I just saw this case this morning.

A truck driver named Devon Williams (hope I have name right) was on a run when he vanished. Some weird circumstances led up to it.

Apparently everything was fine until the day he disappeared, he checked in regularly with his boss, phoned his wife and nothing seemed to be amiss. Then on the day he vanished witnesses at a state park saw him driving recklessly through the park until he got stuck in the mud. After he got the truck mired in the mud, a few campers spoke with him and they said he was disoriented saying things like "They made me do it".

Has anyone seen this or no of any updates?

Yes, I remember the Devin Williams case very well. I know of no updates, unfortunately. I'd be interested to know everyone's theory on what happened. The only thing that makes sense to me, is that he had somekind of mental breakdown (like the Kristi Krebs story) and wandered off. They said he wasn't into drugs, but there's also the possibility that maybe he tried something or someone slipped him something.

I emailed Unsolved Mysteries about this case a while back and apparently there was an update .. the man's remains were found. I wasn't given any other information.


Scott
Scott's Unsolved Mysteries Discussion Board (http://umforums.erhq.tv)

Wow! I had no idea that his remains had been found, thanks for the update! I would also like to know more info on this, if anyone finds an internet article about this, please share!

Just got this email from Unsolved Mysteries:

That case has been solved. Devin Williams' skull was found.

Viewer Mail Department
UNSOLVED MYSTERIES

That response kind of leaves you wanting something, doesn't it? Where did they find the skull? Were there no other remains found? Where were they found? Can they determine a cause of death?

I found his missing page and there was no mention of his skull being found. If anyone can find out any information on this, please share. I am very curious.

Thanks, scotterguy 911, for the info!

Finally! I have found an article that talks a little about Devin Williams and his skull being found. Apparently some people think he was abducted by aliens because thats about the only type of websites you can find out anything about him on. I don't know if finding his remains will make them change their minds.

http://www.paysonroundup.com/section/localnews/story/10807

Associated Press
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- A skull found at the bottom of the Mogollon Rim in eastern Arizona has been identified as that of a Kansas trucker.
The Gila County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday the dental records showed the dead man was Devin Williams. His home town was unavailable.
Williams' semi-tractor become stuck in the woods about 20 miles from Arizona Route 87 two years ago. He last had been seen a quarter mile north of Mogollon Rim Road.
His skull was found in the area on May 2. Details as to how he died were unavailable.

Does anyone else find it odd that in the article posted by Crystaldawn, they say

"Another myth involving a skull brings us much closer to home on the time line. The myth began on May 28, 1995, when a long-distance truck driver named Devin Williams claimed to have been accosted by aliens on the Mogollon Rim near Payson."

If Williams was never seen again, after having been seen talking to a tree, how would he "CLAIM" to have been accosted by aliens? I understand he said that he didnt do it, that "they" did. But "they" is a very general statement. If he had said "I didnt do it, the aliens did it" I could see. But isnt this a bit presumptuous to say it was aliens? Strange article.... maybe Im just reading more into it than I should !!!

The way I see it, Devin stopped somewhere for lunch and someone slipped him something to steal his rig. With it stuck in the mud, they couldn't move it out so they had to leave it. Devin wandered out in a daze and died and then was murdered to cover up his disappearance.

I always thought maybe he had a minor stroke. I never knew his remains or part of them were found. :(

There was an update to Devin's case on the Charley Project

http://www.charleyproject.org/resolved.html

Williams, 29, disappeared from Coconino County, Arizona on May 29, 1995. In May 1997, his skull was found near the intersection of Forest Road 321 and the Rim Road 300 in Coconino County. The rest of his remains have not been located.

Does anyone find it strange that they only found the guy's skull? Did the skull contain any signs of head trauma, like bulletholes or anything to that effect?

I'd guess that animals possibly dragged away the rest of his remains. It seems like the skull is often the only bone big enough to still be found after being separated from all others; a femur can sink into the soil pretty quick. A skull will need a lot more time to completely be covered; giving it a higher chance of being discovered simply because it's exposed for a longer span of time.
But who knows? Maybe he was beheaded either before or after death and that's all that was dumped at the scene.
Maybe authorities didn't mention any evidence of trauma on the skull to protect their ongoing investigation into his death/disappearance...if they already had a potential suspect in mind (which, however, it doesn't sound like they did) they would'nt want to give away what they had until they were ready to make an arrest.

This man was not murdered, he simply exhibited classic symptoms of a psychotic disorder, just like Blair Adams. These cases appear so bizarre precisely because no one wants to entertain the very real possiblity that these cases are simply the result of the onset of mental illness. Everyone wants to read something more mysterious into these cases, but the simplest explanation is that it was their own doing due to an illness.

I would wager his death was either a suicide or an accident due to his psychotic state of mind at the time.

I state nothing as fact. I thought it was implied in everyone's posts here that their musings are simply a result of their opinions on the cases. I claim no affinity and/or intimate personal kmowledge to any of the cases listed on this board.

I still stand by the notion that mental illness is the most likely scenario in this case and in the Blair Adams case. Perhaps, in Williams' case it was a drug induced psychosis of some kind, but still a result of irrational behavior and not that of a kidnapper or hijacker. I see no evidence whatsoever that leads to any other conclusion in either case (based on the segments). If there is other info I am not aware of, I would like to see it presented.

This man was not murdered, he simply exhibited classic symptoms of a psychotic disorder, just like Blair Adams. These cases appear so bizarre precisely because no one wants to entertain the very real possiblity that these cases are simply the result of the onset of mental illness. Everyone wants to read something more mysterious into these cases, but the simplest explanation is that it was their own doing due to an illness.

