CA CA - Matthew Weaver, 21, Santa Monica Mountains, 10 Aug 2018

[Roxxi3535]

He has never been out of touch, so this is definitely out of character for him.

Im so sorry. This is just awful! I live nearby Topanga outlook. It truly hits close to home for me. Matthew's disappearance is such a troubling mystery. I cant imagine how distraught you and your loved ones must be over all of this.

Did you at any time believe you guys should be searching elsewhere? Do you feel as though Matthew is somewhere in those mountains still or somewhere completely different? I have my doubts that he is there at all.

 

[joeconejo]

Im so sorry. This is just awful! I live nearby Topanga outlook. It truly hits close to home for me. Matthew's disappearance is such a troubling mystery. I cant imagine how distraught you and your loved ones must be over all of this.

Did you at any time believe you guys should be searching elsewhere? Do you feel as though Matthew is somewhere in those mountains still or somewhere completely different? I have my doubts that he is there at all.

Thank you for your thoughts and yes, it is a very troubling mystery.

We have searched elsewhere based on gut feelings and remote possibilities, scrambling around in the first week or so trying to turn something up.

I have been up there many times on the roads and trails, miles hiking outside of the designated trails and through the brush searching for clues.
My personal opinion is that while it is certainly possible he's still out there somewhere because it is so incredibly dense and vast, I feel the likelihood is slim.
Let me be absolutely clear- that statement is based solely on my search efforts and observations of the surrounding terrain, not because I have any other info. I am not a tracker or an expert, but collectively we have found zero trace or indication that he is anywhere near where the car was found.

That also does not mean we will abandon searching, we need to look somewhere and that is still the only probable location at this point in time.

 

[L7335]

Thank you for your thoughts and yes, it is a very troubling mystery.

We have searched elsewhere based on gut feelings and remote possibilities, scrambling around in the first week or so trying to turn something up.

I have been up there many times on the roads and trails, miles hiking outside of the designated trails and through the brush searching for clues.
My personal opinion is that while it is certainly possible he's still out there somewhere because it is so incredibly dense and vast, I feel the likelihood is slim.
Let me be absolutely clear- that statement is based solely on my search efforts and observations of the surrounding terrain, not because I have any other info. I am not a tracker or an expert, but collectively we have found zero trace or indication that he is anywhere near where the car was found.

That also does not mean we will abandon searching, we need to look somewhere and that is still the only probable location at this point in time.

We all feel for your family Mr. "Joe". I believe I've commented before on this but for those who are catching up and haven't read through all the posts on this forum: I live in the area; I've hiked these trails many times. The slope angles in the area where Matthew's car was found are steep and daunting so that's a search issue right there. But beyond that the brush is very dense and grows above head height. There are scattered "open" areas but they are few and far between. I very, very seriously doubt that drone photographs or video taken above the brush will reveal anything on the ground but folks are welcome to try.

Putting aside the slope angle issue: if a person was determined to try to walk through the brush it's possible but literally involves breaking and pushing your way through it (and at the risk of getting an eye poked out).

 

[Rguycali]

Did he ever use Uber or Lyft? Is there a way to see if he used these services that day? What about phone records? Any calls to tow company's?

Thank you for your thoughts and yes, it is a very troubling mystery.

We have searched elsewhere based on gut feelings and remote possibilities, scrambling around in the first week or so trying to turn something up.

I have been up there many times on the roads and trails, miles hiking outside of the designated trails and through the brush searching for clues.
My personal opinion is that while it is certainly possible he's still out there somewhere because it is so incredibly dense and vast, I feel the likelihood is slim.
Let me be absolutely clear- that statement is based solely on my search efforts and observations of the surrounding terrain, not because I have any other info. I am not a tracker or an expert, but collectively we have found zero trace or indication that he is anywhere near where the car was found.

That also does not mean we will abandon searching, we need to look somewhere and that is still the only probable location at this point in time.

 

[Steph9676]

New Article up with new details

California man Matthew Weaver Jr. still missing nearly two months after car found abandoned in Malibu canyons

 

[Alethea]

Did Matthew have that Friday off or did he miss work?

 

[OnYourLeft]

Thank you for your thoughts and yes, it is a very troubling mystery.

We have searched elsewhere based on gut feelings and remote possibilities, scrambling around in the first week or so trying to turn something up.

I have been up there many times on the roads and trails, miles hiking outside of the designated trails and through the brush searching for clues.
My personal opinion is that while it is certainly possible he's still out there somewhere because it is so incredibly dense and vast, I feel the likelihood is slim.
Let me be absolutely clear- that statement is based solely on my search efforts and observations of the surrounding terrain, not because I have any other info. I am not a tracker or an expert, but collectively we have found zero trace or indication that he is anywhere near where the car was found.

That also does not mean we will abandon searching, we need to look somewhere and that is still the only probable location at this point in time.

Mr. Joe, Thank you for talking to us here, shedding some light, sharing your theories...each and everyone of us know how difficult this must be for you and your family. I too, live in this area and have grown up traipsing these trails and understand what you mean about how vast the surrounding terrain is. One of the features of this particular canyon and the Santa Monica Mountains, that no one has really touched upon in Matthew’s thread, are the caves. Have they been thoroughly explored?

