Hello!
I'm new to this thread and to WebSleuths. I have been following everyone's posts here for days now but couldn't join in due to some difficulties registering. But I'm here now and although I might not have much beneficial to add, I have been following Bryce's case for a week now and it has been laying heavy on my heart, as I know it has everyone's. So I felt I had to join in and at least express my care and concern, if nothing else.
I did, however, stumble upon something while looking up an article about the burning body by Castaic Lake. I CAN'T say it has ANYTHING to do with the body that was discovered this past Wednesday. It may just be pure coincidence. But I DO think it is a VERY odd coincidence, if it is one. There seems to be way too many burning bodies turning up in that particular area.
First, a man's burning body in 2009 that was identified and linked to a gang related case. And then about a year later in Oct. 2010, another body, unidentified, is found burnt beyond recognition. WEIRD! So, what I am wondering is if perhaps the reason LE is being so hush-hush and taking forever to release any information is linked to these other bodies.
They know the first body was dumped there by a local gang, perhaps the second one was as well, I don't know. So is this body discovered on Wednesday also something to do with the gang and maybe the police are not wanting to say it isn't Bryce because they are quietly pursuing leads within the gang?
I may be way off but I just thought it would be really nice if this was the case and maybe they already know it isn't Bryce. It just seems too coincidental that two burning bodies were discovered by the lake years before Bryce, for this one to end up being Bryce.
I will post the links to the two stories I found so you can take a look and see the similarities. One thing that stood out to me is that one of them was even noticed at 5:39 am, which is close to the 6 am that this one on Wednesday was found. May have nothing to do with anything, but I am just wondering if perhaps the gang kills the victim at night and dumps the body in the early morning. Perhaps this lake is "their dumping grounds". I feel sorry for all the victims, honestly, it's terribly sad. But I am still holding out hope that this body is NOT Bryce and perhaps these other bizarre burning bodies are the reason the police can not confirm it is not Bryce yet.
Here are the links to the two stories:
http://www.signalscv.com/archives/18192
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/10/small-brush-fire-quickly-knocked-down.html
Hope that provides some food for thought and gives us all some hope that Bryce is still out there somewhere!
Another thing, and I am sure this has come up at some other time on this thread, but looking through Bryce's Facebook page, it is clear that he had some very close friendships back in IL. I saw one place where he indicates he is going back there for a visit. I hope that all measures have been taken to ensure that he is not hiding out with some of these friends back there.
Perhaps the reason it would cross my mind is that I full well remember how homesick I was when I first moved to the West Coast from NC. (Somedays, I still am homesick and this is two years later!) I don't think Bryce seems to be a heartless person AT ALL so I can not imagine him putting his family through all this just so he could sneak back to be with his friends in his hometown. But like some of you have mentioned, 19 yr olds don't always have the forethought to realize how much something like their disappearance would freak people out and make them worry sick. Or there could be other reasons for why he doesn't want anyone to know.
I don't know. It doesn't seem like a plausible theory but was just something that stood out to me - the close bond he seemed to share with friends back in IL and the fact that he was born there and lived there (it appears anyway??) till they moved to CA. Just a thought that I hope LE has looked into as well.