I would wager his death was either a suicide or an accident due to his psychotic state of mind at the time.
What you state is ALSO very possible. I wasn't sold on the fact that he was murdered, anyway, but none of us know for sure. Why are you so sure it was mental illness? I could argue that it was probably a stroke or a heart attack.
-Maybe a mild stroke followed tragically by a cougar attack! :lol: I think it just rubs people the wrong way when you state things you don't know for sure as facts. It doesn't sound like there's 100% conclusive evidence to show he "was not murdered". There's not much to state anything except he's dead.:rip: I hope someday they find out...

Hi Fellow Board Members:

I strongly agree with Thiussat's conclusion. (But love to hear differing views!!)

In my humble opinion, Devin suffered a mental breakdown. His odd behavior, drivng his truck into a wooded park area, talking to himself and striking a piece of wood for no apparent reason, is consistent with someone who is emotionally ill. It is possible this condition was caused by drug usage, but according to his family and co-workers, Devin was not a user, so I do not believe he was high.

As for a stroke or heart attack, this also does not seem likely to me. People who do usually have shortness of breath, pain in the arms and or legs, and may or may not fall down and become unconscious. Devin did not seem to appear to be in any physical pain.

Oh yes, one more important item. I dont know about the rest of you but I would prefer a message board where participants can express opinions freely, void of accusatory language. In short, I like to have fun and think we would be better off if we avoid personal remarks and instead keep the focus on the show. After all, I think everyone has something to offer and I don't want anyone to be scared off.

So keep posting and be nice to each other (Now I sound like my mother LOL). I really enjoy hearing from everyone!!

Christopher

Hi Fellow Board Members:

I strongly agree with Thiussat's conclusion. (But love to hear differing views!!)

In my humble opinion, Devin suffered a mental breakdown. His odd behavior, drivng his truck into a wooded park area, talking to himself and striking a piece of wood for no apparent reason, is consistent with someone who is emotionally ill. It is possible this condition was caused by drug usage, but according to his family and co-workers, Devin was not a user, so I do not believe he was high.

As for a stroke or heart attack, this also does not seem likely to me. People who do usually have shortness of breath, pain in the arms and or legs, and may or may not fall down and become unconscious. Devin did not seem to appear to be in any physical pain.

Oh yes, one more important item. I dont know about the rest of you but I would prefer a message board where participants can express opinions freely, void of accusatory language. In short, I like to have fun and think we would be better off if we avoid personal remarks and instead keep the focus on the show. After all, I think everyone has something to offer and I don't want anyone to be scared off.

So keep posting and be nice to each other (Now I sound like my mother LOL). I really enjoy hearing from everyone!!

Christopher
True dat, true dat...I totally agree with you about his behavior; I don't think that it's consistant with a heart attack. I guess a minor stroke could cause some delirium but I doubt that as well. It definately sounds more like mental breakdown/illness but I was simply talking about what killed him.:faint: We still don't know what the cause of death was and as far as I know mental illness doesn't directly kill you. Most detectable signs of suicide wouldn't be found on just a skull (asphyxia, stabbing/cutting, non-cranial gunshot) and the condition of his was never stated so it still leaves many possibilities. Maybe I didn't do enough research but was the skull found near where he was last seen? If so then the suicide scenario would seem much more probable. If not, perhaps he slipped into mental illness and was later victimized because of it? I know I'm still reaching. I just like to explore all options:talk: ...no hard feelings on my end!:wave:

Yeah, you are right hollowmoll, a person does not die due to a mental illness.

However, because he was not thinking rationally, it is possible Devin wandered off into the forest and died as a result of exposure. I'm simply speculating.

I dont know where his body was found in realtion to his truck and the article referenced in one of the previous posts does not mention the condition of the found skull. Did it have any fractures or holes indicating trauma or a gun shot wound? We need more info before a definitive conclusion can be constructed.

One more thing about UM cases involving mental breakdowns. Does anyone remember the UM story about the young investment broker or analyst who parked his car on the side of a desolate road and drifted into the desert and disappeared? His wallet was found along with a strange rock formation. Authorities concluded that this seemingly stable, healthy, and intelligent young guy suffered some kind of psychiatric episode. His bones were eventually found in the desert, miles from his car. This shows everyone (even normal, succesful types) has a breaking point.


Thanks for the feedback Hollowmoll, keep on posting!
Christopher

Let me just say this: I don't mean to come across as an "authority" here. I am merely stating my opinion based on what I know about the cases, which is almost always based on the UM segments. I enjoy the show for its entertainment and "creepy" value, but I also enjoy it just as much for its ability to make me think and attempt to solve mysteries (as its name implies.) I like posting here because it forces me to think and use logic which is something I have studied and something I like to do just for the "challenge" of it.

Guys, about his body, I believe I read that his skull was found at the bottom of a nearby cliff. Can anyone verify this?

If this is true, this leads one, easily, to the conclusion that he jumped (or perhaps fell accidentally.)

Guys, about his body, I believe I read that his skull was found at the bottom of a nearby cliff. Can anyone verify this?

If this is true, this leads one, easily, to the conclusion that he jumped (or perhaps fell accidentally.)
...Or was pushed!!!:eek: No, now I'm just joking.;) You're right, though. If it was found nearby then I'm convinced.

I doubt it was a suicide. I do agree with the comment that was made earlier comparing Williams' behavior to that of a psychotic break. I also think it's possible that he could have suffered a stroke. I think he wandered away and was a victim of the elements.

Yeah, you are right hollowmoll, a person does not die due to a mental illness.

However, because he was not thinking rationally, it is possible Devin wandered off into the forest and died as a result of exposure. I'm simply speculating.

I dont know where his body was found in realtion to his truck and the article referenced in one of the previous posts does not mention the condition of the found skull. Did it have any fractures or holes indicating trauma or a gun shot wound? We need more info before a definitive conclusion can be constructed.

