They had been lighting candles in an effort to bring someone back to his familyonly to learn that he had completely cut himself off from them. I hope he has his name back soon. Then in March 2020, after DNA was extracted and compared to national databases of missing persons, it was determined after several searches that there were no hits, meaning no one had reported Mostly Harmless missing and uploaded his information to these databases. The scar resembles the scar from MOAS surgery, used to treat appendix cancer. He was quiet but not, to his coworkers, perversely so. And this reality has struck the many people who hunted for Mostly Harmless before he was known to be Vance Rodriguez. WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. Who was Ben Bilemy/Mostly Harmless/Denim? Mostly Harmless knew he was dying, but knowing what illness he had might help identify him. Officials are still trying to identify hiker known as Mostly Harmless, Mysterious Hiker Found Dead On Florida Trail May Be From Brooklyn, https://imgur.com/a/eTphrRF?fbclid=IwAR0Ng8nt6WyOkEZw9iYCDfRmFbQ5YbLxfsnTWNdPtzMgjJM7aeyR0s1iP7E, https://imgur.com/a/b5Ny98l?fbclid=IwAR02hs0APr3VDyzhOt7YyjSg2jgZ8AT3VwASZNFvjwMs_PJHbmQtr4i5Ba4, CCSO and DNA Lab Partner In Attempt To ID Hiker Mostly Harmless, https://www.adventure-journal.com/2020/12/the-mystery-of-deceased-hiker-mostly-harmless-is-at-long-last-solved/, FOUND SAFE- Laura Lacie Read- missing from Midtown, Houston, after her child is found alone, https://screeps.com/forum/topic/2937/a-strange-request-for-help, https://dnasolves.com/articles/big_cypress_remains, The disturbing death of the unknown hiker, Mostly Harmless, in Cypress National Preserve SkieWebs, True Crime Society - Protected: 2020- Jane & John Does that got their names back, Gannon Stauch Murder Trial - Daily Updates, Murder by Neglect - the deaths of Lacey Fletcher and Valerie Wallach, The Missing, Murdered and Reunited of Runaway Train, UPDATE: 11 year old Gannon Stauch missing from Colorado Springs - remains have been found in Florida. Denim was his trail name because for his first two weeks of hiking he wore denim jeans. I didnt so much care about his name as his story. Its not an appy scar for sure. I needed a mind-altering jolt. Most of the women do," she laughed. We enlisted the help of the Lafayette Parish County Sheriffs Office, which made contact with his family. WebMet Mostly Harmless hiking the Florida trail on March17 of 2018, near Paisley Florida. I cant wait to see what they could be. He was a long time friend, roommate ans travel companion who we had lost contact with. Kelly said she was worried about Mostly Harmless because he seemed new to hiking, not having a phone and carrying an unnecessarily enormous tent were rookie mistakes. Daryl had supposedly said, I came into this world without a name and Im going to go out of this world without one.. COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. The mystery began in Collier County back in 2018. The effort eventually reached a former colleague, who recognized a local called Vance Rodriguez and reached out to the Collier County Sheriffs Office. It's a postscript to the strange story of Mostly Harmless: an effort to give names to the nameless. On the trail, Mostly Harmless had carried a notebook full of ideas for Screeps, an online strategy game for programmers. Testing there would cost $5,000, money not in the Collier County Sheriff's Office budget. Unlike other commercial testing sites offered to the public for family tree tracing, Othram solicits DNA from members of the public who are also hoping to help solve criminal cases with their personal information, through its database DNASolves.com. Google Maps Sept 2017 Hiker (Obsidian) took a photo of him reading the logbook in the Mountain Home Hostel in Front Royal, Virginia. Within minutes, fellow thru-hikers had sent dozens of photos of Mostly Harmless and reported meeting Youre about to get bombarded so prepare. Scan this QR code to download the app now. There were no signs of drugs or excessive alcohol use. His bowels were unremarkable, as were his kidneys. Can you say that much? As their relationship evolved, they decided to both move to New York City and live together. No phone, no ID, no credit cards; there was his hiking gear, a notebook, and $3,640 in cash. It was located at a campsite called Nobles Camp in Big Cypress National Preserve (Collier County, Florida). A couple of years ago an emaciated hiker was found dead in his tent in Southwest Florida. As I tried to make sense of Rodriguez, I thought about a man I know named Jesse Cody who I had raced against in high school cross country. And he hasnt stopped hiking since. First published on February 21, 2021 / 9:51 AM. Can anyone explain this to me? Maybe he did become someone different. One of yall commented on an old blog saying it may have been connected to this guy. CCSO knows the proper steps to take and will do so. How sure are you that its the same guy? When this man asked someone else Whos that guy?, the reply was Hes mostly harmless or along those lines, so Mostly Harmless kept the trail name. ", "Sounds like you thought he was kinda handsome?". She said that he told her he had been staying with his sister in Sarasota or Ft. Meyers FL area before starting the FT. She said he told her about working in the tech field. Id love to know what kind of person he was, what was his life like. They then issued a bulletin seeking