Forrest Fenn has FINALLY revealed photos of the treasure chest.
Yep...who doesn't hide millions of dollars and forget that they had a photo in an old laptop!
Only Forrest Fenn.
Such a shame that he has to go through such extremes to attempt to prove something that is only is his imagination. Fenn's reveal only proves one thing, the treasure does not exist.
Heck even I was beginning to think the damn chest was real. So glad I could get that useless thought out of my head.
Y'all do not have to be a rocket scientist to see that for yourselves.
I must say that whoever concocted this scheme to save face failed miserably and I suggest they be removed from the FF payroll. I also suggest that whomever has the original metadata from this photo should share that IMPORTANT information. I guarantee that this photo is much older than one might be intelligent enough to believe, especially since the treasure DOES NOT EXIST. Geez, people...how gullible are y'all?
On January 5th, 2016 my former husband, Randy Bilyeu, the father of my daughters and grandfather of my granddaughters went missing in search of Forrest Fenn's treasure chest.
We assumed Randy would be found quickly, little did we know that six months to the day in which the search began, would pass before someone would discover his remains.
What occurred during the six months was similar to living in a movie. I tried at times to turn the movie off or switch channels, but suffice to say, that was impossible. A man was left behind and there was no way in hell I was stopping the search until the family had closure.
This letter is directed to the man who supposedly "hid" the treasure. The man who while in contact with the family in the beginning of the search only wished for one thing...for me to disappear, too. Yet, what he didn't know is that I don't go away that easily. I have a fire inside of me that needs to right a wrong. No matter the circumstance.
What I have to say comes from months of crap that I had to deal with while being search manager for Randy. Not only was I coordinating searches, but I also had to deal with the other side of the spectrum...the treasure hunter community. I only state facts. I do not have time for bullshit. If you do not believe what I am saying, that is your problem, not mine. My sources will never be named.
Randy Bilyeu and Leo
To Forrest Fenn,
Surely you remember me. Linda Bilyeu, the search manager for Randy Bilyeu. The communications liaison. The one who devoted six months of her time to bring Randy home. I know how you wished many times that I would vanish too, but alas, I am not going away anytime soon. I have a chip on my shoulder and it goes by the initial of "f."
I quote you, "How can Forrest Fenn, who hid the treasure, and spent $9,000 on helicopters looking for Randy, not get publicity. She should have seen me as the main player in the search."
Really, Forrest? Really. First of all, you were never the main player. Ever. I didn't steal your thunder. What I did was take over when you broke your promise that you would never give up. You continually turned your email correspondence into making it, "all about you." Randy missing was never about you. Ever. Yes, he went missing because your "clues" manipulated his mind into believing the treasure was in a certain location. You know the clues that you continue to play games with for the past 6 years, the same way you play with people's minds.
I had asked you at one time to please tell me where you "hid" the treasure so that we could find Randy, because realistically he would not have taken a raft down the Rio Grande in the winter unless he knew for certain the treasure was there. Your response to me was, "If I tell you I will have to shoot you." Really? That is utter nonsense and your statement has been overused to the point of boredom.
You have repeatedly said, "I am the ONLY person who knows where the treasure is hidden." I beg to differ. Since your wife also knows. While standing in your kitchen, your wife specifically told a treasure hunter that she was searching the wrong direction. Hmmm. Obviously someone else does know where you "hid" the treasure.
You said, "Why do you want to find Randy? Just let him be. He died doing what he loved to do. You will never find him. Maybe in 100 years his bones will be found!" This was said BY YOU two weeks after Randy went missing. It was at that time that I knew you were a person who lacked emotions. A hoax just like your treasure chest. A man who lacked empathy. Realistically as you stated, "you created a monster." And you have. You received death threats from frustrated hunters. The fenners even dug up your mother's and brother's grave yet you still will not man up and accept defeat.
Yet, you continue to flourish in the spotlight. Is attention really that important to you? Obviously.
You took the cancer card you were dealt and instead of using it for the good of mankind you created a treasure hunt. That irritates me. You see, I was also dealt the cancer card but instead of using my card to manipulate minds, I used it to inspire the minds of others. I used my card to build a community of cancer victims and their families to rally around each other and hold each other up when they were most vulnerable. To educate others on prostate and colon cancer. You, sir are a disgrace to the world of cancer fighters. They are the heroes, not you. All this so that you could have the attention that you so crave.
The treasure is your legacy. Surely even you are smart enough to realize that a legacy LIVES ON. If the chest is found then your game is over. You would never, ever allow that chest to be found. Ever. You would be ruined! Your legacy would be lawsuits trickling in from everyone that you conned. You want people to search for this chest for YEARS to come. Fifty years from now you want people to be talking about the mastermind Forrest Fenn who hid the treasure in the Rockies...but what you never realized is that someone like me would enter your life and stir things up for you.
