Has anyone watched the Netflix "Unsolved Mysteries" episode "What Happened to Josh?" Keep reading/sexual spoilers BELOW.
For those who haven't seen it -- or don't care about knowing a bit about it before you watch -- it tells the story of Joshua Guimond, a cute and overachieving 20-year-old college student at St. John's University in Collegeville, Minn., who went missing the evening of Nov. 9, 2002. Josh had gone to a poker party at a nearby dorm and at some point left the table. His friends assumed he had slipped out to the bathroom, but Josh never returned to the gathering -- and has never been seen since. Damian and I -- in part because Josh is cute but also because we were getting a "Best Little Boy in the World" vibe -- kept suspecting there was going to be a twist. Law enforcement spent the first year or two convinced he had probably accidentally fallen into one of the nearby lakes or rivers and drowned, but as years went by and his body never surfaced, that theory began to seem much less likely. Josh had recently (and amicably) split from his longtime girlfriend -- who had a thing for Josh's cagey roommate. But "Unsolved Mysteries" did a great job of holding the bombshell till near the end ... when it was revealed that a computer of Josh's that had been mysteriously "washed" days after he went missing had in fact been forensically examined with better technology in 2008, eight years after he went missing.
This is when we found out Josh was active on M4M Yahoo Personals, as well as having profiles -- including GwenGirlBigJugs -- where he chatting with straight men while pretending to be a woman. Josh's family appears to be annoyed that the police are only now -- some 14 years later -- releasing photos of men Josh appeared to be chatting with online. (Recognize anyone above?) While it's a shot in the dark, with no body and nothing else to go on, it does seem like this would have been worth pursuing ages ago. My gut tells me he did go to meet up with someone he met online and things went horribly wrong. Would love to hear from others who watched. The roommate strikes me as more autistic than murderous, but am open to all theories! Visit the Netflix episode page HERE.
P.S. Forgot to mention that in 1993 when I was crashing at my brother Bill's place on Capitol Hill, after I'd relocated to Washington from Los Angeles, I met up with a guy from a personal ad or chatline and ended up spending the night. I didn't really want to, but it was a long drive to the train so I agreed to stay. (The guy was very hot and very odd -- a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent I later used to see out at JR's all the time -- who kept his pants on during sexual contact, which led me and my hands to believe he may have had a micro penis or something.) My poor brother I later found out was beside himself worrying about me all night because I didn't call. I don't blame him, of course. I think I was just too embarrassed and couldn't come up with a suitable explanation for my whereabouts as I didn't have any friends having just arrived days before. (Kids don't realize how lucky they are to be able to text!) Looking back, my brother was right to be worried. I just as easily could have been Josh, a feeling with which I'm sure most gay men concur.
7 comments:
second to bottom row, 4th over looks like the serial killer
This was definitely the best of the episodes. I remember how online gay life was 20 years ago. It was secretive and often dark. I don't doubt he met someone who unfort had something sinister in mind. I lived in TX in my late teens and early 20s and the amount of times friends and even I myself met people from AOL, IRC or any other chat options is more than I'd like to admit. I was lucky but I def heard a few horror stories from friends.
Second row from top, last pic.
I remember when this happened. (I live in Minneapolis). There were several cute college boys that went missing back then. A new one from the University of Minnesota more recently, too. I went to the U of M and would often stagger home drunk at night. I was lucky I always made it back.
from end of article- where you talk about Washington, I thought this took place in DC area... re reading- it's Minnesota- the guy I know was never in Minnesota- as I said in original post/email, he lived/worked in the DC area.
This was a fascinating and heart breaking case- Josh seemed like such a sweet boy. I agree that something must have happened at the poker game party that made Josh leave and no one is talking. I love how his closest friend and ex girlfriend do not think Josh might have been gay. Gays are very good at hiding our secrets specially if you are in Catholic University. And whats the connection to the pedo monks? Josh must have met with some guy he was flirting on with on line and that guy kidnapped and probably killed him.
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