CA CA - Bryce Laspisa, 19, Castaic, 30 Aug 2013 - #7

[Redux]

Maybe. But why leave his stuff? I mean, he is an adult, he can do what he wants, but it is not as though he had a ton of cash, apparently, to buy all new gear and carry on elsewhere. This age group love their stuff, IMO.

Good point. I could guess that he was dazed from the accident, walked away, and then perhaps went back to the SUV later but the police were there by then. I don't know if that's a stretch or not. The SUV was found relatively quickly, but within that hour seems like there'd been enough time to gather his wits and get anything out of the SUV that he wanted.

I wonder if you're standing on the middle of the dam if you can see the accident site from there. Like how far away could you be from where the SUV landed and still be able to see it to know when the police etc got there.

 

[2Hope4]

Everyone is saying he has no money, BUT, we don't know if that's true. Plus he could have a job by now! My heart believes Bryce is where Bryce wants to be.

 

[gitana1]

Thank you so much. The map in that 2nd link does show the whole track going from the car area, then across the dam, and then out of the area. So long as that is an accurate picture of what the dogs actually did, then I do agree now that it would indicate that the scent trail did show him possibly leaving the area.

Im just not sure if the actual searchers created that map OR if it was created by someone just based on those previous links I had listed. Because I could see where someone could easily assume Search #3 just started at the dam "stopping", and then continued from there, when in actually, it may not have.
Kind of thinking along the lines of his scent may have been all around the truck travel routes because he went back + forth so many times. So, it may have seemed like 1 long trail, when really he may have truly stopped across the dam and it ended there.

It would be so helpful if we had access to a detailed summary report of the dog search findings, if one even exists from the actual searchers. But I can see now why people would tend to think he left the area with that map. I like that map and just hope it accurately portrays what the dogs did.

The map was created by Dragracerz, specifically from his own, firsthand knowledge, not from anything on websleuths. He was actually clarifying what some of us had posted, IIRC.

 

[gitana1]

Maybe. But why leave his stuff? I mean, he is an adult, he can do what he wants, but it is not as though he had a ton of cash, apparently, to buy all new gear and carry on elsewhere. This age group love their stuff, IMO.

It is odd, but there are so many examples of people, college age especially, but even older ones, who totally disappear, leaving money, ID, credit cards, vehicles and phones behind, drop off the face of the earth and then reappear some time later. In some cases, they are ruled deceased before they resurface.

I have always wondered how they did it. But they do. Ivy Merck was one. Brenda Heist was another. Eric Myers was another: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/presumed-dead-dad-shows-gay-lover-article-1.1405049

There are so many examples. I've linked to at least a dozen at this point.

But yes, it is relatively rare. Usually when a person disappears like this, they are deceased due to foul play or suicide. I get the stats. But Bryce's body has not been found. And there is always hope. So, I look at these cases as examples of how it can happen and how it could have happened with Bryce.

His scent disappeared near the five freeway, in a suburban area, leading out of the park and away from the car crash. To me that indicates another vehicle involved and that Bryce was on foot at some point. So, there's more hope for me with that scenario.

 

[Seajay]

He may have intended to take some of his belongings with him, up to the crash. The vehicle tumbled down the hill, tossing his possessions around. They would have been thrown around all over the inside of the SUV. Once the vehicle settled, with it being dark, he may have changed his mind about them because he could not find them. It was dark, they could be anywhere. And he just had this loud, horrific crash. Time was no important, he couldn't waste any of it looking around in the dark, pitch black to try to find anything, therefore he decided to get out of the area before the sounds of the crash drew people. This could be the reason he didn't take his wallet or other possessions. IMO

 

[Whiteorchids]

It is odd, but there are so many examples of people, college age especially, but even older ones, who totally disappear, leaving money, ID, credit cards, vehicles and phones behind, drop off the face of the earth and then reappear some time later. In some cases, they are ruled deceased before they resurface.

I have always wondered how they did it. But they do. Ivy Merck was one. Brenda Heist was another. Eric Myers was another: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/presumed-dead-dad-shows-gay-lover-article-1.1405049

There are so many examples. I've linked to at least a dozen at this point.

But yes, it is relatively rare. Usually when a person disappears like this, they are deceased due to foul play or suicide. I get the stats. But Bryce's body has not been found. And there is always hope. So, I look at these cases as examples of how it can happen and how it could have happened with Bryce.

His scent disappeared near the five freeway, in a suburban area, leading out of the park and away from the car crash. To me that indicates another vehicle involved and that Bryce was on foot at some point. So, there's more hope for me with that scenario.