One more thing about UM cases involving mental breakdowns. Does anyone remember the UM story about the young investment broker or analyst who parked his car on the side of a desolate road and drifted into the desert and disappeared? His wallet was found along with a strange rock formation. Authorities concluded that this seemingly stable, healthy, and intelligent young guy suffered some kind of psychiatric episode. His bones were eventually found in the desert, miles from his car. This shows everyone (even normal, succesful types) has a breaking point.


Thanks for the feedback Hollowmoll, keep on posting!
Christopher
Hey, thanks.:p
Hmmm, this case sounds vaguely familiar with the rock formation but that's about it. It does sound like another UM case: a heavyset, white-haired, bearded trucker who disappeared and then was reported seen wandering the streets dazed and confused. In a much later UM update it was announced that he was found alive and suffering from amnesia (in I believe another state) after years missing; claiming he recalled being hit over the head and possibly robbed...? -I do remember clearly that his wife never stopped searching for him and putting up fliers, but my memory on the rest of this case is still a little sketchy and it may have ended up being some fake-your-own-death thing.
-Does anyone have the details on this?:crazy:

One more thing about UM cases involving mental breakdowns. Does anyone remember the UM story about the young investment broker or analyst who parked his car on the side of a desolate road and drifted into the desert and disappeared? His wallet was found along with a strange rock formation. Authorities concluded that this seemingly stable, healthy, and intelligent young guy suffered some kind of psychiatric episode. His bones were eventually found in the desert, miles from his car. This shows everyone (even normal, succesful types) has a breaking point.

Yes, I know exactly the case you mean. I forget the guy's name, but I remember several witnesses saying they had seen him and he was wondering aimlessly through the desert. I also remember one of the witnesses saying that he was chanting something like "got to find the beast" or something to that effect. If I recall correctly, wasn't he involved in some cult? Or maybe just studied some sort of cult?

David Stone is the name of the guy that was wandering the desert and was aiming to "slay the beast"

Craig Williamson is the name of the guy who owned a fish business, and was robbed on a business trip and suffered amnesia.

hope this helps.

Some form of mental breakdown seems to be the obvious conclusion here. I like reading the thoughts of others that contradict that because they often bring up points I may not have considered. I'm still thinking either mental illness or mini-stroke type situation here. Maybe, and this is a big maybe, he gave in and took some drugs that day. He may not have had a history of drug use, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that he would try some. I don't want to generalize, but truckers do sometimes resort to "uppers" to get where they're going on schedule. He could have taken something that caused confusion and a mini-mental breakdown. I still think he wandered off on his own and died either as a result of a fall or suicide.

On a side note, I think that sometimes people don't want to explore the mental breakdown aspect because it's scary. We can't predict to whom it will happen or when. It could happen to anyone and that's pretty darn scary when you think about it.

David Stone is the name of the guy that was wandering the desert and was aiming to "slay the beast"

Craig Williamson is the name of the guy who owned a fish business, and was robbed on a business trip and suffered amnesia.

hope this helps.
-Craig Williamson!! Thanks, wiseguy! :D I knew I'd remember his name when I heard it. I'm going to a little searching and see if I can't find more...
As for the David Stone case, I'm not at all familiar but intrigued. Maybe I'll look for an update on him as well. -But first I think I'll slay the beast that is hunger...:lol:

You two make some very valid points.

OT: hollowmoll, what is your avatar from? That guys looks to be doing unspeakable things to that microphone. He looks like the lead singer for Faith No More. Is it him?

You two make some very valid points.

OT: hollowmoll, what is your avatar from? That guys looks to be doing unspeakable things to that microphone. He looks like the lead singer for Faith No More. Is it him?

I've searched somewhat extensively into the case of Craig Williamson and have found nada besides these posts, for the most part. :( There are also, however, many Craig Williamsons it seems.:eek: I give up. If anyone else knows anything as far as updates; please post. My attention span can't handle going without new information so: on to another thread...

Hello skunk.:wave: -Good eye! It is indeed Mike Patton of Faith no More, Mr Bungle, Fantomas, Tomahawk, Peeping Tom, etc. just doing his thing!:happyface

Not sure if this has been said, but apparently Craig's wife never did stop searching for him and he was later found in FL maybe? There was an update and they were reunited and he had no memory of her whatsoever. He was remarried and living a new life. She was disappointed but happy to know he was still alive. That was that. How sad. To find your lost love and they don't remember you.

Whoa, confusing thread. We're getting two cases mixed up here.

after watching this case my assessment of events is he went into some diabetic shock. it doesn't mention that he has any medical conditions in the segment but maybe it went undiagnosed. in the photos shown of him he looked overweight and being on the road constantly isn't contusive to healthy sleeping cycles or eating habits or much time for regular physicals. i researched symptoms on hypoglycemia and more than a few could explain the behavior he exhibited:
Abnormal mentation, impaired judgement
Nonspecific dysphoria, anxiety, moodiness, depression, crying
Negativism, irritability, belligerence, combativeness, rage
Personality change, emotional lability
Fatigue, weakness, apathy, lethargy, daydreaming, sleep
Confusion, amnesia, dizziness, delirium
Staring, "glassy" look, blurred vision, double vision
Automatic behavior, also known as automatism
Difficulty speaking, slurred speech
Ataxia, incoordination, sometimes mistaken for "drunkenness"
Focal or general motor deficit, paralysis, hemiparesis
Paresthesia, headache
Stupor, coma, abnormal breathing
Generalized or focal seizures
my mom was diabetic and a few times when her blood/sugar level was off she began hallucinating and acting very abnormal. i don't think it was a nervous breakdown or mental condition as from everything i gleened he seemed content in both his personal and professional life. foul play doesn't seem to fit the circumstances either. nor does any use of drugs as he was seen over a number days by witnesses if i'm correct and don't think drugs would affect his cognitive ability for that length of time. i think its simply an unspecified medical condition that impaired his mental capacity.

