Sounds like a drug exchange gone bad. Looks like someone picked him up, found he didn't have enough cash, needled him and pushed his body over a cliff.
Odd that the cadaver dogs found his scent by a stream. The show didn't indicate if it was the last place the dogs found the scent.
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Someone on reddit posted this article: http://www.foxsports.com/feature/vanishing-man-the-disappearance-of-rico-harris
It gives a little bit more insight into his state of mind at the time. I truly believe he went on a week long bender, and when he realized his car was gone (and likely people would be looking for him) he decided to go deep into the woods and just die. Maybe he didn't want to live with disappointing his loved ones again. I find it unlikely that he's alive and wandering. He's a big, distinctive guy. And like the episode said, there's a lot of predators and animals out there. It's likely he died of exposure, and a large animal ate his remains.
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I think you are right..he was so tall and big..he would be so noticable anywhere....
I checked the facebook page for him...it is bare bones, nothing new since 2014
https://www.facebook.com/NewsOneOfficial/posts/756498981072173
sounds like the reddit article has much more..I am going to read it now