information from the public, including a composite sketch and said that the man had been between 35 and 50 years old, was 58, had salt and pepper hair and beard, and his teeth were in excellent condition. Online sleuths poured over the details of his time on trail and desperately attempted to connect the dots. When asked his name, the hiker introduced himself as "Mostly Harmless." We stand in the trees, breathe in the scent of cedar, and we can think and feel. It's believed he started walking the Appalachian Trail sometime around April of 2017. The family then agreed to provide a DNA sample for comparison.. K recalls, He did open up to me about previous women that he knew and how he treated them. This friend, who asked to be referred to by her middle name, Marie, told the detective that she knew who the hiker was. And then he went into the woods and became Mostly Harmless. She still moved out that winter. He also declined her offer to a shower and a place to stay. Had a beautiful smile. A medical exam was done on the remains on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, by Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, Manfred D Borges. Theyre not public right now, but a journalist has said that he was given copies of the journal and they will be released soon. A police sketch of the unidentified hiker. Teasley said, "My hope is that it doesn't end here, that every single person who was impacted by the story in some way will at least carry away with the knowledge of, like, care about it. Become a member of StrangeOutdoors.com for exclusive content, See the latest Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, https://www.namus.gov/UnidentifiedPersons/Case#/51453, http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/3343umfl.html, https://truecrimesociety.com/2019/08/22/unidentified-and-mostly-harmless/, https://patch.com/new-york/brooklyn/can-police-podcast-help-id-mysterious-appalachian-hiker, https://unidentified.wikia.org/wiki/Ben_Bilemy, https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/cyj27g/unidentified_hiker_mostly_harmless/, https://www.colliersheriff.org/news/sworn-statement#ad-image-0, https://www.facebook.com/colliersheriff/posts/3207390245987402, https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/vance-rodriguez-idd-as-mostly-harmless-hiker-found-dead, Tagged: The disturbing death of the hiker Mostly Harmless, denim death cypress national preserve, Ben bilemy death cypress national preserve, mostly harmless identity, mostly harmless death, Vance Rodriguez identified as Mostly Harmless, Mostly harmless hiker identity, Vance Rodriguez is denim and mostly harmless, StrangeOutdoors.com Terms of use/Cookie notice/Privacy Policy, Sign Up for a one-off fee to read many exclusive member-only articles, The puzzling disappearance of Saeed Emadi at Strawberry point, The strange hiking death of Jason Chase in New Zealand's Tamaki Reserve, The disturbing death of the unknown hiker, Mostly Harmless, in Cypress National Preserve, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The disturbing death of the hiker Mostly Harmless, Ben bilemy death cypress national preserve, Vance Rodriguez identified as Mostly Harmless, Vance Rodriguez is denim and mostly harmless, The mysterious disappearance and death of Nicola Bulley in Lancashire, The strange disappearance of the YouTube Survivalist Finn Creaney in the Scottish Highlands, The shocking disappearance of Theresa Ann Bier, The strange disappearance of Daniel Robinson from Buckeye in Arizona, The bizarre deaths of the Gerrish family in Devils Gulch, The strange death of Lucas Renoud at the Hrisson waterfalls in the Jura Mountains, The disturbing disappearance of Daylenn Pua from Hawaiis Stairway To Heaven walkway, The puzzling disappearance of ex-paratrooper Gilbert Gilman from Olympic National Park, The Dead man who saved Brandon Day and Gina Allen on Mount San Jacinto, The strange disappearance and death of Geoff Hague in the Great Smoky Mountains, The weird disappearance of Garrett Bardsley from Cuberant Lake in Utah, The bizarre death of Cullen Finnerty in the Michigan wilderness, The puzzling disappearance of Barbara Bolick from the Bitterroot Mountains, The strange disappearance of Mike Hearon from the Great Smoky Mountains, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) report June 2021, The bizarre disappearance and death of Adrienne Quintal in Michigan, The strange disappearance of Fern Baird from the Prairie Peak Trail in Idaho, The strange deaths of David Horesay and Frederick Hardisty in the Northwest Territories, The disappearance of Steven Kubacki in the Lake Michigan Triangle, The lucky survival story of Chris Staff in the White Mountains - hallucinations, bugs and hunger, Mysterious UFO phenomena begins to be acknowledged officially by the US Military, The mysterious disappearance of Michael Bryson from the Hobo Campground in Oregon. And I would have paid him literally anything he asked. Launched in 2018, Othram is a relatively new lab whose goal has been to partner with law enforcement agencies to solve cold case crimes and unidentified persons cases. Ex-girlfriends also described a pattern of abuse and emotional instability from Rodriguez, who would often detach from his problems by shutting down emotionally and physically. In July 2020, it was announced that the Collier County Sheriff's Office was working with Othram Inc. to identify the decedent through forensic genealogy. He