The person at the center of this case
Ronald James Miller
Missing Person · Open / Unsolved
18 years waiting · since 2008
Missing Person: Ronald James Miller
Justice for Ronald James Miller — the trail went cold in 2008, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1What does the note 'Snake bite battery dead' mean? Was Ronald bitten by a snake, did he have a medical emergency, or is this a coded message?
💡
clue
Lead #2Why was the vehicle readily drivable with keys in the ignition if Ronald was incapacitated or lost?
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location
Lead #3Extensive searches of Deans Valley found no trace of Ronald—could he have traveled beyond the initial search perimeter?
Ronald James Miller, a 67-year-old man, disappeared on August 26, 2008, while cutting firewood in Deans Valley near Quincy, California. His vehicle was found the same day with his chainsaw and a cryptic note reading 'Snake bite battery dead,' but Ronald has never been located despite extensive search efforts. The circumstances remain unclear—whether he suffered a snakebite, encountered an accident, or left voluntarily—making this case a lingering mystery that warrants continued attention.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
👁️
witness
Lead #4Were there any other people in the Deans Valley area that day who might have witnessed Ronald or his activities?
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evidence
Lead #5The specific clothing and gold wedding ring have never been recovered—could they provide clues to his whereabouts?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP141266. Missing person: Ronald James Miller.
Last known contact: 2008-08-26 in Quincy, Plumas, CA. Circumstances: Ronald Miller left his home on 08/26/2008 at approximately 0900 hours to cut firewood in the Deans Valley area of Quincy, California.
When Ronald failed to return home, his family contacted and reported him missing to the Plumas County Sheriff's Office the following morning. Plumas County Search and Rescue was deployed to the area of Deans Valley to search for Ronald.
Ronald's vehicle was located in the Deans Valley area later that day. At the scene, there was evidence Ronald had been engaged in cutting firewood, finding his chainsaw near some cut up rounds of wood.
The vehicle had the keys in the ignition and the vehicle readily started. A note was discovered inside the vehicle which stated "Snake bite battery dead." Multiple searches of the area failed to located Ronald, he has not been heard from since.
Demographics: 67 years, Male, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 5 ft 11 in, 150 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Blue.
Clothing and accessories: Accessories: Gold wedding ring; Clothing: Blue jeans, blue or black T-Shirt with painted design, new boots size 9 or 10.; Footwear: hiking boots. Investigating agency: Plumas County Sheriff's Office | 2008006841 | 2008-08-27.
Timeline of Events
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2008-08-26
09:00Ronald leaves home to cut firewood
Ronald James Miller departed his residence at approximately 0900 hours to cut firewood in the Deans Valley area.
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2008-08-27
Vehicle and evidence located
Ronald's vehicle was found in Deans Valley with keys in ignition, chainsaw nearby, cut wood rounds, and a note inside stating 'Snake bite battery dead.'
🕵️
2008-08-27
Search and Rescue deployed
Plumas County Search and Rescue conducted multiple searches of the Deans Valley area but failed to locate Ronald.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:August 26, 2008 at 9:00 AM
Last Updated:September 26, 2026
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Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 5302836375
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Case Information
Incident:August 26, 2008 at 9:00 AM
Last Updated:September 26, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 5302836375
You can remain anonymous