Justin Burgwinkel

[LilMissKryssy]

I'm sorry but I sincerely doubt he was working on some CIA related activity. He would not have referenced a hollywood movie (twice) and been so OBVIOUS in wanting everyone to think he was on a "secret mission." He couldve been involved with shady people involved in some illegal activity or whatever but the whole CIA angle he tried to get people to believe is just too obvious to me. He went AWOL and showed up at his gf's apartment. That doesn't sound like someone working for the CIA or intelligence community. Again, maybe he wanted to be somebody so he got involved with shady criminals. However, in the beginning at least his disappearance seemed voluntary. I have a feeling he killed himself, maybe out in the woods or somewhere remote. He staged the motel scene so all his belongings would be found the way he wanted.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by LilMissKryssy

I'm sorry but I sincerely doubt he was working on some CIA related activity. He would not have referenced a hollywood movie (twice) and been so OBVIOUS in wanting everyone to think he was on a "secret mission." He couldve been involved with shady people involved in some illegal activity or whatever but the whole CIA angle he tried to get people to believe is just too obvious to me. He went AWOL and showed up at his gf's apartment. That doesn't sound like someone working for the CIA or intelligence community. Again, maybe he wanted to be somebody so he got involved with shady criminals. However, in the beginning at least his disappearance seemed voluntary. I have a feeling he killed himself, maybe out in the woods or somewhere remote. He staged the motel scene so all his belongings would be found the way he wanted.

I agree

[Hambone2421]

Originally Posted by LilMissKryssy

I'm sorry but I sincerely doubt he was working on some CIA related activity. He would not have referenced a hollywood movie (twice) and been so OBVIOUS in wanting everyone to think he was on a "secret mission." He couldve been involved with shady people involved in some illegal activity or whatever but the whole CIA angle he tried to get people to believe is just too obvious to me. He went AWOL and showed up at his gf's apartment. That doesn't sound like someone working for the CIA or intelligence community. Again, maybe he wanted to be somebody so he got involved with shady criminals. However, in the beginning at least his disappearance seemed voluntary. I have a feeling he killed himself, maybe out in the woods or somewhere remote. He staged the motel scene so all his belongings would be found the way he wanted.

I agree with you, but I also think him referencing "White Sands" is him telling everyone EXACTLY what happened. For those who haven't seen the movie, Willem Dafoe finds a body in the desert and decides to pretend to be him only to get caught up in the world of gun running and espionage. I think Burgwinkel did something similar only to get mixed in with the wrong crowd who killed him. This isn't Hollywood with a great ending and unfortunately, Justin found that out the hard way.

[LilMissKryssy]

Well, he wasn't involved with any intelligence agency because his behavior would be laughable at best. He might have gotten involved with drug dealers or whatever to feel he was "somebody" however the briefcase with papers he was just tearing into pieces? I just don't buy it.

He went AWOL and showed up at his girlfriends house and hung out with her for days on end. If you're involved in drugs or illegal smuggling of anything, you keep it on the down low as much as humanly possible. Also, you're associates wouldn't call your girlfriends apartment phone and say "the mission is off" that is so laughable if the story wasn't so tragic.

Also, he is not listed on the Charley Project and given his case was even featured on a National TV show that's very odd in itself.

If I recall correctly, someone claiming to be a former PD on the case said that he had another girlfriend in the area where his base was located. (if that source is the real deal.)

Anyways, I find it so odd that he isn't listed on the CP or really any missing person site. Something's up with this. I think there's something we don't know about the case. Either police classified if now as voluntarily missing (however you can still list someone on CP) or the family knows something we don't.

Again, I'm not sure and I'm not insinuating the family is "in on it". However, as with many cases on UM there is ALOT of info left out and in this case there really is no other information online. I think UM might have even played up the "CIA/Shady life" theory too (as it had played up scenarios on other cases featured). I just think were missing information on this one.

[Hambone2421]

Originally Posted by LilMissKryssy

Well, he wasn't involved with any intelligence agency because his behavior would be laughable at best. He might have gotten involved with drug dealers or whatever to feel he was "somebody" however the briefcase with papers he was just tearing into pieces? I just don't buy it.

He went AWOL and showed up at his girlfriends house and hung out with her for days on end. If you're involved in drugs or illegal smuggling of anything, you keep it on the down low as much as humanly possible. Also, you're associates wouldn't call your girlfriends apartment phone and say "the mission is off" that is so laughable if the story wasn't so tragic.

Also, he is not listed on the Charley Project and given his case was even featured on a National TV show that's very odd in itself.

If I recall correctly, someone claiming to be a former PD on the case said that he had another girlfriend in the area where his base was located. (if that source is the real deal.)

Anyways, I find it so odd that he isn't listed on the CP or really any missing person site. Something's up with this. I think there's something we don't know about the case. Either police classified if now as voluntarily missing (however you can still list someone on CP) or the family knows something we don't.

Again, I'm not sure and I'm not insinuating the family is "in on it". However, as with many cases on UM there is ALOT of info left out and in this case there really is no other information online. I think UM might have even played up the "CIA/Shady life" theory too (as it had played up scenarios on other cases featured). I just think were missing information on this one.

