They Called Him Mostly Harmless follows the story of Vance Rodriguez, a hiker who was found dead in the Florida wilderness. The unfortunate man proved to be a mystery until eventually identified by internet sleuths after a two-year investigation. However, the reveal of his identity would pose more questions as multiple hikers claim to have met him and explained that he never revealed his real name.
The Man Van Rodriguez
The investigation explored in the Max documentary reveals details about the mystery hiker who would travel under nicknames, never revealing who he really was.
An article on CBS News explains that:
“The thousands of people following the case soon learned that Rodriguez was complicated. He indeed grew up in Louisiana, and he moved to New York in his 30s. He was a brilliant computer programmer whose notebooks, found in the tent where he died, were filled with computer code.”
The article would go on to explain the troubled background of Vance, saying, “Rodriguez was estranged from his family; had troubled, even abusive, romantic relationships; and he’d sometimes disappear on his friends.”
When asked by other hikers, Vance would say his name was either Ben Bilemy, Denim, or Mostly Harmless, which is the pseudonym used in the title of the documentary. The name may have been adapted from a term used in the Douglas Adams sci-fi comedy classic The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. In the novel, the term “mostly harmless” is used by the guide to describe the Earth. Vance may have been a fan of that work and used the term for himself.
His Death
Vance Rodriguez’s cause of death is still a mystery.
Vance was last seen alive in the southwest of Florida in April 2018. By July 23rd, 2018, he would be dead, discovered in his tent by two other hikers in the area known as Big Cypress National Preserve, but he would have no ID with him. He appeared to be emaciated at the time of discovery, but the autopsy could not determine a specific cause of death. It was noted though that there was no reason to suspect any foul play. His DNA and fingerprints did not match any missing people reports.
The twin sister
Vance was a twin, and his sister was named Vicki Ann. Sadly though, his family life was very strained. He never seemed to get along with family members, including an older brother, and it was reported that his father was allegedly abusive. When he was young, Vance had even considered suicide. He would shoot himself in the stomach with a gun but would find the will to survive, hailing a passing truck driver down, and attending hospital, resulting in a scar that would also puzzle the people investigating his death.
By the age of seventeen, Vance would file for emancipation, meaning all contact with his family would be cut off. When a friend would reach out to his family on his behalf, they would receive a reply from his sister saying, “My family has no comment.”
