DoubleDash: My guess is that since this is not a closed investigation, there is still hope that another agency is involved. Though surely competent in standard investigation, Stearns County is likely aware of their own limitations when it comes to a case like this. Though we will likely never know who is working on the case until something big happens, I would like to think that the case is in good hands and that Stearns County is merely downplaying it to redirect interest and to allow any potential suspects room to make mistakes. However, it does have the dangerous side effect of leading the general population to believe that this is just another college drowning due to alcohol. I understand your beliefs about fear keeping people from coming forward. However, I would ask you what these people should fear specifically? Do you feel it is a general fear of getting involved, or do you believe that people have a fear of a specific entity? If the latter is the case, then how do the potential witnesses know to fear them? As I have previously mentioned, I do not advocate keeping law enforcement out of the loop, but I would understand it if one of these potential witnesses decided to use more than one channel to tell their story. For instance, one might contact both Stearns County and use the "Contact Us" link on this website. Furthermore, if they felt uneasy about contacting Stearns County, they could go higher up than the Sheriff's office. The FBI and MN BCA both maintain tip lines that would ensure that the information gets where it needs to be. As far as whether or not I believe witnesses should fear retribution, I would say no. The mere act of providing a tip to LE can be done anonymously. I think we can all agree that we are not dealing with the Italian Mafia. Witnesses are not going to get "whacked" if they talk. This is not someone who is going to go in for charges of tax evasion. This is a much more serious charge, and the amount of protection and support for such an individual, by both LE and the public, including the option of remaining anonymous, would undoubtedly keep them safe. If someone is reading this who feels that there is an entity who is suppressing you from providing valuable information regarding this case, you need to come forward and report that entity, as well as provide LE with the information they need. If you honestly feel local forces have been compromised, go to a larger organization that will not be strong-armed. I have read the transcript to the interview that you speak of. I personally do not believe that there is any collusion in play between LE and the layers you speak of. I think there are likely too many people involved for something like that to be occurring. That is not to say that collusion would be impossible. I have confidence that though LE may be seemingly inept at handling this investigation, they at least would not allow the perpetrator of such a heinous act to go unpunished. It is inevitable that members of local LE would have children around the same age as Josh in the same geographic location. Would it not be prudent for them to ensure that such a perpetrator was no longer operating, if only to protect their own? I understand your point when you say that we people like us will be the ones to solve this case, but remind you that just as neither you nor I know the extent of armchair detectives pondering this case from their home PCs, neither do we know the extent of real detectives operating behind the scenes to solve this case. Though it is true that one of us might provide the breakthrough that leads to an arrest in this case, our role is to keep people talking and to never give up. The day that people forget Josh's name is the day that we can give up on finding him.
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