Break in the fugitive mountain man case in utah

[feralmerril]

He has been identified.

News from The Associated Press

[arjay]

That's good news.

[rburg]

Good reading. Thanks.

[Class III]

The easy part, identifying him, is over. The hard part is just now starting.

Class III

[feralmerril]

Here is another article and another picture of him.

Mountain man charged with southern Utah cabin burglaries has previous convictions | Deseret News

[venomballistics]

so they have a name ... of a guy who has broken off all contact with everyone and everything ... having the name just wont hold any of the usual case value. if the law gets him, it will be by accident.

[feralmerril]

I know that country. Lots of atv trails. I have spent a lot of time rideing those trails. I cant remember a time I havent met at least another quad or so in a days ride. I imagine almost all if not all, people going around up there will now be able to reconise him. There could easily be a shoot out though, and I will be surprised if there isnt. Besides him, there has been numerious marjuana gardens found, arrests made. Every arrest so far has been illegals. Last summer there were three big marjuana farms that I know of found in his range.
Adds a little spice to boondocking! Even though they have a name and face now I fail to see how it will make his capture any easier.
Already some people are starting to make a hero/legend of him. Just google his name and read the comments in the writeups. A federal marshall already has compared him to davy crockett. I bet he already is wishing he hadnt said that!
Here is a couple mug shots.

http://www.ironcounty.net/department...s-knapp-photos

[MMA10mm]

Sounds like 223/5.56 rifles being carried in that area are in order... Even just to ATV.

[feralmerril]

One other factor working for this guy is that last october we had a huge landslide that wiped our main road, highway 14, that go`s east out of town up into the high country. It adds about at least a extra 40 miles to get up to duck creek, a area he has been hitting. Last word is it will be july before the road will be open. It effectivly stops a lot of people from going up in that country.

Crews work to clear landslide on SR 14 | ksl.com

[roarindan]

Originally Posted by feralmerril

One other factor working for this guy is that last october we had a huge landslide that wiped our main road, highway 14, that go`s east out of town up into the high country. It adds about at least a extra 40 miles to get up to duck creek, a area he has been hitting. Last word is it will be july before the road will be open. It effectivly stops a lot of people from going up in that country.

Crews work to clear landslide on SR 14 | ksl.com

Any helicopter ................,

'specially one from the military with flir would make quick work of this problem.

[oldafsp]

This one won't go quietly.

I hope the officers involved and the public understand that.

[redlevel]

Originally Posted by roarindan

Any helicopter ................,

'specially one from the military with flir would make quick work of this problem.

They didn't have much luck locating Eric Rudolph with the bells and whistles.

Originally Posted by oldafsp

This one won't go quietly.

I hope the officers involved and the public understand that.

You could be right. Probably are correct.
However, Rudolph more or less surrendered. I don't care how good of a survivalist you are, it has to be tough. I imagine this guy will begin feeling more and more pressure, especially if surveillance of family members limits any help he may have been getting, and given the fact that the remote cabins might become more dangerous places for him to use.

An interesting article:
How Luck Ran Out For A Most Wanted Fugitive - TIME

[corpulent]

Originally Posted by venomballistics

so they have a name ... of a guy who has broken off all contact with everyone and everything ... having the name just wont hold any of the usual case value. if the law gets him, it will be by accident.

I imagine if they can identify the cellular phone (if it exists) they could determine a general area where he is.

[Andy Griffith]

Originally Posted by redlevel

They didn't have much luck locating Eric Rudolph with the bells and whistles.

He was hiding...er...more or less "living" like a hobo under a bridge outside town on the Valley River near the Wal-Mart.

You could be right. Probably are correct.
However, Rudolph more or less surrendered.

It was because he kept smelling the smoke and scent from Burger King, McDonalds and all the other restaurants down in town that got him. He had to have a hamburger, and started pilfering garbage to get it.

I'd say cook a big bar-b-que and push the smell up the canyons- this ol' boy will be drawn to it like a moth to a flame. Either remove the food, or fix the food supply so that if he eats it he will require quick medical attention. If he doesn't get quick medical attention, the problem would quickly sort itself out.

[feralmerril]

i have seen helicopters occasionaly. I kind of figuered it could be the utah national guard with those hi tech heat cameras. Of course the SO isnt going to publish everything they know. I have read a account that said this guy took grips off some handguns in a burglary and left the guns! Interesting!
These county sheriff departments are relatively small and I doubt have near the resources of large populated countys. The station is a mile from me. The adjoining countys that are involved have a lot smaller departments than our "Iron county".
I suspect this guy durring summer daily just steps off behind some boulders every time he hears a quad or truck comeing. All over that area sheep and cattle are drove up in summer, more so lots of sheep. They leave dogs to protect the sheep. I have had them chase us on the quad when we drive through them. That is another factor this guy faces, and also the herders if he kills any to protect himself
It appears he has been hideing up there about seven years now. The articles say he left one note telling the sheriff "He will put him in the ground". Unless he just caves in and give up, there will be blood!

