R121-04 Garfield County, CO- Flat Tops John Doe -Unidentified September 2004
R121 - 04 Flattops John Doe is an Unidentified Deceased White Male. This gentleman was found on September 8th, 2004 in Garfield County, Colorado near Glenwood Springs.
IDENTIFIERS
27 - 65 y/o
5 ft 10
High quality dental work
Gold work, crowns, bridges and fillings in almost all of his teeth
Possible back injury prior to death and may have spinal problems.
Severe degeneration in his back and neck, and most likely suffered severe back pain.
Flat Tops John Doe was a Smoker.
Cannot estimate weight
Estimated Year of Death was within five years of discovery
Remains not recognizable - Near complete or complete skeleton
CIRCUMSTANCES
According to Colorado Bureau of investigations, on September 8th, 2004, bow hunters found the gentleman’s skeletal remains inside of a tent in a remote wooded area north of Glenwood Springs.
The site is in the drainage of No Name Creek at about 9,700 feet elevation, about 6 miles as the crow flies from Glenwood Springs, but 12 miles by the Transfer Trail out of town.
Much about the case is conjecture, including a theory that the man entered the Flat Tops Wilderness at a trailhead on the north and hiked four or five days across elevations of 11,000 feet before setting up his tent on a southern drainage at about 9,700 feet.
That theory is supported by two moisture-proof National Geographic trail maps of the Flat Tops with a route drawn across them to the area where the remains were discovered. But it is possible the man picked up the maps someone else had marked and left behind.
For the sake of our listing, and because the area was so remote, we have dubbed the man Flat Top John Doe.
His trousers had rotted away, but the date of currency found at his campsite indicates he apparently had been there no longer than five years.
The letter he left (detailed below) leaves open the possibility the man was suicidal, although there is no reason to believe he killed himself. Perhaps he was terminally ill and chose to take his life. The man also could have succumbed to unexpected illness or injury while on an outing in the Flat Tops.
The Sheriff’s Department states his skeleton revealed no cause of death and they believe he died from natural causes.
CLOTHING/ACCESSORIES
ITEMS COLLECTED FROM CAMPSITE
Fragments of sleeping cushion
Blue backpack
Brown sleeping bag
Black Jansport backpack
Blue hair brush,
Fingernail clippers
Tweezers
Package of razor blades,
Cash
butane stove with two fuel cans
Sweetwater water-filtration kit
Tent repair kit
Two green plastic military-style canteens
Compass
Aluminum cooking pot
Spoon
Two National Geographic moisture-proof trail maps of Flat Tops area
"4 in 1" Radio Shack game
Pocket sized Battleship, binoculars
20 packs of Camel unfiltered cigarettes
Eight multi-colored butane lighters
A bell
Pepper spray
ON THE BODY
Black belt with long underwear fragments,
pair of blue wool socks with duct tape around toes,
Pair of thin rimmed sunglasses (both lenses intact )
Pair of thin rimmed reading glasses (both lenses intact)
Brown and black Timberland hiking boots (size 9 M)
Wrist watch with black band, yellow colored border, Roman numerals for numbers
NEAR THE BODY
Yellow and green plastic poncho
ADDITIONAL ITEM FOUND
A green spiral notebook with what appears to be hand drawn sketch of a heart with figures inside, was found with Flat Top John Doe’s items. Some entries were discernable, but other entries were not.
On the first page of the journal, he addresses someone named, Lib and says;
"I should write in case my situation here doesn't improve. This may be the end of my journey." "Would like for you to claim the body . . . services or memoreal. Cremation."
Other entries were partially legible but only certain words such as, "I" and "thought" and "favor" or "flavor.” On another page, more text could be discerned, but the CBI analysts said the writer's point is not clear. This sections reads:
"Third choice take them up in a glider (I promise not to get sick on you,"
Another page of additional journaling:
"ar on the . . . would you call her...d have it sent...you because I . . . want it to . . . where."
Analysts also interpreted a recovered fragment to read:
"be . . . er . . . my . . . s are going."
AGENCY CONTACTS
Garfield County Coroner's Office
(970) 665-6335
Agency Case Number 04-09-09-UR
Danica Paszek, Deputy Coroner
Danica Paszek, Medicolegal Death Investigator
(970) 665-6335
Regional Program Specialist
Dustin Driscoll
(817) 240-4106
Dustin.Driscoll@unthsc.edu
Garfield County Sheriff’s Office
970 945-1377 ext. 1025
Case # 04-1656
Colorado Bureau of Investigations
General Inquiries (303) 239-4201
cdps_cbi_denver@state.co.us
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