Found Deceased CA - Blaze Bernstein, 19, Lake Forest, 2 Jan 2018 #1

[DAnthrplgst]

If you go to the Orange County Sheriff's Department Facebook page, to the posting of their pictures of their search today, you'll see the comment by a RW, who has very insightful information about BB and has reported it to authorities. The OCSD has been in touch with RW and commented that they are pursuing this lead.

IMO, no foul play here, folks.

Where are you getting "no foul play" from? There is now a very good possibility that he may have come to harm if what RW is saying is correct.

 

[Whiteorchids]

Maybe the friend himself does not identify as male? So the parents are unsure what to call him publicly?

Or he's their number one suspect and don't want him to run putting his name in the media so they can complete the investigation.

 

['Ailina]

Then it's very fortunate that he was constantly active on his cell phone just prior to leaving for the park. Whatever was communicated, to whomever it was communicated, there will be record of it. I'm guessing LE is privy to the contents of those messages by now, and if so, the silence is clearly strategic.

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[DAnthrplgst]

Question regarding Grindr: I read it's not uncommon for men to meet with no ID and be gone "for a few days??" Why/how is this common practice? I've been under the impression such encounters were by nature relatively brief.

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I have experience with these apps. I think the young man who said that is exaggerating. I've never been aware of ANYONE who has gone on a Grindr (or any other app/website)hook-up and been gone "for a few days." It simply doesn't happen in hook-up culture. Meeting without proper ID does happen but under most circumstances "proper ID" is not really an issue because you're meeting at someones residence or they are meeting at yours. And you are correct, hook-ups, by their nature, are very brief. They can occasionally last longer if you have a good connection with someone but that doesn't happen very commonly, esp with someone Blaze's age, they want to get in, do what they wanna do and get out again.

 

[UCLAEigenguy]

Since you mentioned the "other" Borrego Park, did I get my parks confused? Was he at this other park that backs up to the wilderness or was he at the Borrego Park I marked? I assumed it was that one since satellite imagery showed a pavilion with what I presumed was the bathroom the driver said he went into while Blaze walked into the park.

As for this other park. Is there a trail entrance at that point or do you need to cross through the ravine to access Borrego Trail?

You're correct. There is Borrego Park, and Borrego Canyon something or other Park. It is in a residential area and backs up to the wilderness. BB was dropped off at Borrego Park proper, by the library and the school. It also backs up to the wilderness but does not appear to be direct as there is easier access to the trail down the street a little. With this other Borrego Park, it looks like one would need to go through the ravine to get to the trail. It's unclear how wide it is or how high it is, but looks fairly easy.

 

['Ailina]

I have experience with these apps. I think the young man who said that is exaggerating. I've never been aware of ANYONE who has gone on a Grindr (or any other app/website)hook-up and been gone "for a few days." It simply doesn't happen in hook-up culture. Meeting without proper ID does happen but under most circumstances "proper ID" is not really an issue because you're meeting at someones residence or they are meeting at yours. And you are correct, hook-ups, by their nature, are very brief. They can occasionally last longer if you have a good connection with someone but that doesn't happen very commonly, esp with someone Blaze's age, they want to get in, do what they wanna do and get out again.

Thank you for offering your valuable input on that. Stumped me there...I was thinking, "Now THAT'S high-risk behavior. No ID + an expectation to be gone for x number of days?" That level of risk would rank right up there with...I don't know, adrenaline-junkie sports.

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[Whiteorchids]

If it was a hookup could it have been with the driver friend? Blaze had to text him his parents address. If he was a good friend wouldn't he know it already?

 

['Ailina]

If it was a hookup could it have been with the driver friend? Blaze had to text him his parents address. If he was a good friend wouldn't he know it already?

This crossed my mind, too. I don't think I'd ever give any hook-up my residential address, especially if I were still living with my parents.

That said, I have many, many people I consider very good friends who don't know where I live.

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[DAnthrplgst]

Just to toss some additional information out there about the potential that Blaze met up with someone from Grindr at Borrego Park. There are websites you can visit that catagorize and identify local cruising areas, they are user driven and will contain information about a location along with reviews from people who have been there or used that location as a public spot for a hook-up. I searched the three main websites that list these locations and not one website contains a listing for Borrego Park as either a cruising location or as a location used for a public meet-up/hook-up.

Several pages back I speculated that maybe this was a hook-up gone awry but knowing what I know now about Blaze, his background and personality, this doesn't come off as a hook-up gone wrong to me. I just don't see someone like Blaze meeting up with someone for a midnight tryst in a dark park, he doesn't fit the cultural profile.

 

[Elainera]

I'm actually surprised that it took us 200 posts to suspect the driver. Usually we're from the start all over the last person who saw the missing one.

 

['Ailina]

Just to toss some additional information out there about the potential that Blaze met up with someone from Grindr at Borrego Park. There are websites you can visit that catagorize and identify local cruising areas, they are user driven and will contain information about a location along with reviews from people who have been there or used that location as a public spot for a hook-up. I searched the three main websites that list these locations and not one website contains a listing for Borrego Park as either a cruising location or as a location used for a public meet-up/hook-up.

Several pages back I speculated that maybe this was a hook-up gone awry but knowing what I know now about Blaze, his background and personality, this doesn't come off as a hook-up gone wrong to me. I just don't see someone like Blaze meeting up with someone for a midnight tryst in a dark park, he doesn't fit the cultural profile.

Do you mean he doesn't fit the cultural profile for this particular park encounter, or for internet hook-ups? (Not rhetorical.)

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[UCLAEigenguy]

After all of the mis-reporting, and some of the other posts here, I am starting to agree that there may have never been a third friend, and no park.

I have a feeling that's related to why we still don't know who he was meeting. Police could be keeping it quiet, but perhaps they doubt the whole story.

