UT UT - Dylan Rounds, 19, wkg on farm, “weird run-in” with a guy walking on gravel rd, no phone & CC activity, Lucin, Box Elder Co, 25 May 2022

[Seattle1]

I thought it was the hoax call that brought the family to Lucin? Made by someone known to the family.

No. Learning from JD that nobody had talked to Dylan is what set off the alarm where both his parents traveled to Lucin -- calling BECS on the way. BECS met the parents at the farm around 5 pm, and they found his boots within an hour.

The hoax came the following day. It doesn't follow that the parents would be reporting their son missing to the BECS on Monday evening, and not tell them about the hoax if this is what brought them to town. JMO

 

[indicolite22]

IMO I believe that is what happened. The family traveled to the area from Idaho on Memorial Day (May 30) and the hoax call was made on May 31, so it seems it was more likely made by some depraved individual trying to insert themselves into the story as opposed to someone genuinely involved in DR's disappearance.

The origin of the hoax was explained in the comments on the official Find... fb page. The call to parents wasn't made by a stranger. The hoax was calling for action from Nevada LE which at the time didn't know about Dylan's disappearance.

 

[FlamingoLady]

No. Learning from JD that nobody had talked to Dylan is what set off the alarm where both his parents traveled to Lucin -- calling BECS on the way. BECS met the parents at the farm around 5 pm, and they found his boots within an hour.

The hoax came the following day. It doesn't follow that the parents would be reporting their son missing to the BECS on Monday evening, and not tell them about the hoax if this is what brought them to town. JMO

I agree. That would not make sense. I'm looking back now to find where I saw the info about the hoax.

 

[FlamingoLady]

The origin of the hoax was explained in the comments on the official Find... fb page. The call to parents wasn't made by a stranger.

Exactly! That is where I saw it!

 

[FlamingoLady]

Looking at that page now I'd find it hard to believe it's a verifiable source for info on here.

 

[carbuff]

So have I got the geography correct?

--Dylan has a camp trailer where he lives on a piece of property he owns?

--The garage where he put the grain truck so it would be out of the rain is about five miles down the road from the trailer?

--The boots were found not far from the trailer where he lives?

 

[indicolite22]

So have I got the geography correct?

--Dylan has a camp trailer where he lives on a piece of property he owns?

--The garage where he put the grain truck so it would be out of the rain is about five miles down the road from the trailer?

--The boots were found not far from the trailer where he lives?

The boots were found near the grain truck, but his truck was found near the camp trailer.

 

[carbuff]

The boots were found near the grain truck, but his truck was found near the camp trailer.

Ah. So two trucks? That makes a lot more sense.

 

[indicolite22]

I agree. That would not make sense. I'm looking back now to find where I saw the info about the hoax.

You can find the name of the caller if you search for "hostage" on the official fb page.

 

[justtrish]

Ah. So two trucks? That makes a lot more sense.

Yes, his mom explained in an interview that the grain truck was at the property 5 miles from where his trailer was. If he was driving that grain truck he wouldn't have been driving his truck. Since he needed to cover the seed and store that grain truck, he would have had to walk the 5 miles back to his house/trailer/truck (the one that was power washed with the seat being too far up for him to drive, etc). His boots were found at the same location as the grain truck.

I have wondered if he had someone drive his personal truck as he drove the grain truck so he could get a ride back to his trailer vs walking the 5 miles in a possible rain storm. Was someone out there he could hitch a ride from? But why not wear the boots.

 

[Officer Dibble]

Saturday the 28th really makes me stop and think. He talked to his grandma at 6:51am and was getting his seed out of the rain. What would he normally do on the farm during heavy rain? It sounds like he couldn’t work with his seed under those conditions. So what would he normally be up to? Would he walk back to his trailer and wait for the rain to pass? I know farm chores are endless… what chores would/could he do during heavy rains?

His phone last pinged at 3:41pm on the farm, 9 hours later. So he spent a full day doing what? Assuming the phone stayed on his person all day. The phones last ping on that farm feels like the key to me.

Whatever happened to him, the phone seems to have disappeared along with him since it has not turned up. Hopefully what I’m saying makes sense.

So my question is what would he have spent his day doing while it rained? Perhaps that may give insight on what he did after speaking with grandma.