It could be very well the case but I think many people here on WS really want the lake searched again to possibly rule out that he could have been missed in there. As I recall in some other cases lakes had been searched over and over again for a missing person. Since the first SAR dog lost his scent at the edge of the lake I would be inclined to believe it would be the strongest lead since it was done immediately. IIRC wasn't the other SAR dog searches done many days later? I feel a search of lake should be done again with side sonar specialist and divers within a targeted area. His body could have shifted from wind two months ago. I think if another proper lake search were done we could wipe this feeling from our minds and move on to other theories.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Voice4theSilent]

Good point. There could be 2 ways possibly.
1-He could have floated out for a ways before he eventually sunk.
2-The slope bottom could be very steep.

When I have time, I am going to try to cross-reference the Topo map to the spot in the lake near where his car was to see if I can determine if the slope was steep in that area.

For any locals in that area, if you plan on going to that spot anytime soon, if you bring a fishing pole with a heavy sinker and cast out, you can determine how steep a slope is from the bank by watching your line sink before the sinker hits bottom. Its kind of a quick and dirty way to check the slope of the lake bottom.

I posted several threads back that I read on a fishing site that the water by the dam is deep, in relation to other fishing areas in the lake. (Of course, that doesn't help in telling us exactly HOW deep is deep.)

 

[Redux]

I have always wondered how they did it. But they do. Ivy Merck was one. Brenda Heist was another. Eric Myers was another: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/presumed-dead-dad-shows-gay-lover-article-1.1405049

There are so many examples. I've linked to at least a dozen at this point.

Wow, interesting. I'd sure like to hear the details on how he did this. Was it spur of the moment? Something he planned for a few months? How did he live and make money, especially at first, without anyone finding him out?

I can easily picture time getting away from you if you do something like this....tell yourself that you'll call your family in a few days and then a few days turns into weeks, months, years.

 

[Voice4theSilent]

Thinking about the perfect picture of the family taken only days before Bryce disappeared.
It doesn't look like an impromptu pic that one would take at home theirself. Whose idea was it to take the picture? (Probably moms so may not fit to indicate B's mindset.)
Still, wonder if there's any significance to that detail when put with the others; break up with girlfriend,
disinterest in attending classes as the new semester got underway combined with the recent family portrait.

Just thinking but do these points indicate too many coincidences for somebody who didn't know he'd be going away soon? To ask it another way, had he been contemplating leaving his life behind?

What family portrait was taken days before he disappeared? IIRC he hadn't seen his parents in a few weeks. Do you have a link to the photo? TIA

 

[Voice4theSilent]

It is odd, but there are so many examples of people, college age especially, but even older ones, who totally disappear, leaving money, ID, credit cards, vehicles and phones behind, drop off the face of the earth and then reappear some time later. In some cases, they are ruled deceased before they resurface.

I have always wondered how they did it. But they do. Ivy Merck was one. Brenda Heist was another. Eric Myers was another: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/presumed-dead-dad-shows-gay-lover-article-1.1405049

There are so many examples. I've linked to at least a dozen at this point.

But yes, it is relatively rare. Usually when a person disappears like this, they are deceased due to foul play or suicide. I get the stats. But Bryce's body has not been found. And there is always hope. So, I look at these cases as examples of how it can happen and how it could have happened with Bryce.

His scent disappeared near the five freeway, in a suburban area, leading out of the park and away from the car crash. To me that indicates another vehicle involved and that Bryce was on foot at some point. So, there's more hope for me with that scenario.

BBM

Do you think he was picked up by a stranger or by someone he knew? TIA

 

[Voice4theSilent]

I agree, it sounds like he wanted to make an immediate change to his life. So, if only someone could figure out why it was taking him so long to travel home. Keeping in mind his mom expected him the day before and had even put out a missing person call to LE. * Here's were the foul play theories get support imo.

* What happened in this space of time to keep Bryce from driving directly home to have the important talk with his mom?
Had he ever given lip service to his mom before? (Doesn't sound like it per comments made by dad.)
Lip service is talk teenagers do to get you off their backs in the moment.

There is no indication that he told his mother he was driving home to Laguna Niguel to talk to his parents. He said he had something to talk to his mom about but he was expected to go back to his apartment from Chico, not to Laguna Niguel. She stated that they didn't talk so I assumed she thought he was going to call her to talk, not make the drive down to OC to talk to her. He didn't speak to his mom until Thursday night when the police made him call her to tell her where he was. He told her he was going to hang out with friends (not that he was going home to talk to her.) The only indication in the days/hours leading up to his disappearance that he was going to go to Laguna Niguel was when he spoke to her around 2am and said that his GPS estimated he should be in Laguna Niguel around 3:30am however he also said he was going to pull over to sleep instead. I think she assumed he was going home when she found out he had called from Buttonwillow for gas but I don't think he was actually on his way home.

