TROY DEAN CARNEY: Found murdered in his sleeping bag near the Bear Creek Greenway in Central Point, OR - 4 Sept 2008

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Troy Dean Carney was a 44 year old truck stop laborer looking for work assisting truckers at the Pilot Truck Stop on Biddle Road near Central Point in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. Troy was last seen leaving the truck stop around 6:00 pm on Labor Day 9/1/2008. When he was discovered in his sleeping bag near the Bear Creek Greenway, he was still wearing the same clothing he had last been seen wearing. Troy's mom tried calling him and did not get any response from the early morning of 9/2/2008 until he was discovered on 9/4/2008.
Troy's camp on the greenway was set fire in the very early morning of 9/14/2008.

Edited to add Media link: Troy Carney was shot and killed while asleep in his sleeping bag near Central Point, Oregon in 2008 and his #ColdCase remains UNSOLVED!
 

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Red Clover said:

Here is a copy/paste of some very early articles-- some links may be broken unfortunately as the two local newspapers have shutdown since the original articles were published.​

​

Troy Dean Carney​


Young Man Found Dead in Homeless Camp

From Help Find The Missing

A stark black and yellow mask from the Marvel Comics character Wolverine might give Jackson County Sheriff's Department detectives a look into the final hours of a man who was murdered along the Bear Creek Greenway outside Central Point in early September.

Investigators discovered the distinctive mask at a campsite near where Troy Dean Carney, 44, was found dead in a sleeping bag Sept. 4, hidden in brush between the Central Point freeway interchange and Table Rock Road.

Police identify victim of apparent greenway homicideGreenway body prompts investigation Four camps were tucked in the blackberry brambles not far from the Pilot truck stop — Carney's and three others, Jackson County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Colin ***an said.

Investigators tracked down a couple who had left one of the camps a few days before the murder likely occurred on Sept. 1 and a man who moved on from one of the others in the weeks following the crime, ***an said. But at the final abandoned camp, they found only a small dome tent and a scattering of debris and personal items, including the Wolverine mask, which was propped up as if on display.

"It might not have anything to do with the murder, but we hope it can help us narrow down who had camped there," ***an said.

Investigators want to talk to whoever stayed there to find out if they had seen Carney or anyone with him in the days or hours before he was killed.

Carney had lived in the Rogue Valley 10 years ago, but in the past decade had traveled the country with truckers. He worked as a "lumper," loading and unloading trucks and riding along with the driver, ***an said.

This summer, Carney rode into the Willamette Valley from Idaho. He decided to visit old friends in the Medford area and stayed with them for a while, but his presence stressed their relationship, they told investigators. Carney planned to camp near the Central Point truck stop until he could find a ride to a larger transportation hub where he could resume his nomadic lifestyle, ***an said.

Carney ate at the Pilot and used the phones there. In the parking lot, he offered to do odd jobs, such as polishing chrome, for truckers to earn money. He was last seen in surveillance photos at the business on the evening of Sept. 1, wearing camouflage cargo shorts and a dark T-shirt, the same clothes he was found dead in, ***an said.

"He was pretty friendly," ***an said. "We're hoping somebody saw him Sept. 1 or later."

Carney's friends thought he had left the area until his mother in Florida called to ask where he was, as she hadn't heard from him and he usually called regularly. His friends called police to see if the man found dead near the Greenway could be Carney. It was.

In the days following the discovery, many of the homeless men moved their camps out of the immediate area because they were afraid, ***an said.

Around 1 a.m. on Sept. 14, however, someone returned to set a fire in the midst of the now-empty campsites. Distance and natural barriers kept fire crews from the blaze for 24 minutes, so by the time they arrived to douse the flames, no one was around.

Still, investigators say the fire was intentionally set and they suspect it could have been started to cover up evidence and keep detectives away.

They would like to talk to anyone who has information on the fire. They also want information on the mask and who might have owned it. They also would like to talk to anyone else who Carney might have associated with around the time of his death.

From The Mail Tribune:

Police believe the murders of an Ashland man living on Dead Indian Road and a transient camping out along the Bear Creek Greenway last September might be linked.

A little over a year has passed since David E. Lewis, 46, was found inside his burnt home in the 12800 block of Dead Indian Memorial Road and Troy Dean Carney, 44, was discovered at his campsite, the victim of a gunshot wound.

