Found Deceased MN - George Musser, 20, missing from Stillwater bar after closing, 24 Dec 2022

[savagewoman]

"He was just a great kid": Family grappling with heartbreak after George Musser, 20, found dead near Stillwater

Musser's family says police have videos of him in different places confirming he was traveling through town. Officers are still investigating the case.

Missing 20-year-old George Musser found dead after Christmas Day search
Ally McKay was one of the last people to see him.
"At approximately 1:30 a.m., he came up to the booth I was sitting in with my friends and he was talking to us," said McKay. "And he told us he had to go to the bathroom and then he never returned."

IMO
No one mentioned that he was drinking (he was 20 yo, 21 yo is legal drinking age) and/or sober enough to drive.
Side note... not victim blaming but trying to understand... are bars held liable if someone uses a fake ID and has a car accident etc?

 

[KPO]

IMO, there will definitely be an autopsy. It's important to know if there was any obvious foul play and cause of death. The placement of his personal belongings already suggests that there was possibly something "off".

Also IMO, the bar will be held at fault of some sort (at least a civil suit) if they either served him alcohol or kicked him out if he was found ill. If they served him, absolutely.

So many 20 something's have put themselves in compromising situations similar to this and things played out differently whether it be by random chance or someone looking out for them (a friend, a stranger, a bartender). I've been in some absolutely terrible situations while drinking during my youth and made it out seemingly unscathed. Even then, I didn't learn from those lessons until I was older.

 

[Jsizzle]

IMO, there will definitely be an autopsy. It's important to know if there was any obvious foul play and cause of death. The placement of his personal belongings already suggests that there was possibly something "off".

Also IMO, the bar will be held at fault of some sort (at least a civil suit) if they either served him alcohol or kicked him out if he was found ill. If they served him, absolutely.

So many 20 something's have put themselves in compromising situations similar to this and things played out differently whether it be by random chance or someone looking out for them (a friend, a stranger, a bartender). I've been in some absolutely terrible situations while drinking during my youth and made it out seemingly unscathed. Even then, I didn't learn from those lessons until I was older.

BBM: same here!! I look back at a lot of youth and I can’t believe I’m still alive.

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

yep, MN has dram shop laws and the bar will be in trouble. The family will get a financial award but that's of no comfort when someone dies IMO...terribly sad...

 

[savagewoman]

Officials: Initial evidence shows George Musser died of cold weather exposure

Preliminary evidence shows George Musser, the 20-year-old found dead near Stillwater, died of cold weather exposure, according to authorities.

Musser left Brian's Bar in downtown Stillwater at around 2:10 a.m. Saturday morning and was later reported missing. His body was found Sunday night in neighboring Baytown Township.

On Wednesday, the Washington County Sheriff's Office released more information in the investigation, saying Musser left the bar in subzero temperatures wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, stocking cap, and shoes.

"A progression of video footage from traffic and surveillance cameras tracked an individual matching Musser's description as he traveled alone and on foot, leading from downtown Stillwater towards the area where his body was ultimately located," the sheriff's office said.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office, which formally identified the body as Musser, says the preliminary evidence shows he died "as a result of cold weather exposure," according to the sheriff's office. However, the official cause and manner of death is pending toxicology results. It could take up to 60 days to complete.

 

[KPO]

Officials: Initial evidence shows George Musser died of cold weather exposure

Preliminary evidence shows George Musser, the 20-year-old found dead near Stillwater, died of cold weather exposure, according to authorities.

Musser left Brian's Bar in downtown Stillwater at around 2:10 a.m. Saturday morning and was later reported missing. His body was found Sunday night in neighboring Baytown Township.

On Wednesday, the Washington County Sheriff's Office released more information in the investigation, saying Musser left the bar in subzero temperatures wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, stocking cap, and shoes.

"A progression of video footage from traffic and surveillance cameras tracked an individual matching Musser's description as he traveled alone and on foot, leading from downtown Stillwater towards the area where his body was ultimately located," the sheriff's office said.

The Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office, which formally identified the body as Musser, says the preliminary evidence shows he died "as a result of cold weather exposure," according to the sheriff's office. However, the official cause and manner of death is pending toxicology results. It could take up to 60 days to complete.

So sad. At 20 years old, death isn't a primary concern. There's a feeling of invincibility and especially when drinking, you simply can't rationally think ahead and plan next steps to be safe.

Poor young man. Very tragic. I still don't understanding the placement of his keys and other things in multiple different areas. Maybe he fell...maybe he was frustrated and threw them. I wish he had walked back into the bar and asked for help.

 

[Megnut]

If he was kicked out, maybe his keys and wallet were thrown out after him. And he couldn't find them. So he tried to walk...

