A Body at No Name Creek

17 min readOct 1, 2021

While out in White River National Forest on September 8, 2004*, a group of Elk Bow Hunters noticed a collapsed tent in an abandoned campsite. After they approached the campsite, they were horrified to discover a set of skeletal remains tucked into a sleeping bag.

The campsite was located at the Flat Tops Wilderness area on the banks of No Name Creek, located just north of Glenwood Springs in Garfield County Colorado. The information from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated that the John Doe was 6 miles, as the crow flies, from the nearest city (Glenwood Springs, Colorado). Based on a map found with his body, he had taken the Transfer Trail for 12 miles before going off of it towards the creek around 200 feet east of the Transfer Trail near Windy Point.

The unidentified skeleton is believed to be a white male somewhere between 27–65 years old, though some sources state that his age range is between 53–65 years old. He was somewhere between 5'10"- 6'2" feet tall. His weight, hair color, and eye color could not be determined due to severe decomposition. However, a belt was found on the remains as well as long underwear fragments. During the autopsy, the medical examiner was able to determine that he had severe degeneration of his back and neck. Some sources state that it was a back injury and some state that it was arthritis, whatever the case this would have caused John Doe an intense amount of pain and would’ve made the journey to the location where his body was found extremely difficult. They also found that John Doe had high-quality dental work in almost all of his teeth, including: gold work, crowns, bridges, and fillings.

His cause of death could not be determined due to severe decomposition, however, foul play is not suspected. No signs of trauma were found around or on the skeletal remains. The fact that he was tucked in a sleeping bag led investigators to believe that he had died in his sleep of, most likely, natural causes.

Based on the state of the tent and the campsite it is estimated that the “tent had been pitched for at least one winter”. Further estimations, based on decomposition, state that John Doe had likely been there for 1–5 years (dying somewhere between 1999–2003).

*Additionally, the day he was found differs from source to source. Most say it was the 8th, so that’s what I listed. However, other sources say that it could have been the 9th.

The Campsite:

John Doe had an extensive campsite with a plethora of objects surrounding him, including:

Fragments of a sleeping cushion
A blue backpack
A brown Slumberjack sleeping bag
A yellow and green plastic poncho (image 2)
A black belt with long underwear fragments
Brown and black Timberland hiking boots (image 4)
Blue socks with duct tape around the toes (image 5)
A blue and black JanSport backpack (image 3)
A blue hairbrush
An empty Tylenol bottle (image 6)
Fingernail clippers
Tweezers
Package of foam earplugs
Package of razor blades
Cash: 6 $100 bills, 1 $10 bill, 1 $5 bills, and 5 $1 bills (around $620)
A green camping pillow
A green Eureka dome tent
A butane stove with 2 fuel cans
A Sweetwater water filtration kit
A tent repair kit
2 green plastic army-style canteens
A round red and blue canteen (image 11)
A compass (image 5)
An aluminum cooking pot with spoons
2 cups (possibly in image 1)
2 National Geographic moisture-proof trail maps of the Flat Tops area with route drawn to where the body was found (image 12)
4in1 Radio Shack game (image 10)
Pocket-sized Battleship game (possibly in image 1)
Sunglasses and glasses with lenses in tact, the glasses had purple arms (image 8)
A magnifying glass (image 7)
A pair of Sharper Image binoculars (possibly in image 1)
20 packs of unfiltered Camel’s cigarettes (image 5)
8 multi-colored butane lighters
2 plastic zipper bags
A bear bell
Pepper Spray
A roll of duct tape
A green pocket-sized journal

Despite the myriad of objects located at the campsite, as Sheriff Lou Vallario put it, “He just didn’t leave his name on anything”. This made the identification of John Doe an ongoing mystery.

However, a few of the objects specified the window of time that John Doe had been in the National Forest. The earliest year found on the money located at the campsite was 1999, meaning that John Doe’s death had occurred sometime after 1999. Additionally, the 4in1 Radio Shack game was released in 2000 as confirmed by an eBay seller. This seller was selling the same model of the 4in1 Radio Shack game that was found at John Doe’s campsite. This means that John Doe’s death had to have occurred sometime between 2000 and the winter of 2003.

The Journal:

The cover of the journal is a bright green color, not quite neon but bright. It had severely degraded and had suffered damage after being exposed to the elements since John Doe passed away. There was a heart drawn on the cover with three symbols inside, only one of the symbols could really be seen and is thought to be a cat. The other two couldn’t be definitively determined due to the degradation of the journal, but many believe them to be a mountain and a cross.

