WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:03.960 Hello friends, Steve Stockton here with you today. We're going 2 00:00:04.040 --> 00:00:08.160 to be talking about the vanishing Cowboy, the unsolved disappearance 3 00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:13.960 of Ben Tyner. Join me, let's walk and see now. 4 00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:16.800 In the vast, rugged expanse of the Nicolo Valley in 5 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:21.320 British Columbia, where the rolling grasslands meet the dense, unforgiving wilderness, 6 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:25.000 the silence of the landscape holds a chilling secret. It's 7 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:28.600 a silence that echoes with the unanswered questions surrounding the 8 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:32.240 strange and sudden disappearance of Ben Tyner, a thirty two 9 00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:35.479 year old ranch manager who rode out on horseback one 10 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:40.039 crisp January afternoon in twenty nineteen and vanished without a trace. 11 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:45.280 His riderless horse, found two days later, was the first 12 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:47.840 clue at a baffling mystery that has sense evolved from 13 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:51.840 a missing person case into a homicide investigation, leaving a 14 00:00:51.880 --> 00:00:54.560 family shattered and a community haunted by the specter of 15 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.600 the unknown. Ben Tyner, a native of Wyoming, was the 16 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:03.920 embo of the modern American cowboy. Strong capable and with 17 00:01:04.000 --> 00:01:07.040 a deep rooted passion for the ranching life, he had 18 00:01:07.040 --> 00:01:09.799 recently embarked on a new chapter as the manager of 19 00:01:09.799 --> 00:01:14.239 the historic nickel Of Ranch near Merit, b c. His 20 00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:16.519 family described him as a man with a gentle heart 21 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:19.359 and a strong handshake, a man who was as comfortable 22 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:21.760 in the saddle as he was exploring new cultures and 23 00:01:21.799 --> 00:01:26.040 meeting new people. His brother Jack Tyner, painted a picture 24 00:01:26.040 --> 00:01:29.120 of a man of integrity and kindness. He was just 25 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:31.560 big and strong and honest as they come, just to 26 00:01:31.599 --> 00:01:34.439 pure soul. He said. He wasn't the kind of guy 27 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:36.920 that would get into any trouble or cause any trouble. 28 00:01:37.760 --> 00:01:40.799 He would help anybody for whatever they needed. That was 29 00:01:40.799 --> 00:01:45.760 the kind of guy my brother was. On Saturday January 30 00:01:45.760 --> 00:01:49.319 twenty sixth, twenty nineteen, Tyner was last seen leaving the 31 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:52.480 nickel Of Ranch on a bay horse, presumably to check 32 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.879 on cattle in the surrounding hills. It was a routine 33 00:01:55.879 --> 00:01:59.159 task for an experienced rancher, one he had likely performed 34 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:03.760 countless time. The vastness of the British Columbia interior, with 35 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:07.560 its sprawling logging roads and dense forest, was his new office. 36 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:10.960 But as the weekend drew to a close, a sense 37 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:14.199 of unease began to settle over the ranch. Ben Tyner 38 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:18.240 had in return the alarm was officially raised on Monday, 39 00:02:18.360 --> 00:02:22.120 January twenty eighth, but a local logger discovered Tyner's horse 40 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:25.759 still fully saddled and bridled, on a remote logging road 41 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:30.639 in the Swackhen Mountain area northwest of Merit. The discovery 42 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:33.159 of the riderless horse, a potent symbol of a cowboy 43 00:02:33.240 --> 00:02:37.159 in distress, triggered an immediate and massive search and rescue operation. 44 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:40.919 For days, the Nicola Valley became the epicenter of a 45 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:44.800 frantic effort to find the missing rancher. The effort involved 46 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:48.159 search and rescue teams from across the province, alongside the 47 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:52.680 Royal Canadian Mounted Police, local ranchers on horseback, and volunteers 48 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:57.479 on foot and on snowmobiles combing the unforgiving territory. The 49 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:00.120 search was a testament to the tight knit rural community, 50 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:04.080 with locals offering their time, resources and intimate knowledge of 51 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:09.800 the land. The conditions, however, were brutal. Rigid temperatures, deep snow, 52 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.599 and the sheer scale of the search area presented formidable challenges. 53 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:18.039 Despite the deployment of aircraft, drones, and canine units, the 54 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:21.680 search yielded no sign of Ben Tyner, no footprints, no 55 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:25.639 discarded equipment, not a single clue to suggest his whereabouts. 56 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:30.520 After a week of exhaustive efforts, official search was suspended, 57 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:33.719 a difficult but necessary decision in the face of the 58 00:03:33.719 --> 00:03:37.960 harsh winter conditions. For the Tyner family, who had rushed 59 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:41.000 to Merit from Wyoming, the suspension of the search was 60 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:45.000 a devastating blow. Their initial hope of finding Ben alive 61 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.520 began to fade, replaced by a gnawing uncertainty and a 62 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:52.719 desperate plea for answers. In a heart riching press conference, 63 00:03:52.759 --> 00:03:56.840 Ben's mother, Jennifer Tyner, her voice trimming with emotion, expressed 64 00:03:56.840 --> 00:04:00.159 the family's anguish to say that we are heartbroken. As 65 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:03.280 an understatement, our hearts are shattered and our lives have 66 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:06.159 been thrown into turmoil. To think that I will never 67 00:04:06.199 --> 00:04:09.919 again see a smile or hear his infectious laugh, never 68 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:13.000 see him realize his dreams, never have him wrap his 69 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:18.120 arms around me again, is unthinkable. As the initial search 70 00:04:18.160 --> 00:04:21.360 wound down, the nature of the investigation began to shift. 