after watching this case my assessment of events is he went into some diabetic shock. it doesn't mention that he has any medical conditions in the segment but maybe it went undiagnosed. in the photos shown of him he looked overweight and being on the road constantly isn't contusive to healthy sleeping cycles or eating habits or much time for regular physicals. i researched symptoms on hypoglycemia and more than a few could explain the behavior he exhibited:
Abnormal mentation, impaired judgement
Nonspecific dysphoria, anxiety, moodiness, depression, crying
Negativism, irritability, belligerence, combativeness, rage
Personality change, emotional lability
Fatigue, weakness, apathy, lethargy, daydreaming, sleep
Confusion, amnesia, dizziness, delirium
Staring, "glassy" look, blurred vision, double vision
Automatic behavior, also known as automatism
Difficulty speaking, slurred speech
Ataxia, incoordination, sometimes mistaken for "drunkenness"
Focal or general motor deficit, paralysis, hemiparesis
Paresthesia, headache
Stupor, coma, abnormal breathing
Generalized or focal seizures
my mom was diabetic and a few times when her blood/sugar level was off she began hallucinating and acting very abnormal. i don't think it was a nervous breakdown or mental condition as from everything i gleened he seemed content in both his personal and professional life. foul play doesn't seem to fit the circumstances either.

Thats a good theory. But if he was diabetic and was not receiving medical treatment, was the incident in the woods his first diabetic hallucination? Because if he had previously episodes I would think his family and friends would have mentioned this to the authorities and this, subsequently, would have been brought up on UM. You also mentioned poor sleeping habits of truck drivers.
Sleep deprivation, from what I understand, can cause very very strange behavior too. The problem with the long distance truckers is they essentially work unsupervised. If they decided foolishly to stay awake for a few days (to meet a deadline) who would know?

Man, how many of these bizarre wanderer cases have been featured on UM? There must be a good 20 or 30 of them. I'm watching the Blair Adams one right now, that has to be one of the most bizarre ones.

As far as Devin Williams, it could have been a diabetic hallucination coupled with major sleep deprivation. Did they ever determine how he died?

i think all they found was his skull according to information on previous threads

So he probably starved to death or succombed to dehydration.

So he probably starved to death or succombed to dehydration.
thats the most likely scenario with the wildlife in the area scattering his remains.

Yes, I remember the Devin Williams case very well. I know of no updates, unfortunately. I'd be interested to know everyone's theory on what happened. The only thing that makes sense to me, is that he had somekind of mental breakdown (like the Kristi Krebs story) and wandered off. They said he wasn't into drugs, but there's also the possibility that maybe he tried something or someone slipped him something.
Crystaldawn, any updates on Kristi Kreb's case at all?

Crystaldawn, any updates on Kristi Kreb's case at all?

Unfortunately there isn't any updates. She's still listed as missing. :(

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/808dfca.html

My thoughts: dude was disoriented from lack of food and sleep (he was a trucker after all). I believe at the point he was barreling down that seclueded road his mind was already in another dimension, this was verified by eye witness accounts of him acting peculiar and odd. I just assume his mind was so far gone that he wondered off into the woods and died out there.

It is also possible that he was on drugs or coming down from them. I recall his wife saying that he didn't do them, but that is just her perspective and doesn't make it the truth.

I've seen someone coming down off of a weekend meth binge, he was not in his right mind at all. He was hallucinating and completely paranoid. If Devon was in such a state, I can easily see him wandering off and either succumbing to the elements or having a fatal accident in the wilderness.

All in all, I feel really sorry for him. He obviously needed help, regardless of how he came to be in the condition he was in. Poor man. :(

Man, how many of these bizarre wanderer cases have been featured on UM? There must be a good 20 or 30 of them. I'm watching the Blair Adams one right now, that has to be one of the most bizarre ones.

The bizarre wanderers make good entertainment... and allow speculation to run wild, since they'r actions tend to be illogical in the first place.

I have to think that drugs and/or mental illness explain most of the bizarre wanderers, but the chance otherwise exercises the mind. I feel Devin Williams had a mental break, perhaps drug-enduced, perhaps not (although his wife say he didn't use, she wasn't with him on his trips, and it is common for truck drivers to use speed and other such things), wandered off and succomed to the elements.

Not sure if this has been said, but apparently Craig's wife never did stop searching for him and he was later found in FL maybe? There was an update and they were reunited and he had no memory of her whatsoever. He was remarried and living a new life. She was disappointed but happy to know he was still alive. That was that. How sad. To find your lost love and they don't remember you.

Hey Kamy - you're thinking of a different case. I remember it but do not recall the names. Hubby went on a business trip to Colorado(?) got mugged, bumped on the head and lost his memory. They were reunited via UM and I think he may have been living in the Keys at that point. Sorry, I can't recall their names just that they had a successful farm (I think) in Wisconsin before he disappeared. The reunion was bittersweet and they went their separate ways afterwards :(

Yeah. Devin Williams is such a weird case. Maybe he was drunk or had been drinking, and that's why he was acting so weird. He could have possibly suffered some kind of trauma either physical or mental to make him go off the deep end, this may be way out there, but maybe someone was afraid for their life and injured or killed him in self-defense, by pushing him down the embankment, (or he could have slipped and fallen accidentaly)because there were people that said that he was acting angry and throwing things at them and stuff.

This is def. an intriguing one! Anyone ever thought that he was overcome with carbon monoxide poisoning? I've read that that can cause one to exhibit signs of psychosis. I'm not sure if his truck was checked for that or not.. but other than that, the only logical explanation is: 1) Mental breakdown, or 2) Drug induced breakdown. I simply can't see foul play, esp. since he was seen alone on multiple occasions.

I wonder if he did actually have a mental breakdown, that is an interesting
thought. Maybe he witnessed something or had something happen to him,
as the show indicated he kept stating he was "going to jail" if I remember
right. Wonder if they talked extensively to his co-workers, friends, neighbors,
and looked at his bank accounts, the routes he took, maybe talking to
people he knew along the way. The re-enactment showed a very scared
looking man, like he was "in trouble" some way. I hope this case is still
open and active, I would really like to find out what really happened to
this hardworking man.

