01/16/12: Mike Grefner, 34, Whistler, BC, Canada

Mike Grefner

Published: 2/23/12 5:12 p.m.   Revised: 3/20/12 8:54 p.m.
Last updated: 02/05/13 10:21 p.m.

Mike Grefner, 34, a well-known DJ in the popular ski resort town of Whistler, British Columbia, showed up at Garfinkel's nightclub around midnight. About an hour later, he took a taxi to the house of a female friend. He stayed about ten minutes, then left in a taxi (about 1:10 a.m.).

The woman's roommate told the media that Mike, who was drunk, had mentioned losing his wallet. The cab driver reported driving Mike around the village and back to Garfinkel's to pick up his jacket. Mike apparently did not pick up his jacket, but made two phone calls and one text message during this time.
 
At 1:58 a.m., the taxi driver dropped Mike off at his home and walked him to his door. Mike then called a female friend and talked for about 20 minutes. At 2:42, he tried to call a female friend, but there was no answer. He then made a series of calls between 4:02 and 5:15 a.m. (see the timeline), reaching one friend at 5 a.m. and speaking for about 10 minutes. She said he was in good spirits. It is unknown what Mike did or where he went after that.

Friends reported Mike Grefner missing on Wednesday, Jan. 18 when he did not show up for a shift at Whistler’s Maxx Fish nightclub, where he is a resident DJ, known as VS Zero.



Mike Grefner as DJ "VS Zero"

“It’s not possible that he would miss a DJ gig,” friend Robert Gorcak told the Vancouver Sun. “I’ve known him for seven years and that’s not something he would do. He’s meticulous when it comes to things like that. DJing music is his life.”

According to the Sun, "Grefner had been staying at a friend’s place in Whistler while she stayed with her boyfriend. His belongings had been left behind at the home."

"Grefner, who travels between Vancouver and Whistler often for DJ gigs, is a 'super optimist,' said Gorcak. 'He’s a very positive, karma kind of guy.'”

The Search for Mike Grefner

Authorities looked into the possibility that Mike was seen on Tuesday, January 17 sometime between 1 pm and 4 pm in the company of a woman with brown hair, of medium height and medium build at the Mile One café in Pemberton. This sighting has not been confirmed with degree of certainty. RCMP are trying to locate the woman he was reportedly seen with. There is also reason to believe that Mike may have been spotted at the AG Market in Pemberton on Jan. 17.

 Police have confirmed that Mike’s phone was last turned on Tuesday, Jan. 17.

Recovery

On March 14, 2012, Whistler RCMP confirmed that human remains found in the woods by hikers near the Alpine Meadows subdivision on March 10 were those of Mike Grefner. The reamins were discovered around 4:40 p.m. on March 10 near Whistler Secondary School.

Investigators are still looking into what led to Grefner's death, but said that foul play does not appear to be involved.

On November 21, 2012, the BC Coroner's Service released a report stating that Mike Grefner had "ingested a toxic level of cocaine and went outside on one of the coldest nights of the year."

The next day, Pique News Magazine reported:

According to the coroner's report, Grefner's behavior on the night he went missing was consistent with intoxication and some witnesses say he was more intoxicated than they had ever seen him before. He was also not dressed for the weather, which dipped below -20 degrees. He was found wearing shoes, jeans and a long-sleeve shirt.

The exact cause of death is unknown or how much the cold weather contributed, but coroner Isis van Loon wrote that "Toxicology testing showed significant concentrations of cocaine and its byproducts at a high enough level to cause death." As well, low concentrations of alcohol were identified, but it's possible that alcohol played a greater role and the lower concentrations were the result of postmortem changes.

As for the cold, the coroner wrote that "extreme cold was a contributory factor."

Mike Grefner's death has been ruled accidental.

 

Case Details

Name/age: Mike Grefner, 34

Last seen: Jan. 16, 2012, around 12 a.m.

Physical Description: Caucasian, 34 years old, 6' 2" tall with a slim build. He has short curly brown hair, green eyes, an olive complexion, and is clean shaven. He has no tattoos or piercings.

