Identified! FL - Big Cypress Natl Preserve, Male hiker, "Denim" & "Mostly Harmless", Jul 2018 - Vance Rodriguez

[MrsWatson]

@Narkj, thank you for sharing your wonderful article.

 

[BigThief]

Hi from a lurker and first time poster. I can't stop thinking about the notebooks, perhaps because I write for a living and often write (on paper) while hiking.

- I sometimes go on a trip with the intention to write, but then don't actually write, for reasons varying from challenging weather conditions to impostor syndrome. At the end of the trip, I usually start writing a lot, feeling I have to come back with something. It appears that MH didn't write at the beginning of his trip. Did he think he couldn't return without having coded the hiking app that he mentioned to several hikers? The cash he carried would have brought him far while hiking, but it is not a lot of money if you need to return to a city and start over. Maybe he felt he couldn't return unless he had an app or game idea worked out, for financial reasons, or because it would have felt like failing; in his own eyes or those of others? The drafts he wrote on paper only had use if they would later be typed into a computer; suggesting that he had the intention of returning to a life where he had access to technology.

- It is mentioned by several people who met MH, that he very much enjoyed hiking the trial. It baffles me that he had a pencil and paper and did he not take a single note about his journey, the nature he was surrounded by, or anything (especially nearer to the the end) that expressed a bit of emotion. Maybe he didn't know another way of expressing himself in writing other than coding (like some of my academic friends who write personal emails that look like research papers ), he did not want to leave any info about who he was, or writing about something entirely different from his situation was a deliberate way of dissociating from his situation?

Of course none of this explains why he died of starvation. I'm sorry if all of this has been posted before!

 

[Endtimesfun]

The code was computer code for a game, if I remember right. He said he was working on an app related to the trail.

I'm posting two years after the discussion I caught from 2018 about the possibility he had Huntington's disease, and the renewed identification effort.

If his cachexia was sudden due to either known or undiagnosed Huntington's (something else could have killed a parent or sibling with it), he may have a sibling out there who doesn't know:

"Weight loss is often present in HD, sometimes prior to the appearance of other symptoms. It might occur despite normal, or even high calorie intake, due to a significant energy expenditure in HD patients."

So to the issue of "did he not want to be found" etc. There's an obligation to any living relatives to exclude a genetic risk. Even if it's a rare disease and he was bent on suicide, like 30% of sufferers attempt. Can everybody agree that it's worth solving this over speaking for him about his wishes? He could have been telling the truth and have a sister around the onset age for symptoms.

 

[Endtimesfun]

The code was computer code for a game, if I remember right. He said he was working on an app related to the trail.

I'm posting two years after the discussion I caught from 2018 about the possibility he had Huntington's disease, and the renewed identification effort.

If his cachexia was sudden due to either known or undiagnosed Huntington's (something else could have killed a parent or sibling with it), he may have a sibling out there who doesn't know:

"Weight loss is often present in HD, sometimes prior to the appearance of other symptoms. It might occur despite normal, or even high calorie intake, due to a significant energy expenditure in HD patients."

So to the issue of "did he not want to be found" etc. There's an obligation to any living relatives to exclude a genetic risk. Even if it's a rare disease and he was bent on suicide, like 30% of sufferers attempt. Can everybody agree that it's worth solving this over speaking for him about his wishes? He could have been telling the truth and have a sister around the onset age for symptoms.

 

[BigThief]

The code was computer code for a game, if I remember right. He said he was working on an app related to the trail.

I thought there was code for a game as well as code / calculations about nutrition bars, that could have been intended for a hiking app or hiking nutrition product?

 

[throwaway crush]

There is a man named Matt Cheraki who went missing February 7th, 2017 in New Haven CT after walking away from a doctors appointment. (potentially relating to MH's undetermined illness?)

"Walking away from a doctors appointment" is also an odd descriptor for a missing persons case. Did they have reason to believe he was going on the run? Did he not return for an important medical procedure?

The problem is there is no photo - he would have been 34 when he went missing. I googled Cheraki and found a newspaper article from 2015 in the Saratoga Falcon that talks about an IC. There has been mention of him having family in Saratoga. Could this be a match?

There is also search results for a CW who lives in Baton Rouge, another place he had mentioned. I understand it to be their first name but you never know, they appear to be a researcher and may use a shortened name for publication purposes.

Additionally the lack of photo makes me assume he was reported missing by someone other than a family member - maybe even the doctor? And if he was without ID Cheraki may be spelled incorrectly, Chouraqui appears to be another spelling <modsnip>

 

[throwaway crush]

I was thinking about this. I could be a really good way to find his family members. If he was adopted, it may be another dead lead.