A zoomed in image of the notebook’s cover

Though a lot of the writing was unable to be deciphered, the writing could be seen on certain pages. The notes were addressed to someone named “Lib”, their relationship to John Doe is unknown. This is the official Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) summary of the contents of the notebook (as a note- … indicates a missing or unreadable section):

The first page of John Doe’s notebook that begins with “Dear Lib” — Page of notebook, beginning “Dear Lib…”

Another page of John Doe’s Journal that begins with “Third Choice” — Page of Notebook, beginning “Third Choice…”

A final page of John Doe’s notebook that is hard to decipher — Page of Notebook, beginning “Ar On…”

“I should write in case my situation here doesn’t improve. This may be the end of my journey”.
“Would like you to claim the body…services or cremation”
Some individual words: “I”, “Thought”, and “Favor or Flavor”
“Third choice take them up in a glider (I promise not to get sick on you)”
Some more individual words: “This”, “You”, and “Not”
“ar on the…would you call her…d have it sent…you because I…want it to… where”
“be…er…my…s are going”

The writing in this journal seems to indicate that John Doe knew that his life was about to end and was writing to his next of kin (or partner) named Lib. He seems to be discussing what to do with his remains and, based on the glider comment, had a sense of humor.

Some have speculated that Lib was what John Doe called his journal, likening it to John Doe’s version of “Dear Diary”. This seems unlikely given the fact that the writings appear to give instructions about what to do after his death, which a journal could not have carried out. Also, based on the language in the journal it makes one think that Lib knew about John Doe’s fatal sojourn. So, do they wonder what happened to John Doe? Why haven’t they filed a missing person’s report? These are just more questions that surround this journal and the identity of Lib.

Further Journal Analysis:

On the Websleuths thread for this case, which I will link below, a couple people have also gone through the journal and have their own conclusions about what the journal says.

Tracing over “If…t…get [favor, flavor, or saved]

One of the main thoughts is in regards to the favor or flavor, some believe that it doesn’t say either of those. Instead they believe that it says “saved”. The sentence is believed by many to say “If I don’t get…”, “If I don’t get flavor or favor” doesn’t make sense. However, “If I don’t get saved” makes more sense.

There are a couple of different interpretations of writings in the journal which are listed below (as a note- … indicates a missing or unreadable section):

“Dear Lib, thought I should write you in case my situation here doesn’t improve. This may be the end of my journey. I would like for you to claim the body. No services or much real ceremony…stingy fool…as I thought…If I don’t get saved”
“Bronze star on the wall…would you call her and have it sent to you because I want it to be where my ashes are going.”

If this Bronze star section is accurate this could indicate that John Doe was a member of the American military and had won an award for an act of military valor. This could also explain why he had “Army style canteens” and why he was well equipped. This could also help in identifying John Doe because certain databases keep track of all of the people that were given a Bronze Star.

The next thing about the notebook is regarding the drawings on the cover of the notebook. The drawing in the top right corner is quite obviously a cat. However, the drawing on the bottom middle seems to be some kind of plus sign, cross, or crucifix. The drawing in the top left corner is hotly debated, but many believe it to be some kind of mountain. This would make sense based on where he was found, and it could indicate that he was a regular mountaineer. Some also believe that it is specifically depicting a 14er, which is a mountain that is over 14,000 feet in elevation. Colorado has 58 of these mountains, and White River National Forest has four of these. The entire drawing is enclosed in a heart which could indicate what John Doe was passionate about or enjoyed.

A special note regarding the drawing, it reminds me of the drawings I used to do when I was younger. I would draw hearts and draw scenes in them. I would take paper or notebooks from around the house and just draw in them. This made me wonder if John Doe was the one who actually drew this image. Could it have possibly been a child or grandchild? Was it Lib? It is just another mystery surrounding this case.

How did John Doe get to White River National Forest?

This is a questioned pondered by Sheriff Lou Vallario as no cars or motorcycles were noted to have been abandoned or unclaimed at White River National Forest during the time period that John Doe was in the park. Many people speculate how he could have gotten there from wherever he was coming from. He likely wasn’t a local given the fact that he is still unidentified, so he had to travel to Glenwood Springs somehow. John Doe likely didn’t fly there as the airports in Glenwood Springs are all for public use and are only for private parties. The nearest large airport is almost three hours away from Glenwood Springs. However, Glenwood Springs does have an Amtrak station which would explain how John Doe arrived in Glenwood Springs. The only Amtrak route that includes the Glenwood Springs station is called the California Zephyr. The states along the route include: Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California. John Doe could be from one of these states or could have connected to the California Zephyr from another route. Ultimately, this remains a big question in the case.

