CA CA - Bryce Laspisa, 19, Castaic, 30 Aug 2013 - #3

[Redux]

I remember that too. I think that dragracerz explained it that way.

I'm still really confused about the dog scents though. How many times did they do the scent tracing? During these times -- Did they trace him to the edge of the lake, to the water's edge and across the dam, or to the park's entrance? Did the scent trails conflict with each other?

BBM. I'm confused about the dog tracking too. I wish we could get a really concrete synopsis of how many times the dogs went out and where they tracked Bryce to.

 

[hannah1988]

The human scent the dogs follow can be contaminated or even rendered useless by auto exhaust, other strong scents, rain, wind, other animals and on occasion they can imprint on another SAR person because they handled the scent article by accident in gathering it and left their scent on it. Not common...but it does happen.

Thanks for the insight! I can totally understand why the scent tracking could yield different results based on the factors that you mentioned. Since it sounds like the dogs traced Bryce in different routes, I just wonder which trace is the most accurate. It sounds like it may have been the scent leading to the park's entrance, but it would be nice to have more info on why this appears to be the most accurate.

 

[dizzylizzy]

BBM. Good question.

Do you have a link to where she said this? Thanks!

She (or possibly Dad)replied to someone on the fid Bryce page, can I link that? Or copy and paste?

 

[BluePoppy]

I would still like to know what specific location is described as "leading away from the park" that the dogs tracked. I think this would help a lot.

dragracerz - aside from length of time, is the belief that Bryce left the Castaic Rec area based solely on the dog trackings or is there additional info to support this stance by LE?

 

[kevsrebla]

@Redux

Quote:
Originally Posted by dizzylizzy View Post
It was said by Bryce's Mom that the detectives said two separate search dogs followed his scent to the park entrance on the asphalt road.. Im wondering what is meant by the park entrance, doesn't seem that would be leaving the area if the park entrance is at the guard shack where you pay to go into the lake. I would continue to Have searchers look in the area around the lake.JMO

BBM. Good question.

Do you have a link to where she said this? Thanks!

I'm not sure why I do this but.... I do what I call google drive. Google Map and then a street view, you can actually then move along that street and see what's "down the road". So I "drove" from the exit that BL would have taken to the cell tower where he went off the road. Or should I say where his SUV went off the road. It pretty much dumps you onto Lake Huges Rd and once you pass Castaic Rd your out of town in only a few blocks. I do believe there is a place to pay for camping at the lower lagoon lake but there is no gate or guard house going into park/rec area.

Does that make sense?

 

[kevsrebla]

Thanks for the insight! I can totally understand why the scent tracking could yield different results based on the factors that you mentioned. Since it sounds like the dogs traced Bryce in different routes, I just wonder which trace is the most accurate. It sounds like it may have been the scent leading to the park's entrance, but it would be nice to have more info on why this appears to be the most accurate.

Thought drag had said they picked up the scent at the suv then at the shore on the first go around. Second tracking and I do believe it was different dogs and they had the clothing too, they picked up scent at the dam itself. Not sure if same day, same dogs or not but they then picked up his scent leading "out" of the park. Also not sure where that was at, possibly Lake Hughes Rd?

LE is not giving public muck info/details as usual and they don't give much more to the family.

 

[tamrabbit]

There seem to be conflicting results of what the search dogs found.

Yellow Camaro said in following post:

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - CA CA - Bryce Laspisa, 19, Castaic, 30 Aug 2013 - #2

"We were informed by somebody at the "search HQ" (Starbucks) in the morning that Bryce's scent had been found by dogs, starting at the east end of the dam, but disappearing at the west end of the dam... the west end does NOT seem like a place where one could/ would easily "catch a ride" (even while there during the daytime, over the course of three hours, we never saw a single vehicle or person in that area... to think that he happened across a passerby willing to give him a ride at that time of day is quite a remote idea. In addition, there are countless gates, fences, and "No Trespassing" signs.). It seems far more likely to me that either (A) he walked across the dam, found nowhere to go, so he returned (returning east) across the dam to his starting point, or (B) the scent track the dogs followed was in error. Dogs ARE fallible, and their handlers CAN misread their signs, too. "

 

[cluciano63]

Is the dam someplace he could have fallen or otherwise entered the water?
I know I am almost always a pessimist and I apologize, but I feel he never made it out of the general area of his car and the lake. There have been countless cases where missing persons were found much later, in areas already searched.

 

[Trackergd]

Thanks for the insight! I can totally understand why the scent tracking could yield different results based on the factors that you mentioned. Since it sounds like the dogs traced Bryce in different routes, I just wonder which trace is the most accurate. It sounds like it may have been the scent leading to the park's entrance, but it would be nice to have more info on why this appears to be the most accurate.

I would bet on a bloodhound any day of the week. I used to play the "missing subject" for dog training on occasion, and having been trained by Native Americans, I used dirty tricks to cover my scent (fox urine). Two local bloodhounds were never fooled by my tricks...even if I went up a tree.

 

[Trackergd]

Is the dam someplace he could have fallen or otherwise entered the water?
I know I am almost always a pessimist and I apologize, but I feel he never made it out of the general area of his car and the lake. There have been countless cases where missing persons were found much later, in areas already searched.

So very true. SAR does it's best given resources and time.

 

[Ghostwheel]

I would still like to know what specific location is described as "leading away from the park" that the dogs tracked. I think this would help a lot.

dragracerz - aside from time, is the belief that Bryce left the Castaic Rec area based solely on the dog trackings or is there additional info to support this stance by LE?

