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Sheriff: missing Marine story a phony

Gary Gerhardt, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 7, 2006 at midnight

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The search last week for a Marine who disappeared after reportedly falling in Eldorado Canyon State Park and wandering off was apparently staged, and his friend who reported the Marine missing has been arrested.

Steve Powers, 20, of Boulder was arrested late last night for investigation of false reporting, a misdemeanor, and taken to the Boulder County Jail, according to the Boulder County sheriff’s office.

He had said he was climbing in the canyon with Marine Lance Hering, 21, also of Boulder, when Hering fell and hit his head.

Powers said he stayed with his companion through the night and the next morning went for help. When authorities returned with him, they couldn’t find Hering.

An extensive and expensive search was conducted and after it was called off Sunday some of Hering’s fellow Marines took up the search without success.

Commander Phil West said investigators brought Powers in for an interview yesterday when further investigation began to highlight discrepancies and inconsistencies in his story.

For example, West said, Powers’ narrative regarding the timeline of events was improbable and left many questions unanswered.

Additionally, the repeated searches of the area where Hering was last seen, including several searches by dogs, didn’t turn up any evidence that was deemed suspicious.

It then was discovered that Hering had access to $2,000 cash, rather than being broke as authorities were first told, and had discussed "disappearing" in the past.

Confronted by detectives, Powers admitted he had assisted Hering with staging his disappearance. The motive was Hering’s reluctance to return to duty in Iraq, officials said.

Hering currently is classified as "unauthorized absent" by the Marine Corps because he left prior to the official approval of his leave request.

If he fails to return by Monday, he faces federal charges of a more serious nature.

Sheriff Joe Pelle and Division Chief Dennis Hopper met with Hering’s parents last night to inform them of the developments and the Hering’s remain concerned for their son’s welfare.

Anyone with information about Hering’s whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 303-441-4444.