Unsolved case of survivalist who mysteriously went missing while travelling in ‘Valley of Death’

It's been eight years since survivalist Justin Alexander Shetler disappeared in India's 'Valley of Death' without a trace, but his family's hopes of finding him still haven't wavered.

The travel blogger headed into the Parvati Valley in the north of the country in August 2016 armed with only a woollen wrap and a walking stick which he had fashioned into a sort of flute - and has not been seen since.

He told the final people who ever spoke to him that he was heading on a 'spiritual journey' through the infamous spot in the Himalayas which has earned itself an extremely sinister nickname.

Justin Alexander Shetler disappeared while travelling India in 2016. (Facebook/Adventures of Justin)

But the then-35-year-old Justin never emerged from Parvati Valley and has since become one of the dozens of lost souls who have never returned from an expedition there.

Now, eight years on and with most leads exhausted, the chilling cold case is gaining renewed popularity thanks to it being the subject of the Tenderfoot TV podcast that is titled Status: Untraced.

Valley of Death

Host Liam Luxon has made it his mission to try and uncover what happened to the avid explorer from Oregon, who had been enjoying trips into the wilderness since his teen years and was more than equipped for surviving outdoors.

He began by piecing together information from Justin's blog posts on his page titled 'Adventures of Justin', which came to an abrupt stop shortly after he announced to fans that a Sadhu had 'invited him on a pilgrimage high in the Himalayas'.

According to reports, people flock to Parvati Valley each year for spiritual experiences as it is believed to be a spot where Hindu gods meditated for 3,000 years.

Although it may be beautiful, it has a fearsome reputation and has been dubbed the 'Valley of Death' due to the staggering amount of tourists who have disappeared there, never to be seen again - including Justin.

The survivalist's final blog post chillingly read: "I should return mid September or so. If I’m not back by then, don’t look for me," alongside a wink face.

The survivalist had been living in a cave before he vanished. (Facebook/Adventures of Justin)

'Nothing adds up'

Speaking of the case to Fox News Digital, Luxon said: "The story itself is just so intriguing and bizarre.

"Justin is a survival expert, so if somebody was living off the grid, it would be him. He has all the training for it.

"He knows how to speak bird language, which is crazy. He lived in a cave. He can start a fire from anywhere."

According to the amateur sleuth, Justin had been staying in a cave which was just outside an encampment during his journey and had been in touch with some explorers in the area too.

Luxon continued: "In the last month that we know where he was, he was living in a cave...which is in a camp in the Himalayas. It’s gorgeous. It looks like this medieval, military town.

"He was staying just outside this camp, but it was four hours from the nearest road. You have no choice but to hike there."

But if anyone was built to survive in a region like Parvati Valley, Justin's loved ones say it would have been him.

Luxon explained: "Other people had passed him on the trail. They said he was heading down and there was only one path going up and down. I’ve made the trek now, and it certainly seemed like he would’ve made it back to the camp.

"And again, this guy is a survival expert. It wasn’t like he was deep in the desert with no water and nothing around him for days. He should have made this trek. Nothing added up."

Podcast host Liam Luxon hopes he can unearth new information on the case.(Facebook/Adventures of Justin)

Family efforts

Justin's family are still desperate for answers about what happened to him and still post updates on his former Facebook account to keep his name alive.

His mother wrote a poignant tribute to her missing son on his 36th birthday in 2017, a year after he first vanished.

She described him as a 'remarkable man' and a 'fierce lover of life' in the sweet post.

It continued: "He was a passionate man who celebrated the diversity and uniqueness of others.

"He was a tender-hearted guy from the very beginning and always cared deeply about others, especially homeless, abused and victimized children. He sought to make the world a better place, and I want to honour his efforts."

Various theories have been put forward about what may have happened to Justin, including that he was targeted by the local mafia, may secretly be living off grid or could have been murdered.

Luxon hopes that his podcast will help unearth some new evidence to crack the unsolved case.

"I think one of the weirdest things about this entire thing has been grieving for somebody I’ve never met," he added.

"But I do feel like I know him now. I spent hundreds of hours talking to loved ones...Justin also changed my life."