71 00:04:21.959 --> 00:04:25.439 The RCMP's Southeast District Major Crime Unit took the lead, 72 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:29.600 and the language used by law enforcement became more ominous. 73 00:04:30.279 --> 00:04:33.000 What was once a missing person's case was now being 74 00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:38.079 treated as suspicious. In March twenty nineteen, the RCMP made 75 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:43.439 a significant announcement they believed Ben Tyner's disappearance may involve criminality. 76 00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:49.439 Sergeant Janelle show It of the BCRCMP stated, now, having 77 00:04:49.480 --> 00:04:52.399 had the opportunity to review all the pieces, we believe 78 00:04:52.439 --> 00:04:57.800 that the circumstances surrounding mister Tyner's disappearance may involve criminality. 79 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:02.000 This announcement confirmed the growing here's a many, transforming the 80 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:06.240 mystery of a lost cowboy into potential murder investigation. The 81 00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:09.120 question was no longer just where is ben Teyner, but 82 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:13.839 what happened to him? And at whose hand. Over the 83 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:18.639 ensuing months and years, the investigation continued largely behind the scenes. 84 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:23.399 The RCMP remained tight lifted about the specifics of their findings, 85 00:05:23.439 --> 00:05:28.240 citing the need to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation. However, 86 00:05:28.600 --> 00:05:31.759 on the second anniversary of his disappearance, they made another 87 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:36.800 grim announcement. Corporal Jesse o'donaghey of the RCMP Southeast District 88 00:05:36.800 --> 00:05:40.920 Major Crime Unit stated, based on those findings, major crime 89 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:43.959 investigators have reason to believe that criminality was involved in 90 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:47.319 ben Teyner's disappearance. And is the victim of a homicide. 91 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:52.040 With the official declaration that ben Tyner was likely murdered, 92 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:55.920 the focus of the investigation intensified on finding his remains 93 00:05:56.199 --> 00:06:00.800 and bringing his killer or killers to justice, and their 94 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.240 enduring grief increased the reward for information that would lead 95 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:06.519 to the location of their son and the arrest and 96 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:10.040 conviction of those responsible. This was a fund that was 97 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:12.519 matched by the owner of the Nicola Ranch, bringing the 98 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:17.399 total to thirty thousand dollars. Richard Tyner, Ben's father, spoke 99 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.199 of the enduring pain of not knowing to have to 100 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:24.079 live with Ben's loss is the most painful, excruciating experience ever. 101 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.120 The loss we feel is immeasurable and has left a 102 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.839 hole in her family that will never be filled. Now, 103 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:34.480 in the absence of concrete answers, several theories have emerged 104 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:40.959 to explain ben Teyner's disappearance. Theory number one was a 105 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:45.560 tragic accident in the wilderness. The most straightforward explanation and 106 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:48.600 the initial assumption of many, was that Ben Tyner had 107 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:52.399 a tragic accident while riding in the remote backcountry. He 108 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:55.600 could have been thrown from his horse, sustained a serious injury, 109 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:59.040 and succumbed to the elements. The Nicola Valley is known 110 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.399 for its rugged terrain, with steep ravines, dense forests, and 111 00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:05.959 the potential for sudden changes in weather. An experienced rider 112 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:10.199 can still be caught off guard. However, several factors cast 113 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:13.519 doubt on this theory. The extensive and meticulous search of 114 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:15.720 the area where his horse was found turned up no 115 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:19.160 sign of him. Searchers were looking for any indication of 116 00:07:19.160 --> 00:07:24.560 a fall, a struggle, or makeshift shelter. They found nothing. Furthermore, 117 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:28.399 Tyner was a seasoned out doorsman, and his family believes 118 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:31.439 he would have been well prepared for the conditions. The 119 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:34.800 fact that his horse was found in good condition, albeit riderless, 120 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:38.879 also raises questions. Had he been thrown, the horse might 121 00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:44.759 have remained in the vicinity through number two a staged disappearance. 