In the early hours of August 30, 2013, 19-year-old college student Bryce Laspisa was driving home from northern California when he called his parents and told them that he was going to pull over and sleep. Bryce, who had been visiting his girlfriend, never returned home that morning. Around 8:00 AM, an officer from the California Highway Patrol showed up at the Laspisas’ home in Laguna Niguel to tell them that Bryce’s crashed car had been found near Castaic Lake.
The car had been discovered lying on its side with its back windshield cracked open. There was no sign of Bryce, although his wallet, phone, and laptop had been left behind. While he might have been able to get out of his car, authorities speculated that he could have suffered a head injury in the crash. Despite numerous searches of the area, both by air and foot, Bryce Laspisa has never been found.
Rather than being the unfortunate victim of foul play, Bryce’s parents believe that their son is still alive. A few days before his disappearance, Bryce hadn’t been acting like himself. He had broken up with his girlfriend on August 28, and his parents reported him missing the next day after he failed to give them a promised phone call. After police found Bryce unharmed at a rest stop, he called his family and said that he was fine.
As for the crash near Castaic Lake, some people have theorized that Bryce ran away from home. Several unconfirmed sightings have placed him in Washington, Nevada, and Oregon.