Awareness=Answers

The Milwaukee Journal’s website claims the dog led them to the river:

Police say security video from a business shows someone who looks like Meyers walking alone in the downtown area shortly before he disappeared.

A bloodhound led searchers to the nearby river Monday. Jorgenson says there are areas of thin ice on the Mississippi not far from shore

The Pioneer Press is the most current news, 2-16-2010 and perhaps they used a new dog that did follow his tracks to the ice when the original dog failed to do this as reported in the 2-15-2010 pm news?

It’s unfortunate River Watch doesn’t span a wider area of the river.

They have him on camera walking west on Cass Street towards the river (was alone). They also brought a dog in that followed his scent to the river.

Sounds like they have found his body in the river. Local news reported they found signs of someone tumbling down the bank and someone walking out onto the ice. Dive team is recovering something from the water as I type this.

They just reported that his body was found in the Mississippi River this afternoon. It’s another very sad day in La Crosse. So many people left wondering.

The TV news originally said that the dogs were NOT interested in the footprints. That the dog lost the scent at 4th and Cass St. But then LATER a dog did track it to river’s edge.

Sarah Lee Bakery security camera picked up a lone walker walking in that direction.

I find it very hard to understand how he was dropped off on 7th and Market and walked all of the way down to the Courtyard Marriott. I live downtown, and with as cold as it was that night, with only a leather jacket on, how he could walk in essence 10 full city blocks + is pretty unrealistic. My thoughts only of course.

Who – really – is wagging the dog’s tail? … tracing the dog’s trail? hush…hush…let’s brush this one under the cover, along with all the others.

if…..IF…..I F…..I…..F……. it is widely believed that these cases are in fact accidents…how come a massive informative campaign is not organized at EVERY campus in the region through the faculties to inform all students of the risks and statistics of drinking, walking alone, accepting rides from strangers, etc…?
Do WE have to do it from this end? Make posters with a big smiley face or perhaps something a lot more serious…a call for prevention…a demand for justice…a re-opening of coffins and all closed doors presently locked by the deafening silence of law enforcement and media.

I am from La Crosse, and a college student I might add. I have been interested in this topic for quite some time now relating to all of the student drownings. It is very hard to believe that alcohol was the only reason these men have ended up in the river. A picture taken from the tribune shows footsteps leading into the water behind the Marriot and next to Logistics Health. Where these footsteps were, Craig would have had to climb down a rock ledge that runs along the whole riverside. The surface of the rocks would have made it very difficult for him or any inebriated person to get down onto the ice. The picture shows one set of footsteps in a straight path. If he were that intoxicated to end up where he was, how would his footsteps be so straight, wouldn’t they have been little scattered or out of place? This just doesnt add up for me its to hard to believe that he would have gone in that direction with his own thoughts..

Toriop, Yes, and why so many deaths of similar guys just since 1997? Really, this should have been happening for decades, I’d say.

Again, can anyone truly clarify that why initial reports say that the dogs had no interest and then all of the sudden they did?

I do know that dogs can have more success on some days and in various weather conditions. I was involved in a search for a missing person once and the dogs were not successful the first try. But the weather conditions had improved and they had more resources on their successful second attempt in the location of the body. This though… this seems like the just changed the story. The weather didn’t change, and they didn’t have better resources I’ll wager… so why the change?

There is another possible Smiley Face victim on a security camera, and he too is seen walking alone. I don’t know what that means, but it sure means something.

@Kristi Piehl

Thank you for bringing this discrepancy up. Any error in media reporting with missing persons cases are red flags toward the credibility of the source material. I think its really important to catch these errors early on so that there is still the chance media can correct their mistaken facts.

Police precincts don’t often reach out to other precincts, I’m sure the level at which media outlets reach out to other media companies is far slimmer.

Does anyone know exactly what was done to Riverside park in the mid-to-late 90’s? I thought they redid the main boat landing and walkways, and added more lighting…maybe that plays a bit of a role?

Also I believe drownings have occurred well before 1997, perhaps not in LaCrosse…but nationally. The problem is that it is easy to find info from about 1995 to present on the internet. From the Late 80’s to early 90’s is harder, and before that it is almost impossible to find anything unless it was national news.

@Stacey
The dog did not lose the scent on that day the handler pulled the dog back because of traffic and that was the signle to stop thats why on the second day he tracked the same scent and without traffic was able to track to the river. What I don’t understand is drinking has been going on in LaCrosse since way before 1997 but without river deaths makes ya think

I am from La Crosse also. of course last night on the news they attributed it to the cold and alcohol. I think in majority the people of La Crosse are tired and sad about this happening and want more answers. They say that last year alone they stopped 28 people from going in the river. How do they know they were going in the river and not just hanging out in Riverside Park as many people do….did they stop them as they were stepping off the banks? This has been going on for way too long without looking at any options other than alcohol. Luke Homans parents were on the news last night….maybe they are right about La Crosse having a “Mayberry Mentality”

La Mayberry

@Jennifer
Jennifer, that is part of what makes the story so suspicious. He was dropped off a few blocks from his girlfriend’s house. Did he go over there and she wouldn’t let him in? WHY was he found in the river so far from where he was dropped off? So many questions. It seems his father is satisfied with the police report that it was an accident. Did he have his questions answered?

Another discrepancy:
Updated 2-21-2010
“La Crosse police Capt. Rob Abraham said a set of footprints leads out onto the river, but further investigation revealed those prints did not belong to Meyers.”

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/missing-la-crosse-student-had-bac-of-.28

It would be great if reports given to the public were accurate! These mens stories are convoluted enough.

@monique777

I’ve been thinking a lot about footprints with this case. I can’t believe those prints weren’t his and that it wasn’t reported earlier. Why did that take so long? I wonder if at the very least it was the same type of shoe?

I can’t believe they still haven’t updated this information when reporting Craig’s tox. results.
What made them think they weren’t Craig’s footprints initially? I would understand if they said police are still trying to determine if the footprints are Meyer’s early on in the investigation but to initially rule them out seems odd unless it was a reporting error.
It would make sense they belonged to Meyer but why initially rule them out to later say they were his?

you can easily match shoes to footprints in the snow.