I found something I never wanted to find and what we all fear of finding.

[hothardrocks]

I was in the very far reaches of the Amargosa Desert prospecting out of my buggy in some very remote rugged country and there he was laying there in front of me and had been there since 1987. I reported it to the sheriff and guided them to his location. This was a few weeks ago and I wish one of the agencies would give news, work on the case or something. I hope they tell his family and friends.

Robert Lapergola

oag.ca.gov

 

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[hothardrocks]

Well it might be a passion I would need to put some thought into. I live in Lafayette, Colorado. Dang right it's a big time cook'er out there. Sadly no one was making a Camelbak Water Bladder Backpack in poor Robert Lapergolas time. Is there any active mines doing anything out that way today? I'm still peddling mine supplies a little on the side part time now, but do have the ability to obtain a travel expense if it's a fairly promising prospect.

 

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[hothardrocks]

Funny thing you would mention a Camelbak. Those too are vulnerable out here. I had a cactus blowing in the wind get between me and my camelbak and it ended up puncturing us both. The camelbak leaked its contents and I was on foot about a mile into the rough. Jonnie mine is still going strong. About a year ago I was south of their claim a few miles into rough desert on foot and I saw them launch a very nice completely white helicopter from their mine site and then they circled around me 4-5 times. There is also the precious minerals heliport that sits on top of the last chance range. It lights up every night. There are no roads there and it sits on top of a high cliff. Also, just west of Jonnie you can see where one man has been digging a series of holes all across a seam in the mountain. You can see this from the highway. The minecache data shows active and new claims all around there. I suppose sometimes gold is ignored in the hard to reach places.
I'm just a retired guy who likes to explore and prospect. I have detectors, pans, crusher, gold wheel and lots of drive. I don't have any kind of a budget. I am self funded and have invested personally more than $150k in gold getting gear. I hope it pays off here soon. I moved here from Fort Collins a few years ago.

 

[tamrock]

Funny thing you would mention a Camelbak. Those too are vulnerable out here. I had a cactus blowing in the wind get between me and my camelbak and it ended up puncturing us both. The camelbak leaked its contents and I was on foot about a mile into the rough. Jonnie mine is still going strong. About a year ago I was south of their claim a few miles into rough desert on foot and I saw them launch a very nice completely white helicopter from their mine site and then they circled around me 4-5 times. There is also the precious minerals heliport that sits on top of the last chance range. It lights up every night. There are no roads there and it sits on top of a high cliff. Also, just west of Jonnie you can see where one man has been digging a series of holes all across a seam in the mountain. You can see this from the highway. The minecache data shows active and new claims all around there. I suppose sometimes gold is ignored in the hard to reach places.
I'm just a retired guy who likes to explore and prospect. I have detectors, pans, crusher, gold wheel and lots of drive. I don't have any kind of a budget. I am self funded and have invested personally more than $150k in gold getting gear. I hope it pays off here soon. I moved here from Fort Collins a few years ago.

Well you sound like your loaded up for bear. I've always had a passion of finding a forgotten load. Within the last 40+ years I've worked for the Sweds and Finns who are the manufacturers of capital mining equipment, also worked for major drilling accessories companies and general overall mine underground mining supplies peddling on the road and have been underground in more gold, silver, copper Molybdenum, trona and coal mines than I can recall. Today I'm collecting on the side, just because my phone keeps ringing with customers I've dealt with for decades, so I'll make a little on the side. It all started with me back in 1975, when I stood out on westbound I80 in Omaha, Nebraska with my thumb stretched out. That then ended up putting me in a hole at 11'000ft on top of Fremont pass. That was the beginning of just about a half century career in mining the miners. Maybe when it gets cold out I'll give you a shout. Funny how the cold temps feel the older you get. We got a big order once for Camelbak's and they then insisted we be a dealer. It really didn't take off, because they would set your grandma up as a dealer if she convinced them she had the in on something big.

 

[Aureus]

I would certainly not put a picture in the post by respect to the deceased.

 

[cannonball]

I was in the very far reaches of the Amargosa Desert prospecting out of my buggy in some very remote rugged country and there he was laying there in front of me and had been there since 1987. I reported it to the sheriff and guided them to his location. This was a few weeks ago and I wish one of the agencies would give news, work on the case or something. I hope they tell his family and friends.

Robert Lapergola

oag.ca.gov

Some find. That could ruin your day.

 

[hothardrocks]

I would certainly not put a picture in the post by respect to the deceased.