[rburg]

Range cattle die all the time. If the guy has been up in the hills for 7 years he's got to have some butchering experience. He could easily put on his own BBQ. He's got or had ready access to an almost limitless supply of spices and what not. But sooner or later the cabin owners will get real tired of hauling stuff in, only to have it stolen or used up. Its probably at that point now. My guess is he'll probably decide to move to different turf once the heat gets turned up on him.

What the identification has done is to plaster his photo all over the nearby towns. Probably everyone living near there has seen his mug shots and the game cam photos they've released. It means he won't be able to come to town for a beer and a haircut. I would also tend to doubt he keeps up with the news and the progress being made in the investigation.

Now he's got the US Marshals Service interested. I'm going to guess they've got a lot more resources at their disposal than the local SO. Because he's at the point where he's terrorized the local folks and made a wide swath of land dangerous, sooner or later someone will make the decision to capture him. I don't see this as the kind of thing where they send in one Texas Ranger and he has his man before noon.

There were some comments above about cell phones. I'm guessing there are huge regions there without any cell coverage. Its a hard concept for city bound to understand. We roam the region around Moab, and there are huge sections where nobody lives. My boss at the time couldn't understand why they don't have cell towers. He tried to call me (on my vacation, daily) and didn't get an answer. Never occurred to him its why I go to those places. With the fugitive, it might be why he goes there. Even if he has a cell phone, how would he keep it charged?

And if he needed to make a call, he might just make a hike up a mountain (in summer) to where he could see a tower off in the distance.
We were on vacation in central Colorado. Some kind of mechancial problem took down the cell towers from Salida to Leadville. I didn't care, I was on vacation. But one day we were up and over Tomichi pass and rounded a corner on Monarch mountain. We could see Gunnison, and that same instant my cell, my wifes, and all the ones in the following Jeeps went off! Hooray, we were back in civilization.

If they don't catch the guy by spring (its right around the corner), he can do as the elk, move up and away. Winter might keep him holed up in the low country and maybe in cabins. If they don't get him by May, he's got some breathing room till fall.

[feralmerril]

Well he`s been getting by for 9 years they tell me. He`s been doing it just like you said, dick. I dont think the SO put any effort into catching him like they have to now with all the new info. You are right about the cell phones here. We always take one but its like hitting the jackpot if they actualy work! From what I have read he has been ranging a north/south rectangle strip about 70 x 15 miles just to the east of us. Most of that country is 8,000 to 10,500 ft. Some peaks over 11,000 ft. If he has to he can go ANY direction off that safely too except for this long ranching range from here to beaver north of us. Thats all open country. This guy might have started out a city slicker, but haveing survived this long I am sure he at this point is pretty self sufficent and in good physical shape. Were he to go out of that rectangle the country is even more wild, but would have less cabins to pilfer for supplys.
You go to walmart here, ( and you can walk straight down the mountains and your there) you can see a lot of tough looking throwbacks any given time to where even dressed as he is in those pictures, no one (but me) would give him a secound look!
Cedar city is the biggest town between vegas and the salt lake city area. Lots of ranchers and indians etc come here to shop from probley a 150 mile radius or more in the boonies.

[rburg]

I have a friend who lives in Beaver. Honest. He's a good guy and comes jeeping with us every year. He's going to miss Moab, but he's on for Colorado this summer.

[feralmerril]

I know a couple that live in and around beaver. There is two fine gun shops there, probley the two best in the state outside of salt lake area, and they are only a block apart in the town of 2,500! We make a lunch run up there every two weeks on the average. Straight east of beaver on highway 153 it gets up to 10,200 ft. The road go`s over and turns to a seasonal dirt road and comes out at a village called junction on highway 89. Highway 89 is really the most scenic road in utah. You cross the famous piute ATV trail. Besides deer I have seen herds of elk and mountain goats rideing the quad on top in the tushar mountains. Then the trail I like go`s down to marysville the main get together quad town.
Also cross`s famous gold mine area "Bullion canyon". Check out these pictures.
bullion canyon utah - Bing Images
I have read this guy has hit cabins up there and that is the far north end of the range he has hit.

[venomballistics]

Originally Posted by corpulent

I imagine if they can identify the cellular phone (if it exists) they could determine a general area where he is.

I doubt he'd bother with one. If I were in his shoes, I'd view a cell phone as a liability.
all his identity being known does is place hardships upon severed ties he could care less about.
A true break in the case might be a chance glimpse through the FLIR on an AH 64

[feralmerril]

I doubt many of those cabins he hits has electricity to charge the phone. Maybe if he fires up a generator. We have friends who owns one of those cabins. They have a generator. They lost a old remington pump but I am not sure it was this guy. Their cabin is so far back in they have to pipe in sunshine!

