Isaac Reinwand: I had nothing to do with DeOrr’s disappearance

IDAHO FALLS — Isaac Reinwand, the friend camping with DeOrr Kunz Jr. and his family the day the then two-year-old boy disappeared is speaking out for the first time.

Reinwand has been called a “person of interest” in the case and hasn’t spoken publicly about what happened the day DeOrr vanished during a camping trip in Leadore.

Reinwand agreed to an interview the day Lemhi County Sheriff Lynn Bowerman announced DeOrr’s parents, Jessica Mitchell and DeOrr Kunz Sr., are now considered suspects in the case.

He sat down with EastIdahoNews.com reporter Nate Eaton and producer Stephan Rockefeller for this exclusive interview.

Watch the entire unedited conversation in the video player above.

NATE EATON, EastIdahoNews.com Reporter: What have the last six-seven months been like for you?

ISAAC REINWAND: Really boring. Kind of quiet. Not a whole lot to do in Idaho Falls.

EATON: What have your thoughts been over the past today and yesterday when the sheriff released the new information?

REINWAND: At first, I was kind of sketchy about talking to anybody, but then the way social media has been I thought if I talk to the police and everything maybe everything will cool down a little bit (and) maybe they’ll get closer to solving this case.

EATON: Were you surprised the parents were named as suspects?

REINWAND: Yeah actually I kind of was a little bit.

EATON: Why is that?

REINWAND: Because of all the theories and everything that’s been going around it doesn’t feel like or seem like anybody knows what going on.

EATON: A lot of people thought that you were involved.

REINWAND: Yeah that I am aware of.

EATON: What would you say to those people that think you somehow had something to do with his disappearance?

REINWAND: A lot of people they don’t know me. The unknown is scary so what they don’t know, people are afraid of. I would just say because a person looks someway you shouldn’t judge them just because of how they look.

EATON: What do you remember what happened up there?

REINWAND: I don’t want to comment on that.

EATON: Do you remember the last time you saw little DeOrr?

REINWAND: No comment.

EATON: But he was up there?

REINWAND: Yes, he was.

EATON: He was up there, you saw him, you know he was there.

REINWAND: Yes.

EATON: After he went missing what was it like up there? I’m sure all the search and rescue crews showed up to look for him and then the volunteers showed up. Did you think he’d be found quickly and you’d be able to head on home?

REINWAND: That’s what I figured, that he’d be found.

EATON: When he wasn’t and days turned into weeks, into months what went through your mind?

REINWAND: I thought maybe he was abducted . I didn’t really know what to think.

EATON: But you had nothing to do with it?

REINWAND: Exactly.

EATON: Do you know anything about Robert Walton, the grandfather?

REINWAND: All I can say about Robert Walton is he’s always been a good friend to me. We’ve gone fishing on many occasions and camping.

EATON: You guys met before all this took place?

REINWAND: That’s correct.

EATON: Are you still friends today?

REINWAND: I haven’t heard from Walton all winter long.

EATON: Have you heard how his health is doing?

REINWAND: I heard he’s on oxygen.

EATON: How has this experience changed your life? Has it?

REINWAND: A little. I try to be a little more skeptical about what’s going on around me in the public. =People can change in the blink of an eye and you don’t even realize before it’s too late.

EATON: Did you lose any friends over this?

REINWAND: I’m sure I have, but right at this point I’m not sure who. That’s something I’m gonna have to figure out down the road.

EATON: Do you have any idea where Deorr could be?

REINWAND: I do not.

EATON: I guess you’re hoping he’s found?

REINWAND: Yes I am.

EATON: A lot of people have these theories that you had something to do with it, that you’re the man behind this.

REINWAND: I generally try to be nice to everybody. Try to be a good guy and help people out as much as I possibly can. If somebody’s in a bind and they need a place to stay for a day or for a couple of days I try helping people out with that too. I fix bicycles on the side and I give them away. I generally try to be a good person to everybody.

EATON: We’re hearing from you for the first time. Is there a reason you wanted to be quiet?

REINWAND:It was mostly just because of how the social media was reacting and my attorney said it might be better not to say anything until they know exactly what’s going on with the case.

EATON: Any idea where it goes from here?

REINWAND: I’m gathering they will be able to solve this case within the next week or the next month and we can all put this behind us and move on.

EATON: Are Jessica (Mitchell) and DeOrr (Kunz Sr.) your friends? Did you know them before all this?

REINWAND: No I did not.

EATON: So you really only spent a couple of hours with them once you got up there?

REINWAND: More like a couple of days.

STEPHAN ROCKEFELLER, EastIdahoNews.com Producer: Where were you when you first heard someone was missing? What were you doing and what was going through your mind?

EATON: Were you fishing? Were you downstream when you heard?

REINWAND: I’m not supposed to disclose any information. I’ve been asked not to.

EATON: I guess that will all come out in court?

REINWAND:Exactly.

EATON: How has it been knowing in your mind what you know, what police have told you, and not being able to tell anyone. Have you kind of been saying why is everyone picking on me?

REINWAND: I felt that way, and I thought it’s just because the way the media sees it and everything it looks like I haven’t been cooperating with the police and they don’t know what’s going on.

EATON: But that’s not true, you’re saying?

REINWAND: Right.

EATON: If Deorr and Jessica were arrested today, what would you say?

REINWAND: I’d say I’d really be surprised because I wouldn’t think somebody like those two would do something like that.

EATON: So all along you thought they didn’t really have anything to do with it either?

REINWAND: Right. I thought maybe he got abducted or a wolf or somebody might have drug him off. That’s what my opinion is.

ROCKEFELLER Did they ask you to have a story? Like did DeOrr and Jessica coach you?

REINWAND: No they did not.

EATON: So they just came back and said he’s missing, search and rescue shows up and you’re doing your thing?

REINWAND: No response.

EATON: Did we miss anything? Anything you want to say?

REINWAND: No there’s nothing else that I would like to say. I’m good.