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Deleted
Jul 22, 2004, 11:10 PM
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A good source for happenings in the Parks is:
http://www.nps.gov/morningreport
And here's what they said this morning:
Joshua Tree National Park (CA)
Major SAR Underway for Missing Teenage Boy
The park has been involved in a major, complex search and rescue operation since the afternoon of Thursday, July 15th. Two 17-year old boys from Carlsbad, California, were camping at Jumbo Rocks Campground when they became separated from one another near the eastern edge of the campground at 12:30 p.m. Eric Sears was reported missing by his companion at the Oasis Visitor Center at approximately 4:30 p.m. Park rangers responded and organized hasty searches of the area on Thursday evening, but were unable to locate the missing teen. On Friday, the search was expanded to a unified incident command structure involving Joshua Tree National Park, Riverside County Sheriffs Office, and the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Office. District ranger Jeff Ohlfs served as co-IC for the park, with district ranger Dan Messaros serving as operations chief. Initial reports indicated that Sears was lost without food or water in weather conditions which featured daily highs in the upper 90s with very low humidity. Throughout the weekend, the search operation continually expanded until by Sunday more than 20 different agencies and volunteer SAR teams totaling 170 SAR personnel were assigned to the incident. Assets employed in the search included helicopters and fixed-winged aircraft, ground searchers, professional trackers, technical climbers, scent dogs, bloodhounds, and equestrian patrols. Adding more tragedy to the incident, a vehicle with five volunteer searchers reporting to the search was involved in a head-on collision early Saturday morning in the town of Morongo Valley. Two searchers died from their injuries and another was critically injured. The driver of the other vehicle was arrested for driving under the influence and faces possible murder charges. Park staff deeply regrets the tragic loss of the volunteers from San Bernardino County. Media interest in the search is high, with more than 30 news organizations covering the incident. Weather and rough terrain have made search operations challenging. The search perimeter covers roughly 20 square miles, and the area is characterized by maze-like boulder formations with literally thousands of crevices, caves, and deep holes. There is no surface water in the area. On Monday, the Riverside County Sheriffs Office received information that led to the opening of a criminal investigation surrounding the disappearance of Sears. The search continued Tuesday, with the park assuming command for search operations. Fourteen people, mainly park staff and Joshua Tree Search and Rescue volunteers, continued to support the search operation. All inquiries about the incident are being directed to Riverside County Sheriffs Office, which is handling the investigation with assistance from Joshua Tree National Park rangers. Jumbo Rocks Campground has been closed to public use during the search and subsequent investigation. [Submitted by Joe Zarki, Public Information Officer]
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iclimblilrocks
Jul 23, 2004, 3:12 AM
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the search was called off today. the family is looking to the public for volunteers to help continue the search, but the search dogs never picked up any scent past the camp site.
the "friend" has had a bad reputation. and might now be a suspect, especially since his story keeps changing..
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beth23
Jul 23, 2004, 3:26 AM
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In reply to: the search was called off today. the family is looking to the public for volunteers to help continue the search, but the search dogs never picked up any scent past the camp site. the "friend" has had a bad reputation. and might now be a suspect, especially since his story keeps changing..
I posted this in another thread but here's the latest, yep they're focusing on his friend now. Homicide investigators took over the case from SAR earlier this week. The friend's story sounded hinky from the get-go:
Investigators on Thursday searched the home of a 17-year-old boy who was with a teenager who was reported missing last week in Joshua Tree National Park.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said deputies and local police executed the search warrant at 10:30 a.m. at the Carlsbad home of Ben Fogelstrom, who was hiking with Eric Sears, 17, before his friend vanished.
The search concluded six hours later after investigators collected numerous items, said sheriff's Sgt. Earl Quinata. The items were not disclosed.
The search of the home and a family minivan was prompted by information obtained in more than 30 interviews that have been conducted since Sears disappeared July 15 in the rugged park, Quinata said.
The teen and his family were cooperating, according to authorities.
Fogelstrom "is not a suspect but he is a focus - one of many focuses in this investigation," Quinata said. "We have no suspects in custody. No one has been arrested."
Sears' disappearance was being investigated as a missing person case, but homicide investigators joined the search Tuesday and authorities have said that information from park visitors indicated foul play might be involved.
Fogelstrom has told authorities he was hiking with Sears when the two, recent high school graduates who worked together at a restaurant, became separated in the Jumbo Rocks Campground area. Authorities have extensively searched the rugged region, where daytime temperatures can soar above 100 degrees.
Quinata said the Joshua Tree search was scaled back, but that park employees were monitoring the area.
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socalclimber
Jul 23, 2004, 1:00 PM
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The search has not been canceled. It has been scaled back and now is in a Passive mode. I was out last night with a couple of my team members searching one particular area. I'm not sure what the plans are yet for this weekend, but I know there will be more activity.
People are fried, you just can't go day after day in that heat. I worked that incident from the start and I'm really cooked. I cannot say too much more because this is still being investigated.
I can say this, this was a big incident. The level of cooperation, and profesionalism displayed by all agencies was amazing. We only had one twisted ankle. I worked Field Operations and I can tell you having that many people running around the desert in this heat and not having injuries was impressive to say the least.
I would to thank all the SAR teams who came out and helped us, you folks did an amazing job!
Robert Fonda
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jtme
Jul 23, 2004, 1:34 PM
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........couldn't stay away Robert!!! Me neither........I took a walk in the desert myself yesterday!
-r-
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crazygirl
Jul 23, 2004, 9:03 PM
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from SignOnSanDiego.com
Body found in Joshua Tree park
A body has been found by searchers in Joshua Tree National Park looking for missing Carlsbad teen Eric Sears. He has been missing July 15.
No identification has been made.