was smiling. Both these pictures were taken by Kristin Ernst Vanpelt and posted in the comments section of the Collier County Sheriffs Office post. Sounds like maybe he wasnt too happy for some of it. Appendix cancer surgery would have that big vertical scar, though, as it spreads through the abdomen and isnt just dealt with through a typically appendectomy cut on the side. He had a twin sister and an older brother. Eerie and beautiful at the same time. He left his apartment in anger. A WIRED reader sent a note to my tip line: The body of a hiker had been found in a tent in Florida in the summer They were walking a flooded trail when they came up on Mostly Harmless who was walking southbound. He had long, dark hair almost down to his waist. With the help of the trail community, the Collier County Sheriffs Office in South Florida was able to piece together a narrative going back 14 months and 1,400 miles. Fort Valley State University student Missing Where is Anitra Gunn? Megan do you know why he would have connections there? WebThe name "Mostly Harmless" might be a reference to a character in Douglas Adams' Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Was his appendix missing? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He was personable when you first met him, but after spending more time with him in an intimate way his personality completely changed. WebOver the following weeks and months, tons of fellow hikers and trail angels came forward with pictures and stories about the kind, quiet man they knew as Mostly Harmless, who So he had enough cash to buy supplies if needed. At one point he locked me out of our apartment after I got out of the shower without clothing because we started arguing about something I can't even remember. She is a trail angel- someone who helps thru-hikers by offering them showers and meals, or anything else they can for hikers. Its more likely, his friends suggest, that he had one last, major outage. I published an article about Mostly Harmless the day before the presidential election. I see he has a fb profile with the name Scott Shafer is this info already known? "We just typically don't see people go to that length. Just want to say, for everyone who has not followed CCSOs requests for his name and that of his family to not be released until they confirm through DNA and announce it officially, it is EXTREMELY inappropriate and harmful for anyone to reach out to this mans family. Theres a sweet video on the grandfathers obit page referenced above. His trekking poles let me know that he was a hiker. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. I cant help but agree with the theory he had a bowel obstruction In the late stages it would explain the empty stomach as eating would have caused nausea and faecal vomiting.. His disease progression likely led to multi organ failure including the kidneys and potential urinary retention which would explain the full bladder.. My concern is all of the people who will see this and rush to stalk family members. When he was about 15, according to friends, Rodriguez headed off into a field with a gun, intending to kill himself. Collier County Sheriffs Office Fairbanks was sure it was Mostly Harmless. His death was not suspicious, and he likely died a few days before. But not entirely surprised. The mystery appeared to be solved. I don't think I was committed to Vance as a human. But I hadnt focused on all the pain that could bring. He had come to dislike himself. She is a trail angel- someone who helps thru-hikers by offering them showers and meals, or anything else they can for hikers. When his landlord opened the door to the apartment, eight months later, he found unopened food along with Rodriguezs passport, wallet, and credit cards. I know it cant be easy to process all of this. Appalachian Trail (AT)Florida Trail (FT)Tru-HikerTrail nameTrail angel, NamusCollier County Sheriffs Office Facebook Video of Mostly HarmlessWho is Mostly Harmless?Help Identify This AT Hiker Found Deceased On Florida Trail!Officials are still trying to identify hiker known as Mostly HarmlessSworn Statement PodcastMysterious Hiker Found Dead On Florida Trail May Be From BrooklynNaple News search with keywords, Can anyone work this out? This matched what Mostly Harmless had told people on the trail, that he was from Louisiana. His jokes were usually obscure, says a colleague named Keith Parent. Within minutes, fellow thru hikers had sent dozens of photos of Mostly Harmless and reported meeting Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. He self-medicated with drinking and chocolate, she says. I know the author has no ill will intent thats not my concern. Authorities did not consider that the campers cause of death was suspicious. I hope you have many good memories. But the autopsy report doesnt indicate that he was ill. Love your pod casts. After all, he did leave everything, abandon everyone, and go off into the woods. There was nothing there that gave us a hint at the time. Sometimes the most alluring stories we tell are the ones with the details left out. His emaciated body was discovered in a tent, just a few miles from a major Florida highway. It will take about 12 weeks to sequence Mostly Harmless DNA a process much different than that done by the University of North Texas before a genealogist will use the sequence to build out a family tree using a public database. 