JMO

 

[all_things_resolved]

I wonder if he realised he shouldn’t drive, so he threw his keys and wallet frustrated and attempted to walk instead and then he got lost given he was sick and feeling disoriented.

 

[Ceska]

He wasn't dressed for the cold... I find it difficult that no one saw him walk out of the bar, and not dressed for the weather. It was so bad that night there were warnings out about the cold. For days they had been calling it a deadly situation due to the extreme weather. Where were his friends, and if the bar did kick people out, I hope the bar is investigated. ETA: I find it odd that the bar has not issued any sort of condolences (on their FB page), and are now not letting people comment on their page.

 

[InternetGhost91]

years ago when i was drinking at a bar, i stepped outside because i’d had too much and got sick. in the parking lot feeling unwell and not thinking straight, i just wanted to sit down, so i found a spot. it was very cold, subzero temps, i was just in a light jacket. luckily a couple walking into the bar noticed me and took me inside with them. my friends didn’t even notice i was missing. what i’m trying to say is, it’s probably easier for this kind of thing to happen than we realize (JMO)

i think about situations like that when i hear about a case like george musser or many other missing young men. i just got lucky. i feel terrible for his family.

this feels like a true accident (JMO) - is LE investigating a potential crime now that the initial autopsy is back?

 

[eekasaur]

I’m thinking of George’s family during this difficult time. Poor George…IMO this was a tragic accident. So, so terrible. I might have missed it…how cold was it that night? I know he wasn’t dressed appropriately, but this California girl is trying to figure out just how cold it was

 

[Justwantedtocomment]

I’m thinking of George’s family during this difficult time. Poor George…IMO this was a tragic accident. So, so terrible. I might have missed it…how cold was it that night? I know he wasn’t dressed appropriately, but this California girl is trying to figure out just how cold it was

(First post here, so please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong / missing acronyms etc)

Very cold. Not sure about Stillwater, but KMSP Minneapolis Airport (about 25-30 mi SW from Stillwater), at 2:53AM, was -4F, NW winds at 23mph, gusting to 29mph. Based on the NWS windchill chart, that's a windchill of -29F to -31F. That's frostbite in 30 minutes, right on the border with 10 minutes.
(Wind Chill Chart)

-4F with no wind isn't too bad, but it's brutal with wind. (MOO) The winds were so bad Minnesota shut down many interstate and highway sections earlier that day (and maybe overnight?) due to blizzards. My friend said she's lived in Minnesota 38 years and couldn't recall them ever closing roads in such a wide geographic region before. It was exceptionally bad weather.

Some extra info for those wondering about how this could happen:

1. Brain impairment starts when the body's temp drops to 91F.

2. "Alcohol use opens up blood vessels near the skin and on extremities, which increases heat loss from the body.7 Because alcohol can produce a feeling of warmth, it tends to decrease a person’s perception of cold, delays the onset of shivering and reduces its duration, and can impede the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. "

(Hypothermia: Understanding and Prevention | Minnesota Sea Grant)

I have watched a very drunk person when it was -22F out, and he didn't seem to bothered by the cold, in fact I think he would have been content to curl up in the snow by a tree and "sleep it off." I can't say everyone who gets drunk will experience the cold this way, but I thought I'd share my personal observation, since it's an unusual situation.

I feel very much for GM's family, but it is good they found his body.

This situation reminded me of Bryce Borca in nearby Eagan. MOO that he met a similar fate. (I hope I tagged that opinion correctly?) I hope he can be found soon too.

 

[OnlyFacts]

-4F with no wind isn't too bad

Yes it is. No one in this area can believe he walked as far as he did. jmo

 

[Justwantedtocomment]

Yes it is. No one in this area can believe he walked as far as he did. jmo

That's why I wrote "MOO" -- my own opinion I think most people would agree with you

His outfit wouldn't be unusual for a college kid waiting for a campus shuttle on a cold, still morning, at least not where I went to school (which is a little colder than the Cities) The girls wouldn't even wear hats because they didn't want to mess up their hair. But it's definitely not an outfit meant for walking, even if there's no wind. ☹

It was crazy windy when he was out, I can't believe he walked that far either! It's so sad ☹

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

(First post here, so please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong / missing acronyms etc)

Very cold. Not sure about Stillwater, but KMSP Minneapolis Airport (about 25-30 mi SW from Stillwater), at 2:53AM, was -4F, NW winds at 23mph, gusting to 29mph. Based on the NWS windchill chart, that's a windchill of -29F to -31F. That's frostbite in 30 minutes, right on the border with 10 minutes.
(Wind Chill Chart)

-4F with no wind isn't too bad, but it's brutal with wind. (MOO) The winds were so bad Minnesota shut down many interstate and highway sections earlier that day (and maybe overnight?) due to blizzards. My friend said she's lived in Minnesota 38 years and couldn't recall them ever closing roads in such a wide geographic region before. It was exceptionally bad weather.

