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

[Voice4theSilent]

Hmm this doesn't sound right, HS friend leaves park after texting with no reply from Blaze then shows up again at 4am to look for him? Why didn't this HS friend call his parents or call police when he never showed up the first time? How well did he know this HS friend? My hinky meter is going off. Why did he meet this third person at a park that time of night instead of his house which was close by? Ugh this does sound like foul play. I hope he's found safely.

I'm right there with you. I can see Friend #1 leaving, thinking that maybe BB ditched him or something but to go back at 4am to look for BB? THAT is what is weird to me. If I left because I didn't think it was a big deal that my friend didn't return to my car I wouldn't go back at 4am to look for my friend, maybe the next morning when it was light? Sounds like Friend #1 was concerned to go back at 4am but not concerned enough to contact LE or even his family? I guess I am thinking like a mother though and not a 19 year old young adult.

 

[Voice4theSilent]

I just found out about this. I'm from OC about 15 min away. I will be following this. I pray he is found safely. I can't imagine what his parent are going through. They don't live too far from Bryce Laspisa family. [emoji1317]

MMB Exactly my thought. Same age as Bryce was when he went missing under strange circumstances, too.

 

[eekasaur]

I'm trying to put myself in the mindset of the friend who came back at 4am. I'm wondering how long the friend waited past 11. I'd assume at least until 11:30. How odd that over 4 hours passed before the friend came back to the park. Perhaps the friend went around town searching for him locally, and then came back after he/she was done searching because he/she wanted to do one more look through of the park? That's probably what 19 year old me would have done. I can't see that taking longer than a couple of hours, though.

This is so odd!

 

[Voice4theSilent]

Now I'm more confused. The OC Register article says the third friend he was meeting was the attorney Annee Della Dona!

They have updated the article now and removed that misinformation, thankfully.

 

[Voice4theSilent]

I'm trying to put myself in the mindset of the friend who came back at 4am. I'm wondering how long the friend waited past 11. I'd assume at least until 11:30. How odd that over 4 hours passed before the friend came back to the park. Perhaps the friend went around town searching for him locally, and then came back after he/she was done searching because he/she wanted to do one more look through of the park? That's probably what 19 year old me would have done. I can't see that taking longer than a couple of hours, though.

This is so odd!

I guess if I was out all night and on my way home at 4am I might swing by and see if he was there (?) It is weird since BB lived 5 minutes away from the park (and Friend knew this.) Why would Friend think he would just sit there waiting for him/her to come back hours later?

 

[Whiteorchids]

I'm trying to put myself in the mindset of the friend who came back at 4am. I'm wondering how long the friend waited past 11. I'd assume at least until 11:30. How odd that over 4 hours passed before the friend came back to the park. Perhaps the friend went around town searching for him locally, and then came back after he/she was done searching because he/she wanted to do one more look through of the park? That's probably what 19 year old me would have done. I can't see that taking longer than a couple of hours, though.

This is so odd!

On the local news the parents were interviewed they said what was strange was he sent a text then he turned location services off or perhaps someone else turned it off. Someone else could have sent the text and turned off location services on the phone. I dont think It was a robbery as his wallet and glasses were at home. That time of night you don't know who could be hanging around that park

He texted the HS friend his parents address to pick him up to drive him to the park 5 min away to meet the other friend. If the friend didnt know his parents address perhaps it was not a good friend? Perhaps someone owed Blaze money. Did Blaze leave his wallet at home knowing the person was shady. So many questions.

https://mynewsla.com/orange-county/...isappearance-of-college-student-from-oc-park/

Petition to keep park dark
https://www.ocregister.com/2008/07/10/foothill-ranch-residents-want-to-keep-their-park-dark/

 

[Whiteorchids]

I guess if I was out all night and on my way home at 4am I might swing by and see if he was there (?) It is weird since BB lived 5 minutes away from the park (and Friend knew this.) Why would Friend think he would just sit there waiting for him/her to come back hours later?

True since parents live 5 min away wouldn't you have just walked home before 4am? Although not confirmed people said someone fitting his description was seen walking on the the disabled car lane on the freeway at 5:30 maybe he was confused? His parents said he was openly against drugs and did not use.

 

[Seajay]

If his parents lived 5 minutes away, why didn't he walk there to start with? Let alone walk home at some point.