I wonder if he did actually have a mental breakdown, that is an interesting
thought. Maybe he witnessed something or had something happen to him,
as the show indicated he kept stating he was "going to jail" if I remember
right. Wonder if they talked extensively to his co-workers, friends, neighbors,
and looked at his bank accounts, the routes he took, maybe talking to
people he knew along the way. The re-enactment showed a very scared
looking man, like he was "in trouble" some way. I hope this case is still
open and active, I would really like to find out what really happened to
this hardworking man.

They just showed this case on Spike's UM last night and there is no update. I think that maybe he suffered a stroke which would explain his sudden bizarre behaviour.

If we are to believe the eyewitness accounts (and there is no reason not to) then what troubles me is when he said "they made me do it". Mental disorder or not there had to be some truth to it. Who are "they"? Did Devin get into some trouble with some shady people and then have a nervous breakdown? Who knows? This along with the Ayleen Conway episode is going to probably never truly be solved

If we are to believe the eyewitness accounts (and there is no reason not to) then what troubles me is when he said "they made me do it". Mental disorder or not there had to be some truth to it. Who are "they"? Did Devin get into some trouble with some shady people and then have a nervous breakdown? Who knows? This along with the Ayleen Conway episode is going to probably never truly be solved

The only thing I can think is that he was having some sort of paranoid psychotic episode, in which case the "they" were the delusions in his own head.

The only thing I can think is that he was having some sort of paranoid psychotic episode, in which case the "they" were the delusions in his own head.

Perhaps, but what prompted this? He seemed like a seemingly normal person who wouldn't do drugs and such and he had made a call to his superiors one day or so before claiming he was on track for his way home. What happened to a seemingly normal guy within that day which caused him to act crazy like that? It just doens't fit

Perhaps, but what prompted this? He seemed like a seemingly normal person who wouldn't do drugs and such and he had made a call to his superiors one day or so before claiming he was on track for his way home. What happened to a seemingly normal guy within that day which caused him to act crazy like that? It just doens't fit

My philosophy on all such cases is to look for the simplest explanation. The simplest explanation in this case is that he suffered a stroke or some kind of psychotic break. It is also very possible that he had some kind of history of mental illness but either UM didn't tell us or someone didn't tell UM.

I honestly think I know what happened to Devin Williams. I just watched the segment again the other day and it struck me like a lightning bolt.

I have a close freind that was a totally normal guy that would have episodes like Devin did where he would act crazy, and say things that made no sense. I worked with him at a rock quarrry and we were both haul truck drivers. One day he was driving eratic and swerving all over the place and chasing other trucks around. He stopped, got out of his truck and pretended to be fishing. I asked him if he was ok and he looked at me and told me to be quiet because I would scare the fish. I knew he wasnt playing.

I called his father while this was happening and he said it had happened before and it had to do with his blood sugar. He told me to try and get him to eat something sweet and hed snap out of it. Sure enough after some coaxing we got him to eat a candy bar and he was fine. He later had no memory of the event. His father told me that if we hadnt got him the candy he would have slipped into a coma.

Now when I watched the segment on Devin and heard the witness statements as to how he was acting It reminded me of this event and the things Devin was doing and saying were exactly what my freind was doing. So I think maybe Devin was diabetic and didnt know it. His blood sugar went too high and he went into a state of insanity. He wondered out in the woods and slipped into a coma and died. I know his remains have been found. So I think this is very plausible.

I honestly think I know what happened to Devin Williams. I just watched the segment again the other day and it struck me like a lightning bolt.

I have a close freind that was a totally normal guy that would have episodes like Devin did where he would act crazy, and say things that made no sense. I worked with him at a rock quarrry and we were both haul truck drivers. One day he was driving eratic and swerving all over the place and chasing other trucks around. He stopped, got out of his truck and pretended to be fishing. I asked him if he was ok and he looked at me and told me to be quiet because I would scare the fish. I knew he wasnt playing.

I called his father while this was happening and he said it had happened before and it had to do with his blood sugar. He told me to try and get him to eat something sweet and hed snap out of it. Sure enough after some coaxing we got him to eat a candy bar and he was fine. He later had no memory of the event. His father told me that if we hadnt got him the candy he would have slipped into a coma.

Now when I watched the segment on Devin and heard the witness statements as to how he was acting It reminded me of this event and the things Devin was doing and saying were exactly what my freind was doing. So I think maybe Devin was diabetic and didnt know it. His blood sugar went too high and he went into a state of insanity. He wondered out in the woods and slipped into a coma and died. I know his remains have been found. So I think this is very plausible.

That is a very interesting and plausible theory.

That is a very good theory, Kane!

Originally posted by Kane So I think maybe Devin was diabetic and didnt know it. His blood sugar went too high and he went into a state of insanity. He wondered out in the woods and slipped into a coma and died. I know his remains have been found. So I think this is very plausible.
03-06-2010 11:39 AM

That's a really good point! Perhaps he was Hypoglycemic (and wasn't even aware of it) and went into insulin shock?

Ive seen this episode several times and for some reason it never dawned on me until I saw it again the other night. Watching the re enactment, seeing him chase down other drivers and then pretend to be lighting a fire for a bbq. Then it hit me.
Seems alot of people are claiming that Devin was on some type of hallucenegenic drug also and likewise the company I worked for made my buddy go take a drug test because they thought the same thing. Ofcourse everything came back negative. Its very unfortunate that no one around recognized what was happening to him and it seems it took a long time for law enforcement to get up there and check him out. I can just imagine his families frustration over this.

I've watched this case a few times and had no idea that it was actually resolved. Sad to hear what happened, probably died of exposure or an animal in the woods killed him.