Nine days after Carney was found a fire swept though the area where he had been camping. Investigators determined the fire was intentionally set by someone trying to destroy the scene of the crime.

"We find two men killed by homicidal violence on the same day and both scenes were covered by fire," Jackson County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Colin ***an said. "We cannot ignore the commonality here."

In addition, sheriff's investigators believe they have discovered a piece of evidence linking both crimes, but they decline to specify what it is.

"We need to keep that to ourselves so we know good tips from bogus ones," ***an said. "If someone gives us that information we know we are onto something."

However, investigators have yet to find a link between to the victims.

Despite spending hundreds of man hours pursuing leads in the cases, detectives have yet to prove Carney and Lewis knew each other.

"We are fairly certain these two never spoke to each other when they were alive," ***an said.

By releasing the information that the crimes might be linked, detectives are hoping someone might contract the department with information connecting the victims.

"Maybe we are overlooking something," ***an said.

The men led different lifestyles.

Lewis had deep roots in the local community. He was a longtime area resident, known for protecting the land and helping neighbors., according to his family.

Investigators suspect someone ventured up the long driveway to his secluded mountaintop cabin, then had come inside and killed him. Detectives aren't disclosing how Lewis died. They also note that the total destruction of the cabin has eliminated much evidence.

Investigators haven't turned up a motive or suspect in the death of Carney, who was also found dead Sept. 4. Carney's body was found in a sleeping bag off a path that leads away from the Bear Creek Greenway between the Central Point freeway interchange and Table Rock Road. He had been shot at close range a few days earlier.

Carney had lived in the Rogue Valley a decade ago and had recently returned. In the interim he had worked as a "lumper," loading and unloading trucks and riding along with drivers.

"They lived different lives, but we cannot ignore the similarities in their deaths," ***an said. "These have been long, exhausting investigations."

The sheriff's department is asking the public's assistance in providing information which links the victims. Tips can be left anonymously at the sheriff's at 774-8333.
Click to expand...
Why do they protect the sergeant's last name, I've never seen that before. Odd.

I think it was said earlier they matched the DNA from the mask and concluded that individual was not involved? Sounds prominently displayed and in same area it says. Another thing is if they got a DNA hit then the man is in the DNA database and a likely felon. I'd sure like to know how they could exclude him. If a homeless man, a strong alibi is probably pretty doubtful and he was camping there...
 
The Bear Creek Greenway where Troy was found is publicly owned.

The Bear Creek Greenway Foundation – Trail in Southern Oregon

bearcreekgreenway.com bearcreekgreenway.com
Phoenix, Medford and Central Point with an 18-mile paved, multi-use trail. Bicyclists, skaters, runners, and walkers use the trail for transportation and recreation.

Community parks along the Greenway offer restrooms, drinking water, playgrounds and picnicking opportunities. The Greenway provides easy access to many restaurants, coffee shops and bike shops in the communities it travels through.
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Post in thread 'David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland Oregon September 4 2008 UNSOLVED'
David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland Oregon September 4 2008 UNSOLVED
 
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I have found this. After large fires in Sept 2020, they are creating a 50 acre park out of the Bear Creek section of the Greenway. The blackberry bushes are particularly mentioned as being a menace. The city acquired the land last year, it says. (2022 as the article is from 2023).

kobi5.com

Central Point creating 50 acre park within Bear Creek Greenway - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

CENTRAL POINT, Ore.- Central Point is in the process of creating a new 50 acre park within the Bear Creek Greenway. After a grass fire tore through the area around the time of the Almeda fire, Central Point discovered the space had a lot of community potential. The September 2020 wildfire...
kobi5.com kobi5.com
 
Tresir said:
I have found this. After large fires in Sept 2020, they are creating a 50 acre park out of the Bear Creek section of the Greenway. The blackberry bushes are particularly mentioned as being a menace. The city acquired the land last year, it says. (2022 as the article is from 2023).

kobi5.com

Central Point creating 50 acre park within Bear Creek Greenway - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

CENTRAL POINT, Ore.- Central Point is in the process of creating a new 50 acre park within the Bear Creek Greenway. After a grass fire tore through the area around the time of the Almeda fire, Central Point discovered the space had a lot of community potential. The September 2020 wildfire...
kobi5.com kobi5.com
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That's awesome. 👏 I can't wait to see what they decide on