I certainly did and I am certainly glad I did. My post HAD to be approved by administrators being a "Silver" member you should know this automatically and if not you can read about it up above. So, knowing all of this and under the presumption you read things and don't post uninformed comments, my question to you is: Did your comment help or inform anyone or was it just for your own personal benefit / jab at me because you disagree? There are many of us who see things differently than you do. I sure am glad of that too. Anyway, I believe with all my heart that when I stood over that mans body and prayed for him that that day there was some kind of something was lifted and relieved and a sense of joy so intense came over me it brought tears to my eyes. So again, I'm GLAD we are not the same.

 

[gemee]

@hothardrocks how did you find out this guy disappeared in 1987? Did you learn his identity and the circumstances?

 

[captainflysinger]

Whoa, that's a wild discovery, my friend! Stumbling upon something like that must’ve felt like a scene straight out of a movie. Major props for doing the right thing and reporting it to the sheriff. Meanwhile, let's hope your next desert find is a hidden treasure or something way less spooky!

 

[hothardrocks]

@hothardrocks how did you find out this guy disappeared in 1987? Did you learn his identity and the circumstances?

I searched the NYE county missing persons in this area after I reported it and this is the only one that came up. His condition and description I feel matched perfectly. I hope the authorities work together and confirm soon.

 

[RobNC]

I searched the NYE county missing persons in this area after I reported it and this is the only one that came up. His condition and description I feel matched perfectly. I hope the authorities work together and confirm soon.

How far from this man's position is that mine you spoke of that doesn't mind helicoptering around to be nosey?
If it is not too far it makes you wonder with all their possible flying around they would have seen his corpse.
It is also shocking no animals scattered his body around. You'd think something like a coyote would have been tempted. The better question is why was there no formal search for this man when they suspected he had been lost hiking in the area.
Nah, something isn't right about this whole thing.

 

[hothardrocks]

How far from this man's position is that mine you spoke of that doesn't mind helicoptering around to be nosey?
If it is not too far it makes you wonder with all their possible flying around they would have seen his corpse.
It is also shocking no animals scattered his body around. You'd think something like a coyote would have been tempted. The better question is why was there no formal search for this man when they suspected he had been lost hiking in the area.
Nah, something isn't right about this whole thing.

I found him about 15 miles from that Helicoptering action. There is a 2000' of elevation change in the mountains between those areas. The description of the heavy green jacket was solidifying and accurate. There were no heavy hiking boots found like the description said. One foot was missing and there was a small pile of scat next to the body that I could only guess was coyote. Try searching for Robert Lapergola Jr. I don't think they were able to do much of a search back then. I found who I think was his girlfriend on Pinterest. I signed up and tried to send her a message and it didn't allow me and said I was blocked. This is her. I had found a page where she mentioned him and how she sympathized with someone else with a lost loved one that they never heard anything back on.

https://ar.pinterest.com/tamdixwalker/

This area is nothing like you have ever seen when you are out in it. I went out by there today and did an 11 mile loop out and back and I missed my target to search by about a mile when me, the dog and buggy were alll starting to get too hot so we bailed. I may go back out in the morning early for a few hours.
https://charleyproject.org/case/robert-joel-lapergola-jr
https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/robert-lapergola < I sent a message on this site asking them to contact Nye county sheriff

 

[Aureus]

I certainly did and I am certainly glad I did. My post HAD to be approved by administrators being a "Silver" member you should know this automatically and if not you can read about it up above. So, knowing all of this and under the presumption you read things and don't post uninformed comments, my question to you is: Did your comment help or inform anyone or was it just for your own personal benefit / jab at me because you disagree? There are many of us who see things differently than you do. I sure am glad of that too. Anyway, I believe with all my heart that when I stood over that mans body and prayed for him that that day there was some kind of something was lifted and relieved and a sense of joy so intense came over me it brought tears to my eyes. So again, I'm GLAD we are not the same.

It has nothing to do with the post being approved by the admins or not. It has to do with respect and good manners. And yes, I've read your post as well as the comments.
You said that you hope '' they tell his family and friends'', so I guess you're not certain that they did. In your post, you mention the name of the deceased and include the picture of the dead person. I'm sure no one would appreciate to learn of the fate of their loved one in graphic details by stumbling upon a post on some metal detecting forum while googling his name. I hope you understand that whatever you post on internet stays there for years to come, so people will be able to see the picture you posted while searching his name online. I'm just not sure it is fair to the person as well as his family and friends.

