Found Deceased Spain - Esther Dingley, from UK, missing in the Pyrenees, November 2020 #1

[otto]

Maybe we can post the timeline to the start of the thread because the same questions keep coming up

Has someone started a timeline starting on Nov 19 with yoga?

What happened next - groceries to hike for 3 days, more groceries at the end of the first day, or grocery cost concerns only in the morning to plan for a 3 day hike on the morning of Nov 19 ... and asking strangers for food on Nov 22?

 

[Deleted member 277705]

I can't get past the experienced hiker who planned a 3 day trip but forgot to pack the food, but a woman looking around at life who hiked up and met a nice man, then came down the mountain with him for a lift deeper into the valley, then she posted a nice photo on Nov 22 that he took on Nov 19? Did she just receive the photo on Nov 22 when she was at the summit?

Apologies, but still trying to figure out the timeline.

She met the mystery photographer on Nov 19. Is that the same day that she was upset about a price while buying groceries? What time of day was she buying groceries?

No info on Nov 21, but Nov 19 photo from summit posted on instagram on Nov 22? Did she post it?

Just trying to get a clearer timeline and picture of what happened when and where she was going next.

Regarding merging two images into one, I can do it in 20 minutes with residual effects around the scaled image. What is her facial expression taken by the mystery photographer?

Image sources posted upthread - I clicked on a link to see these photos

Otto - If you reverse these images reverting to the natural position of the pose, ie, you will see that her right leg is in fact, the standing one.

 

[otto]

I'm so confused about the timeline. The stranger took the photo of her on the Summit of Pic de Sauvegarde on November 19, and she was seen ascending the same slope on Nov 22 by the Olympian - thus the question of why she climbed the same summit on Nov 19 and Nov 22.

<modsnip>

But what if she intended to make the Summit a day trip on Nov 19, met the man, discussed meeting up at Refugio on the French side of the border on Nov 22, he sent her the Nov 19 photo, she uploaded it on Nov 22, they met in the middle between Summit and Refugio and she is in the lake, he returned to the Refugio after an afternoon hike towards the Spanish border?

 

[otto]

Otto - If you reverse these images reverting to the natural position of the pose, ie, you will see that her right leg is in fact, the standing one.

Were the photos were altered?

 

[Deleted member 277705]

It is difficult to know what to say on here without it being misinterpreted / censored. I realise this may get taken down, but if this site is to truly help in the search for "missing persons", then in a case like this, where the possibility of kidnapping/abduction is a consideration, then is it also possible that this missing person is being held captive, imprisoned - & if so, held in the country where the abductor stays ?

 

[Deleted member 277705]

Were the photos were altered? - No, the image the camera takes is a reversal of the actual true scene. Many people have commented on the "unnatural" look of these poses & gone into overtime wondering if they had been photoshopped etc.
Reverse these images to get the proper view.

 

[otto]

It is difficult to know what to say on here without it being misinterpreted / censored. I realise this may get taken down, but if this site is to truly help in the search for "missing persons", then in a case like this, where the possibility of kidnapping/abduction is a consideration, then is it also possible that this missing person is being held captive, imprisoned - & if so, held in the country where the abductor stays ?

Absolutely. I think it's a distinct possibility that she hiked the summit on Nov 19, when the mystery photographer appeared to take her photo, and she hiked the same summit on Nov 22 for a specific reason. Why - to meet him again? There's isn't any explanation for hiking the same summit twice. Maybe she intersected with the man she met on Nov 19 earlier in her month of travels.

Why did she hike the same mountain twice if not to meet someone again?

If she encountered the same man between the summit and the refugio (hostel), she is not alive, and she is probably not findable.

Have any other hikers disappeared on mountain hikes in Europe in the last 5-7 years?

 

[otto]

Were the photos were altered? - No, the image the camera takes is a reversal of the actual true scene. Many people have commented on the "unnatural" look of these poses & gone into overtime wondering if they had been photoshopped etc.
Reverse these images to get the proper view.

The only questions I've answered about the artifacts on the photo are related to photoshop - yes, the image artifacts are the same as photoshop artifacts resulting from creating one image from two. That doesn't mean photoshop editing was used - could be cheap camera effects. What would be the purpose of reversing / mirroring the photo ?

 

[Deleted member 277705]

The only questions I've answered about the artifacts on the photo are related to photoshop - yes, the image artifacts are the same as photoshop artifacts resulting from creating one image from two. That doesn't mean photoshop editing was used - could be cheap camera effects. What would be the purpose of reversing / mirroring the photo ?

Otto, "What would be the purpose of reversing / mirroring the photo ?" - well, there is no purpose, if you like to view & see things back to front.

 

[otto]

Otto, "What would be the purpose of reversing / mirroring the photo ?" - well, there is no purpose, if you like to view & see things back to front.

Sure. I'll flip them and see whether it gives a different perspective. Photo by camera doesn't mean reversed reality, does it?