I actually think there may be a chance he was either adopted or grew up in the foster care system. Based on a few things I've read I have concluded he may have been born with birth defects or malnourished as an infant.

 

[iamnotagolem]

Just some thoughts I’ve had.

He looks super young to me, I think the grey in his beard is why some people think he’s older but his eyes and lack of lines lead me to think he’s younger. My brothers all went gray early to mid 20s, they are all 35-45 now and MH looks considerably younger than even the 35 y/o. I think MH looks late 20s but if medical professionals are certain on the age range then I guess I’ll assume he’s on the lowest end of the range.

What if he didn’t go out there to die? What if he didn’t know he was sick? What if he wanted to “do this while I still can” because he was going to get married? Or have a child? What if there was someone connected to his life who just assumed he abandoned her?

What if he had only recently fallen out with his family on the understanding that he’d make contact when he was ready?

Finally, he looks so familiar to me but I’ve seen lots of people say that. So I think he must just have one of those faces where you feel a connection. I’ve poured over class photos and friends lists on Facebook because he just looks so familiar.

I know there is a lot of hope for the DNA for some answers but I worry that will be another dead end.

 

[Curious_in_NC]

There is a man named Matt Cheraki who went missing February 7th, 2017 in New Haven CT after walking away from a doctors appointment. (potentially relating to MH's undetermined illness?)

"Walking away from a doctors appointment" is also an odd descriptor for a missing persons case. Did they have reason to believe he was going on the run? Did he not return for an important medical procedure?

The problem is there is no photo - he would have been 34 when he went missing. I googled Cheraki and found a newspaper article from 2015 in the Saratoga Falcon that talks about an IC. There has been mention of him having family in Saratoga. Could this be a match?

There is also search results for a CW who lives in Baton Rouge, another place he had mentioned. I understand it to be their first name but you never know, they appear to be a researcher and may use a shortened name for publication purposes.

Additionally the lack of photo makes me assume he was reported missing by someone other than a family member - maybe even the doctor? And if he was without ID Cheraki may be spelled incorrectly, Chouraqui appears to be another spelling <modsnip>

Not much to go on, but here is the NAMUS file The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) NAMUS has no photo and very little description. But it lists brown eyes, which if correct, would probably exclude Cheraki for being a match to MH.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

There is a man named Matt Cheraki who went missing February 7th, 2017 in New Haven CT after walking away from a doctors appointment. (potentially relating to MH's undetermined illness?)

"Walking away from a doctors appointment" is also an odd descriptor for a missing persons case. Did they have reason to believe he was going on the run? Did he not return for an important medical procedure?

The problem is there is no photo - he would have been 34 when he went missing. I googled Cheraki and found a newspaper article from 2015 in the Saratoga Falcon that talks about an IC. There has been mention of him having family in Saratoga. Could this be a match?

There is also search results for a CW who lives in Baton Rouge, another place he had mentioned. I understand it to be their first name but you never know, they appear to be a researcher and may use a shortened name for publication purposes.

Additionally the lack of photo makes me assume he was reported missing by someone other than a family member - maybe even the doctor? And if he was without ID Cheraki may be spelled incorrectly, Chouraqui appears to be another spelling <modsnip>

<modsnip> we can't discuss people who aren't missing. I'll just say that the Saratoga Falcon is a California newspaper, you're right about the Baton Rouge woman's first name being a first name, and I've never heard anything about any connections to Connecticut camp sites.

We can discuss Matthew Cheraki who is officially listed as missing. I can't find any record of him existing other than the NamUs profile, so there's either a typo in his name or he's a recent immigrant. He is listed at 5'6, which is shorter than MH, with brown hair and brown eyes. MH's eyes were gray. Cheraki's clothing is described as, "blue nylon track suit with a logo unknown sport affliation" which IMO is more common for immigrants than native-born Americans. Sometimes NamUs is slow to update and cases aren't removed when the people are found. I think you should contact the New Haven PD to check on this one's missing status.

 

[SugarQueen]

I agree, I’ve never seen anything linking him to CT.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

There is a man named MC who went missing February 7th, 2017 in New Haven CT

Quote RSBM and full name changed to initials.

My thought was that since MC is in NamUs since 2017, he would hopefully have been ruled-out as MH already, but I don't know enough about how they do rule-outs or how they choose who to look at if they don't have automatic DNA rule-outs.

It's always sad when there is no photo.

 

[Sillybilly]

Quote RSBM and full name changed to initials.