Possibly wearing: Possibly wearing faded jeans with stitched white crosses on back pockets, navy blue T-shirt, black military-style hat.

Investigating Agency: RCMP, 604-932-3044

Links: Find Mike Grefner; Facebook


Sources

Duggan, Evan. (2012, March 14). Human remains in Whistler belonged to missing DJ, police confirm. Vancouver Sun. Retrieved March 2012.
 
Mitchell, Andrew (2012, November 22). Coroner says drugs contributed to DJ's death. Pique News Magazine. Retrieved February 5, 2013.

02/05/08: Nicholas Garza, 19, Middlebury, VT

On the night of February 5th, in the midst of a week long winter break at Middlebury College, Nicholas Garza, 19, and friend Taylor Smith began power drinking shots of Bacardi rum and tequila in Nick's room. A tally is kept and it is estimated they drank 8-10 shots in 10-15 minutes before going to another room t0 level themselves off to reach their age (18 and 19). They stop drinking about 9:15. There are various accounts of Garza’s level of intoxication, ranging from none at all to highly inebriated, but most of Nick's friends said he normally did not appear drunk, but it sometimes hit him suddenly. He was last seen leaving Stewart Hall at 148 Chateau Road at 11:05 pm to walk back to his room. His key card was never used to re-enter his room, so it appears that he never made it the some 500 yards north to his room. His body was found in Otter Creek on May 27, 2008.

Timeline
Nick spends 20 minutes getting drinks and shot glasses ready and cutting up grapefruit because they didn't have lemon. Nick goes back to his room to get the bottle of unopened rum that he purchased using a fake ID at Hannaford's Market on 2/3.

8:15 - 8:30 p.m., Nick Garza and Taylor Smith began power drinking shots of Bacardi (rum) and Tequila in Nick's room. Taylor kept a tally and estimated they drank 8-10 shots in 10-15 minutes.
8:30 - 9:00 p.m est They went to friend Emma Lennon's room for 20-30 minutes, then decided to even-off their shots to 18--the same as their age
9:00 pm They go back to Taylor Smith's room and drank approximately 8 more shots. (On 2/11/08, police retrieve the bottle of 1.75 bottle of rum thought to be used and 11.8 was missing.)
9:15 - 9:30 p.m. They stop drinking.
10:33 Garza's card accesses Battell NE
10:37 Garza's card accesses Allen Hall
10:45 Francesca Lambert texts Garza that she is at Stewart Hall
10:47 Ben Brown calls Garza
10:48 Nick Garza calls her to tell her that he and Taylor Smith are coming over.
10:53 Garza calls Francesca Lambert and asks her to let them in because he says he does not have his card. Taylor does have his card, but Francesca lets them in. 3 other friends are there.
11:00 Taylor Smith leaves
11:04 Garza leaves friend Francesca Lambert on 4th floor stairwell, east end of building. He asks others to go to Allen Hall, but they refuse. He "hits on" Francesca, but she refuses.
11:05 Taylor Smith calls Garza. Friends Getterman and Wilson see Garza walking down stairs.
11:06 Nick uses his cell phone to call Francesca Lambert.She doesn't answer.
11:07 Taylor Smith's access card is used to enter Allen Hall.

Missing
On February 6th, students called Nick repeatedly. They also visited his room. With no response, campus security was notified. The same day Nick's room was searched, finding his only winter coat, laptop, and iPod. All items that Nick would have taken with him if he was going away on a trip. Nick’s mother, Natalie Garza, speaks to Nick nearly every day via email, texts, and cell phone calls. She said she received a text message from her son at about 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 5. On Saturday, February 9th, having not heard from him in three days, she contacted campus security and expressed concern and requested that his room be searched. She was told he most likely went on a camping trip with friends and they would wait until the students returned. When she was notified that the group returned and Nick had not been with them, she immediately filed a missing persons report with the Middlebury Police on Sunday, February 10th.