The area he dissapeared in at the time was known for UFO sightings and some people said he was abducted by a UFO.

Bad news guys! I found this while watching the video on the forbidden site.
Associated Press
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- A skull found at the bottom of the Mogollon Rim in eastern Arizona has been identified as that of a Kansas trucker.
The Gila County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday the dental records showed the dead man was Devin Williams. His home town was unavailable.
Williams' semi-tractor become stuck in the woods about 20 miles from Arizona Route 87 two years ago. He last had been seen a quarter mile north of Mogollon Rim Road.
His skull was found in the area on May 2. Details as to how he died were unavailable

I honestly think I know what happened to Devin Williams. I just watched the segment again the other day and it struck me like a lightning bolt.

I have a close freind that was a totally normal guy that would have episodes like Devin did where he would act crazy, and say things that made no sense. I worked with him at a rock quarrry and we were both haul truck drivers. One day he was driving eratic and swerving all over the place and chasing other trucks around. He stopped, got out of his truck and pretended to be fishing. I asked him if he was ok and he looked at me and told me to be quiet because I would scare the fish. I knew he wasnt playing.

I called his father while this was happening and he said it had happened before and it had to do with his blood sugar. He told me to try and get him to eat something sweet and hed snap out of it. Sure enough after some coaxing we got him to eat a candy bar and he was fine. He later had no memory of the event. His father told me that if we hadnt got him the candy he would have slipped into a coma.

Now when I watched the segment on Devin and heard the witness statements as to how he was acting It reminded me of this event and the things Devin was doing and saying were exactly what my freind was doing. So I think maybe Devin was diabetic and didnt know it. His blood sugar went too high and he went into a state of insanity. He wondered out in the woods and slipped into a coma and died. I know his remains have been found. So I think this is very plausible.

Really interesting. He was overweight, which makes it more believable.

They said his skull was found at the bottom of a rim...is it possible that he accidentally fell to his death in apart of the forest?

Really interesting. He was overweight, which makes it more believable.

They said his skull was found at the bottom of a rim...is it possible that he accidentally fell to his death in apart of the forest?
This is exactly what I think happened. Its sad that for some odd reason no law enforement of medical personel was able to find him before he died.

Yep, I truly believe that he either fell to his death or passed out/went into a coma somewhere remote and eventually died there due to what appeared to be a diabetic episode (which would also help explain the truck bursting into that park area where witnesses saw him and thought that he seemed to be behaving strangely).

Yeah i agree! He obviously had a mental breakdown. But just because the wife said he wasn't on drugs doesn't mean he wasn't and she didn't know. Did they ever found the rest of his remains?

What happend to this man.

It's mentioned upthread.

Well how did he died???

Ive seen this episode several times and for some reason it never dawned on me until I saw it again the other night. Watching the re enactment, seeing him chase down other drivers and then pretend to be lighting a fire for a bbq. Then it hit me.
Seems alot of people are claiming that Devin was on some type of hallucenegenic drug also and likewise the company I worked for made my buddy go take a drug test because they thought the same thing. Ofcourse everything came back negative. Its very unfortunate that no one around recognized what was happening to him and it seems it took a long time for law enforcement to get up there and check him out. I can just imagine his families frustration over this.

He would have to have been a Type 1 diabetic for that to be the case, or possibly a T2 who was also on insulin, which there was no mention of either. I'm a T1 diabetic and have had low BG (blood glucose) episodes (aka hypoglycemia) before, none bad enough to do serious damage thankfully, but they are scary. It can alter one's mental state significantly if it drops too low, and leave you feeling confused, groggy, nervous, and shaky. To an average person, you appear drunk. Hypoglycemic episodes can eventually lead to a coma if they are not treated with food. That said, hypos only happen if you've injected too much insulin and not eaten/not eaten enough, or if you've done significant exercise, in which case your BG can drop hours later.

Given that he was overweight, the intimation would be that Williams had T2 diabetes, in which case having a hypoglycemic episode would be unlikely; hypos tend to be an issue that effects T1 people more, though I'm sure there are exceptions. There are some people who experience hypoglycemic episodes who don't have diabetes, but I think that's extremely rare and would not be enough to cause significant impairment/coma.

In any event, this case has always haunted me, and I remember being terrified of the image of him trying to "light" the invisible "grill" in the woods—such a bizarre thing to witness. Some sort of mental impairment had to have been the culprit in his death, which I also take it was probably an accident that occurred as a byproduct of his mental state. What his mental state was, I don't know, but I doubt it was due to hypoglycemia.

He would have to have been a Type 1 diabetic for that to be the case, or possibly a T2 who was also on insulin, which there was no mention of either. I'm a T1 diabetic and have had low BG (blood glucose) episodes (aka hypoglycemia) before, none bad enough to do serious damage thankfully, but they are scary. It can alter one's mental state significantly if it drops too low, and leave you feeling confused, groggy, nervous, and shaky. To an average person, you appear drunk. Hypoglycemic episodes can eventually lead to a coma if they are not treated with food. That said, hypos only happen if you've injected too much insulin and not eaten/not eaten enough, or if you've done significant exercise, in which case your BG can drop hours later.

Given that he was overweight, the intimation would be that Williams had T2 diabetes, in which case having a hypoglycemic episode would be unlikely; hypos tend to be an issue that effects T1 people more, though I'm sure there are exceptions. There are some people who experience hypoglycemic episodes who don't have diabetes, but I think that's extremely rare and would not be enough to cause significant impairment/coma.

In any event, this case has always haunted me, and I remember being terrified of the image of him trying to "light" the invisible "grill" in the woods—such a bizarre thing to witness. Some sort of mental impairment had to have been the culprit in his death, which I also take it was probably an accident that occurred as a byproduct of his mental state. What his mental state was, I don't know, but I doubt it was due to hypoglycemia.

