With heavy hearts, we said the news of Vance Rodriguez’s passing. Vance John “Vaejor” Rodriguez previously known as “Mostly Harmless” was an American hiker. His departure has profoundly impacted his friends and family. In this post, we aim to provide comprehensive details surrounding his passing, offering insights into the circumstances of his death.
When Did Vance Rodriguez Die?
He was last seen alive after arriving in the southwest part of Florida in April 2018. Two hikers discovered the hiker deceased in his tent in Big Cypress National Preserve on July 23, 2018. There was nothing that identified him. The location was near Interstate 75.
Although the cause of death was not determined by the autopsy, the man was characterized as “emaciated.” No evidence of foul play was present. His fingerprints, dental records and DNA did not match any database reports of known missing persons.
He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, with greying brown hair and a beard and he wore a grey Columbia baseball cap. Along with $3,500 in cash, his rucksack included handwritten notes regarding the online programming game Screeps in a notepad.
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When Did Vance Rodriguez’s Body Identify?
More than two years after his discovery, in December 2020, Rodriguez was finally recognized. A former colleague saw pictures of the then-unidentified individual and reported him to the police. The officials in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, collected DNA samples from surviving relatives.
On January 12, 2021, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office made a formal notification. Othram had completed the necessary tests to verify that Rodriguez and his family were a match.
His last known address was in New York, where he worked as an information technology professional. On February 21, 2021, a program on Rodriguez’s identification was shown on CBS News Sunday Morning. If you want to know about the family of Vance you can check out our post “Vance Rodriguez Family“.
Reflecting on the Harriman Hiker’s Journey
The hiker left Harriman State Park, which is close to New York City, in April 2017 to begin his adventure along the Appalachian Trail. He encountered other folks who snapped photographs of him along the route.
He had claimed to be from Baton Rouge, to be trekking to Key West, to like sticky buns and ketchup and to have a sister who lived in Sarasota or Saratoga. The hiker reached northern Florida in January 2018.
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