Last week, he was identified as 44-year old Vance Rodriguez when friends of his stumbled … He had no form of identification with him. “It was kind of a damp area. The hiker took a picture of him … Update 1/12/2020 at 11:28a: Today, Sheriff Kevin Rambosk is pleased to announce that after more than two years, thanks to the great work of our detectives, tips from the public and the use of DNA technology, we now know the identity of the deceased hiker who went by the trail name Mostly Harmless. Fairbanks and Rodriguez spoke for about 20 minutes, then he was on his way and was in good spirits, Fairbanks said. Vance Rodriguez was found by two hikers on July 23, 2018, inside a tent deep within Big Cypress National Preserve. He cut off communication with his family once he moved to the new city, Hurm said. “Absolutely they did,” Hurm said. People had a hard time understanding how nobody knew who he was.”, Deceased hiker, known as 'Mostly Harmless,' identified after more than two years, Deceased hiker 'Mostly Harmless' has been identified after two years. Nichalaus Horton, a Fort Lauderdale resident, remembers it was hot and muggy on the day he and a friend were hiking and discovered Rodriguez’s body. “I was thinking I'd like to get to know him better and maybe even hike with him.”. We were just curious to look at it again and remember it all together.". Investigators do … The District 20 Medical Examiner’s Office reported the man’s cause and manner of death as undetermined. "He worked really, really hard and he was like a super genius as far as what he did,” Dowden said. A very good idea! She knew the man was Rodriguez as soon as she saw a photo of him taken before he grew out his beard on the trail. We don’t know if he did it intentionally or if it was a tragic mistake that he died,” Hurm said. Mostly Harmless told one hiker he was a big Dr. Who fan with hard drives full of his favorite television shows and movies. Whether it was his unique trail names or the photos from his journey, something about Rodriguez and his death captured the attention of many people. [8] He was last known to reside in New York and worked in the field of information technology.[6]. Here's a timeline of the case. A picture of his face didn't turn up anything in a facial recognition database. Blizzard BULLET TO THE HEAD. He would tell us stories, but they were never personal stories.". He was friendly and said he worked in tech. His body, weighing just 83 pounds, was found at Nobles Campground by two hikers on July 23, 2018. Copy to Clipboard. In this true crime documentary, we're covering the solved mystery of Mostly Harmless, a mysterious hiker who remained unidentified for nearly two years. Who Was “Mostly Harmless”? Mostly Harmless told one hiker in Pennsylvania he went to the woods because he was 'depressed with his life and needed a complete change.' The Unsettling Truth About the ‘Mostly Harmless’ Hiker Discussion in ' True Crime: Murdered and Missing ' started by SHINeer , Jan 13, 2021 . Previous coverage: Collier Sheriff's Office asks for help to identify man found dead in Big Cypress Preserve. At the time of death, he was presumed to be between the ages of 35-50 years old, with gray hair and beard, blue eyes, and teeth in excellent condition. Facebook groups with thousands of members popped up with the purpose of combing through clues to try and identify him. Horton ate some of his granola bar and they both wondered about the camper in the tent. After viewing photographs of the then-unidentified man, a previous coworker contacted authorities, who obtained DNA samples from living relatives in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. “I most definitely remember finding the body. This is further corroborated by his love of Doctor Who, which he shared with another hiker. Dec 29, 2020 #24 Stebot said: Well now they know who he is. By Brett Clarkson. Gormley believes he may have been the last person to speak with Rodriguez before he died. “They stopped in to talk to us and see if there was any additional information we had.”. Detectives discovered the man was a thru hiker, who went by trail names "Denim" and "Mostly Harmless.”. A small memorial for Rodriguez rests at the campsite. By the summer of 2017, 'Mostly Harmless' has made it to Virginia, where he walked more than 100 miles with a female hiker. Sometimes when thru hikers meet, they take photos together to remember their hiking days. “Everybody deserves to be identified and to have their name,” Spires said. The woman - who has shared her story with police - … “He just has one of those faces,” Dowden said. www.dailymail.co.uk Reactions: Sugar Cookie, myra manes, Fives My Charm and 2 others. COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — After more than two years, the identity of the deceased hiker who went by the trail name Mostly Harmless is finally known. IT'S OUR TOP STORY. After he died in his tent, no one could figure out who he was. Mostly Harmless told one hiker in Pennsylvania he went to the woods because he was ‘depressed with his life and needed a complete change.’ One hiker shared this snap of Mostly Harmless in Damascus, Virginia, in October 2017. Multiple hikers and travelers have encountered a nameless hiker, who only introduced himself as a ‘mostly harmless’ hiker before he was found dead in a tent. Generally Harmless had also advised at least one particular hiker he was from Baton Rouge. Hiker found dead went by 'Denim' and 'Mostly Harmless' on the trail, but investigators don't know his real name . “They didn't really want to believe it at first, but they agreed to cooperate with us in hopes of excluding their son as being my unidentified hiker,” Hurm said. "Mostly Harmless" was an alias of a man found deceased in Florida in 2018. Mostly Harmless appears to have died of natural causes, according to investigators. Mostly Harmless is a 1992 novel by Douglas Adams and the fifth book in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. He went by the trail names “Denim” and “Mostly Harmless.” Here is a link to my latest update with more background information. After completion of the Appalachian Trail he traveled the Pinhoti and Florida Trails. Since discovering the body, Horton said he has been back in the area. Copy to Clipboard. Posted: Jan 14, 2021 / … “He 100% was a very private person.". Witnesses reported that he preferred ketchup and sticky buns, and that he had said he came from Baton Rouge, was hiking to Key West, and had a sister living in Sarasota or Saratoga. As the case moved forward, Horton received friend requests on Facebook from people interested in the hiker’s identity and he’d discuss it with them. The hiker had no obvious injuries. He and Buehler backed away, and Horton called 911. ‘Mostly Harmless,’ hiker found dead in Florida, identified two years later, from Lafayette Local. Horton realized the man inside the tent was dead. Rodriguez’s family did not return phone calls or declined requests for comment for this story. CCSO and DNA Lab Partner In Attempt To ID Hiker ‘Mostly Harmless’ July 17, 2020 / 1 Comment / in Human Interest , Legal Matters , Uncategorized / by LifeInNaples In July 2018, two men discovered the body of a deceased hiker along … "It is pretty unusual for a thru hiker not to carry a cellphone.”. American hiker and former unidentified person, Image of Rodriguez during his hiking activities, List of unidentified decedents in Florida, "The Unsettling Truth About the 'Mostly Harmless' Hiker", "A Nameless Hiker and the Case the Internet Can't Crack", "Dead Everglades hiker identified after 2-year mystery", "Mysterious Hiker Found Dead On Florida Trail May Be From Brooklyn", "New forensic genealogy technique could be key in solving case of unidentified deceased hiker", Unidentified decedents in the United States, Unidentified murder victims in the United States, National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Death_of_Vance_Rodriguez&oldid=1004878070, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Vaejor, Mostly Harmless, Ben Bilemy, Denim, This page was last edited on 4 February 2021, at 21:24. By Brett Clarkson. “We are still guessing. “It had that similar feel to it.”. Mostly Harmless was 1st viewed in the woods in the spring of 2017 around New York’s Harriman State Park and he continued southbound down Appalachian Path, Pinhoti and Florida trails. The Unsettling Truth About the ‘Mostly Harmless’ Hiker Discussion in ' True Crime: Murdered and Missing ' started by SHINeer , Jan 13, 2021 . We will have answers very soon. More:Deceased hiker 'Mostly Harmless' has been identified after two years. Mostly Harmless Hiker DNA 01/13/2021. His supposed interest in science fiction led many to guess the trail name Mostly Harmless is a reference to the title of the final book in Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series. Rodriguez was part of a group of co-workers that discussed online video games, but she never joined in, Dowden said. Latest Stories. She met Rodriguez while he was in the area in January 2018. The mysterious hiker dubbed 'Mostly Harmless' whose body was found in a Florida campground in 2018 has been identified as 44-year-old Vance Rodriguez HIS BODY WS FOUND IN THE "BIG CYPRESS NATIONAL PRESERVE" IN FLORIDA IN 2018. Mostly Harmless was 1st viewed in the woods in the spring of 2017 around New York’s Harriman State Park and he continued southbound down Appalachian Path, Pinhoti and Florida trails. "[3] There were no signs of foul play. Tags :Texas,Florida,New York,New Jersey (NJ) (Collier County Sheriff's Office) Almost two years since the day a pair of hikers came across the body of a man, now popularly identified as 'Mostly Harmless… Buehler had peered through a mesh patch into the tent. But people with computer skills usually don’t have a hard time finding a job. Mostly Harmless was first seen in the woods in the spring of 2017 near New York’s Harriman State Park and he continued southbound down Appalachian Trail, … Still, Spires said online groups dedicated to identifying people can have a positive impact. Identity of Deceased Hiker Uncovered. January 12, 2021 Pathways Leave a comment. [6], The autopsy could not determine the specific cause of death, although he was described as being "emaciated. Mostly Harmless told one hiker in Pennsylvania he went to the woods because he was ‘depressed with his life and needed a complete change.’ One hiker shared this snap of Mostly Harmless in Damascus, Virginia, in October 2017. According to Godso, Rodriguez didn’t graduate. The internet steps in to solve this mystery and despite finding dozens fellow hikers who's lives had been touched by the man who went by the trail-name "Mostly Harmless… The trail sits next to a canal with alligators, snakes, frogs and other wildlife. DNA research has indicated that the decedent was likely of Cajun ancestry. (The Advertiser)- A hiker who was found dead in a tent in Florida was identified two years later as a New York man who was originally from Lafayette. “He just seemed like every one of us,” Hurm said. He was identified when a previous coworker recognized photos of him in December 2020, with his identity being released in January 2021. [2] It is not immediately clear if he had been fingerprinted after that arrest and, if so, why he was unable to be matched with those fingerprints during the two years that he remained unidentified. On a cool winter day, it takes a healthy hiker about 90 minutes to hike from Nobles Campsite to the interstate rest area. Rodriguez gladly spoke with him, Gormley said. Generally Harmless had also advised at least one particular hiker he was from Baton Rouge. This missing piece of the puzzle makes it difficult to figure out why Rodriguez ended up dead inside his tent. Others say the trail name was descriptive: Someone said he was “mostly harmless,” and it stuck. It was kind of like if you were in a sauna.”. Rodriguez’s identity has already circulated through the world of amateur web sleuths. It is worth noting that Rodriguez had been arrested for shoplifting in Lafayette Parish, back in August 1994. His “Mostly Harmless” nickname is potentially a reference to a character from Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which possibly indicates an interest in science fiction. This is the "unsettling truth", the last paragraph, we all been so Twitter'ed everyone needs to look for more - > Yet it’s hard not to look at this story with anything but sadness. He went by the trail names “Denim” and “Mostly Harmless.”. [5], By January 2018, the hiker had reached northern Florida. “They were holding out hope that it wasn't their son. His DNA didn't match any in the Department of Justice's missing person database or in CODIS, the national DNA database run by the FBI. For Detective David Hurm, of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, efforts to identify the unidentified hiker weren’t complete after Dowden called in with her tip. His body … In 2018, the body of a hiker was found at the Big Cypress National Preserve. 13 hours ago. He told her he wasn’t carrying a phone and was using a paper map of Florida to navigate the trail, Fairbanks said. In Brooklyn, Rodriguez registered a business out of his apartment called V-TECH OF NY INC. WITH NOT MUCH TO GO ON-- AUTHORITIES TURNED TO DNA.... BRIANNA ALDRIDGE HAS MORE ON THE FORENSIC TRAIL-- THAT LED TO LAFAYETTE. Denim was his trail name because for his first two weeks of hiking he wore denim jeans. Vance Rodriguez was found by two hikers on July 23, 2018, inside a tent deep within Big Cypress National Preserve. It was the last Hitchhiker's book written by Adams and his final book released in his lifetime. A woman who, according to property records, shared the Brooklyn apartment with Rodriguez declined to comment for this story. “It's a camaraderie thing that happens among hikers," Gormley said. Later, Rodriguez left his job at Shoppers Choice, moved to Brooklyn, New York, and lived in an apartment with a woman, Hurm said. The mystery of the hiker known only by his trail name, "Mostly Harmless," has finally been solved - and he's connected to Lafayette. But, it was unusual that Rodriguez was not part of any thru hiker Facebook groups and he wasn’t using other tools for support while on the trails, Fairbanks said. Investigators determined the DNA was a match on Jan 8. “He was a real friendly guy,” Gormley said. [5][6], Using information from witnesses' interviews, investigators developed a timeline of his activities. “This just goes to show that regardless of how little information you have, it's never impossible.”