American Rider Missing in Mexico

[Cabrito]

Bummer,
Hopefully his family can now have some closure.

R.I.P.

 

[horsepower]

Lots of judgment in this thread. Are you all judging him for his lack of riding experience or that fact that he’s riding through a “dangerous” part of the world? If it’s the former fine. But..

I’m hoping the best for the guy, he was doing what he loved, which was traveling the world and experiencing new cultures and sometimes doing that in ‘hot’ places. Dude is an adventurer. Y’all ride motorcycles for chrissakes, which to the general public’s view is ‘idiotic’ ‘lacks judgement’ etc.

When Skippy rides from Alaska to Argentina, makes it through the Darien gap on moto with his bike strapped to a ponga, and post pictures about it on ADV, you all applaud. Well Skippy went through the same dangerous sections that this guy is doing and no one calls him idiot.

You survive: You’re a hero. You go missing, hurt or dead: You’re an idiot.

Doesn't look good for this guy

http://bedford.dailyvoice.com/news/new-lead-could-spell-trouble-case-missing-westchester-man-mexico

Beyond sad that he died doing something lesser mortals dare only dream about.
Don't use or Stop using drugs, work on bridging gaps, venture into the unknown, practice the winds of change....all things he no doubt lived in his very young life to make the world more peaceful.
What a shame that the bad guys took a good one from us.

 

[Nemo Brinker]

Aw hell. This was not how I wanted this one to turn out. Rest well, rider. May peace return to the region whenever possible.

 

[bpw]

And this is why I've abandoned my dictator tour of South America.

Mexico isn't South America.

Most of South America is actually doing pretty well and is quite safe now. Venezuela being the big exception. I felt safer moto-touring in Chile and Argentina than I do in parts of Northern California.

Sadly, I do agree that staying out of the mountains of Mexico and parts of Central America is probably a good idea right now.

 

[littlebeast]

if i were the dudes family, the circumstances of the discovery would make me focus on wherever the latest questions and effort had been aimed. someone's hand was forced - and they made a move to divert attention - as if to say - be happy with the remains and shut the fuck up and go away. the attention was way too close for someone's comfort. time to double down. and apply a flame thrower to the bushes the fuckers responsible have been hiding in.

 

[Nitewaif]

What an awful thing. Godspeed, rider.

 

[horsepower]

Mexico isn't South America.

Most of South America is actually doing pretty well and is quite safe now. Venezuela being the big exception. I felt safer moto-touring in Chile and Argentina than I do in parts of Northern California.

Sadly, I do agree that staying out of the mountains of Mexico and parts of Central America is probably a good idea right now.

For my own piece of mind, what other parts of Central America?
My daughter has been trek guiding in the high mountains near Xela, Quetezaltenango in Guatemala. Their groups have been held up by gun point twice. But (at 23) she claims that although it borders on Mexico, it is peaceful.
Any other " bad spots" that riders need to steer clear of when riding to SA?

 

[bpw]

When I was last in Central America it was a couple years ago and I was sailing down the coast so I have not been paying much attention to what is happening inland lately, so can't help with specifics.

On the good side, being a guide down there she should have lots of contact with the locals, and they will know whats up better than everyone. Most of these places are still pretty safe for foreigners as long as you stay away from getting involved in drugs/crime. While there is a risk of random violence or being robbed anywhere in the world, the drug cartels and smugglers are smart enough to know that targeting US citizens is going to open a whole can of worms they do not want to be involved with. Even in the super sketchy Mexican border towns you almost never read about a tourist being targeted.

On the other hand, is it really such a special place to be worth dealing with hold-ups? Lots of other amazing places in the world that are more stable right now. I have traveled to some sketchy places (like Ulan Bataar in Mongolia) that where absolutely worth the risk and the extra precautions I needed to take, other places (like Punta Arenas Costa Rica) where just straight up shit-holes and I got out as fast as I could.

 

[Papi]

Sad story, worse ending. †

 

[Lunch Box]

if i were the dudes family, the circumstances of the discovery would make me focus on wherever the latest questions and effort had been aimed. someone's hand was forced - and they made a move to divert attention - as if to say - be happy with the remains and shut the fuck up and go away. the attention was way too close for someone's comfort. time to double down. and apply a flame thrower to the bushes the fuckers responsible have been hiding in.

If this guy were a friend of mine I would probably be doing just that. It really is a tragic ending, and I sincerely hope that the family is able to find a way to get on with their lives, while keeping him in their hearts. *sigh*

 

[horsepower]

if i were the dudes family, the circumstances of the discovery would make me focus on wherever the latest questions and effort had been aimed. someone's hand was forced - and they made a move to divert attention - as if to say - be happy with the remains and shut the fuck up and go away. the attention was way too close for someone's comfort. time to double down. and apply a flame thrower to the bushes the fuckers responsible have been hiding in.

