Laughingbear: "We really dont know what happened to Ronnie Bates. One thing is probable,speed was a contributing factor in his demise. ...... I was also told that his jawbone was found upstream from the hotsprings."

Just because someone does speed does not lead to any conclusion about the cause of death.

It is because of Mike Castro's negligent, intentional, evasive actions with regard to Ronnie's rental car parked at the Bowen Ranch parking lot that Ronnie's body was not found right away. Mike Castro's actions interfered with the investigation into Ronnie's whereabouts and his suspicious death. If Mike Castro had acted normally and responsibly and turned in the car, we would know what happened to Ronnie.

Widow Bates turned in her husband as a missing person January 19th. Mike Castro did not turn in the vehicle until April 23, 1997. It is this delay that resulted in the Widow Bates having to launch an extensive manhunt for her husband all over the country and Mexico. Ronnie's jawbone was not found until May 1998 finally answering the question as to the location of the body.

When you go through the Bowen Ranch and pay Mike Castro money for access to public lands (no receipt given) there is an implied responsibility by law to Mike Castro for your safety because of the money exchange. You are actually paying Mike Castro to not vandalize your vehicle, not to harass you and for access to Deep Creek Hot Springs. Would you reasonably expect Mike Castro to not turn in your vehicle to the authorities for months if it was left there for several days, weeks and months?

And then there were evasive answers by Mike Castro when further questioned by concerned people about the abandoned vehicle. Mike Castro intentionally did not turn in that car, why?????????

Mike Castro's actions lead to many questions and we plan to ask questions when this all goes to court. We hope it will be soon.