The Search
A search of the Middlebury campus has failed to provide any clues as to Nick´s whereabouts. A door- to-door search was also conducted. On Monday (February 11), police searchers spread out across the campus. About 40 searchers scoured the Middlebury College campus Tuesday (February 12) as temperatures dipped to 11 degrees. Police dogs and their handlers searched snow banks and a Vermont State Police team walked through a cemetery, poking poles into the snow in hopes of finding something.

RecoveredNick Garza's body was found in Otter Creek on May 27, 2008 after Tom Hanley, Middlebury's police chief, caught sight of Garza's red plaid shirt in a log/debris pile adjacent to the base of the falls. He was not wearing a coat, and did not have one that night. The wallet, containing Garza’s photo identification, and the phone were in the pockets of his jeans, Hanley said. According to the police report, "all of the belongings he was known to have left with the night of his disappearanc were found on his person (contents of wallet - several form of identification to indlude a fictitious ID, cell phone, campus access key card)."

Autopsy
An autopsy showed Garza suffered no injuries or trauma. Police chief Hanley said, "There is no sign of foul play,” The next step is to put together all the information that we have. We’re hoping the medical examiner’s report could give us that keystone piece of evidence we need.”

The final official police report ultimately indicated that it was not possible for the medical examiner to determine Nick's blood alcohol level conclusively due to the period of time he had been in the water. The cause and manner of Nick's death could not be medically determined, but the investigation is closed and his death was classified as a non-homicide. Police say "no further information has been received to indicate that this death is attributable to anything but an accident."

View the police report

Facts of Interest in This Case
Name/age: Nick Garza, 19
College: Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
Physical Description: 6'2", 150-160 lbs.
Last Seen: 02/05/08, Stewart Hall, 148 Chateau Road, Middlebury, VT
Recovered: Otter Creek
Cause of death ruling: not able to be determined
Manner of death ruling: non homicide
Blood-alcohol content: inconclusive
Weather: light rain/freezing rain earlier in evening, then snow beginning on 3:42 a.m. on 2/6. A few days later on 2/11, the air temperature was reported to be 11 degrees on 2/11.
Official website: http://www.nicholasgarza.org/

12/23/07: Josh Szostak, 21, Albany, NY

Josh Szostak, 21, was last seen on December 22, 2007 at the Bayou Café in downtown Albany. After becoming separated from his friends, he left the bar and presumably headed back towards his car parked on Delaware Avenue. He vanished. His body later turned up in the Hudson River.

Details
It was the afternoon of December 22nd. Josh called his family's house in Latham the afternoon of December 22. He told them he was planning to go out. Wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with skulls and crossbones on the front, a white t-shirt, baggy jeans and tan sneakers, Josh headed to an Albany bar with enough money to go barhopping with friends around town. From there they went to the Bayou Cafe downtown. By midnight, the guys were ready to hit the next bar. Josh made a stop in the men's room. "His friends said they waited about 45 minutes, they were texting him, searching around, they went in the bathroom,” said Bill Szostak, Josh's dad. “Through the surveillance video at the Bayou we could see that Josh bypassed them all, went outside, used the cell, looked up and down the street and couldn't see anybody, decided his friends left and started hoofin’ it towards where his car was.” But Josh never made it that far. Video proves his car was left untouched outside the Elbo Room.

About Josh
Josh's dad, Bill, said “At Plattsburgh he was the lead radio jockey and he was nicknamed ‘the Stag.’ You couldn't go anywhere without people recognizing him and talking to him,” said Szostak. “Never did drugs, since he turned 21 he's been in college, on the weekends they go out and party and he drinks his beer. He likes his Guinness beer. Typical college kid.”

Clues
A car belonging to the state Department of Environmental Conservation was found damaged and abandoned at the Port of Albany. It had been stolen from a downtown garage, steps from where Josh's cell phone was spotted. Police initially labeled Josh a suspect in the car theft, but later recanted that theory, saying they had no evidence to support it. Szostak says he's told Josh's prints aren't in or on the car, which is now being combed for DNA evidence. And he says Josh's cell phone provides no leads because the law bars investigators from reading text messages sent to or from it.