122 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:49.360 Another possibility, though considered less likely by those who knew him, 123 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:53.800 is that Ben Tyner staged his own disappearance. This theory 124 00:07:53.839 --> 00:07:56.800 suggests that, for reasons unknown, he wanted to leave his 125 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:01.120 life behind and start anew While not in possible, this 126 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:04.079 scenario seems incongruous with the man and his family and 127 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:08.040 friends described he was excited about his new job at 128 00:08:08.040 --> 00:08:10.399 the nickel Of Ranch, and had a close relationship with 129 00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:13.560 his family. There were no apparent signs of personal or 130 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:17.360 financial turmoil that would prompt such a drastic and deceptive act. 131 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:20.360 The lack of any subsequent sightings or use of his 132 00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:27.879 personal accounts further weakens this theory. The third theory foul play. 133 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.000 The theory that has gained the most traction and the 134 00:08:31.000 --> 00:08:34.519 one officially endorsed by the RCMP, is that Ben Tyner 135 00:08:34.679 --> 00:08:38.039 was the victim of foul play. This theory posits that 136 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:41.519 he encountered someone in the back country who, for reasons 137 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:45.759 yet unknown, caused him harm. The motive remains a subject 138 00:08:45.799 --> 00:08:49.559 of speculation. Was it a random act of violence, a 139 00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:55.120 dispute over land or resources, or something more personal. The 140 00:08:55.240 --> 00:08:59.600 RCMP's assertion that his disappearance involves criminality and is a 141 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:04.559 homicide suggests they have evidence, though not publicly disclosed at 142 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:09.600 points in this direction. This could include witness statements, forensic evidence, 143 00:09:09.919 --> 00:09:14.159 or information about potential conflicts in Tyner's life, however minor 144 00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:17.320 they may have seemed at the time. Adding a layer 145 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:20.120 of intrigue to the foul play theory is the unsolved 146 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:24.039 disappearance of another man in a nearby area. Dean Morrison, 147 00:09:24.480 --> 00:09:27.399 a forty four year old father of three, banished from 148 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:31.200 the Stumped Lake Ranch, roughly forty kilometers from the Nickel 149 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:35.480 Ranch in October twenty thirteen. His truck was found abandoned 150 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:38.360 at the ranch where he had been working. While the 151 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:42.360 RCMP have not officially linked to two cases, the geographical 152 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:45.240 proximity and the fact that both men disappeared from rural 153 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:49.480 ranching properties have led to public speculation about a possible connection. 154 00:09:52.039 --> 00:09:54.840 The disappearance of Ben Tyner has left an indelible mark 155 00:09:54.879 --> 00:09:57.559 on the community of Merit and the wider ranching world. 156 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:01.759 The initial outpouring of support the search demonstrated the strong 157 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:05.519 bonds that tire rural communities together in times of crisis. 158 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:10.039 The ongoing mystery, however, has cast a long shadow. The 159 00:10:10.159 --> 00:10:12.919 question of what happened to the wyoming cowboy who came 160 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:15.679 to British Columbian in search of a new adventure lingers 161 00:10:15.679 --> 00:10:19.159 in the minds of many. In an effort to keep 162 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:21.919 his memory alive and to support others who share his passion, 163 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:26.480 the Ben Tyner Legacy Scholarship was established at Laramie County 164 00:10:26.559 --> 00:10:31.279 Community College and Wyoming. The scholarship supports students pursuing degrees 165 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:35.360 in agriculture or related fields, a fitting tribute to a 166 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:39.200 man who dedicated his life to the land. The strange 167 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:41.879 and tragic disappearance of Ben Tyner is a story without 168 00:10:41.919 --> 00:10:44.320 an ending at this point. It's a story of a 169 00:10:44.360 --> 00:10:47.759 life cut short, of a family's und ending grief, and 170 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:51.919 of a community's lingering questions. The vast and beautiful landscape 171 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:55.000 of the Nicola Valley, the same landscape that Ben Tyner 172 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:59.240 so admired, now holds the key to unlocking this heartbreaking mystery. 173 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:03.440 For his family, the hope remains that one day someone 174 00:11:03.480 --> 00:11:05.919 will come forward with the information that will finally break 175 00:11:05.960 --> 00:11:09.360 the silence and bring their son home. As his mother, 176 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:13.120 Jennifer said in or plead for help, any information, no 177 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:16.200 matter how insignificant it may seem, could be the missing 178 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:19.799 piece to our puzzle. Until that piece is found, the 179 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:22.360 question of what happened to Ben Tyner will continue to 180 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:26.159 echo throughout the hills and valleys of British Columbia, a 181 00:11:26.200 --> 00:11:29.159 haunting reminder of the cowboy who vanished into the cold 182 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:35.039 winter air. Well, friends, there you have it. If you 183 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:38.159 do have any information, no matter how insignificant it seems. 184 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:41.600 Please contact the RCMP at the number on your screen. 185 00:11:43.720 --> 00:11:46.080 I look forward to your comments, but please keep it 186 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:50.480 friendly and respectful. Till we meet again. Stay safe out there. 187 00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:52.960 I'll see you a little further on down the trail. 188 00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:56.200 I'm Steve Stockton. Tell your animals I said hi.