BajaNomad

Baja Mysteries and Tragedies

Marla Daily - 12-14-2013 at 07:13 AM

Earlier this week we passed two serious but thankfully non-fatal single car accidents in BCS. This got me to thinking about Gary Patton and other Americans who have disappeared in Baja and BCS, which in turn led me to thinking about deaths of Americans and other foreigners who came to this peninsula for pleasure, but whose lives ended here. Not including car/plane/drowning accidents or known violence (although suspected):

DISAPPEARED:
September 5, 2013—Gary Patton after checking out of Hotel Jardines, San Quintin

February 4, 2003—Maureen Osterich, an 82-year-old woman from Marin County disappeared from her home in Todos Santos.

2001—Alan ‘Abe’ Blank, owner of the Serpentarium, disappeared in La Paz.

DISAPPEARED AND LATER FOUND:
2008—Italian tourist, Antonio Giardella, disappeared near Cataviña. His body was found five months later.

RATTLESNAKE BITE:
June 1986
Ray Bogowitz died of a rattlesnake bite while hiking out of Meling Ranch.

grace59 - 12-14-2013 at 05:24 PM

There is also the disappearance of Karen Wright from the San Felipe area in Feb. 2009. It is suspected that her estranged husband had something to do with the disappearance, but hasn't been charged since Karen has never been found.

CortezBlue - 12-14-2013 at 05:49 PM

hello grace

going down for Christmas??

grace59 - 12-14-2013 at 06:03 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by CortezBlue
hello grace

going down for Christmas??

Hi, Cortez
Yes, we are heading down next Saturday (12/21)...driving down from Washington. We'll be there until the morning of Jan. 3rd. Will you be down during that time???? Looking forward to some warm!! We've had a bit of a cold snap here lately!!

mojo_norte - 12-14-2013 at 06:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Marla Daily




DISAPPEARED AND LATER FOUND:
2008—Italian tourist, Antonio Giardella, disappeared near Cataviña. His body was found five months later.



Murdered ?

805gregg - 12-14-2013 at 11:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by grace59
Quote:
Originally posted by CortezBlue
hello grace

going down for Christmas??

Hi, Cortez
Yes, we are heading down next Saturday (12/21)...driving down from Washington. We'll be there until the morning of Jan. 3rd. Will you be down during that time???? Looking forward to some warm!! We've had a bit of a cold snap here lately!!


It won't be warm in SF, maybe Puerta Vallarta

805gregg - 12-14-2013 at 11:10 PM

It doesn't matter if you disappear or die in Mexico, only about 2% of homicides in Mexico get prosecuted, and then of course the murderer can buy their way out

[Edited on 12-15-2013 by 805gregg]

Maurice Herzog

bajaguy - 12-14-2013 at 11:39 PM

November 1943 - Maurice Herzog still missing:

http://arizonawrecks.com/favoritelinks/herzog.html

Marla Daily - 12-15-2013 at 01:12 PM

The disappearance of Maurice Herzog is a very interesting piece of Baja history.

I note there is an ad re: Gary Patton in the Gringo Gazette.

If I remember correctly, the Italian tourist who disappeared out of Cataviña was lost while hiking, and died of exposure and dehydration.

There is also the case of a woman who disappeared in her car and whose body was found years later, but I can't find the reference to this case.

Any others?

bajaguy - 12-15-2013 at 01:25 PM

Alan Swan and Herb Dohr, near El Rosario, December 1997

http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/16/sports/sp-8877

[Edited on 12-15-2013 by bajaguy]

Only two in Punta Banda since I've been here

durrelllrobert - 12-15-2013 at 08:02 PM

In 2007 a young lady named Kim just vanished, leaving her mobile home, personal belongings and her cat behind. Never heard from again.

In December 2012 Ron Sanders disappeared while hiking near Bufadora. His Jacket, cell phone and wallet were found on a rock above a cliff but his body was never found.

MexicoTed - 12-16-2013 at 03:23 PM

Was under the impression the Italian hiker at Catavina had lost his life to a rattlesnake bite and disorientation?