Another Missing Person

[Artemis Windsong]

This time is Yellowstone.  Kim Crumbo missing.  Half brother Mark O'Neill dead.  Both were former forest service employees.

www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/rescue-crews-are-searching-yellowstone-for-a-former-navy-seal-after-his-half-brother-was-found-dead-in-the-park/ar-AAOHoqr?ocid=mailsignout&li=BBnb7Kz

[Opti]

Sad. Given one was found on the shore, probably Kim drowned as well.

[haapai]

I wish that msn had included more of the details of the Park Service press release in the article instead of just linking to them. 

From the first press release, emphasis added: 

On Sunday, Sept. 19, park crews located a vacant campsite with gear on the south side of Shoshone Lake, as well as a canoe, paddle, PFD and other personal belongings on the east shore of the lake. Crews located the body of O’Neill along the east shore during the morning of Monday, Sept. 20.

Shoshone Lake, the park’s second-largest lake, is located at the head of the Lewis River southwest of West Thumb. At 8,050 acres (3,258 ha), its average year-round temperature is about 48 F (9 C). Survival time is estimated to be only 20 to 30 minutes in water of this temperature.

Everything points to a capsize and being a former Seal doesn't help much with water temps that low.  It may even hurt your odds if you stay skinny.  If this guy stayed lean and wiry, the odds of finding his body are not that great. 

But they're still calling it a rescue operation today. 

[Artemis Windsong]

And people can still be found 53 years later.

www.yahoo.com/news/pretty-wild-idaho-hunter-finds-154313939.html

[Tiny]

Sept 22, 2021 17:09:38 GMT -5 Artemis Windsong said:

And people can still be found 53 years later.

www.yahoo.com/news/pretty-wild-idaho-hunter-finds-154313939.html

I wanted more information - how do you find more than some bone fragments after 53 years?  Didn't the critters have at his remains and scatter them?    Where were the remains found? in a cave? on the side of a ravine? some other protected place (so that the wallet was still near the body? - the article says a wallet was recovered).    

Was the poor fellow murdered and buried by who ever did him in and only recently erosion brought his remains to the surface?   (I suspect if it was a homicide the rest of the people involved are probably dead (old age) or incapacitated by old age (in their 90's) . 

I know it's morbid - but, but, I have questions! 

[Artemis Windsong]

I sorta had questions also. The wallet was found. I don't know if material could last that long out in the open. I don't know how much location information would be given out after all this time.

My take is he died of a heart attack or other medical problem, alone, in the wilderness.

[Artemis Windsong]

The old news article narrows the area to Hayden Creek and Pahsimeroi Valley. I'm sure it's a large area. A map of the hunting areas for Idaho big horn sheep would focus in a little more.


www.eastidahonews.com/2021/09/its-pretty-wild-hunter-finds-remains-of-man-missing-for-53-years/

[tractor]

On a related note, my cousin is one of those "missing" persons out west. He was single, childless and depressed. He left Michigan without indicating where he was heading. At one point, many months later his car turned up abandoned at one of the Yosemite parking lots. The park service contacted his brother and indicated that they typically find 4-5 cars a year when people walk away from them into the wilderness and never return.

His remains have never been found. We had always suspected that he committed suicide in an inaccessible place, or fell into a ravine never to be found. He could still turn up, but after 20-years, he is presumed dead. His brother was able to obtain a death certificate and close out him limited estate.

[Artemis Windsong]

Wow. That must weigh heavy on families' minds having a missing relative. May they experience some peace along the way.

The mental struggle is real.

[Opti]

Sept 23, 2021 11:07:35 GMT -5 tractor said:

On a related note, my cousin is one of those "missing" persons out west. He was single, childless and depressed. He left Michigan without indicating where he was heading. At one point, many months later his car turned up abandoned at one of the Yosemite parking lots. The park service contacted his brother and indicated that they typically find 4-5 cars a year when people walk away from them into the wilderness and never return.

His remains have never been found. We had always suspected that he committed suicide in an inaccessible place, or fell into a ravine never to be found. He could still turn up, but after 20-years, he is presumed dead. His brother was able to obtain a death certificate and close out him limited estate.

Sorry for your loss. When I think of missing people, I rarely think about intentional ones unless they are on the run. TY for your informational post.

[tractor]

Interestingly enough, I just did a google search on him and found copies of police reports and missing persons flyers that I never saw before. His case is still open, but since he disappeared (along with his dog apparently) in 2003, there has been no sign of him, or his dog.

There was an extensive search by air, ground, and water with divers in a lake adjacent to where his truck was found, nothing has ever turned up. He bought a park pass on May 29th, truck found empty on June 30th. I also discovered he was in Glacier National Park. Kind of makes me want to venture out there, just to see the location.

We were not close, he was 10-years older than me, and our families haven't spoken in years....

[haapai]

The Park Service has not issued an update on the case today.  Yesterday's update indicated that they would update when warranted but I don't know if downgrading the search to a recovery effort would meet that threshold. 

Given their ages, it is quite likely that many of the persons involved in the search knew Crumbo or at least his brother, who was also retired from the Park Service.  (I'm not sure why I didn't notice earlier that the younger brother was also retired from the Park Service ) 

[toomuchreality]

tractor
I'm so sorry to hear this.
Hugs ♡