Post by Graveyardbride on Nov 19, 2014 15:58:03 GMT -5
November 19, 2012: The Disappearance of Dylan Redwine
According to Mark Redwine, on the morning of Monday, November 19, 2012, he attempted to awaken his 13-year-old son Dylan, who had planned to meet friends, but claimed the boy was “out like a light.” Redwine’s ex-wife Elaine – who had been awarded primary custody of their child – lived more than 300 miles away in Colorado Springs and the day before, Dylan had boarded a plane and Redwine picked up the boy at the airport in Durango for court-ordered Thanksgiving visitation. Dylan texted his mother at 7:06 p.m. to let her know he had arrived safely and that he and his father were going out to dinner. Redwine first stopped at Walmart to purchase some items and then at McDonald’s. During the 45-minute drive to Redwine’s home in Vallecito, the two ate their fast food and Dylan contacted some of his friends in the area. He asked his father if he could go to one of their homes the following day.
Until four months earlier, Dylan, his brother Cory, and their mother had lived in nearby Bayfield, where the Redwine family settled in 2004 when Elaine was hired by Fort Lewis College. When the Redwines divorced, Elaine and the boys continued to live in Bayfield, then relocated to Colorado Springs in July 2012 when she found a job at Colorado College.
When father and son arrived at the house, Dylan continued to text his friends until 8 p.m. and made arrangements to meet them early the next morning. According to Redwine, his son had arranged to meet one or more of his friends at 7:30 a.m., but “nothing was etched in stone.” (Later, Ryan Nava, 13, one of the friends, confirmed Dylan was going to Bayfield to visit his friends Sunday night, but then changed that to meet them early Monday morning.) Dylan slept on the couch and when attempts to get him up were unsuccessful, Redwine left to run errands, which included a visit to his lawyer’s office.
When he returned around 11:30, Redwine said he found an unwashed cereal bowl on the kitchen counter, a few articles of clothing on the couch and the television was turned to the Nickelodeon channel. Later, he noticed his son’s fishing pole was missing and assumed Dylan had gone fishing with his friends. According to Redwine, he lay down for a short nap and awakened around 1:30 p.m. When his son had not returned or called by early evening, he contacted the sheriff’s office.
At first, it was thought the 13-year-old – who stood 5'-tall and weighed 105 pounds – might have run away, but that theory was soon abandoned. Dylan’s mother and older brother both insisted Dylan wouldn’t run away without contacting them, or if he had run away from his father’s home, he would have gone to them. Later, in an ABC News interview, Cory Redwine said: “When he was afraid in any situation, he knew he could call me and I would drop everything and go out there, first thing. He knew that me, my mom, my step-dad, any of us, if he called us and said, ‘I need your help,’ he knew we'd be there.”
The following day, Tuesday, 20 officers went door-to-door asking questions and inspected vacant buildings in hopes of locating the missing child. Dan Bender, a spokesman for the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office said, “There’s a combination of factors. There’s been the passage of time without any sightings; Dylan was not a visitor, but had friends here; he has a history of staying in contact with his family and friends; and there’s been nothing on his cellphone record since he was reported missing.”
Tracking dogs were available but, unfortunately, there was nothing in Redwine’s house to provide a scent and trackers had to wait for Dylan’s mother in Colorado Springs to provide articles of the boy’s clothing for the dogs to sniff and by then, the trail and gone cold.
A task force consisting of sheriff’s officers, the Durango police, the FBI, Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Bayfield Marshal’s Office was quickly formed and a telephone tip line established. Bender urged anyone with information, no matter whether it was deemed important or not, to call, explaining: “The task force is gathering any form of information. The information may not be applicable now, but could be in the future.” Specifically, investigators requested that anyone taking photos or shooting video in the area that might show vehicles along the typical routes (including County Roads 401 and 240) between Vallecito and Durango from 6 p.m., Sunday, November 18, to noon November 19, contact the La Plata County dispatch center. Additionally, three K-9 units with cadaver dogs searched the area and a dive team using sonar searched the reservoir. Bender explained that cadaver dogs did not have to pass over every square foot of a location because they were capable of detecting the scent of a decaying body from a distance and their handlers walked into the wind so as to provide the best scent opportunities for their animals. In addition to law enforcement, hundreds of people volunteered to search in and around the area where Dylan disappeared and more than $50,000 was raised as a reward through CrimeStoppers.
