CA CA - Matthew Weaver, 21, Santa Monica Mountains, 10 Aug 2018

[wary]

The top of Topanga is a nice place to over look all the valleys (July 4th being the best), we live in a very populated city so seeing stars is hard from our homes. We do have wild peacocks in the hills so that could be the screams? Everyone and myself personally would never drive up that trail you park and hike up. It’s definitely a party spot and has been for years.

I doubt that peacocks would scream at night. (Based on my limited personal experience, I'd expect them to be up in a tree by sunset, with their head tucked under a wing.)

A question, though. What does a mountain lion scream really sound like? Traditionally, it's supposed to sound like a woman screaming.... but could it be mistaken for a man in distress?

However, it seems amazingly unlikely that a random animal/bird sound was mistaken, by pure coincidence, for a person in distress, on the very night that MW's car ended up lodged on a mountain trail.

 

[Roxxi3535]

I really feel some type of way about first responders confirming the initial report of hearing a voice in distress, then attempting to pinpoint the source by way of search, yet only to give up and walk away as if this should not light a fire under their *advertiser censored** to ensure this search continues until someone is found!!! This is really pathetic!!! Someone's life is obviously at risk and the immediate search effort was a complete joke. Its a whole different ballgame if the first responders could not confirm hearing a person in distress. That is not the case here. In my opinion, so many officials whom we trust to ensure our safety just dropped the ball repeatedly on Matthew's disappearance. If there was any chance to save this young mans life, this search was completely botched and neglected from the jump. I pray he is safe and will return to his loved ones. I actually hope the reports and confirmation of distress calls was completely fabricated because if this is true then he should have been located long ago. I feel the state of urgency was completely disregarded by LE, and that is why Matthew is still a missing person today. Extremely unfair for the family to have to beg for LE to do a thorough job. This wouldve been a completely different ordeal if this involved a missing relative/child of an actual officer. Im sure no stone would have been unturned. We rely on LE for their assistance in matters like this and shouldnt have to push them to do what is already expected of them.

 

[passepartout]

What's not clear to me is if they have CCTV or evidence from In n Out to confirm it.

Reports said it was a tip to police but it's hard to know if this is a witness recollection or a sighting borne out by CCTV. Or if the witness actually knew him and could confirm his identity.

 

[Roxxi3535]

What's not clear to me is if they have CCTV or evidence from In n Out to confirm it.

Reports said it was a tip to police but it's hard to know if this is a witness recollection or a sighting borne out by CCTV. Or if the witness actually knew him and could confirm his identity.

Wish more info was made available.

 

[_AmieB_]

I doubt that peacocks would scream at night. (Based on my limited personal experience, I'd expect them to be up in a tree by sunset, with their head tucked under a wing.)

A question, though. What does a mountain lion scream really sound like? Traditionally, it's supposed to sound like a woman screaming.... but could it be mistaken for a man in distress?

However, it seems amazingly unlikely that a random animal/bird sound was mistaken, by pure coincidence, for a person in distress, on the very night that MW's car ended up lodged on a mountain trail.[/QUOTEive definitely heard them at night visiting friends who live in the hills a few times but I’ve never been out at 3am at least not for a long long time now.

 

[carbuff]

Has the family said whether Matthew is the kind of person to have gone out to a remote place to party?

 

[Roxxi3535]

Has the family said whether Matthew is the kind of person to have gone out to a remote place to party?

Apparently, he frequented the area.

 

[Steph9676]

Are they still doing searches in the area? I have not heard of anyone mention drone searches.

 

[L7335]

Are they still doing searches in the area? I have not heard of anyone mention drone searches.

With respect Steph9676 - and as far as the location where Weaver's car was found - I urge you to look up this address in Google Maps (or something similar) and take a look at the vegetation and terrain: 23300 Saddle Peak Rd., Calabasas, CA. Apart from the paved streets (and driveways) and portions of some of the trails all a camera on a drone would see is vegetation. Vegetation that - again - is 5 to 7 feet tall.

