On February 2, 2006, St. Cloud State University junior, Scott Radel left McRudy's Pub to head over to meet his roommates at the Press Bar a few blocks away. He got lost along the way and called them for directions. He seemed disoriented and was going in the wrong direction. After three or four calls back and forth, his phone went dead. Investigators found what appear to be Scott’s footprints on the frozen Mississippi River just two blocks east of the bar. The footprints indicated that Scot tumbled down an embankment to the Mississippi as he was running, headed across the frozen river, then fell into open water. His body was found in the river on March 1, 2006.Last Seen
Scott's friends have said they had been at two bars earlier that night. Scott was last seen at McRudy's Pub at 715 W St Germain Street. He called his friends while walking to the Press Bar on 502 W St. Germain Street. Scott's friends believed they thought he had become confused and walked in the wrong direction. They called police the next morning after they failed to hear from him
The Search
Searchers found footprints to the river on 2/4/06 leading to open water. Police and family members said the footprint matched shoes like the kind Radel was wearing the night he was last seen. With the help of an underwater camera (see photo at right), Scott's hat was recovered from the river near the dam on 02/14/06.Scott Recovered
The recovery of that hat helped focus the search effort, and two weeks later, his body was found in 11 feet of water just south of a railroad bridge. Police Chief Dennis Ballantine told reporters there was "no evidence of foul play," and no obvious signs of injury to the body. Radel's wallet (with money inside), cell phone, keys and watch were found on his body.
Theories
Radel’s father, Allan, believes Scott got into a vehicle, was attacked, and then managed to get away. He ran not knowing where he was going or that he was headed toward the river. He rolled down the embankment. Seeing a lighted stairway across the river, he ran toward it. He fell into the cold open water, and swam as long as he could.
Facts of Interest
Name/age: Scott Radel, 21 (from Owatonna, MN)
College: St. Cloud State University (business major)
Physical description: Korean, 5’5,” 145 pounds, brown hair w/lighter highlights, brown eyes, athletic (wrestler)
Last Seen: 02/02/06, 11:30 p.m., McRudy’s Pub at 715 W St Germain Street, walking to Press Bar on 502 W St. Germain Street
Recovered: 03/01/06, 1:45 pm, Mississippi River, south of a railroad bridge
Cause of death: apparent drowning
Injuries: no injuries, no sign of foul play
I wonder what he was running from? A cop impersonator?
ReplyDeleteWho know's? I dont think thats what it was... the cell phone call- through the grape vine...did'nt end like it would have been.
ReplyDeleteAlot is missing from this recap. I watched the media reports closely, and I was convinced there was foul play. No one remembered seeing Scott Radel that night, none of the bartenders especially. Not racist, but a drunk Asian with the top of his hair dyed blonde would have been a slight bit memorable, even for a bartender, so something is amiss. He was a few blocks from his friends yet he went 8 or 10 blocks in the opposite direction of the college party scene on (I believe it was a Thursday night) thirsty Thursday. If his phone calls started at McRudy's he had to walk right past 5th Ave (crowds of people spilling to the streets on Thursday nights) and not notice that that's where he wants to be. And he walked in the opposite direction of campus, home, the bar scene? They weren't out that long and he hadn't had so much to drink that he would have been that disoriented. He was supposedly left on his own at McRudy's for a bit, so why do none of the bartenders remember him. And how could the Sheriff make the announcement as they pulled him from the river a month later that it doesn't appear that there was any foul play. How could that be stated unless the river is void of wildlife, the body would have some damage to put it mildly. In my search and recover diving courses I learned what to expect when recovering (aquatic wildlife eat soft flesh, not gonna go into details) so there would be too much damage to make an announcement as to weather foul play was involved, but that was supposedly determined and announced as they pulled him from the river. Oh, and I've been drunk, real sticking drunk, and on my own, all by myself, but I always knew the way home or back to the party, even if I just moved there.
ReplyDelete