What happened to Robert Owens Jr? Badly decomposed remains found in Louisiana woods suspected to be of missing NJ geocaching enthusiast
LOUISIANA, NEW ORLEANS: Authorities discovered badly decayed human remains on Wednesday, July 19, in Louisiana woods that officials suspect belong to a missing New Jersey resident. The apparent body of Robert Owens Jr, 58, was found at 9 am in a heavily forested area next to a creek, about half a mile from a trailhead in the Kisatchie National Forest, as per a press release of the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.
Owens Jr of Millville, New Jersey, was alone since July 9 before being reported missing on July 17 by his family. The sheriff's office stated, "Due to the severe decomposition of the remains, positive identification is pending." But they suspect that the body is of Owens Jr because of the clothing found on it as well as specific physical characteristics.
Remains were sent to the Rapides Parish coroner for identification
The remains were sent to the Rapides Parish coroner so that he could do an autopsy and identify the body positively as well as ascertain the cause of death. The Millville local reportedly vanished during a trip he took to participate in the outdoor recreational activity of geocaching, which entails hiding and finding containers using a GPS device or cellphone and other navigational methods. In the game, containers, also known as geocaches or caches, are positioned at specific locations indicated by coordinates, as reported by the New York Post. Detectives from the sheriff's office are also looking for two hikers seen on security film at the beginning of the Azalea Trail to determine whether they saw Owens while he was still alive. Multiple agencies intensified their search when another geocacher helped find Owens Jr's car in the Kisatchie National Forest of Central Louisiana, according to the authorities.
'You were and still are the best dad you could be'
One of Owens' children broke the news on Instagram, adding that their father had last spoken to them on July 9 and had last seen them on July 7, when he went on his vacation. "I genuinely don't even know what to say. It breaks me trying to process this all. You were and still are the best dad you could be," they wrote. "You were more than the best. And though this time is extremely devastating and unexpected, you were doing something you loved. And I know how much you were looking forward to the trip. Geocaching always made you such a happy camper. Literally. I love you, Dad. Rest in peace."