But more than that I have yet to see any confirmed evidence on this site or in news reports that Weaver was ever in that part of Calabasas (or Topanga) in the 24 hours or so before his car was found. His car yes; Weaver in person - no. I see no point in sending out further search groups or drones or helicopters to this area unless that evidence develops.

I've seen one comment on WebSleuths that claimed Michael's family said a snap chat photo was taken at this site. I'd love to have a family representative or law enforcement confirm that. My opinion would change. Sadly the news reports have been unreliable so I place no value on them.

 

[passepartout]

I've seen one comment on WebSleuths that claimed Michael's family said a snap chat photo was taken at this site.

That claim comes from this report in the Local:

Matthew’s last SnapChat was in this general location on August 10th, a Friday...​

That info comes from an interview with his family. There is no confirmation from LE but his family seems satisfied with the content of this interview as they have shared it on the and FB pages.

We don't know the content of the Snap but it would seem that his family believes that on Aug 10, he was near the location his vehicle was found.

As has been suggested elsewhere on this thread, if the content is not specific to the Topanga overlook area, it could have been a delayed upload from elsewhere due to poor cell service. However, his family has not proposed that possibility which would lead one to believe that the content validates his presence in the location.

But we don't know for sure.

 

[carbuff]

To me, it makes sense that he might have been there. Possible sequence of events:

Went to a party in the area. Got blitzed.

option a: In an impaired condition, decided impulsively to go up to the more remote viewpoint to get a better look at the sky, or the view, or whatever.

option b: The gate had been left open and in an impaired state he took the wrong turn and just kept going.

option c: possibly a medical condition instead of an impaired state

In any case, when he reached a point where the car couldn't continue, if he got out to walk, he could easily have gone off in the wrong direction and fallen or otherwise run into trouble.

That's only one possibility of course and I don't know whether it's even the most likely...

 

[Steph9676]

With respect Steph9676 - and as far as the location where Weaver's car was found - I urge you to look up this address in Google Maps (or something similar) and take a look at the vegetation and terrain: 23300 Saddle Peak Rd., Calabasas, CA. Apart from the paved streets (and driveways) and portions of some of the trails all a camera on a drone would see is vegetation. Vegetation that - again - is 5 to 7 feet tall.

But more than that I have yet to see any confirmed evidence on this site or in news reports that Weaver was ever in that part of Calabasas (or Topanga) in the 24 hours or so before his car was found. His car yes; Weaver in person - no. I see no point in sending out further search groups or drones or helicopters to this area unless that evidence develops.

I've seen one comment on WebSleuths that claimed Michael's family said a snap chat photo was taken at this site. I'd love to have a family representative or law enforcement confirm that. My opinion would change. Sadly the news reports have been unreliable so I place no value on them.

I have looked it up on google, google earth, pictures from Instagram. A drone search in my opinion seems the most helpful instead of not doing one. If it was my family member I would buy a drone and be looking in that area daily.

 

[Roxxi3535]

I think the drone idea is better than doing nothing at all at this point.

I do have my doubts that he's in the vacinity of Rosas Outlook but more searching should continue since theres nothing else to go off on.

Does anyone know if there will be anymore organized searches? I live nearby and have people who will also help search if theres any need for this. I dont know that area well enough to attempt it on my own but am willing to help if needed.

 

[Razz]

There was a case out of Miami where a woman's car was found on the side of a busy highway but she was no where to be found. The dogs didn't come up with anything either. We figured she hitched a ride with someone unknown and disappeared.

It turns out, she had ingested some strong drugs after leaving a bar that evening and may have exited her car because she felt sick or extremely hot.
She went over the guardrail and fell into some bushes below. Not sure if she died of an overdose or if she died from the fall. But...she was closer to her car than anyone imagined. No one thought to look over the embankment. I believe she was finally discovered in some heavy brush because of the smell.

So, my point is, it certainly wouldn't hurt to take a look again either by drone or and experienced climber, near where the car was found.

 

[SuziQ]

Pending updates on Matthew, Jose Martinez and Matrice Richardson

The Local Malibu

 

[Steph9676]

There was a case out of Miami where a woman's car was found on the side of a busy highway but she was no where to be found. The dogs didn't come up with anything either. We figured she hitched a ride with someone unknown and disappeared.