 

[Seajay]

Three different sets of dogs alerted on a scent of Dylan Redwine at Vallecito Lake. Everyone was sure he was in the lake. It was searched but he wasn't found. Winter came and the lake froze. So LE and everyone else waited for the Spring thaw so the lake could be searched again. It was searched again, and still no sign of Dylan. It was speculated that his body was caught on debris under the surface, that the marine life in the lake had degraded the remains, etc, etc. LE was now convinced Dylan was not in the lake. But everyone else still thought the lake needed to be searched again, more thoroughly, with more equipment. LE refused, much to everyone's chagrin.

A few months later, Dylan Redwine's remains were found up in the mountains, many miles from Lake Vallecito, about 10. He never was at the lake, he never did go to the lake.

In this case, if LE feels the lake has been searched enough, if the family feels the lake has been searched and Bryce wasn't found already, I think they all feel he's not in there. JMO.

 

[cluciano63]

If this was a planned escape...why take his stuff, only to leave it? Did he really want his parents to think he might be dead?

 

[Stinneb]

He may have intended to take some of his belongings with him, up to the crash. The vehicle tumbled down the hill, tossing his possessions around. They would have been thrown around all over the inside of the SUV. Once the vehicle settled, with it being dark, he may have changed his mind about them because he could not find them. It was dark, they could be anywhere. And he just had this loud, horrific crash. Time was no important, he couldn't waste any of it looking around in the dark, pitch black to try to find anything, therefore he decided to get out of the area before the sounds of the crash drew people. This could be the reason he didn't take his wallet or other possessions. IMO

But he did find something to break the back window of the car though. I think you need a tool of some sort to do that because it is relatively hard to break. I believe I read he found a tool to do this. (Might be wrong about these details?) I still feel like the crash might have been intentional, I don't think he was happy at all and it seems like he had a hard time dealing with that.
I think he left everything behind in the car like phone, wallet etc.

If LE searched his computer wouldn't they most likely find leads to "secret friends" or whatever?
And did they find out what he used to break the window of the car?

 

[Voice4theSilent]

But he did find something to break the back window of the car though. I think you need a tool of some sort to do that because it is relatively hard to break. I believe I read he found a tool to do this. (Might be wrong about these details?) I still feel like the crash might have been intentional, I don't think he was happy at all and it seems like he had a hard time dealing with that.
I think he left everything behind in the car like phone, wallet etc.

If LE searched his computer wouldn't they most likely find leads to "secret friends" or whatever?
And did they find out what he used to break the window of the car?

I think it was speculated in the beginning that he broke the window of the car but I don't think it has been confirmed that he broke it vs. breaking during the roll over/crash.

 

[Whiteorchids]

Three different sets of dogs alerted on a scent of Dylan Redwine at Vallecito Lake. Everyone was sure he was in the lake. It was searched but he wasn't found. Winter came and the lake froze. So LE and everyone else waited for the Spring thaw so the lake could be searched again. It was searched again, and still no sign of Dylan. It was speculated that his body was caught on debris under the surface, that the marine life in the lake had degraded the remains, etc, etc. LE was now convinced Dylan was not in the lake. But everyone else still thought the lake needed to be searched again, more thoroughly, with more equipment. LE refused, much to everyone's chagrin.

A few months later, Dylan Redwine's remains were found up in the mountains, many miles from Lake Vallecito, about 10. He never was at the lake, he never did go to the lake.

In this case, if LE feels the lake has been searched enough, if the family feels the lake has been searched and Bryce wasn't found already, I think they all feel he's not in there. JMO.

I don't think LE is always right. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept. is back logged with many cases.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[gitana1]

It could be very well the case but I think many people here on WS really want the lake searched again to possibly rule out that he could have been missed in there. As I recall in some other cases lakes had been searched over and over again for a missing person. Since the first SAR dog lost his scent at the edge of the lake I would be inclined to believe it would be the strongest lead since it was done immediately. IIRC wasn't the other SAR dog searches done many days later? I feel a search of lake should be done again with side sonar specialist and divers within a targeted area. His body could have shifted from wind two months ago. I think if another proper lake search were done we could wipe this feeling from our minds and move on to other theories.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

No dog tracked and then lost Bryce's scent, at the lake. That keeps being repeated and I was also confused by this at first but Dragracerz cleared that up.