 

[Alethea]

California man Matthew Weaver Jr. still missing nearly two months after car found abandoned in Malibu canyons

Since Matthew’s disappearance, authorities, friends, and family have conducted multiple searches for the missing young man. His stepmother Brooke told Dateline that police were unable to gather any evidence from Matthew’s car and have not found any of his belongings in the surrounding areas.

Shouldn't they have been able to pull fingerprints from the steering wheel if someone besides Matthew was driving the car?

If he was out all night and awake until 6am (snapchat) I wonder if he fell asleep until 11:30am (phone call and text to girl) when he saw something he shouldn't have? The timing is just so weird.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

“There is no way that kid just fell off the grid and disappeared,” Brooke said. “For me, that’s not possible. I’m super-close with Matthew. He tells me everything. He calls me anytime he’s in a bind. He would never let his little siblings sit here and think he might be dead.”

Now, almost two months after Matthew disappeared, Brooke fears the worst for her stepson.

“After the third day, I cried to my mom and said, ‘He’s dead’,” Brooke said. “I hate to sound hopeless, but if there’s a chance that he’s alive somewhere, then he’s being held against his will.”
Family, police searching for whereabouts of California man missing from Malibu canyons - WXXV 25

 

[Rguycali]

“There is no way that kid just fell off the grid and disappeared,” Brooke said. “For me, that’s not possible. I’m super-close with Matthew. He tells me everything. He calls me anytime he’s in a bind. He would never let his little siblings sit here and think he might be dead.”

Now, almost two months after Matthew disappeared, Brooke fears the worst for her stepson.

“After the third day, I cried to my mom and said, ‘He’s dead’,” Brooke said. “I hate to sound hopeless, but if there’s a chance that he’s alive somewhere, then he’s being held against his will.”
Family, police searching for whereabouts of California man missing from Malibu canyons - WXXV 25

It's odd, his last texts were to a girl he just met and not Brooke. If he's really the one that got his car stuck up there you think he would text someone else...someone else in general.

 

[Alethea]

It's odd, his last texts were to a girl he just met and not Brooke. If he's really the one that got his car stuck up there you think he would text someone else...someone else in general.

I got the impression that he texted that girl as if she would know what was going on. Was he meeting up with people to keep partying? Where did she think he was going? Not getting any sleep and partying all night wouldn't put you in the greatest state of mind the next day absent any other factors.

 

[Razz]

I got the impression that he texted that girl as if she would know what was going on. Was he meeting up with people to keep partying? Where did she think he was going? Not getting any sleep and partying all night wouldn't put you in the greatest state of mind the next day absent any other factors.

If I recall correctly, after his jumbled messages, the woman he texted didn't reply for several hours when she asked if he was ok.

 

[Betty P]

If I recall correctly, after his jumbled messages, the woman he texted didn't reply for several hours when she asked if he was ok.

After several hours up there, it's also possible he had become dehydrated and was not feeling well or thinking normally.

Thanks to Matthew's family for posting here and clearing up information. It's so nice of you to do so when you have so many other worries. We're all concerned for this young man and hope there's a good outcome.

 

[joeconejo]

Did he ever use Uber or Lyft? Is there a way to see if he used these services that day? What about phone records? Any calls to tow company's?

He had not used those services, phone records do not show that activity or calls to tow companies.

 

[joeconejo]

Did Matthew have that Friday off or did he miss work?

He was off work

 

[joeconejo]

Mr. Joe, Thank you for talking to us here, shedding some light, sharing your theories...each and everyone of us know how difficult this must be for you and your family. I too, live in this area and have grown up traipsing these trails and understand what you mean about how vast the surrounding terrain is. One of the features of this particular canyon and the Santa Monica Mountains, that no one has really touched upon in Matthew’s thread, are the caves. Have they been thoroughly explored?

I have not personally explored any caves but I know a couple of the guys in he search party found and explored at least a couple of them. If you have or know any specific areas we may have missed I'm all ears.

 

[joeconejo]

California man Matthew Weaver Jr. still missing nearly two months after car found abandoned in Malibu canyons



Shouldn't they have been able to pull fingerprints from the steering wheel if someone besides Matthew was driving the car?

If he was out all night and awake until 6am (snapchat) I wonder if he fell asleep until 11:30am (phone call and text to girl) when he saw something he shouldn't have? The timing is just so weird.

Fingerprints were smeared and not identifiable. DNA samples were also taken, have not heard back on that yet.

We have thought of the same scenario because of the timing.

 

[joeconejo]

After several hours up there, it's also possible he had become dehydrated and was not feeling well or thinking normally.

Thanks to Matthew's family for posting here and clearing up information. It's so nice of you to do so when you have so many other worries. We're all concerned for this young man and hope there's a good outcome.

It's not a problem, I think more eyes on the case can only help. Everyone sees things a bit differently so I think its great to have multiple viewpoints.
We're hoping for the same.

 

[Rguycali]

Uber and lyft are apps and use data. The usage of these apps wouldn't show in normal phone records.

 

[Roxxi3535]

California man Matthew Weaver Jr. still missing nearly two months after car found abandoned in Malibu canyons

@joeconejo While reading this article I noticed that Dateline was conducting the interview. Are there any plans for Dateline to air an episode on Matthew's disappearance in the near future?