La Plata County Sheriffs Office

On November 18, 2012, the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the disappearance of 13 year old Dylan Nicholas Redwine, who traveled from Monument, Colorado to visit his father in the Vallecito Lake area for Thanksgiving break. Dylan’s search intensified as winter rapidly emerged in this cozy mountain community. Dylan’s family, as well as law enforcement, and hundreds of members from the community, searched tirelessly around the Vallecito Lake area, as well as the rest of La Plata County, the state of Colorado and elsewhere; but to no avail.

I received a call from Kelly Snyder, founder of the organization, “Find Me”, within a few weeks of the investigation. Kelly informed me about Find Me, and about the unique services the extraordinary members of his team have to offer. He said Find Me specializes in missing persons. His group of dedicated and selfless associates was comprised of K-9 search dogs and dog handlers, retired and active duty law enforcement, psychics, hand-writing experts, and the list goes on. Kelly relayed to me that Find Me is a non-profit organization, and his services were free.

Our investigation was officially ruled a homicide. The discovery of Dylan’s remains was devastating, and “bittersweet”as described by Dylan’s older brother, Cory Redwine, and the rest of the family. They will never have to wonder what happen to Dylan, because of the aid and assistance from Find Me; the mystery of where Dylan is has ended, leaving open a new chapter in this ongoing investigation.

The search on Middle Mountain for more remains and evidence continued into late 2013. Again, members of Find Me answered the call and assisted with another arduous search of the San Juan National Forest. The search for more of Dylan continues to date, and Find Me has expressed their eagerness to return to La Plata County, Colorado in the spring of 2014.

No words can express my deep appreciation and gratitude to the dedicated and passionate members of Find Me who volunteered to take the time out of their busy lives without hesitation or reservation, to travel to rural Colorado on their own expense to help a family desperate for answers, and to provide my agency their elite special training and services. We are forever in their debt.

Tom Cowing
Sgt. Investigator , La Plata County Sheriff’s Office