2020 was a bad year for fires here in Oregon.

en.m.wikipedia.org

2020 Oregon wildfires - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org

There were especially devastating fires in September 2020 along the BCG from Ashland to south Medford, known as the Almeda Fire, over 3000 residences were destroyed along the path.
MANY people I know lost their homes, and many have been unhoused ever since. Almost 1/2 of the little towns of Talent & Phoenix Oregon were destroyed. We're still recovering in the southern part of the valley.

www.nytimes.com

Wildfire Took These Families’ Homes. Here’s Why They Stay. (Published 2021)

Thousands of homes were destroyed last year in the Almeda Fire — Oregon’s most destructive in years. Many residents are still displaced. What keeps them from leaving? Unbreakable bonds.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
Note, the city acquired the land in 2022.

Troy was in his sleeping bag under a blackberry bush when he was shot.

From the link I posted.

"The September 2020 wildfire devastated a small part of Central Point’s section of the Bear Creek Greenway, but it also helped the city deal with a huge invasive plant problem. Blackberry bushes have long made the Greenway fire prone and made the space unusable. Central Point Park Planner Dave Jacob said they also added a lot of fuel to the fire.

“Well it was actually kind of amazing to see. I mean, it was not- it was a tragic event, of course, but out of that, it just really opened up this area,” Jacob told NBC5, “This [the Greenway] was completely covered in blackberries. You couldn’t even walk back here at that time”.

With the large amount of space now available, and the discovery of the one trail and two ponds, Central Point wanted to find a way to give the land back to the community while also reducing fire risk. The design plan to create a community park started to come together after the city acquired the land last year. It’s considering a disc golf course, a mountain bike skills course, a natural playground, a bicycle pump track and even a dog park.

“We just had… an open house a couple weeks ago where we invited the public to provide input as well,” Jacob said, “We’ll have public meetings next year to review and finalize those plans, so we do want the public involved in this process and we welcome any comments”.

Jacob says the area has had issues with maintenance and homeless in the past, but the city is hoping this project will give new life to the space. With $3 million already pledged towards the plan from Urban Renewal, Jacob sees a bright future for the Greenway."
 
So I believe it likely that Troy was shot by someone who disliked transients camping in the neighbourhood. The city admits they have/had a problem with it. They have already purchased the 50 acres and have various plans for it.
 
Here are some more details of the 55 acres annexation. With a map too.


Summary​

The City of Central Point is proposing to annex 55.24 acres of land it owns within the Bear Creek Greenway. The purpose of the annexation is to develop and maintain the Greenway area as a public park that combines active and passive recreation amenities along with wildfire mitigation and habitat restoration/preservation. The subject properties are are identified on the Jackson County Assessor’s Map as 37S2W02D Tax Lot 2001, 37S2W11A Tax Lots 102 and 28100, 37S2W12B Tax Lots 502 and 505, and 37S2W12C Tax Lots 301 and 805. Applicant: City of Central Point. File No.: ANNEX-22001.

Public Comment​

The City of Central Point City Council will conduct a public hearing beginning on August 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. to consider the annexation. The meeting will be located in the City Council Chambers at 140 South 3rd Street in Central Point, Oregon. We invite you to attend this meeting in person or virtually. To request a virtual meeting invitation please contact the City Recorder at 541.664.3321.
You may submit written comments up until the close of the public hearing, which will occur on September 8, 2022. Please mail written comments to:
Central Point Planning
Attn: Stephanie Holtey
140 South 3rd Street
Central Point, OR 97502

Approval Criteria​

To approve the annexation, the City Council must find that the following criteria in ORS 222.125 and CPMC 1.20 are met. The approval criteria are summarized below:
  1. Written Consent. A majority of the property owners and electors within the annexation area must consent to the proposed annexation.
  2. Contiguous to City Limits. The area proposed for annexation is contiguous to the existing city limits boundary.
  3. Within the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The proposed annexation area is within the UGB.
  4. Orderly Provision of Public Facilities. Urban facilities and services must be adequate in condition and capacity to accommodate the additional level of growth allowed by the Comprehensive Plan within the annexation area prior to or concurrent with the development.
  5. Duly Noticed and Advertised Public Hearing. The public hearing must be advertised and noticed to provide the public adequate time to provide testimony orally or in writing.