That explains why he supposedly drove BB 5 mins to the park, b/c it didn't happen. He took him somewhere else.

It's easy to "drop BB at the park" knowing there are creepy people, a vast wilderness and some psychotic mountain lions in the area (mountain lions have repeatedly injured and stalked humans, including killing and partially eating one in this area. Multiple mountain lions. That is extremely unusual behavior for mountain lions, but I digress).

Then the bizarre staged text. I wonder where that ping was detected. I bet it wasn't from the park if I am correct.

Using the park as the drop off point creates a wild goose chase totally throwing off the investigation. So why waste all that manpower? Well, for 1, to be sure.... and 2) to play along hoping to get more leads.

 

[Elainera]

Just to toss some additional information out there about the potential that Blaze met up with someone from Grindr at Borrego Park. There are websites you can visit that catagorize and identify local cruising areas, they are user driven and will contain information about a location along with reviews from people who have been there or used that location as a public spot for a hook-up. I searched the three main websites that list these locations and not one website contains a listing for Borrego Park as either a cruising location or as a location used for a public meet-up/hook-up.

Several pages back I speculated that maybe this was a hook-up gone awry but knowing what I know now about Blaze, his background and personality, this doesn't come off as a hook-up gone wrong to me. I just don't see someone like Blaze meeting up with someone for a midnight tryst in a dark park, he doesn't fit the cultural profile.

Then what do you suspect happened?

 

[Whiteorchids]

Where are you getting "no foul play" from? There is now a very good possibility that he may have come to harm if what RW is saying is correct.

I just read the RW posts. Grindr sounds very dangerous it's like playing Russian roulette with your life you don't know who your meeting up with it could be a psycho serial killer.

You could also be meeting up with someone who hates gays. Now I'm worried about the charred body they found in LA. I'm sure people on Grindr are from all over. I think it was a few years a go a gal from OC met a guy from LA through a dating app. She was killed at his house in LA on 2nd date.

 

['Ailina]

I'm actually surprised that it took us 200 posts to suspect the driver. Usually we're from the start all over the last person who saw the missing one.

This crossed my mind, too, probably at the same time. For me, maybe I didn't perceive a threat by the idea of a friend/peer/kid taking him to meet a 3rd party. You see what the brain did there...my mind flowed right on past the victim, passed through the friend, and focused squarely on the threatening unknown.

But we never do that, do we. As you said, we almost always start at the last person who saw the missing one.

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[DAnthrplgst]

Do you mean he doesn't fit the cultural profile for this particular park encounter, or for internet hook-ups? (Not rhetorical.)

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He doesn't fit the profile for this particular park encounter.

 

[UCLAEigenguy]

I just read the RW posts. Grindr sounds very dangerous it's like playing Russian roulette with your life you don't know who your meeting up with it could be a psycho serial killer.

You could also be meeting up with someone who hates gays. Now I'm worried about the charred body they found in LA. I'm sure people on Grindr are from all over. I think it was a few years a go a gal from OC met a guy from LA through a dating app. She was killed at his house in LA on 2nd date.

There have been several murders because of apps like it. Craigslist is just as bad if not worse.

He doesn't fit the profile for this particular park encounter.

I agree.

 

[Elainera]

If you go to the Orange County Sheriff's Department Facebook page, to the posting of their pictures of their search today, you'll see the comment by a RW, who has very insightful information about BB and has reported it to authorities. The OCSD has been in touch with RW and commented that they are pursuing this lead.

IMO, no foul play here, folks.

Interesting. Would be great if OCSD are able to find out more through this lead.

 

[Whiteorchids]

After all of the mis-reporting, and some of the other posts here, I am starting to agree that there may have never been a third friend, and no park.

I have a feeling that's related to why we still don't know who he was meeting. Police could be keeping it quiet, but perhaps they doubt the whole story.

That explains why he supposedly drove BB 5 mins to the park, b/c it didn't happen. He took him somewhere else.

It's easy to "drop BB at the park" knowing there are creepy people, a vast wilderness and some psychotic mountain lions in the area (mountain lions have repeatedly injured and stalked humans, including killing and partially eating one in this area. Multiple mountain lions. That is extremely unusual behavior for mountain lions, but I digress).

Then the bizarre staged text. I wonder where that ping was detected. I bet it wasn't from the park if I am correct.

Using the park as the drop off point creates a wild goose chase totally throwing off the investigation. So why waste all that manpower? Well, for 1, to be sure.... and 2) to play along hoping to get more leads.

I agree with this. I posted about pings as well on the FB page. Family is keeping everything under wraps too. I'm sure the Bernstein family have been briefed on the status.

I'm not a betting person but if I had to at this point my gut feeling is his friend who picked him up got into it and it didn't end well perhaps jealousy or something domestic.

 

[DAnthrplgst]

I just read the RW posts. Grindr sounds very dangerous it's like playing Russian roulette with your life you don't know who your meeting up with it could be a psycho serial killer.

You could also be meeting up with someone who hates gays. Now I'm worried about the charred body they found in LA. I'm sure people on Grindr are from all over. I think it was a few years a go a gal from OC met a guy from LA through a dating app. She was killed at his house in LA on 2nd date.

Naw, Grindr or any other app/website is not particularly dangerous. While app-related crimes have happened they are rare. I was pretty much around the hook-up scene from the age of 20 until I was 42 (currently 44), my experiences have gone from public cruising to the earliest internet forums to complex internet websites and finally smart phone apps. I myself have never been a victim of any crime resulting from hook-up culture and I don't know anyone from the past 20+ years who has been the victim of a crime that resulted from hooking-up.

Then what do you suspect happened?

Truthfully, I have no idea but I'm starting to seriously doubt the drivers story.