Lost in the Valley of Death: Book Review

1/28/2022

Spoilers Ahead

Lost in the Valley of Death Book Review

Justin Alexander Shetler was likely killed by Sat Naran Giri Naga Baba who was a strange guru whom Justin Alexander hooked up with and went to spend 10 days in a cave. Unfortunately his mother’s (Susanne Reeb) efforts to find her son resulted in the arrest of the Baba. A Baba is a teacher. I did not know anything about this until I read the book by Harley Rustad. I got it as an audiobook and I found myself unable to stop listening to the fascinating story. The Baba then was reported to have hung himself, but was this really true? Someone killed him or did he kill himself? How could the police in India fail so miserably? Justin Alexander Shetler has no Wikipedia Article and its hard to find information about him. What remains are his original website, Facebook, and Instagram, but his Twitter has been deleted. I did not know anything about traveling in India. I only knew it was dangerous. I had heard of a friend of friend whom I never met, had been in a car accident and never recovered being crippled for life. I recall Robin on the Howard Stern Show talking about going to India and how much she hated it. Howard said, I warned you not to go. Why anyone would think it would be better to go for enlightenment is really bizarre. If enlightenment is real it could be better sought from the comfort and security of one’s home. Furthermore its entirely possible Sat Naran Giri Naga Baba did not kill him. What motivation would he have? Justin Alexander Shetler had no money with him and nothing of value. Foreign Travel is dangerous and I don’t feel up for it. Had this happened it the US there would have likely been at least a resolution to the missing person’s case. The whole book is a cautionary tale. I don’t understand why he did not get a Wikipedia Article. Maybe it was not to glamourize Justin Alexander’s foolish trek and therefore discourage other fame seekers from being influenced? But if anything this story should dissuade and discourage such behaviors and therefore this story needs to be heard and understood. Five Stars Wonderful Read!

I looked at his social media posts and reading a few other bloggers on the subject. His last Instagram posts says he is setting off on the trip to the cave. The second to last post shows a cute puppy whom he abandoned to go on this Trek. He is a self centered man who shows puppies to make use of the “feel good” they give his audience. But, when the clips are down he fails to care for that puppy. He was a poser and a loser. The book gives a lot of background details. Justine had an back injury and ill health and yet he was off to live in cave. Even though the Baba had self castrated, this did not raise a red flag with Justin Alexander. This man may be not unreliable or even worse dangerous. I recall some super villain’s line “I cut off my own finger, image what I could do to you?”