MT MT - Paul Batson, 45, Stillwater Co, 29 April 2018

[annemc2]

Still have this case on my mind. What happened here!?!

 

[Jazzy5980]

Still have this case on my mind. What happened here!?!

I was raised in the area and there is no further news to my knowledge.

 

[Caring1]

Bump

 

[Piknik]

Was there video proof of him leaving Bozeman?

 

[iusedtofloat]

I still think about this man!!

 

[meanmaryjean]

I still think about this man!!

Same

 

[loreet]

Was there video proof of him leaving Bozeman?

Yes there are working traffic cameras on the edge of town and it was confirmed by local police that Paul was seen leaving town. This footage was never shared with the public.

 

[Piknik]

Yes there are working traffic cameras on the edge of town and it was confirmed by local police that Paul was seen leaving town. This footage was never shared with the public.

Thanks for the info. I'd imagine there's quite a bit of time from when he was last seen on the Bozeman traffic camera until when his car arrived in Reed Point. I wonder if LE has been able to track a direction he was headed as he left Bozeman?

 

[One more thing]

Yes there are working traffic cameras on the edge of town and it was confirmed by local police that Paul was seen leaving town. This footage was never shared with the public.

Hi Loreet. Was he seen leaving on foot?

 

[loreet]

Hi Loreet. Was he seen leaving on foot?

No he was driving. And no one else was seen inside the car.

 

[loreet]

Thanks for the info. I'd imagine there's quite a bit of time from when he was last seen on the Bozeman traffic camera until when his car arrived in Reed Point. I wonder if LE has been able to track a direction he was headed as he left Bozeman?

He went east toward and onto the interstate. There are working interstate cameras as well, which I have to assume were watched and tracked his movements. Those cameras and video were never mentioned in any local (or other) news as far as I remember.

 

[dalsglen]

To be clear, his vehicle was spotted driving, who exactly confirmed that it was paul himself?

 

[loreet]

To be clear, his vehicle was spotted driving, who exactly confirmed that it was paul himself?

To be clear, his vehicle was spotted driving, who exactly confirmed that it was paul himself?

The traffic cam videos were never released to the public. But the Bozeman Police Department confirmed at the time that Paul (himself) was driving out of town to the east and alone. At least one or more members of Paul’s family — a son — came for some of the early searches, which were all in Reed Point and focused on the Yellowstone River. so I have to assume that they would have asked any questions about the city video or any of those on the interstate.

Honestly we do not have a lot of transparency in Bozeman from LE. Not just in this case. It is an ongoing frustration, because the city has grown rapidly and with attendant increases in crime and other urban problems. But we have good people working in LE and solid technology. If there had been any question that Paul had not been driving, or that someone had been with him, that would have been released and investigated.

 

[Piknik]

Was Paul known to sleep in his car? With his car literally being found next to a Post Office in Reed Point it's hard for me to believe he wasn't the person who put it there. It would be the most random thing ever for a person who's career was with the Post Office to have someone else leave his car there.

 

[Anonymous poster]

I can't imagine what would cause him to put his family and friends through that.
IMO

 

[TwinkieDefense]

Feb 3, 2026 article

Bozeman PD highlights missing person Paul Batson

BOZEMAN, Mont. – On National Missing Persons Day, Bozeman Police Department (BPD) is reminding the community about Paul Batson, a postal worker from Illinois who went missing on April 29,

www.kulr8.com

"We do not believe there was any criminal involvement in Batson’s disappearance."

 

[MtnGrl75]

Paul was my mail man for years. He was so incredibly friendly and knew everyone in the neighborhood. At the time I had three boys. Paul also has three sons. Whenever my sons were playing outside when he came by he stopped to shoot hoops with them, toss a football, or even have a water gun fight. I was just thinking of him today and I came across this forum. I hope he’s out there somewhere, happy and safe.

 

[fridaybaker]

I've changed my mind about this case as it's gone on with nothing found of Paul for so long. I'm inclined to think that Paul went into the river and, most likely, intentionally. Very sad, if true. There just doesn't seem to be any indication of foul play.

 

[meanmaryjean]

I want to 100% make it clear that I am not suggesting that Paul is a criminal- this is just a random thought I had about voluntary disappearances in general- which this may or may not even be. I know his family is in agony over his disappearance, and I in no means wish to contribute to it.

This is just a random thought!

IF you were going to be successful at a voluntary disappearance- I think we would all agree that it is more difficult to do these days due to our electronic footprints, right? You would need to really take your time about constructing a 'new you' before leaving. Banking, ID, social media perhaps, SSN, and many, many more things. Now some of this you can do online (but you risk leaving a footprint there as well). But for maximum effect- you would slowly steal/ construct your identity over time. Who better to slowly acquire the documents needed for this that a USPS employee? Esp. one that has a regular route.

For example, I have such a mailman. He's delivered my mail 5 days/ week for years and years. He knows my routine. If so inclined, I suppose he could 'not deliver' certain sensitive things to me and begin developing a parallel MeanMaryJean in that manner. He could intercept my mail, send things to/ from my address without my knowledge.

Anyway, Paul working for the USPS got my mind turning. I'm still completely on the fence about what happened to him and continue to hope for answers for his family and a resolution to this puzzling case.

I just wanted to bring this forward for consideration. Given the length of time he has been missing, I suppose anything is possible.
Additionally, in the early days, it was mentioned he was considering moving closer to his grown children, but he was many hundreds of miles away from that place. If ANYBODY in the world has job mobility to relocate virtually anywhere in the country, it is a tenured USPS employee.

 

[Jazzy5980]

I've changed my mind about this case as it's gone on with nothing found of Paul for so long. I'm inclined to think that Paul went into the river and, most likely, intentionally. Very sad, if true. There just doesn't seem to be any indication of foul play.

I’m familiar with the area where Paul went missing. His car was parked approximately one mile from public access to the river. He could have cut across private land, however, that seems unlikely since his car was left right by the gravel road to the river. I’m thinking someone picked Paul up given the close proximity of his vehicle to the interstate.