My mother is an insulin-dependent diabetic. When her blood sugar drops, she gets straight up loopy. It's very jarring to watch.

He would have to have been a Type 1 diabetic for that to be the case, or possibly a T2 who was also on insulin, which there was no mention of either. I'm a T1 diabetic and have had low BG (blood glucose) episodes (aka hypoglycemia) before, none bad enough to do serious damage thankfully, but they are scary. It can alter one's mental state significantly if it drops too low, and leave you feeling confused, groggy, nervous, and shaky. To an average person, you appear drunk. Hypoglycemic episodes can eventually lead to a coma if they are not treated with food. That said, hypos only happen if you've injected too much insulin and not eaten/not eaten enough, or if you've done significant exercise, in which case your BG can drop hours later.

Given that he was overweight, the intimation would be that Williams had T2 diabetes, in which case having a hypoglycemic episode would be unlikely; hypos tend to be an issue that effects T1 people more, though I'm sure there are exceptions. There are some people who experience hypoglycemic episodes who don't have diabetes, but I think that's extremely rare and would not be enough to cause significant impairment/coma.

In any event, this case has always haunted me, and I remember being terrified of the image of him trying to "light" the invisible "grill" in the woods—such a bizarre thing to witness. Some sort of mental impairment had to have been the culprit in his death, which I also take it was probably an accident that occurred as a byproduct of his mental state. What his mental state was, I don't know, but I doubt it was due to hypoglycemia.
The friend in the story I shared above actually found out he was diabetic by haveing one of these episodes. So it can just pop up and happen and you don't know you have it.

The friend in the story I shared above actually found out he was diabetic by haveing one of these episodes. So it can just pop up and happen and you don't know you have it.

Are you sure he didn't have a hyperglycemic (high blood sugar) episode? Diabetes is diagnosed by high fasting blood sugar, which, if it's too high for too long, can also cause ketoacidosis which has serious symptoms like confusion, breathing problems, vomiting, etc. Most people are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes have classic symptoms like blurred vision and excessive thirst/urination from blood sugar running too high, and it comes on very rapidly; I had all three of those symptoms that literally sprung up in a matter of days, and fortunately I knew what the likely culprit was because T1 runs in my family. Sometimes though people will hold off getting help and that can lead to the more serious ketoacidosis, which can kill you just as easily as a low blood sugar episode.

My mother is an insulin-dependent diabetic. When her blood sugar drops, she gets straight up loopy. It's very jarring to watch.

It can get worse than that. My mother during her final years was insulin dependent. She didn't take it seriously enough and there were frequent episodes. Twice she collapsed to the ground when I was with her. Both times her blood sugar was dangerously high, well above 500.

Three other times her blood sugar was severely low. One was a diabetic coma on Christmas Eve morning. She did not wake up and we had to summon paramedics. Fortunately they saved her, after initially thinking it was hopeless. Mom spent 6 weeks in hospital and rehab.

The two other times were similar to your situation but for whatever reason my mom was more like an animal or werewolf than loopy. I hate to remember those events or describe her this way but for information purposes regarding dangerously low blood sugar maybe it's appropriate. Both times mom was making strange noises in bed. When my dad and I nudged her to see what was going on, mom suddenly popped up and her face and demeanor were totally unrecognizable. It was like she was playing a role in a play. She had incredible energy, especially for an older woman, and was difficult to restrain. Mom was clenching her teeth and basically growling, while thrashing at us with her feet and especially her hands, which were tense and clenched like claws. Nothing we said caused mom to recognize us or calm down.

The first time I ran to the refrigerator and got the small jar of honey that had been recommended to us for this situation. I had to pry open mom's mouth as she fought me, while dad applied the honey. To our amazement and relief, it worked almost immediately. Mom fell calmly back into bed and when she woke up she had absolutely no memory of the event. The second time months later my dad panicked and nearly injected her with insulin. That might have killed her. Fortunately I got there just in time and told him...no, that was the opposite need. He was kicking himself about making the mistake but I told him to forget about it while I ran to get the honey. It worked again. Same course of events.

Mom died later that year but it was due to complications from MRSA, which she acquired during rehab after breaking her ankle in an event not related to blood sugar. However, obviously the diabetes didn't help her system while battling the MRSA or anything else. I joke here about eating Whoppers etc. but mom's example taught me to change my diet and lose 25 pounds, post-Las Vegas buffets. The doctor this week said my lab results were the best he had seen all month, including A1C of 4.7 for the second consecutive time. I told him since it was August 30th his "best of month" declaration meant something, as opposed to September 1st.

If Devin Williams had a low blood sugar episode, I don't discount any type of abnormal behavior. It wouldn't be explainable using standard analysis.

It can get worse than that. My mother during her final years was insulin dependent. She didn't take it seriously enough and there were frequent episodes. Twice she collapsed to the ground when I was with her. Both times her blood sugar was dangerously high, well above 500.

Three other times her blood sugar was severely low. One was a diabetic coma on Christmas Eve morning. She did not wake up and we had to summon paramedics. Fortunately they saved her, after initially thinking it was hopeless. Mom spent 6 weeks in hospital and rehab.

The two other times were similar to your situation but for whatever reason my mom was more like an animal or werewolf than loopy. I hate to remember those events or describe her this way but for information purposes regarding dangerously low blood sugar maybe it's appropriate. Both times mom was making strange noises in bed. When my dad and I nudged her to see what was going on, mom suddenly popped up and her face and demeanor were totally unrecognizable. It was like she was playing a role in a play. She had incredible energy, especially for an older woman, and was difficult to restrain. Mom was clenching her teeth and basically growling, while thrashing at us with her feet and especially her hands, which were tense and clenched like claws. Nothing we said caused mom to recognize us or calm down.

