That he was so lightly attired when they found his body brings to mind the tragic fate of James Kim (the 2006 saga in which he and his family were stranded with their vehicle in the southern Oregon mountains). James Kim was found dead having shed much of his attire - apparently a common action in the final stages of hypothermia.

The Rainier NP killer may also have been lightly attired because before he killed the park ranger he was in the process of eluding police after shooting four people at a New Year's Party near Puget Sound. Overnighting on the volcano probably was not his original plan when he left home. But he did have his arsenal in the car (apparently it was gun show and tell at the party).

Little to nothing is publicly known at this point about what kind of person the killer in Mt. Rainier NP was before he joined the Army. It is premature to conclude that his murdering impulses were due to PTSD. The seeds of his path of destruction may have been planted well before his relatively brief military service. Maybe military service was fuel on the fire, we just can't know at this point - and may never know.

I haven't seen that he was in combat situations when he was in the service - I did read that he was in "communications." But the facts are still just trickling out so we don't know what we don't know. Maybe we'll know more this afternoon and next week and next month.

99.99999% of military veterans don't murder people when they get out of the service.

Very tragic for the 34-year old park ranger he murdered and her loved ones. Harrowing for the other people on the mountain - visitors and staff.

Thank goodness he didn't run across some unknowing hikers or backpackers who he may well have slaughtered for their gear. (poor cell phone service so people recreating on the mountain at the time were oblivious to the presence of a killer fugitive)

There's a contingency I don't plan for on wilderness hikes -- running into a fugitive murderer. Could you get to the bear spray in time....