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

[joeconejo]

That's a good point. Did the friend he was with explain to LE or the family what type of partying they were doing? The last message also sounds like something from a bad trip or hallucinations, particularly if LE believes he was alone on the trail. (I'm not asking you to share, I know that's private. Just throwing out another idea from reading the message)

Investigators are fully informed regarding his interactions with friends.

 

[Suglo]

In the recent case of the hiker lost near Vesper Peak in Washington, Sam Sayers, her family created a group to ask for volunteers to review drone footage. If LE approves and there is a lot of footage, I'm sure people here would be happy to help review the footage if anyone thinks that could be helpful to you in spotting something.

There is also a Facebook group called Wings of Mercy that has special software to view and be able to identify objects in the drone footage. They would be a great help also.

 

[joeconejo]

In the recent case of the hiker lost near Vesper Peak in Washington, Sam Sayers, her family created a group to ask for volunteers to review drone footage. If LE approves and there is a lot of footage, I'm sure people here would be happy to help review the footage if anyone thinks that could be helpful to you in spotting something.

If we can't review it to our satisfaction I will be happy to share the drone footage. Probably 15 gigs total so not too easy to upload and store.

 

[joeconejo]

There is also a Facebook group called Wings of Mercy that has special software to view and be able to identify objects in the drone footage. They would be a great help also.

We will be looking into that as well, thank you. I hear the software can detect specific colors? We were informed of them on Friday, I need to do some vetting before reaching out due to others that have made that necessary.

 

[Steph9676]

We will be looking into that as well, thank you. I hear the software can detect specific colors? We were informed of them on Friday, I need to do some vetting before reaching out due to others that have made that necessary.

Have they been using infrared?

 

[Alethea]

There is also a Facebook group called Wings of Mercy that has special software to view and be able to identify objects in the drone footage. They would be a great help also.

Thanks Suglo, I was trying to think of the name of the group! They seem to have a very organized procedure set up too to help bring possible areas of interest to experienced SAR and drone professionals to help winnow down leads for LE. I was very impressed by their work for Sam.

 

[Steph9676]

Joe it has been said that he has frequented that area often and I saw IG photos from his friends that they used to hangout at the tower before it closed. Does he have any friends that live in the area that he could have walked to?

Was his scent lost in the same place his last Snapchat photo was taken?

 

[joeconejo]

Have they been using infrared?

They used infrared once to my knowledge, that was Sat the 22nd early in the a.m. They found a couple spots of interest and searched those on foot.

 

[joeconejo]

Joe it has been said that he has frequented that area often and I saw IG photos from his friends that they used to hangout at the tower before it closed. Does he have any friends that live in the area that he could have walked to?

Was his scent lost in the same place his last Snapchat photo was taken?

We are not aware of any friends in the area around the overlook.
His scent was lost 100 yds from where the vehicle was found, roughly 1.3 miles from where the photo was taken at the trail entrance.

 

[drama_farmer]

We are not aware of any friends in the area around the overlook.
His scent was lost 100 yds from where the vehicle was found, roughly 1.3 miles from where the photo was taken at the trail entrance.

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for your contributions to this thread, and your timely and succinct replies.

Regarding the trail where his car was recovered:
Do you know if his friends have ever attempted to drive (even just a short distance) on that trail, or discussed instance(s) where anyone has ever attempted that? Any stories about "so and so" trying to drive up that trail in the past?
At one point in the trail do the conditions make it impossible to continue forward or back up? And, was the car found near this "point of no return?"
Has his missing front bumper (or any car part) been located?
Did emergency vehicles have issues reaching the car?
Was his car equipped with a trunk release inside the trunk?

Thank You

 

[Roxxi3535]

@joeconejo I was wondering if Matthew has ever gone without being in touch with loved ones for a substantial amount of time in the past? Would he ever consider going off the grid or would that be totally out of character for him?

 

[Rguycali]

Most people wouldn't continue to drive there car down a rocky path in daylight as parts are falling off.

Possibly someone else did it, and sent the texts or his state of mind wasn't right.

 

[L7335]

@L7335 I am just catching up on the case and live on the East Coast so I am not familiar with the area. Thank you for the maps. Is this a popular hiking spot? If there is video and GPS data that put his car at the entrance to the Topanga Tower Motorway at 7:15am (possibly as early as 5am), but it was not called into police until midnight, does that mean no one hiked the trail all day? Hikers passed the car but didn't bother to call 911 all day? I am trying to imagine how many hikers would hike this trail on any given Friday in September.[/QUOTE]

Happy the map helped. I'm not sure how to answer if the Topanga Tower Motorway is a popular hiking spot. It's only a mile long (paved plus unpaved) so to me that's hardly worth a hike. I went up there on 9/11/18 at about 4:00-5:00 in the afternoon to refresh my memory of the layout. (That was a Tuesday.) I ran into 3 groups of people: two ladies walking their dogs; and two couples who seemed to be out for a later afternoon stroll. I think that's probably a pretty typical example of usage.

Usage earlier in the day? Could be anything on any day of the week. And completely random from day to day and week to week. If I were told no one had been there during a 3 day period (just a number pulled out of the air) I wouldn't blink an eye.

Where the motorway and the two relative large spots in the dirt fire road portion of it get the heaviest use - in my opinion - is young people partying there at night, probably more likely on weekends. That's been happening for years. There's broken glass all over the place up there which I assume are the remnants of broken beer bottles.