Mark Redwine made his first public appearance Tuesday night at a vigil for Dylan held in Bayfield, which was attended by approximately 150 people. He said a million things were running through his head about what could have happened to his son: he could have been picked up by someone he knew while hitchhiking and been kidnaped, or he could have been attacked by a bear, or someone could have broken into the house and taken the boy. He also insisted he and his son never argued and wondered if Dylan, distraught by his parents’ breakup, had wandered into the forest and gotten lost. Later, however, when contacted at home, he declined to comment, saying he did not want to detract attention from his son. His brother had arrived to stay at the house with him.
But Elaine Redwine had different ideas about what happened to her 13-year-old child and wasted no time blaming her ex-husband, saying she believed it was a possibility Redwine had done him harm. “I was married to Mark for a lot of years and I know the way he reacts to things,” she disclosed in an interview. “If Dylan maybe did or said something that wasn’t what Mark wanted to hear, I’m just afraid of how Mark would have reacted.” She said she believed her ex was upset by the fact she was the court-mandated primary custodian of their son. “I don’t think Mark treats him very well,” she volunteered. “I would not put it past Mark to have done something to remove Dylan from the situation. You know, like: “If I can’t have him, nobody will.’”
Mark Redwine, his ex-wife, Elaine, Cory Redwine and an ex-girlfriend of Redwine’s, appeared on Dr. Phil in a two-part show that aired February 23 and 27, 2013. During the show, Elaine reiterated her suspicions that her former husband had something to do with Dylan’s disappearance. The following is directly from the show’s transcript:
Mark Redwine: “When I got home, the TV was on and it was on to one of the Nickolodeon channels that he’s always watching. I didn’t notice his backpack not being there. There was a fishing pole at the house and it was Dylan’s fishing pole. That fishing pole was never found. I did lay down and take a nap for probably no more than an hour. I started looking for him at 2:30 or 3 in the afternoon. I contacted his friend that he had been texting the night before. They hadn’t heard from him all day, so that’s truly when it started to set in. Where’s Dylan?
“I immediately went to the law enforcement people. While I was at the marshal’s office I contacted Elaine and asked her specifically had she heard from him. That’s where the finger started getting pointed at me – right then and there – like I had some involvement. The next thing I know I’m getting a call from my divorce attorney who had been contacted by her attorney. Quite frankly, I find that just a little odd, that the first person you contact is your divorce attorney. This is before we even truly knew that Dylan was missing.
“The sheriff’s office people showed up here. They were canvassing the area and checking out a few places he could possibly be. They took sweat pants, a Samsung cell phone, my iPod. People wanna’ say that I’m behind it. I absolutely had nothing to do with Dylan’s disappearance.”
Dr. Phil: “Well, Dylan’s mother, Elaine, says nothing her ex-husband, Mark, says adds up and his explanations seem suspicious.”
Elaine Redwine: “When I found out Dylan was missing, my first gut reaction was: Mark! Dylan texted me the night that he arrived where his dad lives and that was the last time I heard from him – 7:06 p.m. He didn’t like spending time up at his dad’s cabin because it was so isolated. Monday the 19th Mark texted me and asked me if I had heard from Dylan. It was very disconcerting that I was six hours away and he’s asking me that question. Apparently, when he got home at 11:30 and Dylan wasn’t there, he decided to take a nap. Mark’s facts are grossly incorrect about everything. I never spoke with a lawyer. I do believe Mark has something to do with Dylan’s disappearance. I do believe he knows more. He’s done everything other than look for Dylan and that’s what makes me suspicious. I have more concern over my lost dog than he has over his lost child. He wanted control over all of us. The story that he’s providing is not consistent with who Dylan is. Dylan absolutely did not run away. He had nothing to run away from. Dylan was a texter. It doesn’t make sense that he stopped texting that night. If Dylan was just going out to see his friends that day, he wouldn’t have taken all of his belongings. None of his belongings have been found. Mark talks about his backpack and a fishing pole. Dylan is not a big fisherperson. He didn’t even know how to thread his own line. Dylan was not watching Nickolodeon. Dylan watched MTV. He doesn’t know his kid well enough to make up a good lie. I believe Mark was the last person to see Dylan.”
Dr. Phil challenged Redwine to submit to a polygraph examination, but he refused and accused his ex-wife of hiding their son, which some felt was an attempt to divert attention from himself into another direction. Dr. Phil commented that he had never encountered a parent of a missing child who refused a polygraph. (According to other comments by Redwine, he was administered a polygraph examination by law enforcement and either failed or the results were inconclusive because of the inexperienced polygrapher.)
Additionally, Redwine failed to outright deny he was responsible for his son’s disappearance and changed tense while speaking, which, according to Statement Analysis techniques, is indicative of deception. At one point, Redwine asserted: “I’m not involved in this no matter how I come across, I’m not involved.”
Dr. Phil cited a 1990 incident involving Redwine’s first wife, Betsy, in which Redwine allegedly failed to return their two sons in violation of a custody agreement. “Do you think because of that,” Dr. Phil asked, “that might cause them to question you?” Redwine replied, “Certainly, I think that that’s the case,” but insisted he and his sons had been camping and were simply held up, delaying their return.
Dr. Phil then confronted him concerning two separate occasions, in 2003 and 2006, when he allegedly took Dylan and Cory without Elaine’s knowledge, asking: “Do you think that might cause them to be suspicious?” Redwine agreed this could raise suspicions.
Redwine also surmised that Dylan possibly walked almost six miles to his friend Tristan’s house. “It’s probably a long walk,” he admitted. “But it’s not an impossibility that he could be doing that.” At this, his ex-wife retorted: “He didn’t go to Tristan’s. The police are looking into this stuff. Don’t you think that was checked? Have some sense!”
* * *
On a hot summer day in June 2013, investigators gathered members of the press outside the La Plata County Sheriff's Department to announce the remains of Dylan Redwine had been discovered on Middle Mountain in Vallecito. (The location is approximately 10 miles driving distance from Redwine’s home, but much closer as the crow flies.) The cause of death was determined to be homicide, but no additional details were released. “I have to say what we’ve been saying all along,” explained Dan Bender. “This is an ongoing investigation and we can’t release any details on what evidence has, or has not, been found.” In addition to the bones, part of Dylan’s shirt and one of his shoes were recovered, but there was no sign of the backpack or other missing items.
According to Redwine, investigators told him only four or five of his son’s bones were found and that his remains had been ravaged by wildlife. “Ninety-eight percent of Dylan is scattered about the countryside,” Redwine commented, his voice trembling.
At 2:30 a.m., Saturday, May 3, 2014, Mark Redwine called Melissa Blasius, a KUSA investigator, from a street corner in central Denver saying he thought police had him surrounded at an intersection. However, the police presence was in response to a call indicating a possibly armed man was acting irrationally. Redwine was unarmed – though he admitted having two guns in his truck – but was transported to the hospital by police. Once hospital staff determined he was no danger to himself or others, he was discharged 12 hours later. Following release, he told KUSA he was experiencing paranoia at the time of the incident, which he attributed to a combination of feeling “stalked” by “haters,” “monitored” by police and the fact he was “self-medicating.”
* * *
Kirk Mitchell of The Durango Herald interviewed Mark Redwine for his Cold Case blog and Redwine said: “What is out of the realm of possibility is that I would do anything to my son.” Mitchell, however, considered the man’s comments nothing more than “rambling explanations about his own version of what became of Dylan. There are so many possibilities,” Mitchell wrote, “and all of them seem a little farfetched, but because something did happen, one of those explanations has to be right. The boy who he never argued with didn’t just vanish into thin air.” As for what happened to Dylan Redwine, Mitchell admitted, “It all seems to be pointing to one person, but everyone might be wrong. I’d be very surprised if it ever gets solved. It just seems like there’s not enough evidence.”
An anonymous individual posted on an internet website that Dylan’s relationship with his father was strained at best and the boy wasn’t looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in Vallecito. He also contended Dylan’s text messages indicated he was “unhappy” because he included a sad face in his text message to his mother shortly after he arrived. Dylan also had made plans to spend as much time as possible with his friends while visiting his father.
But much more interesting is what the anonymous poster had to say about the events of November 19, 2012, and the fact nothing in Redwine’s house could provide a scent for tracking dogs: “... why no sheets, not even a pillow case or any other clothing could be found on the premises that would have Dylan’s DNA on them?”
Assuming the anonymous poster’s allegations are true, what happened to the sheets, pillow and blankets Dylan allegedly slept on the night before he went missing? Did he wear the same clothing, including underwear, he wore the day before? Did Mark Redwine wash the sheets and blankets? – if he did so, he didn’t mention it in his original statement. How could a 13-year-old spend the night inside a house, sit and sleep on a couch, presumably use washcloths and towels in the bathroom, eat breakfast the following morning, and not leave even so much as a trace of a scent that could be detected by trained tracking dogs?*
Author: Graveyardbride.
Sources: KUSA News; Kirk Mitchell, The Durango Herald; The Dr. Phil Show; Nancy Grace; and ABC News.
*This article was written in 2014 and authorities have since revealed Dylan Redwine’s blood was found inside his father’s house on the floor, the couch and love seat and the corner of a coffee table. Additionally, a cadaver dog detected the scent of a corpse in the bed of Mark Redwine’s Dodge pickup truck.