The Search
Police initially concentrated the search in the area of South Pearl Street near the Bethlehem town line. As hours turned into days, search dogs were deployed to follow his scent. The dogs led the search party down Park Avenue, which is the first cross street in Lincoln Park down by Martin Luther King Monument. "If you're a block away from your vehicle, why would you be deterred to go down Park Avenue, unless you happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time,” Szostak said. Joshua Szostak's family retained the services of a private investigator, who set up an anonymous tip line at (518) 424-7236.

Recovery
Josh Szostak's body was found by a boater on the Hudson River in Coxsackie on Tuesday, April 22, 2008. The clothing on the body matched what Szostak was wearing on the night he disappeared. The body was sent to St. Peter's Hospital in Albany for an autopsy. State Police Captain Wayne Olson said his body showed no sign of foul play or struggle and provides few clues as to how Szostak ended up in the Hudson. Keys, an ID and money were found on his body.

Autopsy
The autopsy performed by the State Police in Greene County, sought to determine whether or not Szostak was still alive when he was submerged in the water. “Based on the Medical Examiner's results, he died as a result of an accidental drowning,” said Public Safety Spokesperson James Miller. “It's difficult to pinpoint anything else based on his findings, there's no indication anything happened prior to that.” Within minutes of the release of these results, the Albany Police Department announced its case was closed. The State Police will review toxicology tests performed over the next couple of weeks to help provide more clues as to how a young man met this fate. State Police Captain Wayne Olson said his body showed no sign of foul play or struggle and provides few clues as to how Szostak ended up in the Hudson. Keys, an ID and money were found on his body.

Speaking on a radio show on News Talk 810 WGY, his father, Bill Szostak, said while he did not want to discredit the APD, the department did not allow the State Police or the FBI to lend their extensive resources. He said the State Police autopsy, which determined Josh most likely drowned, fell short of finding out what happened to his son.

Unanswered Questions
A twist that may never be resolved -- why Szostak's cell phone was found steps away from where a state DEC car was stolen. The car was found damaged and abandoned at the Port of Albany along the Hudson just days after Szostak disappeared. There were no prints on the car and DNA evidence was inconclusive.

2nd Autopsy conducted by Dr. Michael Baden
On Monday April 28, forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden performed a second autopsy on the body of Joshua Szostak at the Parker Brothers Funeral Home. Joshua's father, Bil Szostak, reached out to Baden, a world renowned pathologist, because he wasn't satisfied that his son's death was an accident. The family confirmed to Capital 9 News that the findings were consistent with those of the first autopsy (performed by the State Police in Greene County) which ruled Josh accidentally drowned. Like the first autospy, Baden found no evidences of injury or struggle. "The investigation as to whether he fell in accidentally because he had been drinking or whether he was pushed in or thrown in by others," says Baden, "really is a police investigation matter. The autopsy findings would be the same in either case."

Facts of Interest in This Case
Name/age: Joshua Szostak (from Latham, NY)
Physical Description: white male, 5-foot-11 and weighing 200 pounds. He has a shaved head, a goatee and brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing baggy jeans, a black, hooded sweat shirt with skulls and crossbones on the front and a white T-shirt.
Last Seen: 12/22/07, Bayou Cafe (70 North Pearl St), downtown Albany , NY
Recovered: 04/22/08, Hudson River
Cause of death ruling: drowning
Manner of death ruling: accidental
http://www.joshuaszostak.com/

11/21/06: Jesse Ross, 20, Chicago, IL

Jesse Ross has been missing since 11/21/06.

In November 2006, Jesse Ross, 20, a sophomore in college, traveled to Chicago with a group of thirteen of his fellow University of Missouri-Kansas City college students and their faculty sponsor. The group was in town to attend a model United Nations convention held at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. The conference drew more than 1,000 college students from around the country.