And what did the text say? Why is it considered foul play?

Was the HS friend a female? If so, why would she drive back to the park at 4 am alone, especially since Blaze hadn't come back? Did he/she check his parents house to see if he walked back there before going back at 4 am?

Did Blaze indicate how long he was going to be gone to the driver/friend at the park?

 

[jnblsm]

So I wonder what condition he has that he would need medication for? Is it something he can't do without for days, weeks?

I think Lupus.
His Facebook profile has a banner on one of his photos that states, "I Am A Lupus Hero"

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[DAnthrplgst]

I perused his Facebook and didn't see any indication that he might be gay so this is complete speculation on my part and making a very big assumption.

The story as we know it now screams late night hook-up to me. Let's say for a moment that is what happened. With Blaze being home on break he couldn't have company at his parents house, he could have met someone who couldn't host either so the person suggests they meet in a private, isolate location, like a park. Blaze calls his friend for a lift over there (which frankly seems odd to me to begin with, if the park was that close why didn't he just walk, but I digress), Blaze goes to the park and walks in for his quickie hook-up (these types of hook-ups happen more frequently then many of you may be aware) once at the appointed spot one of a few scenarios could have happened:

1. Blaze and the guy do their thing, afterwards the guy (maybe someone suffering with internal homophobia) in a fit of anger kills Blaze. It's exceedingly rare that this scenario happens but it does happen.

2. Blaze goes into the park for his meeting but the person who suggested the meet-up only lured him there for the purpose of robbing him and beating him up. Since Blaze failed to bring his wallet, the guy or guys could have gotten angry and killed him. This is becoming more common place, gay men are being lured by gang members on gay dating apps for the purposes of robbing and beating them up. There is a current case out of Houston, TX of two cousins who lured multiple gay men for this purpose, they are known to have murdered at least two men but police suspect many more victims.

3. Blaze and the guy do their thing and Blaze, overcome with guilt and disgusted by himself after the fact, runs off. Again, this doesn't happen too often anymore but it does happen.

Having once been a young and foolish gay man I am not proud to admit that I put myself into situations that could have gone VERY wrong, very quickly and I know young gay, and especially bi or bi-curious, men still put themselves into very questionable situations in order to have a sexual liaison.

 

[Voice4theSilent]

I perused his Facebook and didn't see any indication that he might be gay so this is complete speculation on my part and making a very big assumption.

The story as we know it now screams late night hook-up to me. Let's say for a moment that is what happened. With Blaze being home on break he couldn't have company at his parents house, he could have met someone who couldn't host either so the person suggests they meet in a private, isolate location, like a park. Blaze calls his friend for a lift over there (which frankly seems odd to me to begin with, if the park was that close why didn't he just walk, but I digress), Blaze goes to the park and walks in for his quickie hook-up (these types of hook-ups happen more frequently then many of you may be aware) once at the appointed spot one of a few scenarios could have happened:

1. Blaze and the guy do their thing, afterwards the guy (maybe someone suffering with internal homophobia) in a fit of anger kills Blaze. It's exceedingly rare that this scenario happens but it does happen.

2. Blaze goes into the park for his meeting but the person who suggested the meet-up only lured him there for the purpose of robbing him and beating him up. Since Blaze failed to bring his wallet, the guy or guys could have gotten angry and killed him. This is becoming more common place, gay men are being lured by gang members on gay dating apps for the purposes of robbing and beating them up. There is a current case out of Houston, TX of two cousins who lured multiple gay men for this purpose, they are known to have murdered at least two men but police suspect many more victims.

3. Blaze and the guy do their thing and Blaze, overcome with guilt and disgusted by himself after the fact, runs off. Again, this doesn't happen too often anymore but it does happen.

Having once been a young and foolish gay man I am not proud to admit that I put myself into situations that could have gone VERY wrong, very quickly and I know young gay, and especially bi or bi-curious, men still put themselves into very questionable situations in order to have a sexual liaison.

The friend who drove him to the park, who has been interviewed by the Sheriff’s Department, went to the restroom while Bernstein walked into the park toward Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, Voght said. The two parks are linked by a trail.

Wouldn't this type of hook up usually happen in or around the restroom (the only restrooms in Whiting Ranch are portable restrooms in the parking lot?)

