HBO Max aired a documentary on Collier County’s ‘Mostly Harmless’ case.
“They Called Him Mostly Harmless,” the newest series on HBO Max, has put Collier County front and center this week.
The 2018 discovery of a man found dead in a tent in Big Cypress National Reserve is the subject of the documentary. There was no identification on him, and other hikers called him “Mostly Harmless” or “Denim.”
To identify the man, it took the Collier County Sheriff’s Office over two years and the assistance of internet detectives, according to a recent article by Kendall Little of Naples Daily News.
In case “They Called Him Mostly Harmless” is on your watchlist, get ready with this timeline of the case.
July and August 2018: Discovering the body and starting a public investigation
On July 23, 2018, near Nobles Campsite, approximately five miles north of Interstate 75 mile marker 63, two hikers discovered a body inside a tent. Detectives discovered trekking equipment, two notebooks, and about $3,640 inside the tent in addition to the body. The individual possessed no identification of any kind, no phone, and no credit card. The Collier County Sheriff’s Office issued a composite rendering of the man’s possible pre-death appearance and appealed for assistance from the public.
He was characterized as a 35–50 year old, 5-foot-8 male. His hair and beard were black and gray, and he weighed eighty-three pounds. The man’s teeth were in “excellent” condition, and his eyes were blue-gray. When he passed away, he was dressed in green shorts and a beige top. Several weeks later, CCSO received tips and pictures from hikers who had crossed paths with the man on his route. We discovered that the individual trekked Florida and Appalachian routes under the identities “Mostly Harmless” and “Denim”.
Authorities declared that they thought the man might have worked in the technology sector and had connections to both New York and Louisiana. The hiker had no visible injuries, according to the CCSO, and his death raised no red flags for possible criminal activity.
December 2018: The man’s identity is still a mystery.
The public is still being asked for assistance as investigators work to identify the mystery man.
February 2019: The case’s police have released an educational podcast.
The CCSO has released a three-part podcast on the case that covers the body’s discovery, how missing persons databases work, and the man’s hiking companion.
In 2020, a fourth podcast episode was made available to the public in an effort to reignite interest.
July 2020: No identity has been found after two years.
It has been two years since “Mostly Harmless” was discovered.
In an effort to identify the man, CCSO announces a collaboration with a Texas-based private DNA lab to test novel forensic genealogical techniques.
A genealogist would utilize the man’s sequenced DNA to create a family tree using a public database.
January 2021: It is determined to be “Mostly Harmless”
“Mostly Harmless” is revealed to be Vance Rodriguez, a New York-based IT professional with Louisiana roots.
Rodriguez’s former coworker contacted CCSO after seeing his online photo. The coworker gave me Rodriguez’s name and some images from the department.
After being reached, Rodriguez’s family consented to supply a DNA sample for comparison. An accurate identification was made.
Where to view “They Called Him Mostly Harmless”
You may watch “They Called Him Mostly Harmless” on Max, which used to be called HBO Max. Viewers with a membership were able to access it on February 8.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News