On Nov. 20, Jesse called his mother, Donna, to say that he was having a blast at the conference and that he would call her the next day when he and the group were headed back home.

The next night, Nov. 21, the last night of the conference, a dance was held at the hotel. Jesse was spotted on a surveillance photo just before 1 am. He was then seen again at about 2:30 a.m. by friend Ralph Parker. He and Parker were taking part in a simulated emergency U.N. meeting with 30 other students when Jesse left the conference room through a side door. A surveillance camera in the hotel lobby caught the unmistakable image of the red-haired Jesse, clad in a white T-shirt, jeans, and a green warm-up jacket, walking toward the main doors. He was carrying a Gatorade bottle. Parker assumed Jesse had either gone to the restroom or headed back to their hotel to sleep. The hotel was at the Four Points Sheraton at 630 N. Rush St., about ten minutes away, but Jesse never arrived. No one has seen him since.

When the meeting concluded at about 5:30 a.m., Parker walked back to the hotel room alone. He turned on the hall light so he wouldn’t disturb his roommate. “There was a big mess on the bed, and he’s so skinny, I figured he was under the mess somewhere,” Parker says of Jesse. But when he woke up at 10 a.m., he realized Jesse had never returned. No reason to panic, he probably just crashed in someone else’s room, Parker thought. “So I just packed up his stuff thinking he should be thanking me,” he says. It wasn't until about 3 p.m., 12 hours after Jesse had last been seen that Parker and the other UMKC students on the trip realized there was a real emergency.

Jesse Ross is still missing.


About Jesse

Jesse Ross is described as intelligent and funny--a very likable young man not known for ever being depressed or negative. While friends say he had the occasional drink, he never became belligerent or disorderly if drinking. Jesse also has a very bright future mapped out and was on the path to achieving his goals. To anyone who knows him, there is nothing to lead them to believe that Jesse could have walked away from his life or that he would have committed suicide.

Jesse was majoring in communication studies/broadcasting with a minor in political science. He had received a scholarship to attend the University of Missouri Kansas City because of his high ACT score in high school. While at school, he had gotten a promotion from unpaid intern to paid morning on-air personality at Kansas City radio station 95.7 FM - "The Vibe"--- dream job for a sophomore communication studies/broadcasting major. He was now a popular radio personality on the "Shorty and the Boyz" morning show. Coworkers decided he needed an on-air name, so they named him "Opie Cunningham," after Ron Howard's TV characters, Opie Taylor and Richie Cunningham, said Don.

He was also looking forward to finishing up his new room in his parents' home, and he was pledging the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.



No clues in disappearance

Since Jesse Ross was reported missing, police divers and cadaver dogs have searched along the Chicago River near the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. Police have also searched the area around both hotels---the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, where Jesse was last seen, and the Four Points Sheraton, where he was staying. They have not turned up any leads. Chicago police have found no evidence that he was a victim of foul play. There has been no activity on Jesse's credit cards or his cell phone, neither of which have been found. GPS tracking could not be used on Jesse's cell phone because it is either turned off or the battery is dead.

On a Web site dedicated to her son, Donna Ross has expressed her frustration. "When you lose someone you love when they pass on, you grieve and then you move on with your life," Donna said. "We are nowhere. We are still stuck in that revolving door. We know nothing more than we knew that first day."

Anyone with information about Jesse Ross’ disappearance should call Chicago police at (312) 744-8266.


Facts of Interest
Name/age: Jesse Ross, 20 (from Belton, MO)
http://www.findjesseross.com/
College: University of Missouri at Kansas City
Last seen: 11/21/06, 2:30 am, Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers (301 E. North Water St).
Notes: Jesse was staying at the Four Points Sheraton (630 N. Rush Street), 10 minutes away.
Physical Description: 5'10," 140# and has red hair and freckles. He was last seen wearing a green warm-up jacket and blue jeans.
Investigating Agency: Chicago Police, (312) 744-8266.

Published: 11/21/06. Updated: 6/17/11.