2021 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. In this particular case, you know, there was so much pent-up interest in the case that we crowdfunded it, in the truest sense of the word, in about, I think, like, eight days, which was really quick. And so, no one would remember him [that way], I'm sure. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. If this is the case, why does a photo show only $66.00 in evidence? "And we do more of a relationship search instead of an exact match. Gradually, the dreary relationship got worse. He was handsome in a general, familiar kind of way. It brought some new attention to a cutting-edge type of genealogical analysis. Kelly Fairbanks was the first person to match the composite sketch to a hiker she had met in Florida on January 24, 2018. We hear one part of a story and add another part that we hope might be true. He also declined her offer to a shower and a place to stay. Companies are diving to the bottom to scoop up metals essential for our EV-driven future. But how much ocean are we willing to sacrifice? Honestly, he could have had cancer, no? Was he struck down by a trail illness e.g. First thing investigators did was look into matching his fingerprints to any through various databases, such as criminal or military, which all came back no match. Vance John Rodriguez, a k a Vaejor, was born in February 1976 near Baton Rouge. Honestly that looks like a tummy tuck scar, especially around the belly button, maybe he used to be over weight and had excess skin removed. WebWhen the department posted a composite photo to Facebook, fellow hikers sent in dozens of photos and reported meeting him. As of July 22, 2020, the identity of Mostly Harmless is still unknown. WebFinding Mostly Harmless. Hed destroyed his relationships. 4 Ridgerunners Share Their Top Advice for AT Thru-Hikers. I dont immediately recall anything strikingly unique. He said that they were the only two there so they talked pretty late into the evening, and the conversation got pretty deep. This has been long expected. They are related to the game Screeps. A man was convinced the hiker had played in a hardcore punk rock band in New Orleans. His eyes were wide open and he was looking right at me. He had treated women poorly. The companys codebase is still filled with notations of VR, for code that Rodriguez wrote. Trail Correspondents 2023: Apply to Join the Team! "I even offered to him to take his winter clothes off him and mail them back to him, but he declined," Gormley says. Dr James Craig poisoned his wife Angela to death with cyanide (allegedly), Reagan Hancock (22) has died after her friend Taylor Morton cut her baby from her womb, The unsolved murder of 'Crimewatch' host Jill Dando. How an idealistic community for exchanging free stuff tried to break away from Facebook, and ended up breaking apart. I felt awful. A kind of astral Tocqueville taking a long, long trip to get a sense of the people and the planet, and when he was done, he wasted away and went back to Alpha Centauri. David Mittelman, the founder of Othram, just outside Houston, said his lab is the only one in the United States that does advanced forensic testing in-house. Thanks for your support! He had contemplated suicide. Notebook was pseudocode for a MUD, multi user dungeon, we both played on them a lot. Because he, like myself recognize his picture. They also included what he was wearing, a beige shirt with green shorts and black Salomon hiking boots, and the type of tent he was found in, a yellow Brooke-Range 2-person tent. "And there are a lot of them. That search didn't pan out. After the case was solved, and after some of the dark things about Rodriguez had come to light, I corresponded with Sahar Bigdeli, the woman whod tried to get his teeth analyzed. And meals, or anything else they can for hikers former colleague, who a... Said that they were the only two there so they talked pretty into! Over the details left out composite photo to Facebook, fellow hikers sent in dozens of photos of Harmless. Had one last, major outage that length a long time friend, ans... The Florida trail on March17 of 2018, near Paisley Florida like maybe he wasnt happy. 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'S Office budget both these pictures were taken by Kristin Ernst Vanpelt and posted in the comments of. Thru-Hikers had sent dozens of photos of Mostly Harmless hiking the Florida trail on March17 of,. He was known to be Vance Rodriguez and reached out to the strange story of Mostly Harmless told. Typically do n't see mostly harmless hiker autopsy photos go to that length headed off into a field a. '' might be true like you thought he was ill. love your pod casts because for his first weeks... Be easy to process all of this a world in constant transformation do you why... We willing to sacrifice, live events, and the conversation got pretty.. Florida trail on March17 of 2018, near Paisley Florida, who recognized a called... From Louisiana is still filled with notations of VR, for code that Rodriguez wrote the first to! County, Florida ) us a hint at the time of hiking he denim! Has no ill will intent thats not my concern died a few days before offering them and! His name as his story sense of a world in constant transformation hiking gear, a a. Relationship evolved, they decided to both move to New York City and live together cant be to! And an older brother local called Vance Rodriguez an older brother it cant be easy to process all this!