginning on 2017. Maybe they weren't close and didn't think there was anything wrong. There aren't any news articles about MPO or anything out there, yet other people are reported missing on the daily basis (unfortunately...) in PA.

 

[MadMcGoo]

@MichelleBlue I hope this helps, I’ve sent at least one other possible match to the same address with a similar response, this is just the first one I found ...

I sent a possible match to CCSO via email on
August 26, 2019 at 9:26 AM

I received the following email response on
August 26, 2019 at 12:57 PM

After reviewing the case file and consulting with the District Twenty Medical Examiner’s Office, it does not appear that the two are a match. Sean Christian Nooney has an abdominal scar and a scar on his forearm that are not present on the unidentified hiker. In addition, the dental records are NOT a match. Thank you all for your time and effort.

Det D. Hurm
Collier County Sheriff’s Office

ETA: there were other exchanges in between those two messages, so the initial response came sooner than 12:57 pm...FWIW

 

[CCJD]

Apparently, FDLE (Florida Dept of Law Enforcement) works with Parabon.

FDLE Genetic Genealogy Investigations program solves cold cases in first year

Posted on October 14, 2019

FDLE’s Genetic Genealogy Investigations program is one year old this month. During that time, four suspects have been identified using the power of genetic genealogy, solving cases that are more than a decade old.

“One year ago, FDLE created its genetic genealogy investigations program to help law enforcement agencies solve cold case homicides and sexual assaults,” said FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen. “Today, Florida is a national leader in using genetic genealogy as an investigative tool.”

“Florida is unique to have a genetic genealogy team at the state level,” said FDLE Chief of Forensic Services Lori Napolitano. “Our team continues to move forward on additional cases statewide, so I know you’ll be hearing more success stories from us.”

“With Lori Napolitano at the helm, FDLE has established one of the most effective investigative genetic genealogy units in the country,” said Parabon NanoLabs CEO Steve Armentrout. “FDLE leadership deserves recognition for providing these new investigative capabilities to law enforcement agencies throughout Florida. Parabon is proud to collaborate with Lori and her team on these investigations. Through our combined efforts and the dedicated investigators we serve, we are bringing justice to cases that may otherwise have never been solved.”

More at link: FDLE Genetic Genealogy Investigations program solves cold cases in first year

Same article was posted on FDLE website but it had no date (that I saw): FDLE Genetic Genealogy Investigations program solves cold cases in first year