Posted on 02/17/2012 9:40:53 AM PST by Teflonic
He's eluded authorities for more than five years, a mountain man who roams the wilderness of southern Utah, breaking into remote cabins in winter, living in luxury off hot food, alcohol and coffee before stealing provisions and vanishing into the woods.
Investigators have clawed for clues, scouring cabins for fingerprints that match no one and chasing reports of brief encounters only to come up short, always a step behind the mysterious recluse.
They've found abandoned camps, dozens of guns, high-end outdoor gear stolen from the homes and trash strewn around the forest floor.
But the man authorities say is armed and dangerous and responsible for more than two dozen burglaries has continued to outrun the law across a swath of mountains not far from Zion National Park.
He's roamed across 1,000 square miles of rugged wilderness where snow can pile 10 feet deep in winter.
And while there have been no violent confrontations, detectives say he's a time bomb.
The coffee and alcohol the survivalist favors plays into some cabin owners' assessment that he could be a castaway from the nearby twin towns of Hildale or Colorado City on the Utah-Arizona border. The so-called lost boys are said to be regularly booted from the polygamous sect there by elders looking to increase their marriage opportunities with young women.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Sort of reminds me of the “Cookie Bandit” up in the Jemez. He was later linked to about 5 murders, (2 in LA, 2 in Canada, and the NM hiker where he hot the gun he used to kill the Deputy.)
It’s not a 350, they were produced with a laminated stock.
riddled with bullets after defacing religious icons
Somehow, I don’t think his targets are liberals.
I doubt he'd harm anyone either, he hasn't so far and I'm sure he's had plenty of opportunities. Not sure why I feel for the guy - perhaps because he has gained experience that could save lives, or he seems to be a victim of unfortunate circumstances, or perhaps that he is in need of help and caring guidance.
Coffee? In Southern Utah? I was at a conference once in Southern Utah and getting the caterer to serve coffee was like pulling teeth. The Mormon coordinator of the conference was finally informed that most of the attendees were not Mormons and these gentiles wanted their coffee and let the caterer know that in no uncertain terms.
I would tend to doubt that law enforcement is making much of a special effort to find this guy...who wants to actively hunt for a mtn man that has a scope high powered rifle and likely knows how to shoot it.
He’ll mess up eventually on his own.
Not sure why I feel for the guy
I don’t understand it either. From the excerpted portion posted here, some might view him as a guy who just wants to be left alone.
But the rest of the details in the article show differently. He isn’t just trying to get by, he is being overly destructive of multiple peoples property.
He doesn’t just have a sore spot for religion, he is trying to destroy it in others homes. And he is telling them they shouldn’t own their property on his mountain.
I do agree he needs help, but giving him another place to hide isn’t the help he needs.
It’s Felix and Oscar!
Snow on the ground should make for some easy tracking.
Over fights by air craft ect. I coulds see that in non snow months that he be hard to fine.
After he kills some one then they will spend millions hunting him down.
Whats interesting in this case is they set up man hunts, scouring the countryside for an unknown burglar.
I wouldn’t cross him, that’s for sure. And I’d hate to be in the posse after him... I bet he can use that rifle.
Not that different from what’s going on along our southern border.... Shouldn’t he qualify for amnesty?
I'd have thought the opposite...
One is a copy cat, trying to make it look like it was the other guy. Probably where the guns are going.
>He’s a predator exhibiting predatory behaviour,
That doesn’t follow from his actions; if anything it’s a scavenger’s behavior he’s exhibiting.
>and investigators correctly assessed that he will indeed grow increasingly destructive and violent.
Ah, so the investigators have precognition? Is this related to the projections “for increased tax revenue” that was used to justify using imminent domain on Kelo*?
* — That projection was totally inaccurate as the project that concerned it was never built.
Al wouldn't last five minutes in the wilderness.
I think you are right.
Also, his gear is too new. The rifle is in near perfect condition, and look at the knife sheath—that looks like it was new last week.
must be the real Rambo...
You are looking at the picture of a guy outside an expensive modern dwelling, can’t we assume that he grooms himself, cleans his clothes and body in pretty nice homes with very modern luxuries and a wealth of goods, the article even mentions gun collections in these high end rich people houses, we can assume that he eats well and sleeps well most of the time, or at least during the period when those photos were taken, even his tarp camp site looked plenty comfortable and abundant for outdoor living.
In some wealthy cabins, freezers with steaks, and satellite service is the norm, not shacks with paper plates and candles.
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