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Jason Chase mystery death at Ruahine Ranges in New Zealand solved

How a conversation between two doctors helped solve the cold case mystery of a fit and healthy shearer, 25, who was mysteriously found dead in a forestPathologist claims to have solved mystery death of Jason Chase, 25, in 2003Mr Chase’s body was found at Ruahine Ranges, New Zealand, after search effort Cause of death had baffled authorities for years with no indication of foul playCynric Temple-Camp said he finally cracked case after talk with a colleague By Aidan Wondracz For Daily Mail Australia Published: 20:53 EDT, 11 July 2020 | Updated: 20:54 EDT, 11 July 2020 A fit and healthy shearer died from tree nettle poisoning after he went missing in wild and rugged ranges nearly 20 years ago, according to a forensic pathologist. Jason Chase, 25, was found dead following an intense search and rescue effort at the Ruahine Ranges, in New Zealand, on January 3, 2003.His death baffled authorities for nearly two decades as there was no evidence of foul play, serious injury or malnourishment, and the cause was eventually determined to be of ‘obscure natural causes’. Pathologist Cynric Temple-Camp revealed in his new book ‘The Quick and the Dead’ it would be another 15 years before he was able to finally put to bed the mystery.  Jason Chase, 25, was found dead following an intense search and rescue effort at the Ruahine Ranges, in New Zealand, on January 3, 2003 Pathologist Cynric Temple-Camp revealed in his new book ‘The Quick and the Dead’ it would be another 15 years before he was able to finally put to bed the nagging mystery’I had never been at peace with Jason for years. His death had never made any sense to me. Now I could put it away, my job done.’Mr Temple-Camp visited retired surgical colleague John Coutts, who recalled a similar case from 1961.’It was over Dannevirke way in the Ruahines, pretty much where your chap [Jason] was found,’ he told Mr Temple-Camp.’Two young men, 18 and 21 years old, went up there shooting. It was the same time of year too — Boxing Day, in fact, and pretty warm so they were lightly clad. They left coming down until quite late and it was early evening when they did. ‘They couldn’t see quite clearly where they were going as it was getting dark and they pushed through quite dense bush. They ran into a bank of tree nettles. Do you know what they are?’ Mr Coutts noted the tree nettles were known as Urtica ferox and were native plants in the area.’They grow to two metres and their leaves are covered with rigid stinging hairs, each about six millimetres long.’Mr Coutts explained the nettles are extremely toxic and have the potential to cause blindness, breathing problems, paralysis, gut aches and eventual death.In the case of the two young men, one of them died after suffering severe stomach pain and blindness while the other one managed to recover. Mr Temple-Camp recalled Mr Chase had two shallow ulcers in his stomach – which he had put down to significant stress.The pathologist followed up with a local farmer, who explained it was good practice for hunters to wear leggings in the Ruahine Ranges area in case they came across the poisonous plant. Mr Chase’s death baffled authorities for nearly two decades as there was no evidence of foul play, serious injury or malnourishment, and the cause was eventually determined to be of ‘obscure natural causes’ (pictured, Ruahine Ranges) Mr Temple-Camp believes Mr Chase had gone into the bush for some time out though had taken a wrong turn’That was a surprise,’ Mr Temple-Camp said in his book.’The nettle danger was therefore known, at least locally, even though the country at large seemed to have forgotten.’Mr Chase had been staying at Tairawhiti but had decided to visit his family at Dannevirke.His car was found abandoned at Tamaki Reserve, just outside of his hometown.There was no evidence of injury or fractures on his body, and his clothes were ‘tidy and not weather beaten’, which indicated he had not been lost.Mr Temple-Camp believes Mr Chase had gone into the bush for some time out though had taken a wrong turn.’We found Jason in Nettle Gully. It’s a hard way down and ringed by nettles and bloody difficult to get through. ‘I reckoned he was coming back down home and chose the wrong gully. He meant to come down the one a bit further on but made a mistake.’ 
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