You promised my daughters that you would never give up searching for their father, yet you quickly did. You gave up. But, that was OK, we didn't need you. I was blessed with a community of searchers that became part of our family. They have been loyal, trustworthy and caring. Unlike your community of treasure hunters who are mostly disrespectful to each other. Claiming they found the treasure in order to trick the others into giving up the hunt. Really?
The difference between our communities is greed! Once again, you had the power to create a clan to do something positive for mankind, but instead you create of world of deceit, distrust and dislike. This is the world that I entered six months ago and I could not wait to get the hell out of it. All is fine until one person decides to speak their mind and share their opinion and BOOM all hell breaks loose. Calm down people! Save yourselves and play Pokemon Go, it's safer (kind of) but at least you could actually believe that it is real!
I have YET to see a photo of you with the treasure chest. Didn't you ever consider it a wise move to just maybe take a photo of yourself holding the chest before you "hid" it? Didn't you consider that by doing so your ploy to rally the troops to begin searching would have panned out a bit better? Instead you share a manufactured, prehistoric photo and claim it as your own. Really?
I often wonder how you sleep at night? Do you have a conscious? Do you care that treasure hunters risk their lives to search for your hoax? Do you care that my daughters and granddaughters lost their father and grandfather? Do you care that treasure hunters have lost lives, lost their jobs, gone bankrupt, families have become estranged, divorces have occurred, suicides have been attempted and some have succeeded. All for what? For self-glorification.
For your information hiring a private detective to befriend me and stalk me did not in any way scare me off. Actually while I do give him credit for trying, he failed miserably. I saw right through his facade from day one. Yet, he was persistent, as am I.
I'm not angry. I'm not bitter. I'm simply a woman on a mission to alter your legacy before someone else gets killed. Your own granddaughter and daughter were recently a target! The madman thought your granddaughter was the treasure!! If that didn't stop you from protecting the lives of others, nothing will.
You see, you and I have similar characteristics that my radar picked up on during the past six months. While our characteristics might be similar they are so different. The other side of the spectrum different. I sleep well at night knowing that while evil does exist in this world, there are people like me who have the power and the voice to extinguish the evil and make this world a safer and better place for mankind. That is Sunshine's Legacy, one that will live on.
Randy didn't perish in vain. His memory will forever live on with all those that loved him. He brought so much joy into the lives of others. Sure, he might have made a bad choice on January 5th, but that was his choice and no one has the right to judge him for that. But his life won't be defined by his unfortunate death. His life will be defined by his generosity and kindness. His legacy is his family, his true treasure, where X marked the spot.
It's never too late to make a difference for the better. It's never too late to do the right thing. Man up!
Response to a question I am frequently asked...
If by some chance a treasure chest does mysteriously appear, I will gladly apologize.
I have no problem admitting when I am wrong.
I want to apologize! I want to be proven wrong! I want to know that Randy was actually searching for a treasure and not a hoax.
So, f, allow me to apologize. Do the right damn thing.
I am the better person. I was before I entered this chaotic chase, I was during the search and I will be "ultimately to my own death." (Do those words look familiar f. Yes, someone said those words to YOU and YOU did nothing to prevent the death!)
In addition...
UPDATE: Per feedback I have been notified of. I wish the best for f's family, they have my sympathy. I am not angry. I do not allow anyone to control my emotions, I simply express my opinion. It's been one week since Randy was officially declared deceased. You would think that Mr. Fenn would offer his condolences to the family via email? He has the contact information for all family members. It's common decency to extend sympathy, even more so when it was his monster that created such havoc upon my daughters and granddaughters lives.
Feedback: I never believed the Fenn line “don’t hunt in the winter” because it was said after the fact, and Fenn was trying to save his butt. Randy was indeed, brave and in the cold just like the poem says. (“Your effort will be worth the cold if you are brave….”) Ken
I only state the facts. Facts that I have accumulated over the past 7 months. Facts continue to find me. I am like a magnet for them. Let the fact fiesta begin...
I'll begin with this fact...the thrill of the chase began 6 years ago. Yes, it's been 6 years and no one has found the chest yet. Supposedly people have come within 200 feet. Oh, please.
It's hidden in one of 4 states! The chances are slim to none that the loot will ever be found in one of those 4 states in our lifetime. Why not just be considerate and pick only one state? No can do. He prefers to have people search the entire span of the Rocky Mountains. Why not add another chest to the Smoky Mountains while you are at it. Heck, let's just add a chest to every mountain range in the nation, since chances are good that no one will ever find the treasure, but there will be fewer couch potatoes. In a YouTube video, with a sly smirk, Fenn said, "Wouldn't it be nice that in 1,000 years the chest will be found and donated." Are you effing kidding me dude? This is one sadistic game you are playing.
While Fenn has never said how much the treasure is actually worth, he has only allowed others to speculate. Let's see, one million, two million or is it worth three million dollars. Who the heck knows. Nonetheless it's all speculation. For all we know the treasure is a message in a bottle with a note saying, "You've done well grasshopper!" Nah, that's too clever. Betcha he wish he thought of that idea.