Staff Contact​

For questions related to the annexation proposal, please contact Stephanie Holtey in Planning at 541.664.3321.

STATUS UPDATES​

8/14/2022 - 1st Newspaper Notice of Public Hearing published in the Mail Tribune.
8/17/2022 - Written Notice of Public Hearing mailed to property owners within 250-ft of the proposed annexationa rea.
8/21/2022 - 2nd Newspaper Notice of Public Hearing published in the Mail Tribune.
8/25/2022 - City Council Public Hearing.
Note: the Public Hearing will be continued to the September 8th City Council Meeting to provide at least 20-days for the public to provide written and/or oral testimony on the application.
Files:
PDF icon
project_location_map.pdf (434 KB)

  • Printer-friendly version

Add new comment​

 
Tresir said:
So I believe it likely that Troy was shot by someone who disliked transients camping in the neighbourhood. The city admits they have/had a problem with it. They have already purchased the 50 acres and have various plans for it.
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I think that is as much as or more likely than anything. Just as likely imo it was someone he encountered and dealt with, made a deal with, bothered, pi**ed off or trusted the wrong person and was followed, etc. I also do not dismiss someone camping in his area possibly. He was "new" after all and not the usual homeless there I imagine who may be territorial or he also may have pis*ed off somehow.

I really lean that his case is not the same by a long shot as Dave's or even connected necessarily...
 
Tresir said:
Here are some more details of the 55 acres annexation. With a map too.


Summary​

The City of Central Point is proposing to annex 55.24 acres of land it owns within the Bear Creek Greenway. The purpose of the annexation is to develop and maintain the Greenway area as a public park that combines active and passive recreation amenities along with wildfire mitigation and habitat restoration/preservation. The subject properties are are identified on the Jackson County Assessor’s Map as 37S2W02D Tax Lot 2001, 37S2W11A Tax Lots 102 and 28100, 37S2W12B Tax Lots 502 and 505, and 37S2W12C Tax Lots 301 and 805. Applicant: City of Central Point. File No.: ANNEX-22001.

Public Comment​

The City of Central Point City Council will conduct a public hearing beginning on August 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. to consider the annexation. The meeting will be located in the City Council Chambers at 140 South 3rd Street in Central Point, Oregon. We invite you to attend this meeting in person or virtually. To request a virtual meeting invitation please contact the City Recorder at 541.664.3321.
You may submit written comments up until the close of the public hearing, which will occur on September 8, 2022. Please mail written comments to:
Central Point Planning
Attn: Stephanie Holtey
140 South 3rd Street
Central Point, OR 97502

Approval Criteria​

To approve the annexation, the City Council must find that the following criteria in ORS 222.125 and CPMC 1.20 are met. The approval criteria are summarized below:
  1. Written Consent. A majority of the property owners and electors within the annexation area must consent to the proposed annexation.
  2. Contiguous to City Limits. The area proposed for annexation is contiguous to the existing city limits boundary.
  3. Within the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The proposed annexation area is within the UGB.
  4. Orderly Provision of Public Facilities. Urban facilities and services must be adequate in condition and capacity to accommodate the additional level of growth allowed by the Comprehensive Plan within the annexation area prior to or concurrent with the development.
  5. Duly Noticed and Advertised Public Hearing. The public hearing must be advertised and noticed to provide the public adequate time to provide testimony orally or in writing.

Staff Contact​

For questions related to the annexation proposal, please contact Stephanie Holtey in Planning at 541.664.3321.

STATUS UPDATES​

8/14/2022 - 1st Newspaper Notice of Public Hearing published in the Mail Tribune.
8/17/2022 - Written Notice of Public Hearing mailed to property owners within 250-ft of the proposed annexationa rea.
8/21/2022 - 2nd Newspaper Notice of Public Hearing published in the Mail Tribune.
8/25/2022 - City Council Public Hearing.
Note: the Public Hearing will be continued to the September 8th City Council Meeting to provide at least 20-days for the public to provide written and/or oral testimony on the application.
Files:
PDF icon
project_location_map.pdf (434 KB)

  • Printer-friendly version

Add new comment​

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So annexing meaning city services such as water and more. Also meaning it becomes a part of the city and under city rule. Did this pass?
 
