My wife and I were Hiking New Years Day with our Dog too.
It brings tears to my eyes learning another hiker died that day doing what we all enjoy so much, so very sad.
Rocky65
Rocky65
Hiking - So Sad
system
#2
She died in a van with a stranger she trusted simply because he had a dog like she did and appeared to be a “hiker.” She likely took a ride with this POS – GBI investigators have collected a seatbelt with her blood on it from one of the places where the murderer disposed evidence. The belt came from his van. If her car didn’t work, she could have called friends from Walasi-Yi, not accepted a ride from someone she didn’t know. Lesson? DON’T TAKE A RIDE WITH A STRANGER YOU’VE JUST MET.
Sgt. Jack
system
#3
How would a hiker ever make it without a ride from a stranger? If we are not to die, then we would never live.
Concerned
system
#4
How would a hiker ever make it without a ride from a stranger? If we are not to die, then we would never live.
Concerned
system
#5
How would a hiker ever make it without a ride from a stranger? If we are not to die, then we would never live.
Concerned
system
#6
I didn’t say hitch. Hitching or getting rides is a different, more unplanned situation. The police now have three fleece tops covered with her blood. This is consistent with a traumatic wound, such as being hit with an expandable police baton like the one he was known to carry. He likely lured her into the van, then caught her by surprise, so quick that she couldn’t react against him. He probably chatted her up and lured her, then killed her.
Sgt. Jack
system
#7
Do you have proof she trusted this person? I’m guessing she was struck by the man in order to get her in the van. His baton was found at the scene, so I’m guessing she didn’t go willingly into his van. If she was struck after she was in the van, then he didn’t use his baton.
And how is getting a ride from someone you just met and hitching not the same damn thing?
twocan
system
#8
The proof is that, uh, she’s no longer with us.
Hitching isn’t the same as being targeted, stalked, led to trust someone, lured into a kill zone, then killed. Hitching is a random act, with little premeditation on the part of hikers or those who pick them up. There is a huge difference between the two.
.
.
She trusted him enough to be lured into the kill zone of the van door or into the van itself; I’m betting on the van itself, given the bloody seatbelt the police reportedly found. THIS the commonest, simplest, most straight-forward advice anyone ever hears: DON’T GET INTO A STRANGER’S VAN. It’s just about a bumper sticker when talking to kids about things like this. It’s a cliche. It’s a bad nightmare movie.
“Come over to my van” or else the trapping was nonverbal and she followed him over to it, being social.
.
Predators take advantage of this kind of youthful feeling of invulnerability.
Sgt. Jack
system
#9
Sgt Jack doesn’t know what he is talking about.
Who knows, maybe they met up while hiking and he offered a ride. Or he picked up her while hitchhiking, has it occured that maybe he went around to trailheads looking for women that are hitchhiking in order to do a crime like this?
As others have said Jack, if you hike, you are going to get into vehicles of people you don’t know. Anyone who has actually done hiking knows this and it’s a chance we take.
nrkybill
system
#10
And you do?
…
She had her own car there. Read the news reports and surmise the evidence, then come back here shooting off your pie hole. They were seen walking together before she disappeared. He won her confidence. Conned her.
If she hadn’t gotten near that van, she’d be alive today. This was not a hitchhiking situation, it’s nowhere near the same, much as you’d like to believe you’re some kind of braveheart hitchhiking hero. Girls shouldn’t get in strangers’ vans: That’s the bottom line.
Sgt. Jack
system
#11
You can never blame a victim. Never even think of it. A word on hitching. When Hydro and I hitched on the PCT, I always gave her the front and I sat behind the driver. This way I control the situation not the driver. If I’m in front and the dude stabs me or something were screwed. If I’m in back and someone is being creapy a buck knife goes into the guys neck easy. Though I think the odds of something happening are slimmer then winning MEGABUCKS in Reno.:smokin
guino
system
#12
I read a rumor, on this site I think, that both the hiker and the POI were members of Whiteblaze - is this correct?
Brian Osborne
system
#13
Neither the missing hiker nor the suspect were Whiteblaze members. As others have stated, some people who knew the victim logged onto Whiteblaze and the moderators have been attempting to keep the tone of the discussions civil, helpful, and sympathetic, so there have been a number of posts deleted.
Five-Leafed Clover
system
#14
I’m going to publish an article on trail safety (I’ll anounce the publication when it arrives.) and am revising my myspace site to also focus on trail safety (the site is still up nad running; it’s simply being revised). I’ve discovered this issue is incredibly real and relevant. Happy and safe hiking!
Diva
system
#16
Hey guys,
This is a great tragedy for the the family of this woman and the trail community. Do we really need to make things worst by getting into these pissing matches.
Noone will probably ever know what really happened here. All that we really know is that a life has been taken.
Can we please just call a truce on the name calling and try to mourn this in a dignified manner.:boy
JalanJalan
system
#18
Sgt. Jack, I don’t think anyone knows the true circumstances surrounding what happened. If you do what you are urging people to do, it appears more along the lines of her being abducted, instead of lured into a van, being as how her dog’s leash and her bottles were laying outside of her car. Why would she willingly leave her belongings behind?
Seriously, people. This is a sad event, but there is no need or excuse for you to be jerks about it to other people who are simply wondering the same thing.
bearbait
system
#19
This is a tragedy for all. Obviously, the popularity of hiking trails has attracted the attention of predators and predatory-like behav. from a few users(or do we really know due to many non-disclosed incidents). My point is, it is fun hiking solo and being spontaneous but the benefits/risk have to be examined whether it is worth doing-especially on trails near populated areasor w easy access. Hikers should not let this dissuade from using trails,we just need to be more vigilant(but not paranoid) about who else is out there.
mike