June 13, 2005

06/12/05: Josh Snell, 22, Eau Claire, WI


Twenty-two year old Josh Snell, from Hastings, MN was in Eau Claire, WI on 6/11/05 to attend the wedding of a former classmate from Immanuel Lutheran College. The following night, after drinking beer and playing pool at Brother's Bar, he called a friend to say he was stopping over. He never showed up. His body was later found in the Chippewa River. Police believe he was intoxicated and accidentally fell into the river and drowned.

Details
Matthew had been at Brother’s Bar at 324 Water Street drinking beer and playing pool. He called a female friend around 2 a.m., to say he was stopping over. He never showed up. By 5 pm, when he still hadn't returned, he was reported missing.

Search and Recovery
One report says that in a cell phone call he made, Josh mentioned he was in a brushy area. [According to one report, he said he was hiding and scared.] That tip led firefighters and police to search the river area. Snell's belongings (two shirts) were found in Owen Park along the west bank of the river. Then On 6/15/05, his body was found lodged among downed trees in the Chippewa River, less than two miles from Brother’s tavern. It was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital where family members identified it. Investigators have said there were no signs of foul play.


Facts of Interest
Name/age: Josh Snell, 22 (from Hastings, MN)
College: unknown
Physical description: 5’10,” 165 pounds, brown hair
Last seen: 06/12/05, Brother’s Bar (324 Water Street, Eau Claire, WI)
Recovered: 06/15/05, Chippewa River, WI, less than 2 mi from Brother’s Bar
Cause of death: unknown
Injuries: early examination found no signs of foul play
Blood Alcohol Content: no information on autopsy, but witnesses say he was not highly intoxicated

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/18353369.html

In a phone call with a friend "he said he was scared, that he was hiding in a brushy area, that he was running from someone, that he didn’t know who it was or how he was going to get away. (He said) he didn’t do anything, but he was terrified and he was scared for his life," Jon Snell says.

Anonymous said...

That 'running from someone' really bothers me.

Anybody know what time the phone call occured?

If what is reported is correct then he was being chased by one individual, not a group of people. Is there any further word on what was said?

Anonymous said...

Todd Geib went missing the same day.Other young men were last seen at a Brothers bar or on a Water Street.Wade Steffy was found in Owen Hall.Todd was found at Obenhall .Snell's belongings were in Owen Park.lake.You have a b in one location associated Geib and a w associated with Snell.The same first letters of the words brother and water.

Mbaz said...

Somethings funky here. Snell and Giebs cases are way to familier. I cannot believe they happened on the same day. In both cases, the boys were running/hiding and scared. Also, for the record, the clothing being found on the shore doesnt support the suicide/accident theory. It supports foul play.

Anonymous said...

Not to mention the impossibility of a body found floating perfectly upright, floating in a body of water with zero trauma and zero objects or material touching the body to cause it to be standing upright..