 

[L7335]

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for your contributions to this thread, and your timely and succinct replies.

Regarding the trail where his car was recovered:
Do you know if his friends have ever attempted to drive (even just a short distance) on that trail, or discussed instance(s) where anyone has ever attempted that? Any stories about "so and so" trying to drive up that trail in the past?
At one point in the trail do the conditions make it impossible to continue forward or back up? And, was the car found near this "point of no return?"
Has his missing front bumper (or any car part) been located?
Did emergency vehicles have issues reaching the car?
Was his car equipped with a trunk release inside the trunk?

Thank You

Drama_Farmer: Please see my prior post here regarding the trail where Weaver's car was found: CA - CA - Matthew Weaver, 21, Santa Monica Mountains, 10 August 2018

To expand on that: I would have thought that even making an attempt to drive (or push) the car down the trail from the point where the trail peels off from the fireroad, (Topanga Tower Motorway) would be past the point of no return. The trail at that point is just barely wide enough for a sedan.

Front bumper of the car: answered here by Joconejo: CA - CA - Matthew Weaver, 21, Santa Monica Mountains, 10 August 2018

 

[L7335]

"Microwave Tower": it's been mentioned a couple of times in posts so I thought it would be worth 'splaining to people who aren't local. See the place circled in pink on the map. The property is fenced in with high fencing and has structures that - at one time - had something to do with microwave transmissions. Not used for that function now. In fact the structures used to covered in graffiti. I believe it's private property.

 

[Alethea]

Happy the map helped. I'm not sure how to answer if the Topanga Tower Motorway is a popular hiking spot. It's only a mile long (paved plus unpaved) so to me that's hardly worth a hike. I went up there on 9/11/18 at about 4:00-5:00 in the afternoon to refresh my memory of the layout. (That was a Tuesday.) I ran into 3 groups of people: two ladies walking their dogs; and two couples who seemed to be out for a later afternoon stroll. I think that's probably a pretty typical example of usage.

Usage earlier in the day? Could be anything on any day of the week. And completely random from day to day and week to week. If I were told no one had been there during a 3 day period (just a number pulled out of the air) I wouldn't blink an eye.

Where the motorway and the two relative large spots in the dirt fire road portion of it get the heaviest use - in my opinion - is young people partying there at night, probably more likely on weekends. That's been happening for years. There's broken glass all over the place up there which I assume are the remnants of broken beer bottles.

Got it, thanks for the explanation. I probably should have said "walk" instead of "hike." I was wondering if it was a popular spot for daily dog walks or the like for people who live in the area. My parents go on daily 3 mile walks on a rail trail by their house and they see the "regulars" every day or every other day - dog walkers, moms with young kids, older folks like them getting their exercise. If something ever happened on that trail, I'd be pretty certain my parents would be people to talk to since I know they go religiously to get their 3 miles in.

It doesn't sound like this trail has that kind of regular activity. That's too bad, it looks nice except for the graffiti from the satellite view.

 

[hardeeboy]

Decoding What's Inside Your Car's Black Box | Edmunds

BMWs made in the last 5-8 years have sophisticated event data recorders, fuel efficiency monitoring systems, and other advanced onboard tools. These can be informative in assessing how car was being operated, number of people in front seats and other circumstances immediately before a mechanical incident or accident. BMW's record a short sample of this data even if airbags are not deployed. If privacy laws don't restrict it, accessing this information might be useful in verifying assumptions, conditions, establishing better timeline, checking what devices were registered to car's blue tooth, gps(?) saved contact info/preferred routes/recent destinations...

 

[Roxxi3535]

Decoding What's Inside Your Car's Black Box | Edmunds

BMWs made in the last 5-8 years have sophisticated event data recorders, fuel efficiency monitoring systems, and other advanced onboard tools. These can be informative in assessing how car was being operated, number of people in front seats and other circumstances immediately before a mechanical incident or accident. BMW's record a short sample of this data even if airbags are not deployed. If privacy laws don't restrict it, accessing this information might be useful in verifying assumptions, conditions, establishing better timeline, checking what devices were registered to car's blue tooth, gps(?) saved contact info/preferred routes/recent destinations...

Wow thats good to know. Had no idea BMW had a feature like that. I think i read somewhere on this forum that someone thought the year was a 2003-2005 model... i dont think that was confirmed though.

 

[joeconejo]

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for your contributions to this thread, and your timely and succinct replies.

Regarding the trail where his car was recovered:
Do you know if his friends have ever attempted to drive (even just a short distance) on that trail, or discussed instance(s) where anyone has ever attempted that? Any stories about "so and so" trying to drive up that trail in the past?
At one point in the trail do the conditions make it impossible to continue forward or back up? And, was the car found near this "point of no return?"
Has his missing front bumper (or any car part) been located?
Did emergency vehicles have issues reaching the car?
Was his car equipped with a trunk release inside the trunk?

Thank You

No problem, thank you. I'll reply to the questions that weren't answered by L7735

We have not heard any stories of past instances or challenges to drive out onto the trail.
To the best of my knowledge the vehicle was not equipped with an inside trunk release. I will ask to make certain and edit if incorrect.

 

[joeconejo]

@joeconejo I was wondering if Matthew has ever gone without being in touch with loved ones for a substantial amount of time in the past? Would he ever consider going off the grid or would that be totally out of character for him?

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