The first time I ran to the refrigerator and got the small jar of honey that had been recommended to us for this situation. I had to pry open mom's mouth as she fought me, while dad applied the honey. To our amazement and relief, it worked almost immediately. Mom fell calmly back into bed and when she woke up she had absolutely no memory of the event. The second time months later my dad panicked and nearly injected her with insulin. That might have killed her. Fortunately I got there just in time and told him...no, that was the opposite need. He was kicking himself about making the mistake but I told him to forget about it while I ran to get the honey. It worked again. Same course of events.

Mom died later that year but it was due to complications from MRSA, which she acquired during rehab after breaking her ankle in an event not related to blood sugar. However, obviously the diabetes didn't help her system while battling the MRSA or anything else. I joke here about eating Whoppers etc. but mom's example taught me to change my diet and lose 25 pounds, post-Las Vegas buffets. The doctor this week said my lab results were the best he had seen all month, including A1C of 4.7 for the second consecutive time. I told him since it was August 30th his "best of month" declaration meant something, as opposed to September 1st.

If Devin Williams had a low blood sugar episode, I don't discount any type of abnormal behavior. It wouldn't be explainable using standard analysis.

My condolences regarding your mother; my grandfather was a T1 diabetic himself and he died from a hypoglycemic episode in his sleep. The symptoms you described as regarding your mother are not surprising, especially given it was in her sleep; going into a hypo while sleeping can often result in noises like that, as you're basically struggling to breathe.

I had BG readings of 550 when I was first diagnosed and I had felt awful for about a week; readings in excess of 500 are enough to put you in a coma. It's a scary thing for the person affected as well as those around them. My mother still worries about me having hypos because of her dad dying that way, but I'm good about managing my food and insulin doses properly, so I've only had a couple of one-off incidents. I personally think hypos are far scarier than hypers; running high is a more gradual sense of discomfort, whereas a hypo can seemingly come out of nowhere and hit you like a Mack truck.

I have known over-the-road truckers who have popped a pill of speed (amphetamine) from time to time so as to not fall asleep. These guys are far from addicts and the occasional pill is not like smoking meth. For the record I'm not saying this is a good or smart thing to do, but it is reality for some.

I wonder if he ever did this, and if he got a bad pill that was laced with something. He had enough function to drive his truck (at least for a while) but he was clearly out of his rational mind. I don't think he was drunk, though. This seems much more significant than just alcohol.

If it wasn't drug/chemical related, I also think his behavior sounds a lot like hypoglycemia. He could also have suffered a head injury, which would make him act like that. It's sad his family will never know what really happened.

I personally think hypos are far scarier than hypers; running high is a more gradual sense of discomfort, whereas a hypo can seemingly come out of nowhere and hit you like a Mack truck.

Yep. His behavior is clearly more like hypoglycemics. Plus, like you said, that comes on way more quickly so it could explain why he went downhill so fast. He may have had an undiagnosed diabetic problem.

Based on the segment it appears the man suffered a sudden drop in his blood sugar (glucose). While it is common with those suffering from diabetes it can happen to anyone. Given the fact he was a truck driver it would be safe to say he probably had some caffeine during his trip. Coffee, soda, amphetamine pills etc. Caffeine accompanied with a hypoglycemic episode would be a nightmare and would explain his bizarre behavior. People have been pulled over, accused of being drunk etc only to find out the person is having a diabetic problem. Its sad but he probably stumbled off and eventually collapsed and died or fell to his death.

Not sure exactly what it was but it was definitely a medical problem. He was overweight if not obese. Truck drivers usually live a pretty inactive lifestyle (fast food, caffeine for long drives,long periods of sitting.) A stroke or a diabetic related episode. He wandered off and probably died of either exposure or his medical issue.

The Williams case has always intrigued me, and while I'm glad that his loved ones eventually learned his fate, I personally believe that we'll never really know for sure what caused his demise.

I'm actually somewhat embarrassed to admit that my original theory of this case was that Williams fell prey to exposure brought on by drug induced disorientation. I guess I kind of fell into the stereotyping of long haul truckers and substance abuse. I realize that Williams' loved ones have adamantly discounted the drug theory, but is there any way based on the remains that were found to run any type of toxicological tests? Perhaps some of our more toxicology inclined posters could add their two cents here.

These days however, my theory of the case tends to be in line with many other posters on the thread. I believe that Williams most likely suffered some type of health crisis, be it a mental health or physical health crisis, and his subsequent disorientation caused him to perish from exposure. JMO...for whatever that's worth, lol.

I'm actually somewhat embarrassed to admit that my original theory of this case was that Williams fell prey to exposure brought on by drug induced disorientation. I guess I kind of fell into the stereotyping of long haul truckers and substance abuse. I realize that Williams' loved ones have adamantly discounted the drug theory, but is there any way based on the remains that were found to run any type of toxicological tests? Perhaps some of our more toxicology inclined posters could add their two cents here.

I don't think you should be embarrassed about that. :) I think many of us made that assumption at first just based on how bizarre his behavior was. It's logical to go down the "he's drunk or on drugs" road.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all they ever found of him was his skull so I'm sure they can't run many tests on that. It also could've been a combo platter of low blood sugar plus caffeine plus over-the-counter medication like Sudafed. I do think it was most likely some kind of medical issue though, possibly exaccerbsted by chemicals (legal or otherwise).

[QUOTE=Todd Mueller
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all they ever found of him was his skull so I'm sure they can't run many tests on that. It also could've been a combo platter of low blood sugar plus caffeine plus over-the-counter medication like Sudafed. I do think it was most likely some kind of medical issue though, possibly exaccerbsted by chemicals (legal or otherwise).[/QUOTE]

Yeah...I figured that was most likely the case Todd, but you know how it is...hope springs eternal. I have to say though, one of my favorite theories of the Williams case is that of alien abduction. I mean, what the hell is that?? Those poor aliens take the rap for everything!

Probably sleep deprivation caused him to hallucinate and lost control. He probably did not sleep for days before the accident.