No doubt his friend knows why he was meeting someone in the park. Wish the public did, if it would help locate him.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/...ng-19-year-old-lake-forest-man/#disqus_thread

 

[DAnthrplgst]

Wouldn't this type of hook up usually happen in or around the restroom (the only restrooms in Whiting Ranch are portable restrooms in the parking lot?)

No doubt his friend knows why he was meeting someone in the park. Wish the public did, if it would help locate him.

https://www.ocregister.com/2018/01/...ng-19-year-old-lake-forest-man/#disqus_thread

Naw, bathroom hook-ups are a thing of the past for the most part. Local LE have cracked down for years on those types of venues, going so far as to send in decoys for the express purpose of entrapping gay men. Now that we have the sex offender registry if you get busted for even propositioning someone for sex you will be placed on the registry as a sex offender, so the vast majority of gay men just don't risk it anymore, at least not in enclosed spaces like bathrooms. Public cruising as also been mostly replaced because of the advent of the phone apps, so instead of going somewhere and risking the cops hassling you, you just hop on the app and find someone.

I agree about the friend, I wish he or LE would reveal who Blaze was meeting that night but IF this was a hook-up I can certainly see why they would hold that type of info back, especially in Orange Co, which is a die-hard Republican strong-hold.

 

[Whiteorchids]

If his parents lived 5 minutes away, why didn't he walk there to start with? Let alone walk home at some point.

And what did the text say? Why is it considered foul play?

Was the HS friend a female? If so, why would she drive back to the park at 4 am alone, especially since Blaze hadn't come back? Did he/she check his parents house to see if he walked back there before going back at 4 am?

Did Blaze indicate how long he was going to be gone to the driver/friend at the park?

The parents said on one of the news broadcast it may have been NBC at 5:00 pm or one of the articles I read that they thought it was foul play. I just can't remember which one.

 

[Whiteorchids]

The park connects to Whiting Ranch he left his wallet and glasses at home. His parents said he wouldn't have left them if he wasn't coming home. I hope he wasn't suicidal he would not need his wallet if that was his intentions. He parents said he seemed happy to go back to school and made them dinner before he went missing. He could have been troubled. You just never know he's only 19. As someone else posted on the OC Register he has been missing since Jan 2 maybe time to get the search dogs.

 

[kkdj]

I don't like that Blaze's friend waited in the car while he went into the park to meet someone. This doesn't sound good, IMO. This one is close to home...I'll be following it closely.

https://patch.com/california/lakeforest-ca/missing-lake-forest-have-you-seen-blaze-bernstein

Close to home for me too. I'll be paying special attention.

 

[Seajay]

The parents said on one of the news broadcast it may have been NBC at 5:00 pm or one of the articles I read that they thought it was foul play. I just can't remember which one.

I read that in one of the links provided above. The article said it had something to do with what he text to his friend around 11:30 pm. I'd like to know what that was.

DAnthrpigst, thank you for your insight about how gays hook up now and how things changed. I did not know any of that and it could even up being valuable to this case. It's too early to tell yet but secrets have come out during cases before.

What you say makes sense and that would explain the secrecy in the media about why he was there, etc. I think the family just wants to find him without having to give information out as to why he was there or why the friend left, and all that. Just a feeling.

 

[Whiteorchids]

I read that in one of the links provided above. The article said it had something to do with what he text to his friend around 11:30 pm. I'd like to know what that was.

DAnthrpigst, thank you for your insight about how gays hook up now and how things changed. I did not know any of that and it could even up being valuable to this case. It's too early to tell yet but secrets have come out during cases before.

What you say makes sense and that would explain the secrecy in the media about why he was there, etc. I think the family just wants to find him without having to give information out as to why he was there or why the friend left, and all that. Just a feeling.

Me too I believe the friend knows something. Perhaps the family knows more and is trying to protect him just as the Laspisa's did with Bryce. I understand why but at the same time I think it could have helped find Bryce and build a profile of his state of mind what led up to his going missing but when info slowly trickled out it was too late. Bryce Laspisa had demons which I think all of us have struggled with at times but the family wanted it kept under the vest. I seriously think if they had let some of his drug and other issues how out of control his demeanor had been the whole week that led up to his missing it could have helped build a better profile in locating him. I understand why they didn't. We are not in there shoes People are so judgmental especially social media and so many haters out there. It's so sad and heartbreaking.