. Rodriguez was taking a nap near the road in the shade, and Gormley woke him up. Jan 13, 2021 #1 The sheriff’s office needed to find a family member of Rodriguez and then run a comparison DNA test to be certain that he was the unidentified hiker. Nobody is ever going to know the absolute truth.”. The mysterious hiker dubbed 'Mostly Harmless' whose body was found in a Florida campground in 2018 has been named as 44-year-old Vance Rodriguez. Nobles Campsite is a small area shaded by palm trees, hidden by tall grass and surrounded by all types of Everglades vegetation. “Ben Bilemy” is the alias used by a southbound Appalachian Trail through hiker in 2017. “It blows my mind because Vance would not have wanted any of this publicity,” Dowden said. (The Advertiser)- A hiker who was found dead in a tent in Florida was identified two years later as a New York man who was originally from Lafayette. Who Was “Mostly Harmless”? He was a junior in high school, already living away from home and was no longer under the supervision of his parents when a judge approved the emancipation, according to court records. Investigators tried to identify the unknown man, but his fingerprints didn’t show up in any law enforcement database, and his DNA did not match any entry in the national DNA databases. For close to 900 days, he was known only by his alias or trail names. The decedent has multiple aliases, including his trail name “Mostly Harmless”, “Ben Bilemy”, and “Denim”. Here's a timeline of the case. The Unsettling Truth About the ‘Mostly Harmless’ Hiker. Someone else met Mostly Harmless on the FT, near Paisley, Florida. His body weighed just 83 pounds. He seemed like he could be your brother, or your cousin. Title. She said she was unhappy with the way Rodriguez’s name was circulated online before his identity was officially confirmed. The mysterious hiker dubbed 'Mostly Harmless' whose body was found in a Florida campground in 2018 has been named as 44-year-old Vance Rodriguez. It’s not unusual for thru hikers to use trail names as a way to further disconnect from outside life. BROOKLYN, NEW YORK – Florida police followed every possible lead to try and identify "Mostly Harmless," a mysterious trail hiker who died of starvation with about $3,600 in cash in his kit. Hiker dubbed 'Mostly Harmless… He was known by the trail names “Denim” and “Mostly Harmless”. The mysterious hiker dubbed 'Mostly Harmless' whose body was found in a Florida campground in 2018 has been identified as 44-year-old Vance Rodriguez. The sheriff’s office released some of Rodriguez’s personal items to his family, including clothing, shoes, notebook papers and some cash. Othram had confirmed the match between Rodriguez and his family by performing the required testing. They came across Rodriguez’s yellow tent near the picnic table and saw his hiking boots and poles outside. Rodriguez’s body was found at Nobles Campsite, which is about 5 miles north of Interstate 75 within Big Cypress National Preserve. The campsite is a straight shot up the Florida National Scenic Trail from the interstate’s mile marker 63 rest area. I hadn't seen him in a while, but his face was still kind of stuck with me.”, Previous coverage: Deceased hiker, known as 'Mostly Harmless,' identified after more than two years, More: Deceased hiker 'Mostly Harmless' has been identified after two years. Investigators couldn’t pinpoint why Rodriguez decided to leave Brooklyn to hike across the country, Hurm said. “Mostly Harmless,” a hiker found in the Big Cypress National Preserve has been identified after two years of speculation about who the man could be. Vance Rodriguez was found by two hikers on July 23, 2018, inside a tent deep within Big Cypress National Preserve. It looked like Rodriguez left without any preparation, Hurm said. Rodriguez’s body was held by the District 20 Medical Examiner’s Office in East Naples until he was identified. Kelly Fairbanks was the first person to connect the sheriff’s office composite photo of the unidentified hiker to the man many knew as Mostly Harmless. A hiker known as "Mostly Harmless" whose body was found in the Florida Everglades in 2018 has been identified as a Lafayette man whose family still lives in the area. “He kept to himself a lot whenever we did kind of hang out. More:Deceased hiker 'Mostly Harmless' has been identified after two years. His DNA, dental information, and fingerprints did not match known missing person reports in any database. Collier County officials began searching for information regarding the death of this John Doe. [6], The hiker started his journey on the Appalachian Trail in April 2017, from Harriman State Park near New York City. [6] An official announcement from the Collier County Sheriff's Office was released on January 12, 2021. “We stay in touch with each other, so that was the approach.”