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GrandmaBear said:
So annexing meaning city services such as water and more. Also meaning it becomes a party of the city and under city rule. Did this pass?
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We could look at the minutes of that meeting and see. Yes, our city is going to need to annex some property at some point. We already own it, but it’s under the jurisdiction of the county at this time.
 
Kimster said:
We could look at the minutes of that meeting and see. Yes, our city is going to need to annex some property at some point. We already own it, but it’s under the jurisdiction of the county at this time.
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Yeah, I am very familiar with annexing. And issues and abuse of it at times too, not always but fights between county and city can even result. Again, not always, sometimes it is a good thing and done for the reasons it should be.
 
Some discussion of Troy's case is over on the David Lewis thread with the latest linked below, including my response to @Tresir and some other tidbits I have become aware of recently.

⭐️

TROY
Troy's mom has said his cell phone was found wrapped up and tucked neatly in his shoe. It was dead by the time LE found him on the afternoon September 4 2008. LE charged his phone and saw all the missed calls from his mom and were able to contact her on the 5th.

I clarified with LW, Troy's mom when Troy arrived to stay on the Greenway as 1-2 days before his mom last spoke to him on September 1st.

He called her around 9:30 pm on the 30th or 31st saying he was camping on the greenway and hoping to catch a ride out overnight.

Before that she spoke with him on his birthday August 26th. It is also my understanding that Troy went to see his (ex)wife EC between the 26th and 1st.

My understanding is that the wife, EC, told Troy that although she had filed for divorce after he had left the valley approximately 10 years earlier, she had not followed through or showed up for court so they were still technically married.

From the publicly available information I have seen, this woman has a child, also EC, now 27 who is named after her mother and does not have the last name Carney.

I did the math and since we don't know the exact timeline that Troy & EC were together it's possible that this child could be TDC's.

It's also possible that EC became involved with someone else and that's why TDC left town. Purely my speculation as LW doesn't know the history or nature of their relationship.

Apparently this marriage was something that Troy didn't disclose to his mom until YEARS later. The woman was significantly older than Troy, about 9 years.

From what I can see on public records, It looks like he was around 30 and she was around 39 when they were together. I haven't checked marriage records.

This woman still lives locally a few miles away from me and as it turns out, my daughter is familiar with her older son UC as he is around the same age and grew up locally.

LW has said that she thinks EC was somehow related to the family of GG. I have not found this connection yet, it could possibly be through the wife of GG.

LW said he had been staying with his friend GG, & that he had left without saying anything after becoming uncomfortable with another houseguest.

I have researched this G family recently and they appear to be BAD news.

Multiple individuals of the same family with arrests & convictions for child sexual abuse, stalking a child, domestic abuse, DUII, etc...

I found a very graphic & disturbing YouTube video by Justice Jes on two of the G family brothers who live in the Medford Oregon area

It could be Troy saw something he was uncomfortable with while a houseguest at GG's.

Troy's mom has speculated recently that perhaps these individuals could have harmed Troy. 🤔

Of course we don't know...

More investigation is definitely necessary🔎

Post in thread 'David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008'
David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008
 
In answer to a couple questions @Tresir had...
TROY
Troy's mom has been adamant that he didn't do drugs...I am wondering if Troy may have witnessed or become aware of something criminal such as the sexual abuse of a child; as two of GG's siblings have been accused of that behavior in separate instances.

When I hear these things I always assume that the abuser most likely had other victims as well. Maybe that's why Troy was keen on leaving without saying goodbye and then trying to get a ride out of the valley.

Maybe it's why he left the valley the first time ten years previously. I could see it being something he couldn't necessarily explain to his mom.

Post in thread 'David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008'
David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008
 
Tresir said:
So was his ex wife the last person to see him alive on the 1st Sept? That's the same night he was on the Pilot Center video. Did LE interview her?
Click to expand...

I assume some of the Pilot employees were the last to see him on the 1st before he left. LW said he saw EC sometime between 26th & 30-31st before he came to the greenway...

Post in thread 'David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008'
David "Dave" Edwin Lewis murder & arson 13 miles east of Ashland, OR - 4 September 2008
 
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