A bit of a long post but one I find significant. It says a lot by someone not connected as to what she saw and she says it with respect as far as the victim and family but with no sugar coating as far as what she encountered. From the same FB page as the others.
Jaymie McBee
3 hrs
Reading through this page, I have seen so much support, confusion and pleas for information. I do not know where Michael is. I just hope the information I know helps clarify some thing or help point things in a direction. . Please know that what I'm sharing is simply what I encountered or heard. What I know may be useless or repeat info.
I work with a company that contracts with the forest service. The area that Michael went missing from is on my route and I patrol it 3 times a week. For those of you that are not familiar with the area, it is a relatively quiet, remote stretch (approximately 7 miles) with a few small campgrounds and several camp sites alongside the road. One week ago today, August 6th, I was on this route. I had just had two days off and had not been up there since the 3rd. I was surprised to find the area heavily populated with people, traffic and search & rescue. The first place I stopped was at the top of this stretch at the Brice creek trailhead. (Approximately 1.5 miles past hobo camp) I was approached by a man who told me they were searching for a missing person and to please be on the lookout for someone appearing lost or disoriented. He gave no further description but his choice of words lead me to believe something may be wrong with this missing person. As I did my inspection, I realized, things were a mess. Trash, graffiti, feces, vomit...... I picked up as best I could and headed to my next location which was Hobo. At Hobo campground I was approached by several individuals. The first of which being Michael's father. Bless this man's poor heart. He was so incredibly distraught over his son's disappearance and the apparent lack of intrest from the people who were present at the time he dissapeared. He was overwhelmed and apologetic at the mess that I was walking in to, and all the cars blocking my way. I told him not to worry. I encounter messes all the time but was more concerned that someone was missing. I was givin a description of Michael (flyers had not yet been made) and I promised to be on the lookout. I spoke with a few others at this time as well. I was told that there had been a rave going on over the last couple days. I was informed that the headcount a Hobo camp alone was suspected to be around 65 people when family and police showed up but there was thought to be 100+ people in the area that had been at the party. How accurate these numbers are.... I haven't a clue. I was told that as the police and search and rescue came in, most of partygoers split. What I can tell you is the bathrooms were covered in vomit, feces, garbage, and graffiti. There were tons of bottles and cans, booze bottles, baggies and syringes. (This is NOT to say that Michael was or wasn't under the influence of anything. No one that I have spoke with has shared any information as to what Micheal had or had not taken.) Several of the campers left so quickly that I had to haul off bags, coolers and tents. I had seen both buses that were on site. The same buses that were said to be were Michael was last seen. One of which I was told went missing. I was told that there may have been some confusion and that Michael may have gotten off one bus and on to the other. Two different individuals explained the incident as Michael having what was thought to be a psychotic break or episode. Michael was apparently upset and felt as though he was not wanted on the bus and left. No one seemed to have any additional information from there. I cleaned Hobo as best I could and moved on to my next stop which was Lund campground. Lund is approximately 3/4 of a mile or so down the road. I was approached again by people at Lund. It was here that I was told that there was to be another "underground rave" the following night up the McKenzie and that some though Michael may have headed that way. (I kept a mental note of this. McKenzie is one of my route as well) The camp area and bathroom facilities were much of the same mess that I had found at Hobo and Brice. From there I went to Cedar Campground which is another couple miles from Lund. It was here that search and rescue had set up thier "hub". At Cedar, I overheard a conversation between a forest service officer and a search and rescue man about an altercation taking place before Micheal went missing. I can NOT confirm as to whether or not this altercation involved Michael as I was not part of the conversation but simply overhearing it. There were a couple girls here that were very clearly still under the influence of what I felt was likely something causing hallucinations. These girls talked about the rave, how good they felt, wanted to draw on the walls of the restroom and themselves, wanted to feel my arms and face and tried to take my license plate off my truck....
These girls were under the impression that they knew me and I knew Michael. One called me by Rebecca and thought I had left the party and come back to bring her cigarettes. She talked to me as though I knew Michael. (I was not at the party, do not know a Rebecca nor Michael and do not smoke. I found this odd though, because two days later another girl just down the road from Cedar approached me, called me Rebecca and asked if I had found Michael.)
From there my stops were less eventful. I came across several makeshift Teepees and odd collections of goods but was not approached by anyone else.
The following day (Friday August 7th) I was on my McKenzie route and saw one of the buses from Hobo camp parked near Cougar Res. I was shocked and sad to learn that Michael was still missing and here sat one of the 2 buses he was last seen on, presumably getting ready for the next rave.
I realize that my encounters on that day may not give any new information about Michael's whereabouts but I do hope it sheds a little more light on the situation and the mindset of some of the individuals who may have been around him at the time of his disappearance. Please know that I am not trying to upset family or friends. My intent is not to gossip or offend.
I hope that Michael is found safe and returned to his family and loved ones. I understand this is a devastating time for his family and all my thoughts and prayers are with them.
I have been back in the area several times since and will continue to keep a lookout for Michael or any information that may help explain where he is or what may have happened that night.
www.kezi.com
www.crimewatchers.net