[venomballistics]

Originally Posted by feralmerril

I doubt many of those cabins he hits has electricity to charge the phone. Maybe if he fires up a generator. We have friends who owns one of those cabins. They have a generator. They lost a old remington pump but I am not sure it was this guy. Their cabin is so far back in they have to pipe in sunshine!

I would think cell phone contact would be a sort of self imposed torture where he'd be tempting himself to come out due to loneliness ... so I dont think he bothers with one

[arjay]

I'd really be surprised if he spends all his time up there.That would be a very hard way to live for that many years,especially in the winter.

[Gun-runner]

Maybe it's just me but I have a funny feeling this thing is going to end in a bad way.

[feralmerril]

Do you have any idea how boreing it can get when you live a hermits life in even the prettiest areas of the united states? Long ago I worked in yosemite and the grand tetons, and that was with guys my age, all around 20. To people that hasnt done it I know it probley sounds and looks romantic. Belive me it can get boreing quick, and a lot quicker if you dont have a vehicle to get out.
I get cabin fever sitting at home in a comfortable house with the computer, tv and guns to play with. I have to get out every day for at least a couple hours. Maybe it was power of suggestion when I answered dick burg about going to beaver every once in awhile. So we just had lunch in beaver. Thats close to a 100 mile round trip just to do lunch!
Now this guy troy knapp is a veteran of some prision time. He probley dont want to go back. I suppose some people would welcome prision life after a dose of nine years of lonely mountain wilderness life. This bird must be more than a little strange by now. In the pictures he is seen sizeing up a cabin with his rifle at ready. He has pooped on the floors. He has shot up religious pictures in the cabins. He has wrote notes telling the owner to get off his mountain. He left a note to the sheriff that he was going to put him in the ground. Besides old convictions of burglary, bad checks etc, I see he also done time for assault with a deadly weapon. Somehow leo has to get the drop on this guy before he see`s them comeing. Next to impossable to do in the quiet wilderness.
He wont want to bring attention to himself by blasting some civilian off a quad unless taken by surprise. He probley could have done that daily for the last nine years in the non winter months.
It will end bad. What frosts me is the idiots in the comments in articles I have seen cheering him on, hopeing he gets away etc. Well, we already know over 1/2 the voters are stupid so I guess its to be expected.

[arjay]

That much isolation would make a guy pretty nutty,that's why I think he comes down at times.I can't figure out why people would cheer him on either.

[everReady Rob]

Thanks for the post, a good read.

[feralmerril]

Just a latest update on the mountain man. I have no idea how valid this sighting was. Could be people are nervous and seeing things. Here is a article on the latest supposed sighting here.

Tip sets off search for Utah mountain man | Appleton Post Crescent | postcrescent.com

[A10]

Thanks for keeping us updated feral. I hope they catch this clown soon.

[oldman45]

Originally Posted by arjay

That much isolation would make a guy pretty nutty,that's why I think he comes down at times.I can't figure out why people would cheer him on either.

Do not be misled by the media. The guy is maintaining contact with the outside world. He is not a hermit. Why do you think law enforcement is monitoring his family and associates for phone calls. I will bet the guy goes into towns to shop or visit with friends.

People that are way up the chain of most wanted and have been for years are generally found living a very public life.

It may well be the guy only goes to the mountain when he wants to attract the authorities to the mountain and to steal things he needs or can sell.

[BUFF]

The Utah Department of Public Safety has a FLIR-equipped helicopter(Eurocopter AS350 Astar) they bought from my department about 2001. None of the city or county law enforcement agencies in Utah can afford a helicopter of their own, so the state birds often can respond. I don't know if they have tried this yet or not.

There are small, portable solar panel devices that can recharge cell phones and small batteries and cost under $200. If our burglar wants a cell phone, he has likely bought or stolen one of these to keep it charged.

This likely won't end well. I think somebody is going to be hurt or killed before it is over.

[feralmerril]

I see they have a chopper available now. Here is some pictures of the search.
Mountain Man Sighting | Photo Gallery | SUU News

[feralmerril]

Buff, I checked the N number. I belive this is your depts old copter.

[feralmerril]

Check out this rescue video with that very helicopter!

Worth Watching #9 | VTOLBLOG

[feralmerril]

Another late update. Sounds like he has been camping just out of town.
KUTV :: News - Top Stories - Search For "Mountain Man Burglar" Intensifies

[G.T. Smith]

[QUOTE=feralmerril;136364. I have read a account that said this guy took grips off some handguns in a burglary and left the guns! Interesting!

I wondered what ever happened to that truck load of grips I was supposed to be getting from some guy in Utah!
Peace,
gordon