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[otto]

What if she thought "this is as good as it gets?" and ended it all? What if she met foul play with her mystery photographer on the trek from the Nov 22 summit trip to the France refugio? What if it was odd that an experienced hiker was ascending the summit so late in the day, but it was because she was meeting someone for a "sunset summit" experience and short hike to the refugio?

What do we know about people who were staying at the hostel on the France side of the border that night - what have police looked into at that hostel?

Sunsets on summits are still a thing, aren't they?

 

[mrjitty]

It matters because if she went for a hike with food for 3 days and was then disputing grocery bills, it suggests she returned to her vehicle with the stranger. If the grocery dispute was before she started the hike, it suggests that finances are tight.

RSBM

This seems a bit of a reach? If my partner thinks an item costs one price but then gets charged more at the counter, she is definitely going to get into the details on it. I am more the kind of person who can't be bothered.

 

[Skiptolou]

There's nothing to suggest wilderness adventure. The route she planned on Nov 22 from the Summit, where she was alive and well, to the hostel / refugio does not appear treacherous, although there is a lake. All the bears in the region are tagged and none were near her.

View attachment 274950

Looking at this picture, that route does appear treacherous to me.

 

[Andreee]

Looking at this picture, that route does appear treacherous to me.

It did to me when watching the helicopter search video in that the trail went close to the water shore and looked like there were loose rocks which one could slip on.

 

[Deleted member 277705]

Sorry folks, I apologise for this and no offence is intended. I hold an extreme, bizarre & irrational view that on the evening of Sunday, 22 Nov 2020, this missing person was met with a familiar face and crossed the Spain / France border with them. I believe this missing person is a victim and is not complicit in any act to conceal her whereabouts.

 

[patCee]

Sure. I'll flip them and see whether it gives a different perspective. Photo by camera doesn't mean reversed reality, does it?

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The 2nd photo looks scary to me. If there I'd want to shout STOP, move forward.

 

[Mimi in London]

When I read the Facebook posts, I notice a change in style of writing for the post that refers to the kind fellow hiker.

There are lots of errors in this post - possibly from predictive text etc. Misspelt words or words that don’t make sense. In Esther’s previous posts she seems to take care not to have any errors. I have a feeling of doubt that she wrote this particular post.

Also, it is far more rambling in style than her previous posts where she writes fairly well constructed sentences. The
photo is odd... I know several have mentioned the most peculiar outline of her figure! Strange. Just my thoughts and observations

My thoughts, too, regarding the style of posts. She also doesn’t mention the guy’s name, which is at odds with her usual way of describing people she and Dan met on their travels, particularly people who helped them.

 

[Sjm_qc]

Rough timeline below.

@otto, earlier in November she writes about hiking the same peak (Turbon) 3 days running, so it doesn’t seem unusual to me that she seems to have done the same or similar again.

Timeline (please add anything I’ve missed or correct)

November 17th
- Leaves reffugio de Angel Orus (IG/FB & media interview with refuge manager/owner)

- Plans to hike a 2850m col, but turns back because the snow was to deep for the equipment she had with her and possibly camps out or goes back to reffugio de Angel.


November 18th
- Another day of hiking, not specified where, camps out.


November 19th
- Hikes 2550m mountain, intending to camp/stay in a caban for another night. Weather is not great (rain and wind).

- Reaches summit, meets nice hiker (first person she’s seen in 2 days), who takes the (full length) pictures of her at the summit (on her phone or camera) & offers her a lift either further up the valley or back the her camper in Benasque. She accepts lift back to camper because of weather.

- CCTV from Benasque supermarket (source Daily Mail)

November 20th
- no info


November 21st
- Sets off on hike again, beautiful weather and views of pic Aneto and Bagnieres de Luchon. Takes several photos including selfies.

November 21st or 22nd
- Seen by same woman from supermarket doing yoga by her camper at the carpark in Benasques

November 22nd
- speaks to father by phone.
- Speaks to D at some point.
- Seen by Olympic skier witness around 3pm on the trail ascending Salvaguardia.
- Sends selfie to D around 4 pm.

 

[PeggyHenry]

Yes, Mimi( edited to add: sorry did not include quote.. apologies) , not in keeping that she doesn’t mention a name. The other bit that ‘jars’ with me is when she refers to Dan, as she imagines him saying “you got this” . None of it strikes me as how Esther normally talks in her posts. She usually comes across as very earnest and honest with care about her writing. (Sorry hard to express ) but you get a feel for her personality. I will be very surprised if she wrote that particular post.

 

[Auntie_Seagull]

I can't get past the experienced hiker who planned a 3 day trip but forgot to pack the food, but a woman looking around at life who hiked up and met a nice man, then came down the mountain with him for a lift deeper into the valley, then she posted a nice photo on Nov 22 that he took on Nov 19? Did she just receive the photo on Nov 22 when she was at the summit?

It was said in the thread <modsnip>: the pic taken by the mysterious hiker was posted ON NOVEMBER 19. NOT ON NOVEMBER 22. Check Dan@Esther FB and Instagram <modsnip>.