CA CA - Bryce Laspisa, 19, Castaic, 30 Aug 2013 - #1

[DocBrew]

Wondering if something was used to speed up decomposition, would it get hot enough to start a fire?

I'm wondering if something happened along these lines but without the whole 'someone did something to him' angle. I wonder if he wandered away from his accident and later succumbed to his injuries, and then the intense heat coupled with the gases of decomp ignited the body.

Admittedly, I don't know if this is possible, but it seems like it could be.

 

[hannah1988]

The two theories that make the most sense to me at this point are:
1) It's not Bryce, and it's a poor attempt by someone to cover-up another crime and make it look like Bryce.
2) Hit and run -- Bryce survived the wreck, but another vehicle accidentally hit him when he was trying to cross the highway/get help, and they drove off. After some time, the driver became scared that they could be traced to the scene of the accident if Bryce's body was found and Bryce had paint chips from the car OR the coroner noticed that the accident was consistent with a hit-and-run and they checked surveillance to find cars in the area at that time. The perp then went back to burn the body to hide the COD or other physical evidence from the car.

 

[Seajay]

I have such a sick, uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach right now.

What are the odds that it's Bryce?? Who would hang on to him for 4 days before lighting him on fire???

This makes no sense other than that the body is not Bryce. Where was he for 4 days? And if he set himself on fire, he'd have to have the means. Where did he get that???

I'm more inclined to think the two are unrelated. Yet that in itself would be a coincidence.

 

[2Hope4]

Are there any other reported missing persons in the area?

Unfortunately people are murdered for various reasons to the murderer. At this point, we don't know why.

I can't see someone attempting suicide by means of fire. What are the chances in an open area? Maybe in a house where they figure the smoke would overtake them before the heat, but otherwise, I can't see it happening.

Burying to destroy evidence. Sure. Hoping the fire isn't seen that close to the road? I mean from the looks of the maps, plenty of ravines that a body could be disposed of better. Unless the body was placed in the water and surfaced? I have no idea. Such a strange situation!

 

[UCLAEigenguy]

I'm wondering if something happened along these lines but without the whole 'someone did something to him' angle. I wonder if he wandered away from his accident and later succumbed to his injuries, and then the intense heat coupled with the gases of decomp ignited the body.

Admittedly, I don't know if this is possible, but it seems like it could be.

Has that ever happened? The fire happened at night though so there was no ignition source unless it was spontaneous combustion.

 

[cluciano63]

Maybe the person was already dead, and something smoldering burst into flames?

 

[hannah1988]

At this point spontaneous combustion makes about as much sense as anything...

 

[Confusion]

If the body was close enough to the accident to be him, how likely is it that some sicko found his body (which was missed by searchers) and just started it/him on fire for the fun of it?

 

[amymarie]

Is it possible that Bryce's body has been laying there all this time (dying from internal injuries, etc. from the car wreck)? And would it be possible for someone to throw out a lit cigarette, catching the brush around him on fire and no one saw it until it got big enough to catch the body on fire?

I'm reaching but that seems the only logical explanation to me, if possible. Although, the body looks to be a little too far away from the road for that.

 

[Amity]

Since the first Breaking News I saw this morning on channel 5/KTLA News, I keep going back to the person that originally found the burning brush and reported it.
Unfortunately I have smelled a body burning and it's a terrible, unmistakable smell.
Didn't the person that came upon that burning brush notice a terrible odor?
Maybe in his/her 911 call he mentioned a terrible odor coming from the burning site?
I can almost venture that as soon as the FD got there they noticed that unmistakeable odor.

And the winds in that area were sure to carry that odor quite far, don't you think?
I hate traveling the Castaic/Grape Vine route.....not a whole lot of civilization, very dark.

Someone upthread mentioned body/decomposing/gases......I know that bales of hay and horse feed can ignite on their own in the heat/direct sun. Anyone have any information about body gases?

 

[hannah1988]

Since the first Breaking News I saw this morning on channel 5/KTLA News, I keep going back to the person that originally found the burning brush and reported it.
Unfortunately I have smelled a body burning and it's a terrible, unmistakable smell.
Didn't the person that came upon that burning brush notice a terrible odor?
Maybe in his/her 911 call he mentioned a terrible odor coming from the burning site?
I can almost venture that as soon as the FD got there they noticed that unmistakeable odor.

And the winds in that area were sure to carry that odor quite far, don't you think?
I hate traveling the Castaic/Grape Vine route.....not a whole lot of civilization, very dark.

Someone upthread mentioned body/decomposing/gases......I know that bales of hay and horse feed can ignite on their own in the heat/direct sun. Anyone have any information about body gases?

Good point about the smell! The person that reported the "burning brush" was a cyclist, so I imagine that he or she smelled the strange odor. Maybe this is why they decided to call it in???

 

[Jo in Calif]

At this point spontaneous combustion makes about as much sense as anything...

I would tend to rule out spontaneous human combustion

http://skepdic.com/shc.html

 

[DocBrew]

I'm not talking about spontaneous human combustion in the sense that it is the cause of death, but rather a byproduct of extreme heat mixed with decomp gases that could have ignited post mortem.

Again, I'm not sure if this can happen, but if it could I wouldn't necessarily consider it spontaneous combustion in the Mythbusters sense of the word.

 

[LivingJuicy]

It's not very often that I am completely paralyzed by the outcome of a case... This one almost puts me in need of group therapy. I am totally shocked, and I should not be as I have seen this, or similar outcomes to many times to count!

I wish I could HUG the family right now!

Completely relate. I am so angry. Like fighting pissed and I don't know why nor am I really ever even mad. I am praying. Fire??? My heart and head are spinning.

 

[jnTexas]

oh my i hope he wasnt laying there unable to move from injuries and lit a lighter to try and get someone to see him for help. horrible thought.............

Seems as though if he were able to get up from the scene of the accident he would've grabbed his phone unless he was out of it....

 

[FlyerFan28]

I'm not talking about spontaneous human combustion in the sense that it is the cause of death, but rather a byproduct of extreme heat mixed with decomp gases that could have ignited post mortem.

Again, I'm not sure if this can happen, but if it could I wouldn't necessarily consider it spontaneous combustion in the Mythbusters sense of the word.

Or having gasoline on his clothing and a lighter in his pocket.

 

[TupeloMz]

Does anyone know how long it will take to ID the body that was burning?

I hope it is not Bryce......An am so upset that someone has lost a loved one today....

So many questions....:waitasec:

 

[2Hope4]

Maybe the person was intending on stealing the vehicle, but Bryce wrecked it and was now a witness?

 

[2Hope4]

And in one of his facebook photos, he is holding a cigarette. So it's possible the fire was an accident, he couldn't move... Or decided to start a fire so someone would notice him? Maybe it's not even him, but my gut feeling says it is. I don't know!!

 

[LinasK]

Does anyone know how long it will take to ID the body that was burning?

I hope it is not Bryce......An am so upset that someone has lost a loved one today....

So many questions....:waitasec:

I think they'll need to get dental records, from what I heard the body was badly burned. They did not say if it was even male.