Joshua Maddux went out for a walk — and never returned.

Years later, his remains were discovered trapped inside a chimney, and the circumstances of his death remain unexplained.

A frantic search
Joshua Maddux was an 18-year-old with a free spirit and a love for the outdoors.

A bright student with a flair for writing and music, he lived in Woodland Park, Colorado, with his father and two sisters. Life had already thrown him unimaginable hardships — the painful divorce of his parents and the devastating loss of his brother to suicide in 2006 — but Joshua’s resilience shone through, keeping his optimism and adventurous nature alive.

On May 8, 2008, Joshua left his home for what seemed like a simple walk. The nature-loving teen with the long blond hair often wandered alone through the nearby Pike National Forest.

He even told his sister Kate he was heading out — but he never came home.