What family portrait was taken days before he disappeared? IIRC he hadn't seen his parents in a few weeks. Do you have a link to the photo? TIA

There have been numerous articles that have the mom quoted as stating they took a family portrait a day or two before he left on his road trip. That always struck me as odd, because if he was up there in the Chico area, how was that possible? So it looks like they went up to settle Bryce in and the very next day is when he stayed up all night on Adderall, then the next day he tried or did break up with his girlfriend, and that day he began his trip south. Hopefully I have that right.

BBM

Do you think he was picked up by a stranger or by someone he knew? TIA

I have no idea what happened to Bryce! But I tend to suspect he suffered disassociative fugue or a breakdown of some sort, accidentally or purposefully crashed his car and simply began wandering. I think some of the symptoms began up north and he began wandering down south, without a real purpose in mind, at that time. I fear he could have been reacting to internal stimuli during the trip, either from lack of sleep, or organic causes, hence the long gaps in time during which he was circling or not driving.

Then, when he wandered away from the crash, I suspect he saw a trucker and stuck his thumb out. I don't think someone was there to meet him. I never bought into what seem to me to be complex drug underworld theories or secret plans to disappear with the help of a shadowy third party.

No reason for him to go all the way to tiny Buttonwillow or isolated Castaic to engage in nefarious activities, for example. And where was the time to do that if that was the plan? He starts school but has a plan to suddenly engage in drug trafficking or something, 200 miles away, during the school session, and LE finds no trace of anything in his vehicle? It doesn't make sense to me.

As far as having a concerted, well thought out plan to disappear, meeting someone who was helping him, etc., his behavior in the days beforehand and during the trip, his mom and girlfriend's behavior/reactions, and the overall circumstances just don't seem to point to that to me. (Phone records, computer records or the lack thereof, the timing, etc.). I sense much more impulse and instability involved in this disappearance.

I suspect he wandered impulsively away from the crash site much like he wandered impulsively away from college, and someone picked him up and either has no idea he is missing, because frankly, this story is only big to us, a few others on FB and to those who love Bryce, or the person is too scared to speak up because, if it was a trucker, for example, they are not allowed to carry hitch hikers and the person may think they could lose their job.

That's my best guess but my guess is no better than anyone else's.

If this was a planned escape...why take his stuff, only to leave it? Did he really want his parents to think he might be dead?

If it was planned, is it possible it wasn't planned with a rational mindset?

 

[AmandaFast]

Happy Birthday Amanda and thank you to you and the hubby for making the trek! :yourock:

I'm a little confused about your post. Are you saying Christian's family was hostile towards any questions? What "girls" are you referring to that interrogated him?

What GPS are you referring to? Are you referring to GPS coordinates from the police report?

Again, thank you for making the trek and doing what you did. Perhaps you and I can go to BW next week if you are available weekdays.

Haha oops!! I pasted the email I sent dragz and was suppose to take that part out and forgot. He doesn't want me getting into it because the info was never verified but a group of girls decided to interrogate Christian and brought back info that could be very damning to him. However they later retracted there statement with the police leading most to believe it was made up or glamorized version of the truth. Sadly, that's all I can say for now on that.

I used the GPS coordinates from the dispatch report to find out whether not it did lead to a hotel. One of the homeless was at the hotel and one was at the rest stop.

I'll see what I can do about the weekdays!! I definitely think more can be done there for sure.


Hope that helps!!

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2

 

[gitana1]

He may have intended to take some of his belongings with him, up to the crash. The vehicle tumbled down the hill, tossing his possessions around. They would have been thrown around all over the inside of the SUV. Once the vehicle settled, with it being dark, he may have changed his mind about them because he could not find them. It was dark, they could be anywhere. And he just had this loud, horrific crash. Time was no important, he couldn't waste any of it looking around in the dark, pitch black to try to find anything, therefore he decided to get out of the area before the sounds of the crash drew people. This could be the reason he didn't take his wallet or other possessions. IMO

Wasn't his backpack or gym bag found neatly sitting there, opened up, as if someone opened it after the crash but then decided to leave pretty much everything behind? I seem to remember something like that.

I don't think LE is always right. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Dept. is back logged with many cases.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

True. I have little confidence in LA LE as a result. And their track record with missing persons is not the best. That's why I don't think they will be pivotal in finding Bryce at all. It will be up to non-LE to find this kid, I think. Chance or someone spots something or someone talks.

 

[gitana1]

Hey, guests, please join us here! I'm sure you have an opinion or comment or something to say about this case and we would LOVE to hear it!!!!!!

You may think you don't have anything important to say but I've seen some great catches on here and smart thoughts that the person posting didn't think were that important.

I see more guests than members on the thread. It's easy to join!!!!