I just took a look at a map of Kolt, Owl and the river, do you live in the area? Wondering where the river flows to from there, is there any place the body would have gotten stopped? I know in normal conditions the Platte River runs pretty shallow. I have pretty much counted out he is in the river because of this but now you've got me considering it again. Maybe that crazy text happened when he fell into the river. Possibly he tried to cross right before the storm hit. Lots of debris in the river from all of the flooding and the body could have gotten caught up under debri. You would think the Pro's would have some idea where his body would have ended up. I post in groups for Chance and never have gotten much info on the river.
I do not live in the area, and I'm not certain, but I believe the river flows from W to E, out of the mountains of CO and WY and into NE.
The following is all just my opinion.
To me, the most logical explanations for CE's disappearance are: foul play by the in-laws, or, CE is in the N Platte River.
I think if there had been foul play by the in-laws, LE would've found digital evidence of spur-of-the-moment, angry phone/text communications between at least two members of group. Also, imo the other men were probably laughing it up after CE left (I think it had been a verbal bullying: a two-or three-on-one kind of thing).
The only thing that I think could've really angered any of them (the father, maybe) was when CE said to his wife (who I think had just gotten out of the car with the baby and was walking toward the men): "Get the




back in the car, we're leaving!" (that's what I recall reading, anyway). Some father's might think those are fighting words. But again, these guys weren't master criminals. They were




faced. I think it was just too spur-of-the-moment for their continued involvement. And CE was a Sil.
There are several reasons why I think CE might be in the river. 1.) his phone pinged near there (River View Golf Course), 2.) if on foot, the timing of his travel fits with him being at about that location, 3.) I don't think CE would've been walking the busier (higher speed) roads through town if he could help it, 4.) if he was headed toward home, the direction he was traveling makes sense (and going that direction, he would've had to cross the river somewhere, via bridge or on foot), 5.) the "thunderstorm" was not just a little bit of rain.. from what I recall reading, we're talking a hellacious downpour that lasted for over two hours (and maybe longer or earlier further to the west?), 6.) CE's judgement was impaired (not only was he probably still intoxicated at least to some degree, but he probably was still p***ed), 7.) CE was familiar with that part of the country and its geography (he was an outdoorsman and probably was very familiar with the N Platte R or rivers like it, and 8.) no matter how familiar you are with creeks, streams, and rivers - the power, depth and speed of the water following a sudden heavy rainfall/downpour can be indescribable (IMO you have to have experienced it to know what I mean). In fact, I think the more familiar you are with a river's normal condition, the more likely you are to underestimate it's power and danger during high flow conditions.
I'm not talking about a flood, but rather a torrential heavy rainfall lasting for several hours (possibly in the more mountainous areas west of Gering). Huge volume.
Once when I was a teenager and out camping with friends in the N GA mountains, one morning (after a 6 hr. deluge the night before) I almost got swept away in a raging 4-5' deep 'creek' - a creek which the day before had been all of 6" deep. We had walked barefoot in it, grabbing pebbles.. I was somehow able to grab an overhanging tree limb or I'd have been gone.
Rapids in a river like the N Platte with that kind of flow can be extremely dangerous. In fact, in CO and WY where the N Platte is more canyon-like, the river is known for white water rafting. It may get shallower and slow down as it crosses Nebraska, but Gering is almost on the state's western border. I think the river and its rapids at that location could be very dangerous indeed, especially after such a downpour.
I suggested the Owl Rd./ Kolt Ln location because it is close to the River View Golf Course (where I understood CE's phone had pinged). Owl Rd also crosses a canal of some sort at that location (it appears to parallel the Platte for some distance). I think it's possible that CE may have attempted to cross the canal or the N Platte - at night, in the rain.
Logs and boulders that might have been visible on a normal day would have been several feet below the surface. Water could even have been flowing over the path which crosses the canal.. Combine that kind of volume with deep holes and elevation changes and you can get what (in kayaking) we used to call a "hydraulic", where an object could be held underwater and left tumbling in the turbulent back flow for hours (or even longer). I've seen boat oars and paddles never resurface.
In AK, my brother once watched an entire 8 man raft (full of coolers, fly fishing equip., and camping gear) literally disappear into just such a hydraulic, only to come out in pieces over the next few hours. He and his friends were lucky to have gotten out alive. They had somehow managed to get to shore when the raft had first tipped over.
In addition to the danger presented by rapids, if the water level was as high as I suspect it was, CE could've been carried much further downstream than anyone might expect (jmo).
Sorry such a long ramble. I don't know what happened to CE, but those are my best guesses. Such a sad case. I hope he is found soon.
All just my opinion