How did John Doe die?:

To put it bluntly, we don’t know. By the time John Doe’s body was found it was entirely skeletal, so a definitive cause of death could not be determined. However, foul play is not suspected by police as no disturbances were seen at the campsite and there was no sign of trauma on his remains. Additionally, John Doe was found tucked in his sleeping bag which leads most to believe that he died in his sleep. But there are many theories.

Suicide: John Doe most likely had severe chronic pain, probably for a prolonged period of time. According to Dr. Sohom Das, a consultant forensic psychiatrist, people with chronic pain are four times as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. Many people with chronic pain struggle to function because they can lose sleep and have difficulty working and concentrating. These side effects of John Doe’s chronic pain could have led him to suicide. Suicide in remote places is typical, but many who support this theory often wonder “why here?”. Was there some sentimental reason that John Doe picked this place or did he just know the area? Given the fact that no weapons were found at the scene, how would John Doe have killed himself? The only thing that could have been used in the possible suicide was the bottle of Tylenol which contains a medicine named paracetamol. An overdose of paracetamol is signified by feelings of confusion, kidney problems which can later result in kidney failure, low blood sugar, shortness of breath, pain in the liver which signifies the beginning of liver failure, and jaundice. This overdose would take hours and John Doe would have had time to write in his journal.
Accidental Overdose: There is also the possibility that John Doe accidentally overdosed on paracetamol. Some people who experience chronic pain, like John Doe, will take higher than recommended doses of the drug to quell the immeasurable pain that they are feeling. Since the symptoms of the overdose start relatively lightly, John Doe may not have noticed. He would have continued to take the Tylenol for the pain, not knowing the damage that the drug had already caused. He would have experienced pain in his abdomen that would have ended in liver and/or kidney failure. The death would have been prolonged and gave John Doe time to write in the journal. If it was winter John Doe may have been stranded and unable to seek help, or he could have been in so much pain that he could not hike the twelve miles back to town (twelve miles to walk, six miles as the crow flies).
Natural Causes: This is the theory that the police believe occurred. John Doe may have had a heart attack or stroke and died in his sleep. But this would raise a question as to when John Doe wrote in his journal. Maybe he felt some of the early symptoms, recognized them, and accepted that this was the end. He could have also had some kind of terminal illness where he knew he was going to die, so he wanted to do so on his own terms in the National Forest. This would have given him ample time to write some of his final messages. What terminal illness he could have had is unknown, but many believe that it could be associated with the degeneration in his back and neck. It could have also been lung cancer based upon the 20 packs of Camel’s cigarettes found at the campsite, possibly not giving up the habit because he knew that he was going to die anyway.
Cold Temperatures: There is always the possibility that the winter in Colorado was colder than John Doe expected. Although he was likely wearing long underwear when he died, it is unknown if he was wearing other clothing that would have shielded himself from the winter weather. Many of the trails into White River National Forest are closed in winter because of snow. Not only were there freezing temperatures, but there was likely snow on the trails which could explain why John Doe couldn’t head back towards Glenwood Springs. This would have given him time, after he knew he was trapped, to write a final note in his journal before he froze to death. This could have also led to John Doe running out of food. Notably, no food was found at the scene but cooking supplies and utensils were found. The food was probably taken by animals, but he also could have run out of food during the winter. With the freezing temperatures the snow blocked trails John Doe was unable to get more food and could have, tragically, starved to death. This would have also given him time to write the journal entry.
Foul Play: Though the police have discounted this theory, it cannot be completely ruled out. Though no sign of trauma or violence was found on John Doe’s skeleton, if he was strangled, asphyxiated, or poisoned it may not show up on the remains. These circumstances are very unlikely given the fact that he was found in his sleeping bag, and there were no signs of a struggle at the campsite. Also, how would he know he was going to die and have time to write his message in the journal?

Was John Doe Alone?

Many people wonder if John Doe was truly all alone out there. A lot of his camping supplies were for two and Battleship is a two-player game.

Lib: Some people believe that Lib actually came with John Doe on his final trek. They believe that they were with John Doe and, when he was dying, left to find help. They could have tragically died on the twelve mile trek back to Glenwood Springs, and their body has never been found. Or they acted like they were going to get help and just abandoned John Doe. However, I do not believe that this is likely because why would John Doe write out his last wishes if Lib was there with him?

