At the end of July in the Arkansas river, Fremont County in southern Colorado found human remains. Investigators are trying to determine whether they belonged to 31-year-old Eric Ashby of Colorado springs, who disappeared June 28.
Eric Ashby, according to friends, went in search of the famous treasure chest, buried in the Rocky mountains millionaire Forrest Fenno.
If the version of the investigation confirmed that Eric will become the third victim of treasure hunting that began in 2010.
Who is mister Fenn?
Forrest Fenn – 87-year-old millionaire, a native of new Mexico. In his youth nothing predicted his future enrichment. As reported Heavy.com, Fenn was a fighter pilot and fought in Vietnam, where he spent 328 combat missions for 348 days and was twice shot down. After the war, Fenn said that he feels mentally and physically exhausted, and so decided to leave the army.
In his native Santa Fe, he opened a gallery , the Old Santa Fe Trading Co and has achieved incredible success. At the peak of business development gallery brought to 6 million dollars a year, it visited US President Gerald Ford, Jacqueline Kennedy, heirs of Rockefeller. Fenn knew many famous people of show business, and he was a real «nose» for young artists who later became popular. Fenn bought their paintings for a pittance, and then sold at exorbitant prices.
That all changed in 1988, when the millionaire was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Then came the idea to take the treasure chest and a large dose of sleeping pills, leaving clues for the hunters for the gold and go to the desert or the mountains to die in peace. Fate decided otherwise – at Fenno was a remission, but the idea of buried treasure left. And in 2010, a man fulfilled.
Forrest gathered in an old chest of gold and jewels, went to the Rocky mountains and hid him. Neither the wife nor the children knew where and why he went. Fenn himself says he has no idea what the exact cost of the contents of the chest today, but according to rough estimates, it reaches two million dollars.
«I don’t like despair,» said Fenn. «I wanted to give people hope-what they would believe.»
The poem is the key
So, a chest is hidden. It was easy to leave clues. Forrest has written two autobiographical books: «The Thrill of the Chase» and «Too Far to Walk». In the end he left a card, which includes four States — new Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana, as well as a private poem, which is the main clue. According to the poem, the path begins where «the warm water runs out». Then the treasure hunter should go down the canyon, leaving behind the «house of brown» — and so on. To accurately translate a poem difficult, because Fenn used a variety of metaphors, so that published his original version.
As I have gone alone in there
And with my treasures bold,
I can keep my secret where,
And hint of riches new and old.
Begin it where warm waters halt
And take it in the canyon down,
Not far, but too far to walk.
Put in below the home of Brown.
From there it’s no place for the meek,
The end is drawing ever nigh;
There’ll be no paddle up your creek,
Just heavy loads and water high.
If you’ve been wise and found the blaze,
Look quickly down, your quest to cease
But tarry scant with marvel gaze,
Just take the chest and go in peace.
So why is it that I must go
And leave my trove for all to seek?
The answers I already know
I’ve done it tired, and now I’m weak
So hear me all and listen good,
Your effort will be worth the cold.
If you are brave and in the wood
I give you title to the gold.
Happy hunting!
Sam Forrest Fenn did not think that his autobiography will be in demand, and initially it was printed edition of just a thousand copies. But just once in the four States listed on the map, reached the treasure hunters. In the network appeared dozens of sitesdiscussing the searches and tips, and to Fenno had several times to call 911 because his house was trying to get people who want to pry where the hidden chest.
It is believed that more than 65 thousand people have made attempts to find the treasure of a millionaire, but luck has not smiled at anyone. And the gold started to collect the «bloody harvest».
The first victim
Authorities close the case on the death of Broomfield treasure hunter Randy Bilyeu https://t.co/iMAHhInCzO pic.twitter.com/0OIq6C7HQ1
— Iwa Dojo (@Iwa_Dojo) March 4, 2017
In July of 2016 year to the North from Cochiti Lake along the river Rio Grande in new Mexico found human remains. Later, the police Department of Santa Fe, confirmed that they belong to 54-year-old Randy Billy. His wife told The Denver Post that Randy went on a treasure hunt, I bought an inflatable raft, compass and wetsuit.
Surprisingly, the autopsy has not determined what had caused the death of Randy. The remains were in a decayed condition, and visible injuries of the skeleton, for example, broken bones, did not find. Police later found the raft and the dog of the deceased.
The second victim
Photo: Facebook
A pastor from Colorado, Paris Wallace, went to new Mexico on a treasure hunt in the June 2017 year. Few days later his wife began to worry, as the husband had not been in contact. According to CBS, rescuers and police found the SUV Wallace near the Taos Junction bridge across the Rio Grande.
The car is also found receipts from a local shop where the man bought a rope and other tourist facilities. The piece of rope lying next to the car and the body of Wallace was found about seven miles up the river.
Did Eric Ashby’s third victim, will show investigation.
The fourth? Fifth? Tenth?..
As told to Business Insider himself Forrest Fenn, he could never think that his idea of treasure will lead to tragedy.
«I was counting on more. Children spend too much time sitting at phones or computer games. I was hoping that parents will take their children camping in the Rocky mountains. Was hoping that they would catch the fish, examining the fossils, to admire nature and look for my treasure.»