The treasure is 8.25 miles north of Santa Fe. Sounds like a good clue, but when I revealed solid proof that Randy Bilyeu, the treasure hunter who died while searching near Bandelier was actually searching 8.25 miles of Santa Fe, I was called a crazy woman.
Newsflash: I am a crazy woman, but I am right. Randy wasn't no fool, he knew exactly what he was doing, but he died doing what Fenn's clues led him to believe.
The treasure is not in a graveyard. That clue was announced after the graves of Fenn's mother and brother were dug up. Who allows their loved ones graves to be disturbed, that is very disturbing to me. Not to mention the Native American territories that were damaged due to the chase. I believe if a chest exists it is on Pueblo property and they will claim the treasure as their own and they have every right to do so. Why? Because Mr. Fenn took enough from them. Just ask Google. Google wouldn't deceive you, I mean, it is the Internet and as we all know...everything we read on the Internet is the truth.
Forrest Fenn being compared to Indiana Jones. Stop it! Just stop it! Simply stop! There is absolutely no comparison. At all! Just the mere thought of that is absurd.
Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) is a brilliant character/actor and there is absolutely no need to tarnish his reputation by being compared to f.
OK, I will give props that they both love the camera and their words flawlessly flow on cue. But, Indiana Jones is a fictional hero to many. It's an insult to his character to be compared to Fenn.
Does anyone wonder how many people are profiting from the treasure hunt? There are forums, websites, t-shirts, books, maps...all for profit! The point of the treasure hunt is to get people off the couch, I, for one, do not need motivation to get off the couch, I just get the heck up and go. Regardless, why are so many people profiting? Which means once the chest is found, their profits are null and void. So, this tells me the chest will never, ever be found! Ever. Which tells me the chest is non-existent. Which tells me that when the Today Show promoted the "extra clues" they were promoting a scam and therefor are partly responsible for endangering the lives of others. Along with Forrest Fenn.
Fenn claims he never said the treasure was buried, yet he never said it wasn't. WTF? If that isn't manipulation of the mind...what is? Who wakes up in the morning and thinks, "How will I mess with people's minds today?" Only heinous people do. Only people who are so self-absorbed and do not care about the well-being of others.
Is the chest hidden? Is it buried? Is it wet? Who the heck knows. Don't go where an 80 year old man couldn't go? Gimme a break. I know a few 80 year old men who could hike for hours and not get winded. What we do know is that when one tells so many lies they begin to confuse themselves. They get caught up in the web of deceit and eventually the truth begins to unfold. Not even the best of the best liars could keep up with the fables they tell. Patience is important at this point. Damn it, I wish I had some of that patience.
During January of 2016, Fenn repeatedly told the media that he said to wait until spring and not search in the cold weather.
This "clue" was revealed after Randy went missing. Actually his own poem states...
"Your effort will be worth the cold."
Again, WTF? Cold is cold!
The person who finds the treasure will have studied the poem over and over and over. For real? Who the heck has time to waste on something so trivial when there is no actual proof the treasure even exists? I certainly don't.
In a nutshell...a life was lost due to the search for Forrest Fenn's hidden or buried treasure chest. That is either wet or maybe not. That is most likely in New Mexico, since Fenn does happen to help boost the state's economy which coincidentally happens to be one of the poorest states in the nation. The chest is located above 5,000 ft and below 10,200 ft. Great clue! Not.
Sunshine's Fact: Conversations with my 3 year old granddaughter make more sense than this entire Thrill of the Chase fiasco.
As you celebrate your 86th birthday on aug 22nd remember that Randy will never have another birthday to share with his daughters and granddaughters. My sympathies to your family, friends and the Fenners for being subjected to the absurdity that you brought into their lives. You never took the time to personally extend your sympathy to Randy's family and that is fine with us, because you said enough to the media with your twisted, sadistic words that many of us picked up on.
Oh, flirting with women, the younger the better to soothe your ego, just stop that. It's creepy and I am so over hearing the stories. So, stop. Have respect for your wife, Peg.
Fact: I found the treasure a long time ago and never had to participate in your game. A kind and giving heart is all one needs to have successfully accomplished the thrill of the chase and what a thrill it is. Randy had a kind and giving heart, too kind for his own good.
To read about the treasure hunter who lost his life click here... RIP, Randy Bilyeu
Yo Dal ... Copying and pasting portions of this blog or any of my articles is considered plagiarism. Feel free to share the link on your fake site that you moderate. The site that just shares one side of the Thrill of the Chase, the side that is all sunshine and roses, well as any intelligent person knows, there are two sides to every story.
Feel free to share your facts below. No comments will be deleted unlike the fake Fenn sites where only glowing comments are permitted to be read by visitors to the forums.