. Dowden can’t remember exactly how long she worked with Rodriguez, but it was for several years, she said. The mystery of the hiker known only by his trail name, "Mostly Harmless," has finally been solved - and he's connected to Lafayette. He said that they were the only two there so they talked pretty late into the evening, and the conversation got pretty deep. Although Rodriguez emancipated from his family and had not spoken to them in years, Hurm said it was obvious that his parents still cared for him. Toni Dowden was scrolling through Facebook when she recognized him. DNA research has indicated that the decedent was likely of Cajun ancestry. Amelia Spires, a South Georgia woman, was part of one of those groups. He went by the trail names “Denim” and “Mostly Harmless.” “I didn't even look around to see what was out there and then it got dark. It is described on the cover of the first editions as "The fifth book in the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhikers Trilogy". In fact, his name began circulating through the groups even before investigators were certain that Rodriguez was the unidentified hiker. Identity of Deceased Hiker Uncovered. According to Godso, Rodriguez didn’t graduate. He had savings and “desires to manage his own affairs,” according to court documents. The Unsettling Truth About the ‘Mostly Harmless’ Hiker. “I don't know if anybody got to know him really well that worked there,” Dowden said. Fairbanks interacts with and supports thru hikers as they pass through her town of Crestview in the Florida Panhandle. Rodriguez was living in Lafayette Parish when he emancipated with the consent of his parents at 17, according to court records. It’s placed along the tree line and features a small cross made of sticks and an orange rope. A votive candle sits in a holder with the face of Jesus on it in front of the cross. On December 1, Mostly Harmless had made it to northern Georgia, where he stopped in a store called Mountain Crossings. [5][6] He wore a gray Columbia baseball hat and appeared to be between 35 and 50 years of age, with slightly graying brown hair and a beard. Rodriguez was born in 1976 and was an IT worker in New York with roots in Louisiana. Investigators couldn’t locate anyone who knew his real name, even though he interacted with others along the Appalachian and Florida trails starting in 2017. Lawrence and Ethel Rodriguez said their son's name was Vance Rodriguez. The couple told investigators they had a son, with physical characteristics similar to the unidentified hiker, who worked with computers and moved to New York in 2013. News outlets across the country covered the hiker’s story. Detectives even have clear photos of him along the way. Mostly Harmless was in good spirits at this time, and he seemed to be enjoying his hike. [9] The location was near Interstate 75. The Vance Rodriguez she knew would not have wanted all the attention this case brought him, Dowden said. “They would send him text messages or emails on holidays, birthdays and significant days, and they all went unanswered,” Hurm said. Vance Rodriguez was found by two hikers on July 23, 2018, inside a tent deep within Big Cypress National Preserve. He contacted law enforcement and tried as much as he could to help identify Rodriguez. It was the evening of Dec. 11 and she called the sheriff’s office immediately. He also used the names "Denim" and "Ben Bilemy." “As soon as we discovered the body, I called 911 within seconds,” Horton said. He also used the names "Denim" and "Ben Bilemy." After years of investigation by authorities and amateur online sleuths, the identity of the deceased Appalachian Trail hiker known by the trail name “Mostly Harmless” has been uncovered. COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — After more than two years, the identity of the deceased hiker who went by the trail name Mostly Harmless is finally known. But people with computer skills usually don’t have a hard time finding a job. January 13, 2021, 4:31 PM. He again mentioned that he was from, or at least started in, New York. He still wonders about parts of Rodriguez’s story and how the man died. About three months later, Mike Gormley finished a hike through Big Cypress National Preserve and was hitchhiking a ride when he ran into Rodriguez. 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Reactions: Sugar Cookie, myra manes, mostly harmless hiker my Charm and 2 others Big who. Line and features a small area shaded by palm trees, hidden by tall grass and by. 1976 and was an old co-worker named Vance Rodriguez was the evening of 11! Found deceased in Florida in 2018 has been identified after two years following his discovery I was thinking I needed! ' fingerprints did n't show up in any database of combing through clues to and... If he did, ” Spires said online groups dedicated to identifying people have. According to property records, shared the Brooklyn apartment with Rodriguez before he would tell us,. Is further corroborated by his love of Doctor who, which he shared another!