It turns out, she had ingested some strong drugs after leaving a bar that evening and may have exited her car because she felt sick or extremely hot.
She went over the guardrail and fell into some bushes below. Not sure if she died of an overdose or if she died from the fall. But...she was closer to her car than anyone imagined. No one thought to look over the embankment. I believe she was finally discovered in some heavy brush because of the smell.

So, my point is, it certainly wouldn't hurt to take a look again either by drone or and experienced climber, near where the car was found.

I have to agree that looking close to where his car was seems the most plausible. The reasons why I feel that way is his car was found there. Neighbors and LE heard screams for help around the area which I’m sure is not normal and dogs lost his scent in the area. His family also posted that his last snap chat was in the area. I still think he fell over couldn’t climb up and went further down which no one agrees with me. But where would he be? This seems like the most likely place unless it’s well staged and there was another car. So my thoughts on a drone search was to fly it where the car was, where his last scent was, where the sounds were and see if they can find anything. He could be out there somewhere. The fact that there is no ransom, no activity on his accounts, no one has seen him, he has not used his phone leads me to believe it was an accident and he is there somewhere. Just my opinion.

 

[JustJo]

Ok I'm confused.... where were the screams/calls for help heard and who by?
How far from his car were the screams? I've looked at Google maps for the car location.

There doesn't seem to be much detailed info on this case (unless I'm missing something?)

 

[Roxxi3535]

There was a case out of Miami where a woman's car was found on the side of a busy highway but she was no where to be found. The dogs didn't come up with anything either. We figured she hitched a ride with someone unknown and disappeared.

It turns out, she had ingested some strong drugs after leaving a bar that evening and may have exited her car because she felt sick or extremely hot.
She went over the guardrail and fell into some bushes below. Not sure if she died of an overdose or if she died from the fall. But...she was closer to her car than anyone imagined. No one thought to look over the embankment. I believe she was finally discovered in some heavy brush because of the smell.

So, my point is, it certainly wouldn't hurt to take a look again either by drone or and experienced climber, near where the car was found.

Oh thats really a sad way to go.
I agree. If Matthew fell, slipped, he couldnt go far. Hopefully this isnt the case. Would only prove that they didnt search as extensively as they claimed.

 

[Steph9676]

Ok I'm confused.... where were the screams/calls for help heard and who by?
How far from his car were the screams? I've looked at Google maps for the car location.

There doesn't seem to be much detailed info on this case (unless I'm missing something?)

Suspicious Circumstances Surround Disappearance of Matthew Weaver in Malibu Canyon Area Plagued By Shootings - The Local Malibu

 

[OnYourLeft]

Ok I'm confused.... where were the screams/calls for help heard and who by?
How far from his car were the screams? I've looked at Google maps for the car location.

There doesn't seem to be much detailed info on this case (unless I'm missing something?)

Unfortunately, and the problem with Matthew’s disappearance - as well as Elaine Park’s - is there isn’t much information. No one knows who made the screams for help, however it was noted, that they were heard by the reporting party shortly after midnight with the 911 call and then by a member of the CHP and a member of the fire department at approximately 2:00am:

Suspicious Circumstances Surround Disappearance of Matthew Weaver in Malibu Canyon Area Plagued By Shootings - The Local Malibu


How far was the car from his calls for help/screams? That is a great question and difficult to answer when dealing with a canyon & the acoustics, how sounds travels in hot air vs cold, how much cloud cover (to reflect ambient noise), etc. As you can see, many variables to consider.

As far as Google Maps, Matthew was supposedly here, at a hangout called Rosas Overlook or known locally as Top of the World:

Rosas Overlook – The Lost Photo

This series of photos gives a great perspective of the roads the car would be maneuvering on in the pitch dark as well as where the gate is (closed at the time of these photos), the concrete portion of the road, and into the dirt portion. Also, the incline that L7335 indicated would take several football players to push the vehicle up is one of the photos.

*modsnip*/ linking & discussing against TOS

For a closer view of that platform: