Requesting Your Help in the Matthew Greene Case

[Dave_Ayers]

Thanks Maverick. I was thinking it would probably only take a day for a couple of people to search Morrison's north face area if it seems worthwhile. I'm hoping to join this year if I can and help out.

[Tom_H]

....the MLPD had a temp detective on the case, who did not take notes of the encounter with the couple, nor was anything entered into the official police report, and [our] requests (Matt's sister and myself) from the MLPD in this issue has gone unanswered....

That is just deeply disturbing.

[maverick]

That is just deeply disturbing.

Tom, that is only one of many discrepancies that exist.

Here are some of the few disturbing issues in this case:

- Matt went out for his climb on 7/17/13, on 7/21/13 (4 days later) Mono 1 dispatch got a call from the campground attendee that Matthew had not paid for his campsite, which he had diligently done for the past several days (each and every day), and that his tent, food, and clothing were left abandoned at the campsite. He had developed a pattern of paying on a regular basis, then why would he have all of sudden stop paying and leave his tent, climbing gear, food, and other things? Matt was not reported as a missing person till 7/29/13! Why did Mono 1 not immediately list him as a missing person on the 21st? Also Matt's DOB and DL# on the Incident Report were incorrect, and race is listed as unknown, really?

- Matt frequented the McDonalds for breakfast, on the other side of Main Street, across from the campground, before heading up to the shuttle stop. There is a CC recorder in this establishment, the footage could have not only placed Matt in the store, but we would have had a time, and also see if he was with someone else on the morning of 7/17, but no one from any of the agencies contacted the main office in Bishop for the footage, which were kept on file for 3 months.

- There was also a reporting, that someone had seen Matt heading that day to Tuolumne Meadows on YARTS, which also has CC video on their buses, and keep their files on record for 3 weeks according to the records keeper, but none of the agency inquired about these tapes either.

This is just a peek at some of the issues that have arisen after re-investigating this cluster of an investigation.

Thanks Maverick. I was thinking it would probably only take a day for a couple of people to search Morrison's north face area if it seems worthwhile. I'm hoping to join this year if I can and help out.

That would be great Dave! We have several people from HST interested in attending, the more we can get the better, our search dates will be from 9/8-9/13, and our basecamp will be at Deadhorse Lake this time around. Thank you again for showing interest in attending this years search Dave.

[Shawn]

Hey Mav, I don't recall if there was an itemized list of Matthews possessions left at the campground or not? Would you know if and/or where such a list exist?

Thanks,
Shawn

[maverick]

Hey Mav, I don't recall if there was an itemized list of Matthews possessions left at the campground or not? Would you know if and/or where such a list exist?

Thanks,
Shawn

No itemized list beyond, tent, one of two ice axes ( the one left at the campsite is in my possession), food, helmet, rope, and clothing.
Sorry about the late reply Shawn.

[Shawn]

Hey Mav, thanks for the info.

I was intrigued by your comments regarding the initial investigation and the apparent gaps and lack of detail. I went back and re-read some of the early posts regarding Matthews disappearance and noted quite a few assumptions (that normally would be vetted by the investigating agency).

It's pure hindsight now of course, but an accurate listing of gear he had taken with him and left behind, could have been used in the following months to identify if anyone had turned in items as found in the back country to ranger stations, Reds Meadow, etc. A listing could also been useful for looking at Craigslist ads or local east side pawn shops to see if any of it appears.

The last time I was up there searching (when I missed connecting with you and the others), I noticed an inflatable sleeping pad rolled up and leaning against a trail marker at Ediza that points to Iceberg. A note was attached stating "found at Deadhorse Lake". It looked relatively new and unweathered, but now with remorse I should have followed up on it then.

In any event, I could not find any indication of a sleeping pad in the old forum posts (albeit I could have simply missed it). Hard to imagine Matt would be camping without one.

by tdavidock » Sat Aug 10, 2013 5:46 pm

<snip>
When Matt did not meet up with friends as planned, it was discovered that his car was waiting, fixed, for over a week and he had not returned to the campsite where his gear was and where he had been paying day-to-day in antipation of his car being ready on the 18th and moving on. Matt's friends called the MLPD, and Detective Hornbeck then called my parents.

He was carrying a large black/white backpack (pictured directly in back of his car in the picture), yellow LaSportiva Nepal Extremes boots, crampons, and one ice axe. He did not have his tent, bivvy, sleeping bag, stove, or green heavy jacket indicating he only expected to do a day hike.
<snip>

[maverick]

In any event, I could not find any indication of a sleeping pad in the old forum posts (albeit I could have simply missed it). Hard to imagine Matt would be camping without one.

No mention was made of a sleeping pad located at the campsite at Shady Rest, but Matt was going out on a day climb, so it would be highly unlikely for him to have carry it with himself, now if his sleeping bag or/and bivy was missing too, now that would change things.

[Vaca Russ]

Hiked up the Shadow Creek Trail almost three years to the day from when he went missing. The poster on the bridge over the Middle Fork of the San Joaquin is in great shape.

The poster on the trail sign where the SCT meets the JMT looks good but needs to be stapled or nailed. The tape is working.

The trail sign where the JMT heads north to Garnet is broken and leaning against a tree.

These are the relevant dates in the register at the summit of Banner Peak.

I hope to check out the register on Ritter soon.

Thanks,

-Russ

[maverick]

Thanks Russ for posting this.

[Eigenguy]

I did a casual walk on the Wildflower Loop and then went over to the Agnew Meadows trailhead where the wildflowers are a bit more impressive. I did not see any signs on either the High Trail or River/Shadow Creek Trailhead signs, or at the big log along the westernmost use trail that cuts through the meadow and joins the Shadow Creek Trail. All of these areas had signs the last time I hiked in this particular area (October 2015). It looks like the Forest Service put up flyers about hiking regulations on all of these signs, where Matthew's posters used to be. I did see one hanging on the "Wilderness Permit Required" sign at the High Trailhead that heads to 1000 Island Lake.

It sounds like the ones on the actual trail are still there, per Vaca's post above.

I am hoping to hike to Iceberg via Ediza next week if the weather cools down a bit. I doubt anything will have changed though with the signs on the trails.