MEEKER | Ron Hilkey, a former Rio Blanco County Sheriff, among other occupations, has released his first book, “Two Gone Guys.” The 200-page large-print true crime narrative is Hilkey’s first published work. It details his personal investigation of the disappearances of Herman “Hermie” Park and Lester Burns, who went missing from the Meeker area in 1930 and 1931 respectively.
Both young men disappeared after barn dances. Hermie Park, 25, worked at the Lewis Ranch at the time of his disappearance. He went missing on June 7, 1930, following a barn dance at the C Quarter Circle Lazy S barn, also known as the “big white barn.” The barn sits about 30 miles east of Meeker along County Road 8.
Lester Burns worked primarily at the Rio Blanco Ranch. He went missing on Aug. 2, 1931, at the age of 40. While on a way to a dance at the big white barn, Burns’ car got stuck in the mud. He walked to the K-T camp and stayed the night. In the morning, he went to get his car but was never seen again.
Hilkey’s curiosity into the disappearances stemmed from his many years working and living upriver, along with decades of experience in law enforcement. Born in 1939, Hilkey grew up in Buford, Colorado. His family worked on various ranches in the area. He worked at Rio Blanco Ranch from 1957 to 1961. He served in the U.S. Army for two years and returned to the ranch in 1963. He was appointed as Undersheriff of Rio Blanco County from 1969 to 1973. From then until 1978, Hilkey ran a saddle shop called, “Ron Hilkey’s Canvas and Leather,” while also working part time for the Meeker Police Department. He was elected into the role of Sheriff of Rio Blanco County in 1979 and continued until 1994. From 1994 to 2010, he operated Adams Lodge, east of Meeker, as an outfitter and guide. In 2006, Ron and his wife Dona sold Adams Lodge and moved closer to town, where he has continued to reside for the past 19 years.
Hilkey’s experience in law enforcement influenced many of the ways he approached the cases of Park and Burns. He spotlights the facts when discussing the investigations. His local connection to the case has influenced a lot of his writing process as well.
Initially, Hilkey wrote “Two Gone Guys” with the local community of Meeker in mind. As the project developed, however, he realized that a part of the book’s success would hinge on the audience it garnered.
“You need to know what the duty of public elected officers and even appointed officers’ officials, what their responsibility is, and do they do it?” He said when asked about his message to any reader, local or not.
In the book, Hilkey’s research yields a major source of mystery in the cases of Park and Burns.
Hilkey called the research “tedious” and “constant,” noting that he never really finished researching while working on the case. He relied mostly on newspaper archives from the Meeker Herald, digital records through Ancestry and Find A Grave, census records, and word of mouth from locals he interviewed. At times, Hilkey found himself presented with conflicting information. At these points, he found that he went with his gut feeling and trusted the reputation of the source. He was unable to locate official records from the investigations, as county officials had disposed of them some years earlier during the multi-year renovations at the county courthouse.
When asked about the most frustrating part of the research process, Hilkey said that often he’d formulate a question and then struggle to find the answer through research. These unanswerable questions became a crux in Hilkey’s understanding of why the mystery exists in the first place.
At times, Hilkey felt uneasy about the potential controversy surrounding the book, but many have given feedback to Hilkey, saying they were “glad [he] tackled this.” While writing, Hilkey did his best to rely on logic, facts, and his own perspective without being inflammatory to others involved.
The book writing process isn’t an amalgamation of facts that make a story; rather, it is the way an author pieces together these facts and helps the story become more cohesive. When writing about real events such as Hilkey has, careful attention must be paid to the approach because it affects real people involved. “I don’t see any reason to really heap the blame on people that are gone,” he said.
Regarding upcoming projects, Hilkey said, “I’ve got a bunch of short stories, adventures, that happened to me […] mostly as a law enforcement officer […] that I could tell about, and I don’t know, I don’t think they would make into a book.”
“Two Gone Guys” is available for order on Amazon as a large-print paperback or as an e-book. Copies will also be available for purchase at the Rio Blanco Herald Times, and the White River Museum. At least one book signing is planned, during the annual meeting of the Rio Blanco County Historical Society in January. Stay tuned for information on other signings, events, and locations for purchase.
By OPAL MUNGER
Editor’s Note: “Two Gone Guys” has been in the works for at least two years. Former HT intern Opal Munger helped Hilkey extensively with research before heading off to Colorado College last fall.
Ron Hilkey holds the “proof copy” of his first published book, a true crime narrative that details the disappearance of two men back in the early 1930s from the upriver area. NIKI TURNER PHOTO
I am definitely purchasing this book. Thanks Ron.