Found Deceased CA - Sophia Edwards, 19, & Ethan Manzano, 20, did not arrive home, State Route 2, 1 Jul 2021

[GuyfromCanada]

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. (VVNG.com) — An Apple Valley mother is asking the community for prayers and help in finding her daughter and boyfriend missing now for two days.

Michelle Edwards, a VVNG member, posted and said Sophia Edwards and Ethan Manzano were last seen leaving Newcomb’s Ranch at 1:30 pm, on Thursday, July 1st.

The couple was last seen driving along Highway 2 in a silver 2007 Azusu Ascender. According to Michelle, they were heading home to Apple Valley. “Sheriffs say that they got a ping off a cell tower in Wrightwood…so we know that they made it off the mountain.”

(both were wearing the t-shirt)

More at Family searching for missing teens from Apple Valley

 

[charminglane]

Newcomb's Ranch is where you go up to take in the view and usually have a few beers.
Very windy roads up and down.
Not a good situation.

 

[Unsolved]

“Sheriffs say that they got a ping off a cell tower in Wrightwood…so we know that they made it off the mountain.”

<snipped>
Just thinking out loud here. Well we know the ping meant their car made it off the mountain - I'm just not so sure they were in it. Like maybe someone bad made them get out and took the car or was in it with them, for example if they stopped to give someone a ride and are now stuck riding to who knows where with them.

I realize you can't tell anything by just looking at the photos of the missing, but to me they look like fun happy kids who would probably be kind enough to stop for someone. The article says they were supposed to be loading up and moving to Colorado, so I can't imagine there was any "run away" plans with these two.

If they start at Wrightwood the route to Apple Valley at least looks feasible for a very thorough search:

 

[Razz]

Newcomb's Ranch is where you go up to take in the view and usually have a few beers.
Very windy roads up and down.
Not a good situation.

Is Wrightwood a winding road too? The phone ping was in Wrightwood indicated they got off the mountain.

 

[charminglane]

Yes, Razz, there is a ski resort up there, Mountain High. Their website says they are open at this time.
Wrightwood is at about 6,000 to 7,800 ft elevation in the San Gabriel Mountains.
Winding road all the way.

 

[GuyfromCanada]

Ethan's Linkedin, he works as a Ski Lift Operator.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-manzano-bb60621a4/

 

[whitelilac]

Following.
Regarding the ping off a Wrightwood cell tower.....does this indicate it's certain they, or at least their phone, made it off the mountain?
If they were still up there or on the way down, is there another closer tower from which a phone would ping?

I'm thinking accident regardless.

 

[ClaireNC]

I'm also thinking accident. Looks like there are lots of places someone could run off the road. Google Maps

 

[Razz]

Newcomb's Ranch is where you go up to take in the view and usually have a few beers.
Very windy roads up and down.
Not a good situation.

Are there frequent accidents there? <modsnip>

 

[charminglane]

Are there frequent accidents there? <modsnip>

Yes, many accidents.

 

[charminglane]

This is Angeles Crest Highway and further into Wrightwood.

 

[ClaireNC]

Are there frequent accidents there? <modsnip>

I don't think Newcombs Ranch is actually open these days. It looks like the bar/restaurant closed due to Covid and it's now in the process of being sold.

Took the Google guy for a walk on CA-2/Angeles Crest Highway and it's rugged terrain.

 

[mlhenn]

Family looking for missing teens from Apple Valley-VVNG.com - California News Times

To Note:
Sophia Edwards and Ethan Manzano were last seen leaving Newcoms Ranch at 1:30 pm on Thursday, July 1st.

The couple was last seen driving along Highway 2 on the Silver 2007 Azusu Ascender.

They were heading home to Apple Valley.

Sheriffs say they received a ping from the Lightwood cell tower … so we know they made it from the mountains.

 

[whitelilac]

I really hope they are thoroughly searching along the winding roads, with a helicopter and drones.

Reminds me too much of my friend's best friend who vanished also in similar terrain. Searches were suspended, so my friend along with others rented a helicopter themselves. They found him, he had gone over the edge, they finally sighted his vehicle at the bottom of a ravine under a canopy of trees and brush. Sadly he was deceased.

Also of another incident, a young couple who disappeared in Kings Canyon, at the same time that I too was there. The river at the bottom was extremely high and rushing that year. Their vehicle was also eventually found submerged in that turbulent water. It was the second such accident that fall of a car going off the road in that location.
Missing San Diego couple bodies recovered from Kings River | cbs8.com

I hate to think they had something similar happen, and that they might be seriously injured waiting for help.

 

[whitelilac]

Very concerning....both have issues according to these missing bulletins
https://twitter.com/LASDHQ/status/1411537888857104386/photo/1
https://twitter.com/LASDHQ/status/1411537567611113474/photo/1

 

[LAhiker]

Very concerning....both have issues according to these missing bulletins
https://twitter.com/LASDHQ/status/1411537888857104386/photo/1
https://twitter.com/LASDHQ/status/1411537567611113474/photo/1

I agree that it's worrisome that they both are described as having issues with mental illness.

That said, I still think an accident is possible. Even if the cell phone pinged a tower in Wrightwood, that does not necessarily mean they made it that far. There is a lot of winding road between Newcomb's Ranch and Wrightwood. "Over-the-side" accidents are fairly common, and sometimes vehicles aren't found for a while despite a search.

Another possibility: They turned off onto some forest road and ran into trouble there.

JMO

 

[whitelilac]

I agree that it's worrisome that they both are described as having issues with mental illness.

That said, I still think an accident is possible. Even if the cell phone pinged a tower in Wrightwood, that does not necessarily mean they made it that far. There is a lot of winding road between Newcomb's Ranch and Wrightwood. "Over-the-side" accidents are fairly common, and sometimes vehicles aren't found for a while despite a search.

Another possibility: They turned off onto some forest road and ran into trouble there.

JMO

I'm 90% thinking accident. The vehicle hasn't been found either.
And you are right about the ping....may be the closest tower.

 

[Rosegold68]

how concerning!

 

[Ravenmoon]

I was hoping that more interest would stir up on this case.
Apple Valley and the nearby mountains are quite close to the area I lived in for 21 years . It is not uncommon to have people come up missing in the area.
What really strikes me odd about this case is that most mountain involved missing people cases happen during the Winter when there is snow and ice on the ground. I have been checking in to local groups and pages to see if there is new development, but I have yet to see any.
Still hoping that this case grabs more attention from others.

 

[Dawookie]

I agree that it's worrisome that they both are described as having issues with mental illness.

That said, I still think an accident is possible. Even if the cell phone pinged a tower in Wrightwood, that does not necessarily mean they made it that far. There is a lot of winding road between Newcomb's Ranch and Wrightwood. "Over-the-side" accidents are fairly common, and sometimes vehicles aren't found for a while despite a search.

Another possibility: They turned off onto some forest road and ran into trouble there.

JMO

Will a cell phone ping a tower if there's no service though? I know coming into Wrightwood from the west, there's a pretty big dead zone with no service. I wonder if they have pings from the trip up and the trip back and that's how they know they made it back to Wrightwood