Great thinking

 

[OldCop]

SBM. The mother said on the same podcast that the Sheriff told the family they could do whatever they wanted with the pickup and he stood by when the rear window was busted to gain access. LE has not expressed interest in the pickup at any point.

True, but he might have told them that because he could not do anything with it at that point in time. It was parked and locked in Dylan’s own yard. The sheriff had no evidence of foul play. Dylan’s parents might have told the sheriff that if he didn’t do something with the truck right then, they would take it. He could not legally hold it then.
As far as watching them break the window, he would be a witness if their adult son came home and demanded to know who broke the window on his truck.

 

[indicolite22]

Information about the hoax is also in the Nancy Grace's podcast with Dylan's mom and Nate Eaton (starts at 30:35):

‎Crime Stories with Nancy Grace on Apple Podcasts

‎True Crime · 2022

podcasts.apple.com

 

[Officer Dibble]

That made me wonder if they reversed over him?
Wild leap, I know but there's no separating front and back wheels on a journey, if one was undertaken.

You make a very good point IMO.

 

[ClaireNC]

So have I got the geography correct?

--Dylan has a camp trailer where he lives on a piece of property he owns?

--The garage where he put the grain truck so it would be out of the rain is about five miles down the road from the trailer?

--The boots were found not far from the trailer where he lives?

The boots were found near the shop where the grain truck is stored.

Here’s a map: Dylan Rounds Case Map

Photo of where boots were found

 

[indicolite22]

True, but he might have told them that because he could not do anything with it at that point in time. It was parked and locked in Dylan’s own yard. The sheriff had no evidence of foul play. Dylan’s parents might have told the sheriff that if he didn’t do something with the truck right then, they would take it. He could not legally hold it then.
As far as watching them break the window, he would be a witness if their adult son came home and demanded to know who broke the window on his truck.

I think Dylan's father owns the truck.

 

[OldCop]

Indeed and I think the family investigation may prove troublesome at a later date. Statistically, accident or suicide is more likely than foul play. So if LE doesn't suspect foul play and based on this they don't argue against busting out a window and muddying evidence in his truck, what happens if there is later proof of foul play? Wouldn't it be better to wait than to contaminate evidence?

The phrase "don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good" comes to mind. The family wanted the perfect solution for them-LE immediately processing the car. They compromised the good outcome-processing later if signs of foul play emerge-in their displeasure over the lack of a perfect outcome. If their investigation keeps running unfettered, more evidence may be contaminated. I'm not sure I can say most mothers would do it differently, but as long as LE lets family take the lead in cases, there may be no evidence left when it's needed.

It wasn’t that LE let them “take the lead” in the case, it was that their hands were tied at that point. The parents were impatient, (I would be too), and did not want to wait for further evidence. They ran full steam ahead which lead to some things that needed to be walked back.
LE can’t stop them from saying and doing what they want as long as it isn’t illegal.

 

[JurassicParker]

If there is foul play involved, DR's body may have been placed in the bed of the truck when moving him. Depending on how bad the injuries were then I imagine there was body fluids leaking. Which to me, would explain power washing the bed and back wheel wells. Whoever it was wanted to make sure that all the nooks and crannies on the back of the vehicle had been cleaned of any potential evidence. JMO. I hope LE has a better grasp on the facts than the rest of us bc even after reading this thread through I'm still confused on what is fact and what is not. I also hope that DR is just living his life somewhere fun for a while. The only thing that makes me think that isn't the case if the fact he hasn't contacted anyone. There are ways to let your family and friends know you are ok without giving away your location if you don't want to be found.

 

[SuziQ]

IMO I believe that is what happened. The family traveled to the area from Idaho on Memorial Day (May 30) and the hoax call was made on May 31, so it seems it was more likely made by some depraved individual trying to insert themselves into the story as opposed to someone genuinely involved in DR's disappearance.

FWIW, according to mom, the tipster is the owner of the bar/restaurant and also the one that walked back their claim of when they last saw Dylan.

 

[kittythehare]

The thing that stands out most to me at the moment is that he had not apparently checked the weather forecast and moved the grain truck the day before. When I left the city to care for my horses in the countryside the first thing I noticed was that the sky is your boss for every moment of every day and to plan accordingly.
The last thing one needs is to be forced to move livestock or feed in a hurry.