I have no gut feelings as to what happened to BL. Really--a puzzling and frustrating one to me. I just don't know, so still hope for the best at this point...
Random thoughts:
If BL planned his disappearance: If his roommate/friend (SD) was so important to him as evidenced by his last text msg ("You are the best person I've ever met. You saved my soul.") , then I have trouble understanding how he would have not let the roommate know. After all, he would be leaving SD in the lurch, having to deal with the presumed shared apt rent, and that would not be a nice thing to do to someone who you think so highly of.
Also, sure am curious as to what kind of text msgs were on his phone during the time he was on this trip. Most young people his age text very often, so what kind of texts were made back and forth, and by whom? What were the nature of the texts? Even if they were mundane texts...even that could shed light on state of mind. Especially wondering for the time period he was in the Buttonwillow area for hours and hours.