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 Community rallies to find Dylan
12/7/2012 By: Carole McWilliams
It’s approaching three weeks since 13-year-old Dylan Redwine flew into the La Plata County Airport and was picked up by his father for a court-ordered Thanksgiving visit. That was Sunday evening, Nov. 18.
Late Monday afternoon, Nov. 19, Mark Redwine reported his son missing from Redwine’s house at the north end of County Road 500 north of Vallecito.
Massive searches since then have turned up nothing. A law enforcement task force searched Redwine’s house on Nov. 29 and removed various items, including two pickup trucks.
Over the past weekend, investigators and Dylan Redwine Task Force members continued what they call a criminal investigation. The task force includes members of the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Durango Police Department and Bayfield Marshal’s Office.
Also last weekend, the core group of community volunteers gathered to assemble and sell blue and black ribbons to keep up interest in finding Dylan.
This past Tuesday morning, three boats equipped with sonar resumed a search of Vallecito Reservoir, and the task force searched the shoreline.
“We have no new tips that have sent us back to the lake, but we’re checking in case changes in water and lake conditions could have resulted in any changes from last week,” said task force spokesman Dan Bender from the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office.
“Those searches have not found anything at this time, but are continuing throughout the day today (Tuesday),” Bender said.
A helicopter from the San Juan County (N.M.) Sheriff’s Office searched area lakes in La Plata County Tuesday afternoon. Those lakes included Vallecito, Lemon, Haviland Lake, Lake Nighthorse, and Electra Lake.
“These new searches are not based on any new tips either,” clarified Sgt. Bender. “We are just trying to be as thorough as possible and look as many places as we can for Dylan.”
“All of the information received by the task force is being compiled by task force crime analysts for timeline development and future task force action strategies,” said spokesman Lt. Ray Shupe from the Durango Police Department.
“Regional law enforcement agencies, Colorado law enforcement agencies, as well as local, state, and federal law enforcement officers in other states around the U.S. have been assisting the task force in tip follow-ups,” Shupe said in a Dec. 1 news release.
Based on video footage from the Durango-La Plata County Airport of Dylan arriving in Durango on Sunday, Nov. 18, and a visit that evening to the Durango Wal-Mart, investigators determined that Dylan was wearing the following:
• A blue baseball cap with a white front panel with the words “Duke Blue Devils” in blue on the white panel;
• A black, short-sleeved T-shirt with the large letters “DC” (possibly in grey) on the front within a thin light-colored square border around the DC logo;
• A pair of black basketball shorts that went below the knee with light-colored (possibly light blue and white) stripes on the sides; and
• Black-colored “Jordan” shoes with a white tongue and white shoelace area.
Citizens who have information that may aid in the search for Dylan are asked to leave a voicemail message on the Dylan Redwine Tip Line at (970) 382-7511. If citizens wants a return call from law enforcement, they must leave their contact information, but anonymous tips are also acceptable. This tip line is not a manned telephone number and it is not a way to get information about the search.
The Task Force is still requesting any recreational video footage or photographs that include vehicles traveling on any routes between Durango and Vallecito Lake, taken between 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 18, through noon on Monday, Nov. 19.
Citizens who have video footage or photographs that may be helpful to the investigation are asked to call dispatch at (970) 385-2900 to make an arrangement to get a copy of the footage or photographs to the task force.
The Durango La Plata Crime Stoppers also has a cash reward for information leading to Dylan’s whereabouts. Crime Stoppers can be reached at (970) 247-1112.
Citizens may also call the hotline for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE LOST
(1-800-843-5678).
By the Nov. 29 search of Mark Redwine’s house, Dylan’s disappearance was generating national media attention, including the Nancy Grace Show on the Headline News Network.
A candlelight vigil in Bayfield on Nov. 27 attracted about 150 people.
Media and law enforcement attention built slowly, although Dylan’s mother, Elaine Redwine, insisted from the start that he hadn’t run away, and that he would have contacted her if he was able to, because that was his habit.
Mark and Elaine Redwine divorced in 2007. Elaine and Dylan moved to Colorado Springs on July 1 this year after living west of Bayfield for eight years. Until the move, Dylan attended school in Bayfield.
His local school friends are among the volunteers who have searched for him.
This weekend, hundreds of volunteers are expected to search additional areas for any clues leading to his disappearance.
Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more should visit the Find Missing Dylan Redwine page on facebook, or call Plaza Video at 884-8300.
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