Other Does: In the year before our John Doe was found, two other unidentified men were found in the Glenwood Springs area. The first was only a skull and was found on July 7th, 2003. He is suspected to be a black and/or Hispanic male who is estimated to be around 27 years old and had most likely died sometime around 2003. He was found in the Colorado River near Glenwood Springs. The second John Doe, who was a partial skeleton, was found on August 9th, 2003 in Glenwood Springs near the Red Mountain area. He is suspected to be a Caucasian male between the ages of 27–66. He is suspected to have died sometime between 2002–2003. It is suspected that his body was washed down river by spring runoff, a pair of boxers and a shirt were found near the remains. It is unclear if the clothing items were connected to John Doe, but they were worth a mention.

So how could these John Does be connected to Flat Tops John Doe? Maybe they were camping with him or met him while camping, and they suffered a similar fate to Flat Tops John Doe. This connection is loose at best, but it was something that I found that no one else mentioned.

Is John Doe Australian?

One item that was found with John Doe’s body was a poncho that read “Perth, Australia Standard Long”. This has led many to speculate that John Doe might be from Australia. Australian news has actually covered this case to possibly generate any tips, but nothing really came from it. So was John Doe Australian? It’s impossible to rule it out. White River National Forest is actually the most visited National Forest in the United States, so maybe John Doe came to the U.S. to go this forest. In my opinion, the Australia connection is unlikely. John Doe could have just visited Perth at some point in his life and bought a poncho when it unexpectedly started to rain. However, this connection to Australia cannot be completely ruled out.

Possible Identities of John Doe:

Wayne Dennis George Drewett: Drewett was last seen on April 14, 2003 in Scarborough (a suburb of Perth, Australia) at the Rendezvous Observation City Hotel where he was staying with his wife. He was around 5'7 with a medium build, had grey receding hair, and green eyes. Drewett was born in November of 1945, making him 57 years old at the time of his disappearance. He served in the Australian Army and served in Vietnam. Drewett had two adult children and a number of grandchildren. Drewett was involved in a black diamond deal scam and had a “business deal” on the evening of the 14th at his home in Ballajura. He left in his 1992 bronze Toyota Lexus sedan, which was later found parked at the Perth Domestic Airport on May 5, 2003.

The reason he is connected to John Doe’s case at all is the fact that his physical description fits (however, his height isn’t in the range), the age fits, there is a Perth connection, and a reason for a sudden natural death. You see, Drewett has a cardiac condition that requires medication which he didn’t have with him when he disappeared. Without this medication, his condition could be fatal.

If you have any information that could lead to the location of Wayne Dennis George Drewett call Crime Stoppers at 1(800)-333–000 or make an online report by clicking here. You can choose to remain anonymous.

Mark Allen Husk: Husk was last seen at his residence on Old Chicago Road in Ferrisburgh , Vermont on October 12, 2003. Husk was 49 years old at the time of his disappearance, had sandy or dirty blond hair, and green or hazel eyes. He was around 5'9 and weighed somewhere between 140–170 pounds at the time of his disappearance. Husk, according to his loved ones, was despondent in the weeks before he went missing.

The reason Husk is believed to possibly be this John Doe is because he is an avid outdoorsman and frequently travelled around the country for extended periods of time, alone. He has also been known to travel via bus or Amtrak, and Husk also wears wire frame glasses.

If you have information that could lead to the whereabouts of Mark Allen Husk, please contact the Vermont State Police at (802)-773–9101 in reference to case number 03C202593.

The tips regarding the connections between the above men and John Doe have already been submitted to the appropriate authorities.

Other possible identities: This is a compilation of missing persons profiles that could possibly be John Doe. This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I used my own resources to whittle this list down. All of these men are still currently missing.

Rule-Outs:

The men in the list below have been ruled out as being the identity of John Doe, however, they are listed because they are all still missing.

Conclusions:

The enigma surrounding John Doe’s death, identity, and life is an enduring Colorado mystery. There are way more questions than there are answers, which can be extremely frustrating at times. It seems like DNA is available despite the Doe Network saying otherwise, because the authorities are comparing Mark Allen Husk’s DNA with John Doe’s. According to the Doe Network, dental records from John Doe are also available.

As of October 1st, 2021 Flat Tops John Doe has been unidentified for 17 years and 24 days. I refuse to believe that this man lived and died without anyone knowing about him. He obviously cared about whoever Lib was, and it makes me wonder what they’ve been doing all these years.

If you have any information that could lead to the identification of John Doe please contact one of the following agencies or people:

Garfield County Sheriff’s Office at (970)-945–1377, extension 1025, in reference to case number 04–1656
Garfield County Coroner’s Office get in contact with either Robert Glassmire at (970)-309–1042 or Danica Paszek (970)-319–4491 (number is listed as (970)-665–6335 in a couple sources)

Sources

A Body at No Name Creek

Written by Madison Tramel