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lv2climb7
Jul 24, 2004, 2:53 AM
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555
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curt
Jul 24, 2004, 4:30 AM
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In reply to: How could the SAR teams have missed the body if it said that they had searched that area already?
Easily. Have you been to Joshua Tree? The rock formations are extremely convoluted with endless pits, chimneys, cravasses, etc. I remember years back that a little girl wandered off after going to the outhouse at Indian Cove campground in Joshua Tree NM. The search was far more extensive than the search for this teenager--and lasted much longer. Theories abounded including murder, kidnapping, mountain lion attack, even alien abduction. Several years later, her remains were found quite close to where she disappeared.
Curt
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socalclimber
Jul 24, 2004, 12:14 PM
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As far as I can tell he was on the far edge of one of the search areas. I'll know more later today. Our search perimeter/area was almost 30 miles.
Please people, let's take it easy on "how could the SAR teams not...". Allot of people spent an increadible amount of time searching for this kid in really nasty weather. There is a allot of frustration etc. that we didn't find him. Couple that with the fact that 2 people died en-route to this search. A number of my team members and members of a bunch of other SAR teams, Sherriff's dept. and fire personel attended a funeral yesterday, and will be doing so again today.
Robert
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edge
Jul 24, 2004, 1:36 PM
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Robert,
Thank you for all that you do in SAR! I know how difficult it can be, and of the consequences many suffer in the line of helping others. You and your colleagues have my highest appreciation.
I truly feel for the family members of those who were lost en route to the search.
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ter_bee
Jul 24, 2004, 4:01 PM
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i second that. in view of humanity's capacity for selfish destruction (of its environment, of other species, etc), the amount of compassion, courage and fortitude shown by rescuers (in this situation and many others) seems almost miraculous.
terbie
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rrrADAM
Jul 24, 2004, 7:10 PM
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Many fail to realize that JTree Nat Park is larger that the entire state of Rhose Island... Even climbers who frequent the park.
Hell, I've walked right by the "iron door" when I was even looking for it. :wink:
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lv2climb7
Jul 25, 2004, 1:21 AM
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socalclimber
Jul 25, 2004, 1:48 AM
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I may have reacted a little on the strong side, my appologies. You just have to understand this is a sensitive issue for us, allot has gone on.
No, it looks like he probably just wandered out of the area and ran out of steam.
Robert
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thomaskeefer
Jul 25, 2004, 5:06 AM
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In reply to: How could the SAR teams have missed the body if it said that they had searched that area already? Does anybody think that the body could have been dumped there later? :shock:
Actually pretty easily..
I they were looking for him in one spot and he was still wandering around on his own in another spot then he could have simply wound up there after the SAR guys had already searched that spot. Sucks..
This is another good reason to carry a whistle. Wild Country has a really cool whistle that is built into their sternum straps on packs. I guess knowing how to build a fire would be helpful too esp in california where people come running at the slightest hint of smoke.. but fire for signal is prob the last thing on someones mind when they are out lost in the desert.
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thrasher
Aug 13, 2004, 5:37 AM
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That little sh!thead that killed his friend had better be tried for an additional two counts of murder for the deaths of the SAR members. They died as a direct result of responding to a crime which, in essence was still in progress. The little sh!thead's father should be tried as an accessory to three murders also. And the frickin' drunk that killed the SAR should just be shot without a trial.
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curt
Aug 13, 2004, 6:50 AM
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Somebody please help me with this, because I no longer understand what actually occured. Was the deceased found in a rock pile two miles east of Jumbo Rocks CG, or was he stuffed into a pit-toilet by his friend. I don't see how both of these things that have been reported could have happened.
Curt
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thrasher
Aug 13, 2004, 6:56 AM
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Curt, the sh!thead originally said he dumped it in the toilet and then, when pressed further said that is not where he put the body.
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curt
Aug 13, 2004, 7:01 AM
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In reply to: Curt, the sh!thead originally said he dumped it in the toilet and then, when pressed further said that is not where he put the body.
Thanks Thrasher. That resolves something that bothered me about this story and that I found to be terribly inconsistent.
Curt
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catbird_seat
Aug 20, 2004, 12:32 AM
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It appears to me that the kid was so messed up on jimson week that none of his statements can be relied upon. I think the death was probably an accident.
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iclimblilrocks
Aug 20, 2004, 1:33 AM
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Ok, They were both super high on jimson weed, Which happends to be a very poisonous plant that grows in joshua tree, and There is only a little part that will get you high and has to be brewed and specialy prapaird to not kill you... the rest of it will kill you... they were having a argument about how eric had lost the keys ( which was quite stupid because they were high, and the keys where probably in his pocket) and eric got kinda perple in the face, so his friend took him to the bathroom because he thought that he was gonna puke.. (the smell alone of the bathrooms will kill you) and he stopped breathing and the kid freaked out and dumped his body and went to the rangers to report him missing the next day..
or atleast thats what I heard... But they were high so It is kinda impossible to know the complete truth untill the atopsy is finished and they know that happed to him....
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socalclimber
Aug 20, 2004, 1:45 AM
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In reply to: Ok, They were both super high on jimson weed, Which happends to be a very poisonous plant that grows in joshua tree, and There is only a little part that will get you high and has to be brewed and specialy prapaird to not kill you... the rest of it will kill you... they were having a argument about how eric had lost the keys ( which was quite stupid because they were high, and the keys where probably in his pocket) and eric got kinda perple in the face, so his friend took him to the bathroom because he thought that he was gonna puke.. (the smell alone of the bathrooms will kill you) and he stopped breathing and the kid freaked out and dumped his body and went to the rangers to report him missing the next day..
This is utter bullsh$t. You have no clue of what your talking about. I was on this search from the first night on till the end.
Robert
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