Quote · Crime, Conspiracy, Cults and Murder
Ep. 117 | Mysterious Missing Children Cold Cases
Where this was said
Suspects, Polygraphs, and Three Competing Theories
At 28:16 · chapter starts 28:08
For the first six months, investigators worked the case without publicly naming anyone. That changed in January 2016 when then-Sheriff Lynn Bowerman told reporters plainly that he believed the case was a homicide, that DeOrr was not on that mountain, and that his parents were hiding something — adding there was 'no doubt in his mind.' Bowerman pointed to a pattern of shifting, contradictory statements from Mitchell and Kunz whose accounts of their movements and DeOrr's whereabouts kept changing, making it impossible to sort truth from fiction. Investigators formally narrowed the possibilities to three: a wild animal attack (mountain lion, wolf), an abduction by an unknown person, or foul play involving the family. Walton and Rainwand were tagged as persons of interest but were described as lower on the list. Bowerman was blunt: 'I think Mom and Dad are higher on the list.' The subsequent sheriffs — Penner and Bennett — took a more balanced view, treating all four adults at the campsite with equal scrutiny since all four were the last people around DeOrr before he vanished. [1] — Host "I believe his parents are hiding something. There is no doubt in my mind." 28:16
Former Sheriff Lynn Bowerman told Dateline flatly: DeOrr Kunz Jr. never died on that mountain, and his parents are hiding something. DeOrr's father allegedly failed 5 polygraphs; his mother failed 4. Private investigator Philip Klein called it the worst polygraph result he'd seen in 26 years.
DeOrr's oversized cowboy boots, a key piece of evidence, were never found anywhere on the mountain despite exhaustive searches.
Within 3 days of DeOrr Kunz Jr.'s disappearance, the volunteer count at Timber Creek Campground exceeded 200 people, joined by foot crews, ATVs, horseback riders, helicopters, canine units, and divers.
