Tribune Tri Lakes 7-3-13
July 3, 2013
Tri-Lakes
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A Colorado Community Media Publication
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Tri-Lakes Region, Monument, Gleneagle, Black Forest and Northern El Paso County • Volume 48, Issue 27
Human remains identified as Dylan Redwine Special to the Tribune
La Plata County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) June 27 stating that items sent to them for tests had been identified as human remains and that they were identified as Dylan Redwine, according to police reports. The family has been notified. A variety of items including bones were collected during a 5-day search of Middle Mountain Road, according to the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office. Middle Mountain is located north and within sight of Vallecito Lake. The searched area ranges in alltitude from 8,000 feet to 11,000 feet, and consists of deep canyons and dense forest.
About 45 personnel from law enforcement and search and rescue deployed and worked over 1,600 man hours during the 5-day search which concluded Wednesday afternoon. Groups taking part included: La Plata County Sheriff’s Office; Durango Police Department; Bayfield Marshal’s Office; Dept of Homeland Security; U.S.Forest Service; La Plata Search & Rescue; La Plata Mounted Redwine Patrol; AZSTAR K-9 teams (Arizona); members of the Southwest Drug Task Force; Necro Search; Upper Pine Fire Protection District; Durango Fire and Rescue Tactical Team; anthropologists and ar-
chaeologists from Fort Lewis College; FBI. Search teams negotiated steep drainages with extensive ground cover as they looked for clues. Sectors were treated as possible crime scenes. At times the searchers were almost shoulder to shoulder as they moved up and down the difficult terrain. The searches began last Saturday and ended Wednesday afternoon. The searches were not based on any recent tips nor new information, according to the Sheriff’s release. They were part of a series of followup searches conducted in the Vallecito area since snows melted this Spring, according to autorities. Dylan Redwine arrived at Durango-La Plata County airport on November 18th and was picked up by his father, Mark Red-
wine for a court ordered Thanksgiving holiday visit, according to previous reports. Elaine Redwine, Dylan’s mother reported him missing to La Plata County Sheriff’s Office the following day. Anyone with information related to Dylan Redwine’s disappearance are asked to contact La Plata County Sheriff’s Office Investigators Dan Patterson (970-382-7015) or Tom Cowing (970-382-7045). There is a local tip line (970-382-7511) where tips can be left on an answering machine that is regularly checked by Investigators. Persons can call the local Crime Stoppers at 970-247-1112. Persons can also call the hotline for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE LOST (1-800-843-5678).
Natural start ruled out Investigation is ongoing By Rob Carrigan
rc a r r i g a n @ o u rc o l o r a donews.com Investigtators have ruled out natural casues for the start of the Black Forest Fire. “With a high degree of certainty, we have ruled out any natural cause for the fire, such as lightning. Through the use of a CBI canine trained to detect accelerants, as well as specialized equipment and other investigative efforts, we have discovered no obvious signs of an accelerant, although it cannot be ruled out completely. Investigators are considering any number of intentional or accidental causes to the fire such as mechanical sources like sparks from machinery
or hot components on motors and exhaust systems,” according to Lieutenant Jeff Kramer, Public Information Officer, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. “Since the start of the Black Forest Fire on June 11, 2013, investigators from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office have led the effort to determine where the fire started and its cause. They have been assisted by the U.S. Forest Service, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), and the Aurora Fire Department. Although the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, investigators have identified the area of origin in a wooded area; the specific location cannot be revealed at this time,” Kramer said. Cause continues on Page 9
A sign marks the site of where the MacDonalds home once stood in Black Forest. Their home was destroyed on June 11 -- Day 1 of the massive Black Forest Fire. Photos by Photo by Kellen MacDonald
A family’s story from the Black Forest Fire The MacDonalds are trying to make the best of difficult situation By Danny Summers
Authorities have only determined that the Black Forest Fire was not caused by a natural start. Courtesy photo of Joint Information Center. POSTAL ADDRESS
Kellen MacDonald was at Sportsmen’s Warehouse near the Citadel Mall on June 11 when he received a text from his mother, Lainie, informing him that she was fleeing the family home. The reason, Lainie wrote, was that a huge dark cloud of smoke was building over the tree line surrounding their six acres of Black Forest property. “I didn’t believe her at first,” said MacDonald, 18, who graduated from The Classical Academy in May. “I
looked toward Black Forest, but I couldn’t see anything. Then we went around a corner and I saw this huge plume of smoke. It was surreal.” MacDonald never made it back home that day. That night he and the rest of the family took up temporary residence at the home of Rich Griffith - just south of the fire in Briargate. On June 13, MacDonald was informed that his family’s home at 12845 Holmes Road had been destroyed. It was one of 511 homes consumed by the raging fire - the most destructive in Colorado history. Like so many people who lost their homes, MacDonald wished he could have gathered some special belongings. His mom grabbed his 13-yearold brother, Quinn, and ran out of
the house as fast as she could as the smoke and flames began to build. All she was able to take with her was the strong box holding the family’s important documents, a lap top and their two 100-pound Bernese mountain dogs. “I lost all my awards from the past four years,” said MacDonald, who was the ace pitcher on the TCA baseball team. “All the special things I had from when I was playing. All my recruiting stuff. It was all gone.” Among the treasured documents MacDonald lost in the fire was his acceptance letter to Colorado School of Mines. Last winter, he signed a scholarship to play baseball for the prestigious school. “Before all this I was ready to head MacDonald continues on Page 9
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