It's not an attack on you, I'm just expressing my opinion. It's a forum, don't forget about it.

 

[hothardrocks]

It has nothing to do with the post being approved by the admins or not. It has to do with respect and good manners. And yes, I've read your post as well as the comments.
You said that you hope '' they tell his family and friends'', so I guess you're not certain that they did. In your post, you mention the name of the deceased and include the picture of the dead person. I'm sure no one would appreciate to learn of the fate of their loved one in graphic details by stumbling upon a post on some metal detecting forum while googling his name. I hope you understand that whatever you post on internet stays there for years to come, so people will be able to see the picture you posted while searching his name online. I'm just not sure it is fair to the person as well as his family and friends.

It's not an attack on you, I'm just expressing my opinion. It's a forum, don't forget about it.

Noted, eyerolled, discarded.

 

[Aureus]

Noted, eyerolled, discarded.

Yeah, that's the spirit! Welcome to Tnet!

 

[Midden-marauder]

I make cracks to my partner that one of these days, at one of these desert dump sites, we're gonna find human remains. It's kind of not a joke and while morbidly funny the reality would not be funny at all. So many of the places I go searching is where folks dump things, read that carefully and slowly now: WHERE FOLKS DUMP THINGS.
that's really grim and horrible man.

 

[ARC]

Not every plastic or cheap tarp is created the same.
It's comparing apples and oranges with baseballs, sure they're round, but it stops there.
Buy heavy woven hay tarps-oh ya the price point is the factor-$300
Ponder this one-Shrink wrap covering a boat-plastic and it will be there for years.

Fl.- Hot and humid
Death Valley- Hot Arid and dry

View attachment 2151461

So... what you are saying is.... he was wearing polyester ? ? ?
It was 1987... hmmm...............
So.... was he headed to the nightclub OR.... Headed home from the nightclub and got lost. ?

 

[pepperj]

So... what you are saying is.... he was wearing polyester ? ? ?
It was 1987... hmmm...............
So.... was he headed to the nightclub OR.... Headed home from the nightclub and got lost. ?

No, I am not implying that he was wearing polyester and heading out to the nightclub.
(Though he could have taken a dose of Peyote and thought he was a disco dancer on a beach)

I was actually replying that not every fabric breaks down at the same rate.

Now some may be lead to believe that if it didn't comply to the world according to the State of Florida it just didn't happen.
That's why my comment was stating the 180 degree environments will have totally different results.

Will add that probably all these side comments have little to do with the actual post-just another rabbit hole we all seem to fall into while commenting on a post.

 

[oldmxrat]

So... what you are saying is.... he was wearing polyester ? ? ?
It was 1987... hmmm...............
So.... was he headed to the nightclub OR.... Headed home from the nightclub and got lost. ?

I regularly find pieces of cotton canvas and denim fabric around the old mines in southern Nevada. The associated buttons prove the age to be early 20th century. Stuff just lasts out here. This ain't Florida man.

 

[hothardrocks]

I wish I had taken pictures of the jacket. It was completely intact with minimal fading. It was tight woven material like Kevlar or something with a padded quilted inner liner and a heavy duty brass zipper green in color. Entirely inappropriate clothing item for this environment.

 

[releventchair]

I wish I had taken pictures of the jacket. It was completely intact with minimal fading. It was tight woven material like Kevlar or something with a padded quilted inner liner and a heavy duty brass zipper green in color. Entirely inappropriate clothing item for this environment.

Maybe.
Nights could have been cool enough though.


Yes he was wearing it. By your description it seems similar to an Army field jacket. If not an actual field jacket.
Carried when temps are up it could be a light bedroll of sorts also. Even shade on a break.
In a dust storm it could help breathing by using it as a tent on upper body.

I'm not in a desert but wear long sleeves on some hot days.
(I wouldn't discard a jacket right away in a desert.)

Lost folks in the cold have demonstrated in some cases a confusion of sorts in which they shed vital clothing.

Your man was jacketed and at first seems could have died asleep.
But rough ground doesn't look comfy for reclining upon.
Did he go to ground in night's cooler temps? (jacket worn).
Forensics might tell more. The rough ground is off if a man wanted to rest briefly even. IF the pictures view is accurate and there's not a smooth rock free area there.

High ground near for observational /orientation vantage. Not where he ended up though.

Nice that you were considerate of his remains. Not that it matters to him any more.