Some extra info for those wondering about how this could happen:

1. Brain impairment starts when the body's temp drops to 91F.

2. "Alcohol use opens up blood vessels near the skin and on extremities, which increases heat loss from the body.7 Because alcohol can produce a feeling of warmth, it tends to decrease a person’s perception of cold, delays the onset of shivering and reduces its duration, and can impede the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. "

(Hypothermia: Understanding and Prevention | Minnesota Sea Grant)

I have watched a very drunk person when it was -22F out, and he didn't seem to bothered by the cold, in fact I think he would have been content to curl up in the snow by a tree and "sleep it off." I can't say everyone who gets drunk will experience the cold this way, but I thought I'd share my personal observation, since it's an unusual situation.

I feel very much for GM's family, but it is good they found his body.

This situation reminded me of Bryce Borca in nearby Eagan. MOO that he met a similar fate. (I hope I tagged that opinion correctly?) I hope he can be found soon too.

Welcome and thank you for sharing this perspective, and the informative post.

 

[NeverPersonal]

IMO, there will definitely be an autopsy. It's important to know if there was any obvious foul play and cause of death. The placement of his personal belongings already suggests that there was possibly something "off".

Also IMO, the bar will be held at fault of some sort (at least a civil suit) if they either served him alcohol or kicked him out if he was found ill. If they served him, absolutely.

So many 20 something's have put themselves in compromising situations similar to this and things played out differently whether it be by random chance or someone looking out for them (a friend, a stranger, a bartender). I've been in some absolutely terrible situations while drinking during my youth and made it out seemingly unscathed. Even then, I didn't learn from those lessons until I was older.

A handful of years ago, in a town just an hour from Stillwater, I encountered a drunken girl crying on the side walk. She was sitting pretty close to the river and her belongings were scattered everywhere. She said she had fallen down and lost her friends and her phone died, and she was totally overwhelmed. She couldn't remember her address so I figured it out by asking where it was by, a specific Chinese restaurant, or the Target etc. I got her home safe and sound, checked with her roommates to ensure she did in fact live there and got her in their care. I did ask her why she sat by the river and she simply said, "It looked nice." I'm really glad I was there and that she was found by me, a woman who's experienced such severe intoxication myself...

Once upon a time, I drank about 5 or 6 strong Bloody Mary's after a long 12 hr shift & school work (I KNOW that's a crazy amount of tomato juice & vodka!! I definitely don't have the stomach for that anymore) and got so lost walking two blocks back to my car to sleep it off in the backseat. I didn't get back to my car for 3 entire hours when it was a 10 min walk away. My drinking was excessive, yes, but so was everyone else's that I knew at that age in my area (ages 18-23ish) also, naturally, in the midwest.

I think when it comes to men, they're not as "looked out for" because it's just assumed they can "handle themselves" and I think we as a society need to rid ourselves of that sort of idea. If you see someone out and about, alone, drunk, stumbling, ESPECIALLY in the winter, I think at the very least call 911 if you wanna help but don't wanna be personally involved. Otherwise, get them into your car and warm em up and charge their phone or get them some food or whatever, ya know? There was a time a family member of mine passed out cold in the snow in Wisconsin and nobody saw him for about 12 hours, it was negative degrees outside. I'm still shocked he didn't get fingers or toes amputated at the very least.

This whole river ordeal is such a problem in the midwest and I don't know if anything is being done about it from a legal standpoint etc. What I can tell you, is after losing 2 young men in my own Midwestern college town during summer, I helped to start a "River Patrol" on Friday & Saturday nights at least for the summer months. We'd take shifts walking down by the river with a flashlight and a shiny lime vest on, and the town even gave us an officer on site for those 3 hours, who would drive people home if they came up to us stumbling/messed up/trying to go by the river. It was relatively short-lived but locally reported on and our group was told we prevented a tragedy or two.

I have no idea if this is some "serial killer" at this point. If it is, they picked somewhat of a perfect crime, because of course people would believe these young men are stumbling in themselves. But in my experience, the latter is what seems to be occurring.

Thanks for reading my Ted talk lol!! Hope y'all are having a good Tuesday.
-
PS. I normally don't divulge personal stories on here but I feel they heavily relate to the matter at hand. If anyone has questions about the midwest drinking culture, or the sort of societal climate in that area about men ending up in rivers, feel free to ask me here or in DMs