I agree with you. I believe Justin's brother as well as a few friends posted on this thread previously. Not sure if any of them mentioned something outside of what was mentioned in the broadcast but I'd love to hear fr0om them again.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by Kirk007Anthony

Hard to imagine it being from the Military. He was a cook. Conspiracy Theorists will have fun with that statement. I maintain he aimed high with his goals and for no fault but his own. Was brought back down to earth. As anyone old enough to understand. We all have done so. And for those who haven't. Good for you lol. I can speak with somewhat experience. All my life I wanted to be a Fighter Pilot. Entered the AF with hopes and expected to be one. That was a no go. Too young an unfocused. It took me a LOOOOONG time sorting Personnel Files (Which is what I did) to get over it. My grades were sub par. So much so that I was lucky even with college credits to get in. Even right after 9/11. Its a let down to your ego. Really tough. You wanna be going "Mach 2 with your hair on fire" (Top Gun reference haha Yeah Its Navy oh well) shooting down Migs and Sukhois. But you're in an office. Answering calls. Setting up appointments. Answering to Captains and Staff Sergeants on a Joint Base. It seems so much better in the movies. I knew more about the potential of Fighter Aircraft than pilots that were in Pre-Flight Training. Once your in. You realize Hollywood let you down lol. Anyways, I'm rambling. Ive seen it in guys who joined like that. They wanna impress. And they want it to seem so glorious. They can't impress from within. So they make it sound so cool to people NOT in the Military. Had a guy I talked to everyday who told his wife some BS story so he could leave all the time. His excuse was he was cheating on her. Its done all the time. Not to the extent that Burgwinkel (That's my opinion on Bergwinkel I could be wrong) did. I think he wanted to be important. You'd be surprised. The branches are all full of Young Walter Mitty's. Some carry it out and put it on thicker than others. Hell, I was one of them. It's especially hard when your family has a strong important military history. And it is somewhat of a burden. My dad was in AF Intel, My Grandpa as Gunnery Sarg in Korea and Vietnam. He even was a chauffeur (backup) to Ike's Wife a few times. You feel like a failure. I did. You just have to play the cards dealt to you. And not feel sorry for yourself. If I spent more time studying. And less time partying. Maybe I coulda been a fighter pilot. Instead I did a little over 3 years. And got a Discharge for Family Reasons. Not glorious at all lol. I fill out forms for jobs and you'll get a "Thanks for your service". And I always correct em. I dont deserve that. I was a member of the "Chair Force" lol. The only plus is when you wear like a dress uniform. You can get a lot of looks and potential numbers from women. The negative thing about it. If you're married its useless lol. Just my opinion. Sorry for rambling.

That's an intersting perspective. a lot of personal military accounts can help clear up stereotypes. People especially military vets and future interested people should try to understand that there are a lot of different jobs in the military. One common theme I've found is when an individual has this over glamorous obsession or false point of view about the military and they join looking for that sensationalism they are almost always likely to be disappointed especially if they are not cut out to be in one of the elite specialties and they reclassify to something else. you know a lot of Air Force stories are featured on UM. Largely because of ufo and aircraft testing.

[MegtheEgg86]

Originally Posted by DALLASTEXAN!!

you know a lot of Air Force stories are featured on UM. Largely because of ufo and aircraft testing.

Yes! Y'all always get the UFO stories, and we always seem to get the government-killed-us-because-we-were-on-a-secret-mission tales.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by MegtheEgg86

Yes! Y'all always get the UFO stories, and we always seem to get the government-killed-us-because-we-were-on-a-secret-mission tales.

true. We did have the one guy that was missing time too.

[LilMissKryssy]

so Justin is now finally listed on the Charley project website. It must have just been done within the last 8 or 6 months because I use to frequently mention how odd it was he wasn't listed on there. Also, the only source sited is Unsolved Mysteries on Charley project. Not much info besides that

[LilMissKryssy]

Ok so he was added to the Charley Project recently in September 2014. (less than a year ago). Someone left this on the comments section of CP's blog

Gerard Swaven Says:
October 7, 2014 at 2:41 pm | Reply
I saw that you have recently added Justin Burgwinkel. I am from the same hometown as Mr. Burgwinkel and thought you might appreciate some additional background information. Justin is from Clinton, MA and graduated from Clinton High School in 1990. He was a standout on the cross country and basketball teams.

[TheCars1986]

Fort Lewis and Fort Ord were under investigation around the time of Burgwinkel's disappearance for weapons smuggling. If Burgwinkel was involved in any capacity with this, I could definitely see him being murdered.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by TheCars1986

Fort Lewis and Fort Ord were under investigation around the time of Burgwinkel's disappearance for weapons smuggling. If Burgwinkel was involved in any capacity with this, I could definitely see him being murdered.

interesting

[1990 UM fan]

What's also interesting is that Justin is listed as a predecessor in his mother Diana's obituary in 2006, but in his paternal grandmother Waltraud Burgwinkel's obituary in 2014, Justin is listed as a survivor. 🤔

[James T]

He was showing signs of severe mental illness-possibly made worse by illicit drug taking would be my bet. He seemed to be totally delusional, paranoid & living in a fantasy world, I wouldn't be surprised if he was being made fun of by others there winding him up about a top secret mission & one of them then phoned his girlfriend to tell him the mission was off. Think he either worked out/was told it was a joke, or he had worked himself into such a frenzy about it that it being 'cancelled' he decided to take himself somewhere very remote & shoot himself with the guns he bought.

[DALLASTEXAN!!]

Originally Posted by James T

He was showing signs of severe mental illness-possibly made worse by illicit drug taking would be my bet. He seemed to be totally delusional, paranoid & living in a fantasy world, I wouldn't be surprised if he was being made fun of by others there winding him up about a top secret mission & one of them then phoned his girlfriend to tell him the mission was off. Think he either worked out/was told it was a joke, or he had worked himself into such a frenzy about it that it being 'cancelled' he decided to take himself somewhere very remote & shoot himself with the guns he bought.

I think suicide is a possibility.