 

[UCLAEigenguy]

I get a weak Michael Negrete feeling about this one. I feel like the circumstances around the actual disappearance are similar. Of course, the settings are different, and we have more information about Blaze and he seems to have had his phone but nothing else. Michael had nothing on him

I guess if I was out all night and on my way home at 4am I might swing by and see if he was there (?) It is weird since BB lived 5 minutes away from the park (and Friend knew this.) Why would Friend think he would just sit there waiting for him/her to come back hours later?

I think the friend didn't think anything was odd at 11pm, but later his hinky meter went off and he went back to the park to see if he he might still be there, out of desperation. Perhaps a friend told him "WTF were you thinking?"

On the local news the parents were interviewed they said what was strange was he sent a text then he turned location services off or perhaps someone else turned it off. Someone else could have sent the text and turned off location services on the phone. I dont think It was a robbery as his wallet and glasses were at home. That time of night you don't know who could be hanging around that park

He texted the HS friend his parents address to pick him up to drive him to the park 5 min away to meet the other friend. If the friend didnt know his parents address perhaps it was not a good friend? Perhaps someone owed Blaze money. Did Blaze leave his wallet at home knowing the person was shady. So many questions.

It's odd that he would even need a ride. It's like he was trying to throw someone off as to where he lives.

I perused his Facebook and didn't see any indication that he might be gay so this is complete speculation on my part and making a very big assumption.

The story as we know it now screams late night hook-up to me.

Same here. Though a drug deal also fits the bill. Parents don't always know what their kids are up to at this age.

 

[jnblsm]

What implies that there was a drug deal, or drugs were even involved?
What implies that there was a gay hookup involved here?
Should we look at only those implications?
What else could it be?

Take what we think are implied, what do we have?


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[Elainera]

I perused his Facebook and didn't see any indication that he might be gay so this is complete speculation on my part and making a very big assumption.

The story as we know it now screams late night hook-up to me. Let's say for a moment that is what happened. With Blaze being home on break he couldn't have company at his parents house, he could have met someone who couldn't host either so the person suggests they meet in a private, isolate location, like a park. Blaze calls his friend for a lift over there (which frankly seems odd to me to begin with, if the park was that close why didn't he just walk, but I digress), Blaze goes to the park and walks in for his quickie hook-up (these types of hook-ups happen more frequently then many of you may be aware) once at the appointed spot one of a few scenarios could have happened:

1. Blaze and the guy do their thing, afterwards the guy (maybe someone suffering with internal homophobia) in a fit of anger kills Blaze. It's exceedingly rare that this scenario happens but it does happen.

2. Blaze goes into the park for his meeting but the person who suggested the meet-up only lured him there for the purpose of robbing him and beating him up. Since Blaze failed to bring his wallet, the guy or guys could have gotten angry and killed him. This is becoming more common place, gay men are being lured by gang members on gay dating apps for the purposes of robbing and beating them up. There is a current case out of Houston, TX of two cousins who lured multiple gay men for this purpose, they are known to have murdered at least two men but police suspect many more victims.

3. Blaze and the guy do their thing and Blaze, overcome with guilt and disgusted by himself after the fact, runs off. Again, this doesn't happen too often anymore but it does happen.

Having once been a young and foolish gay man I am not proud to admit that I put myself into situations that could have gone VERY wrong, very quickly and I know young gay, and especially bi or bi-curious, men still put themselves into very questionable situations in order to have a sexual liaison.

This seems plausible. May I ask, how long would such a meeting - if all goes well - in a park last? Apparently he had asked his friend in the car to wait for him, so he probably didn't expect to be gone long.

It might also be a drug deal gone wrong.

What other reasons are there for kids to meet someone in the park at night?

The park is five minutes away and they got there about 10:30 p.m., the attorney said.

bbm

https://mynewsla.com/orange-county/...isappearance-of-college-student-from-oc-park/

Did it say in another article that he sent someone a text at 11.30 pm? Or did I misunderstand this? That would have been one hour after he left his friend in the car (who is a female btw per same article).

Was the phone turned off after that text?