I have this same question. If media was told "Bryce's scent was tracked to the entrance" they could interpret that as "leading away from the park", when in reality, the place where the car crashed was not within the pay gate access area. There is a gate that gets closed there, but the pay gate (what most people call "The entrance") is further down towards the lake. His scent could have been tracked to that gate (The "entrance") or to somewhere else someone is considering "The entrance".

 

[Whiteorchids]

Been 3 weeks isn't it about time to bring in cadaver dogs? I'm thinking suicide like the Linnea Lenox case. This is not looking good for Bryce. He was having issues per his TM's to Sean and most likely depressed. Crashing the truck was the straw that broke the camels back. Being married to a cop and hearing about so many missing person cases sadly, most don't end well. We tend to be pessimist. I have been throwing all kinds of theories out there my husband and I have tossed around but each day that passes not looking good. I hope the family is preparing themselves best they can for the worst by talking to a priest or pastor of their church if they have one.

 

[Jillybean78]

Been 3 weeks isn't it about time to bring in cadaver dogs? I'm thinking suicide like the Linnea Lenox case. This is not looking good for Bryce. He was having issues per his TM's to Sean and most likely depressed. Crashing the truck was the straw that broke the camels back. Being married to a cop and hearing about so many missing person cases sadly, most don't end well. We tend to be pessimist. I have been throwing all kinds of theories out there my husband and I have tossed around but each day that passes not looking good. I hope the family is preparing themselves best they can for the worst by talking to a priest or pastor of their church if they have one.

Having the same thoughts

 

[BluePoppy]

I would bet on a bloodhound any day of the week. I used to play the "missing subject" for dog training on occasion, and having been trained by Native Americans, I used dirty tricks to cover my scent (fox urine). Two local bloodhounds were never fooled by my tricks...even if I went up a tree.

Do we know which trail the bloodhounds tracked? They were the 2nd week of searching IIRC.

 

[Whiteorchids]

Do we know which trail the bloodhounds tracked? They were the 2nd week of searching IIRC.

I think he was just stating that's the breed he would use for the job if he had a choice because of their excellent sniffing capabilities. Doubt they were used in this case.

 

[slowpoke]

Good afternoon, all.

From this CBS-LA article (sorry if it's a repeat, I hadn't seen it before):

The Laspisas spoke with CBS2′s Tom Wait about reports of various sightings of their son, although none have been confirmed.

“We’re just afraid that’s he’s just not thinking right,” Karen Laspisa said.

“If one of these sightings is really is him… he’s asking for help, he’s looking for money and he wants to get home,” she continued.

The parents say they will not give up and are still working with police and searching for answers.

“…Breaking up his girlfriend. We knew that something was going on, because you know he just started school two days into it. And now something happened to make him want to change his course,” Mike Laspisa said.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/09/18/parents-suspend-search-for-missing-oc-teen/

So heartbreaking, listening to Karen Laspisa speak.

Have there been any newer sightings reported?

 

[BluePoppy]

I think he was just stating that's the breed he would use for the job if he had a choice because of their excellent sniffing capabilities. Doubt they were used in this case.

It was stated somewhere that one of the searches was bloodhounds.

ETA: Found it. This indicates 3 dog searches total, 2 with bloodhounds..
Here it is:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9830539&postcount=661

From dragracerz on Thurs, 9/12:
"The initial dog search revealed the the scent went from the car to the water, nothing else, but that places Bryce at Castaic
Another dog search with bloodhounds on Tuesday showed Bryce by the waters edge but going along the shore towards the dam
Yesterdays bloodhound search picked up scents possibly leading out of the park so it is hopeful that he is trying to still get home to Laguna however might be impaired due to a head injury.
I think the search of the water itself is over and LE has concluded that he is NOT in the lake but also thinking he might be trying to head towards Laguna"

dragracerz: If you see this, are you able to clarify where "out of the park" might be on a map or in relation to which designated access points to the park? That has been a big question around here. Thank you!

 

[Whiteorchids]

Good afternoon, all.

From this CBS-LA article (sorry if it's a repeat, I hadn't seen it before):


http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/09/18/parents-suspend-search-for-missing-oc-teen/

So heartbreaking, listening to Karen Laspisa speak.

Have there been any newer sightings reported?

Very heartbreaking. It made me cry.

 

[Ghostwheel]

It was stated somewhere that one of the searches was bloodhounds.

ETA: Found it. This indicates 3 dog searches total, 2 with bloodhounds..
Here it is:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9830539&postcount=661

From dragracerz on Thurs, 9/12:
"The initial dog search revealed the the scent went from the car to the water, nothing else, but that places Bryce at Castaic
Another dog search with bloodhounds on Tuesday showed Bryce by the waters edge but going along the shore towards the dam
Yesterdays bloodhound search picked up scents possibly leading out of the park so it is hopeful that he is trying to still get home to Laguna however might be impaired due to a head injury.
I think the search of the water itself is over and LE has concluded that he is NOT in the lake but also thinking he might be trying to head towards Laguna"

Unfortunately, people often use the term "bloodhound" for a k9 scent tracking dog. Those terms are not interchangeable, any more than a cadaver dog is interchangeable with a tracking dog. Without knowing the specific breed and type of search dog, it's all relative to the type and breed of dog used, as well as the handler. The dog in this link is NOT a "bloodhound", but a different breed (and maybe very good, but in my experience, an actual Bloodhound trained for this is better).https://twitter.com/ParksLASD/status/374992468074192896

 

[cluciano63]

It is very sad, but it sounds as though Bryce was very mixed-up. Hoping suicide did not seem like an option to him, but as we know, they are all too many suicides among this age group and no one ever expects it. But in any case, where is he?? If he is alive and confused, surely a call to 911 would occur to someone, or to him, at some point?