If this guy were a friend of mine I would probably be doing just that. It really is a tragic ending, and I sincerely hope that the family is able to find a way to get on with their lives, while keeping him in their hearts. *sigh*

It is a sad yet not atypical situation to have this kind of "cancer" in an otherwise highly religious country, in this case, a country of Catholics.
No regard for human life and either no regard to the remains or some weird shred of Catholic guilt in someone within the circle to leave all of the remains to be found per Catholic rules of burial.
Both govts know of El Tigre No doubt. It must be even more frustrating for the family to have to battle a drug lord for any type of closure on justice.

His mother sounds amazing. She went to search as soon as she could for as long as she could.

 

[Lunch Box]

Spot on, Dani. Spot on. My heart goes out to the mother, and the rest of the family. Ugh....

 

[OaklandF4i]

It is a sad yet not atypical situation to have this kind of "cancer" in an otherwise highly religious country, in this case, a country of Catholics.
No regard for human life and either no regard to the remains or some weird shred of Catholic guilt in someone within the circle to leave all of the remains to be found per Catholic rules of burial.
Both govts know of El Tigre No doubt. It must be even more frustrating for the family to have to battle a drug lord for any type of closure on justice.

His mother sounds amazing. She went to search as soon as she could for as long as she could.

Not sure this or the violence has any connection to religion at all. A failed drug war yes, religion, no. We have as much responsibility for what is happening in Mexico as anyone. And that's truly unfortunate.

Harry met the wrong person, at the wrong place, at the wrong time... in an area traveled relatively frequently by foreigners. I have and would travel the same route Harry took again.

 

[Lucky_Devil]

if i were the dudes family, the circumstances of the discovery would make me focus on wherever the latest questions and effort had been aimed. someone's hand was forced - and they made a move to divert attention - as if to say - be happy with the remains and shut the fuck up and go away. the attention was way too close for someone's comfort. time to double down. and apply a flame thrower to the bushes the fuckers responsible have been hiding in.

Well, a well known gang/kartel actually posted banners around town boasting about & taking credit for killing him... sooooo... I don't think they're exactly shaking in their boots.

More likely that the family offered money for the return of his remains... which I'm sure they gladly accepted the $$ and then provided the body.

 

[oobus]

Not sure this or the violence has any connection to religion at all. A failed drug war yes, religion, no. We have as much responsibility for what is happening in Mexico as anyone. And that's truly unfortunate.

Harry met the wrong person, at the wrong place, at the wrong time... in an area traveled relatively frequently by foreigners. I have and would travel the same route Harry took again.

I understand where horsepower is coming from being from that religion and working side by side with a lot of folks from Mexico. Claims to be a very religious population but they allow all this shit to continue to happen. The corruption in the country has been going on for so long it is perceived as normal. You could probably draw some parallels to the Middle East. Some of my best travels have been in that country. I'm always hopeful that things will improve, I have people that are dear to me in a couple of small towns in Mexico.

 

[horsepower]

Not sure this or the violence has any connection to religion at all. A failed drug war yes, religion, no. We have as much responsibility for what is happening in Mexico as anyone.

I didn't say that the violence was connected to religion.
I only mentioned it specifically in terms of the way this poor man was found (at least possibly honoring the potential for a proper Catholic burial despite an apparent murder) and trying to make some sense of it, albeit if that is even possible.
Agree with you on the rest, CJ.

 

[OaklandF4i]

I didn't say that the violence was connected to the Catholicism at all.
I only mentioned the oxymoron of religion specifically in terms of the way this poor man was found (at least possibly honoring the potential for a proper Catholic burial despite an apparent murder) and trying to make some sense of it, albeit if that is even possible.
Agree with you on the rest, CJ.

 

[ThumperX]

I am just so sad. My friend Stephen Vance was murdered in Pakistan back in 2008; his murder, as this murder, IMO were just a means to inflict terror where ever terror can be inflicted. Will this deter tourism and make things even more difficult for this region of Mexico? I think so.

 

[rzypvs]

I've been following this story since the beginning. A friend just told me that Harry supposedly just met someone named Martinez or similar shortly before he went missing. Does anyone have more info on this?

 

[Bad Santa]

CNN now reporting that DNA testing has confirmed that the remains are those of Mr. Devert. RIP.

Remains identified as American missing in Mexico