02/22/98: Nathan Kapfer, 19, La Crosse, WI

Nathan Kapfer, a 19-year old student attending Viterbo College in LaCrosse, WI on an academic scholarship was last seen in Riverside Park after being released from police custody for disorderly conduct. His body was later discovered in the Mississippi River.

Timeline

After having DJ'd a local party, Kapfer headed to Brother's Bar, a downtown pub. Although he was not regarded by his friends as wild or particularly belligerent, it was reported that the bartender refused to serve him because he was intoxicated. He became agitated and "cursed at the bouncer after being escorted out of the bar." Police were summoned and they picked Kapfer up, but rather than lock him up, they released him at 2 a.m with four citations for disorderly conduct. Not long afterwards, his hat, wallet and police citations were all found neatly arranged near the Indian statue in Riverside Park. Kapfer was nowhere to be found.

Recovery
Nathan's body was found in the Mississippi River, downstream from La Crosse, 42 days later. An autopsy was performed by Dr. Lindsay Thomas of the Minnesota Regional Coroner's Office (MRCO). The findings are bulleted below. (The explanation is my own, based on research.)

• Pulmonary congestion. This is fluid buildup and inflammation in the lungs, making it hard to breathe. This buildup can be the result of health problems, medications, trauma, and is also seen in drownings. 
• Watery gastric contents. The stomach contents were diluted or watery. This can happen due to an illness, like diarrhea, but it can also be an indicator of drowning, though it shouldn't be relied on alone. 
• Mastoid petrous ridge hemorrhage. This is bleeding that originates from the mastoid bone behind the earlobe. It can be a finding in a high-impact head trauma, like a fall, or in drowning.
• No injuries from trauma were found. 
• Blood alcohol content was determined to be 0.22.

Police closed the case and determined there was no foul play involved.

Unanswered Questions
When police picked up Kapfer from Brother's Bar, his blood-alcohol level was 0.077 (just under the legal limit). When his body was discovered in the river over a month later, an autopsy determined his blood alcohol level at 0.22 at the time of death, twice the limit. Police believed that sometime between the time he was cited and the time he drowned, Kapfer continued to drink, possibly with someone else. 

[Note: Blood alcohol content is also known to increase in the body after death as cells break down, especially in drowning victims. I have been unable to find any information as to whether this would be the case here, or if it would have increased so much.] 

The possibility of suicide has been mentioned, however, Kapfer's father said he was upbeat in the days before his death. Kapfer's live-in girlfriend, Angie, then 23, told investigators that while Kapfer would have had a great deal of stress and anxiety over the tickets he received, especially the idea of disappointing his parents and possibly facing disciplinary action from the baseball team, he wasn't the type of person to take his own life. According to the case report, friends described Kapfer as hard-working and levelheaded. He was an A-B student who apparently had told more than one person that committing suicide was ``selfish'' and ``a cop-out.''

Two days after Kapfer was reported missing, a La Crosse resident told police that he had witnessed a young man, in his late teens or early 20s, standing on the east side of the Cass Street Bridge and staring into the water,  "oblivious to the rest of the world around him." This occurred before Kapfer was cited by police, and the witness couldn't identify the man on the bridge as Kapfer.

Kapfer's father believes the drownings have too many common characteristics to be solely coincidental. "I can't believe that [all these] kids just fell or jumped into the river," he said in a telephone interview (Source: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, 8/29/99).

Facts of Interest in this Case
Name/age: Nathan Napfer, 19 (from Glendive, MT)
College: Viterbo University, La Crosse, WI
Physical description: athletic (baseball player)
Last seen: 02/22/98, 2 a.m., Brother's Bar (306 Pearl Street) in La Crosse, WI, then LaCrosse police station
Recovered: 04/04/98, Mississippi River backwater
Cause of death ruling: drowning
Manner of death ruling: undetermined
Injuries: no injuries of trauma or signs of foul play
Blood Alcohol Content: 0.22 (no drugs in system)
Reported water temp: 37 degrees