My thought was that since MC is in NamUs since 2017, he would hopefully have been ruled-out as MH already, but I don't know enough about how they do rule-outs or how they choose who to look at if they don't have automatic DNA rule-outs.

It's always sad when there is no photo.

Just jumping off your post CB ...

It's okay to use the full name of any missing person who is listed on NAMUS. It's not okay to use full names of living individuals or individuals who are not known to be missing.

 

[mademejoin]

I'm sure it's just coincidence, but that missing man from Connecticut (Matt Cheraki) shares a last name with the former CEO of a motorcycle company, and that man (DC) has eerily similar hair, complexion, eyes, eyebrows, nose, and smile to Mostly Harmless. The odds are almost zero, but if Mostly Harmless is Matt Cheraki, could he be the grown estranged son of DC?

The internet says DC has three children, is from France originally, lived in NYC a few years ago, and then was transferred overseas for work.

 

[mademejoin]

I agree, I’ve never seen anything linking him to CT.

CT is only 2 hours from NYC, which is what got me speculating.

 

[mademejoin]

He is listed at 5'6, which is shorter than MH, with brown hair and brown eyes. MH's eyes were gray.

If the report was filed by a friend or acquaintance, the height discrepancy would be within the real of possibility. (I'd have said, "He's short for a guy, maybe five six or five seven?") and plenty of databases don't offer gray as an eye color. Even if it's available, people might describe gray eyes as blue-ish, hazel, green-ish, or brown-ish, in my experience.

 

[SugarQueen]

CT is only 2 hours from NYC, which is what got me speculating.

I know where CT is and I understand speculating. It’s all good.

 

[MichelleBlue]

CT is only 2 hours from NYC, which is what got me speculating.

IMO, yes CT is very connected to NYC and the downstate area in that many people commute. It is also an even shorter drive (or train ride) from Bear Mountain to CT.

 

[mademejoin]

Okay, having read all five (?) WS threads and way too many other pages about this guy, here's my mental picture of MH's story:

1. If he worked in tech for a decade, but lived in NYC, that would have put him starting that career right in the midst of the Great Recession and student loan debt crisis. There's a good chance that he worked for a decade, just to survive and/or pay off his student loans, and didn't have much to show for it.
   
   
2. He loses his job, maybe relating to his health issues. Maybe has a break-up with the ex-girlfriend someone mentioned (I can't find the source for that one). And then maybe also gets a diagnosis of something that tells him, your good health days are numbered (the swollen joints, knee braces, toe, limited distance each day? speculation about some kind of early stage RA or other arthritis seems reasonable)... all happening right when he also can't afford the cost of medical care (because: health insurance).
   
   
3. He cashes out whatever he's got left, throws a few possessions into storage somewhere, and heads out to the trail, hoping the time in the woods will help him sort out his next steps.
   
   
4. He feels happier than he has in a long time. Hiking is hard, but he takes it slow and for a while, it seems like maybe he can outrun his disease. He's inspired by the woods, and starts thinking of start-up ideas, app ideas, nutrition wafer ideas... maybe he can come up with something where he can work when he feels good, rest when he doesn't, and make enough money to afford health insurance.
   
   
5. He's a quiet guy, typical for open source IT guys, a little paranoid about information security (hence the lack of social media, cell phone, credit cards), maybe he walked away from a lease or debt collector or something and worries he'll be tracked down. He probably has a GitHub account, but good luck finding it, and he's probably never posted a pic of himself to the Internet.
   
   
6. If he has family, they're probably estranged. He may have a few buddies from college, but he's more of a loner. Friendly, but keeps to himself, other than the occasional person he clicks with on the trail.
   
   
7. Somewhere in the last few months of his life, he gets very, very sick. Maybe something like norovirus, maybe celiac disease, but something that makes him very ill, yet not so sick that he's willing to make his way to a hospital and rack up a big medical bill. By the time he realizes it's serious (because he's able to keep down a little food and water, over time, and it seems each day like he's improving...) it's too late. He can't find the stamina to pack up and get help. He pitches his tent one last time, hoping someone will come along, but by the time they do, he's gone.

 

[Laughing]

If the report was filed by a friend or acquaintance, the height discrepancy would be within the real of possibility. (I'd have said, "He's short for a guy, maybe five six or five seven?") and plenty of databases don't offer gray as an eye color. Even if it's available, people might describe gray eyes as blue-ish, hazel, green-ish, or brown-ish, in my experience.

Also, friend report, or even doctor's office -- could be unaware of contacts & those can be colored.

jmho ymmv lrr