CA CA - Bryce Laspisa, 19, Castaic, 30 Aug 2013 - #10

[BethAnn777]

Wait so he was smiling as he was panhandling? That’s super eerie.

Or just happy about getting money.

 

[10ofRods]

Or just happy about getting money.

Possibly - it seemed a bit strange at the time, and it was part of the reason I stared at him.

Hardly anyone gives money at that particular intersection (although people do, occasionally). He looked entirely harmless and sweet, with his smile - so perhaps that helped him get some. I was not in the lane immediately next to him. He was holding a cardboard sign (probably created for him by his drug dealer, said the LEO I talked to).

I should also mention that this river bed area is walkable all the way to where his car was found. It's a major thoroughfare for homeless people in our area. And I know at least three people on sight (not counting Laspisa) who have been living rough for more than 20 years. All three are schizophrenic. The weather is so mild here and, well, that river usually has some flow all year round. As I mentioned earlier, there's a food pantry only a block away.

 

[Jaybee90]

Bumping for Bryce… Where are you?!

 

[Sweetluv]

Checking in..Bump!

 

[Sweetluv]

I wonder when the last time was that a search of the lake was done? Almost 11 years since Bryce was last seen..

 

[10ofRods]

I still believe I saw him about 3 years ago. I still have the posters I made. I used an age progression software app to give a more accurate picture of how he looked then (very sunburnt, grooves in his face). The smile was just like the one on the family pictures on the family website.

Other people have thought they saw him in the same river bed area where I saw him - according to the response I got when I sent the tip to the official search page.

Did they search Castaic Lake initially? I can't recall now. It isn't very deep. It's a reservoir to provide water to L.A. County and I'd think they'd have searched it. Brian isn't the only missing person out that way.

 

[Niner]

I still believe I saw him about 3 years ago. I still have the posters I made. I used an age progression software app to give a more accurate picture of how he looked then (very sunburnt, grooves in his face). The smile was just like the one on the family pictures on the family website.

Other people have thought they saw him in the same river bed area where I saw him - according to the response I got when I sent the tip to the official search page.

Did they search Castaic Lake initially? I can't recall now. It isn't very deep. It's a reservoir to provide water to L.A. County and I'd think they'd have searched it. Brian isn't the only missing person out that way.

I remember your encounter! I "thought" they did a search of Castaic Lake - but then it has been quite awhile since reading here. I know the water levels were quite low a few years ago - but I do not think anyone did a search then...

 

[LaborDayRN]

From September 4, 2013​

Dive teams returned to Castaic Lake Tuesday in the search for a college student from Northern California whose overturned sport utility vehicle was found Friday in the rugged area north of Los Angeles.

The search continued as Bryce Laspisa's girlfriend expressed hope that he will be found and authorities released more information about the hours leading up to the disappearance of the 19-year-old Sierra College student.

Missing College Student's Girlfriend “Hopeful” as Lake Search Continues

Dive teams returned to Castaic Lake Tuesday in the search for a college student from Northern California.

www.nbclosangeles.com

I was unable to find anything recent.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Castaic Lake Fishing Report [Tips, Spots, Pictures, and Everything You Need to Know] - Fishing Blueprint

Castaic Lake fishing can be hard... but it's NOT impossible! Don't miss out... Use this free Castaic Lake Fishing Report now!

fishingblueprint.com

About Castaic Lake​

Castaic Lake is a deep body of water with the average depth ranging from 40-150 (out in the middle of the channel). It has a maximum depth of approximately 310 feet when the lake is completely full. Castaic lake is approx 5 miles long, however being shaped like a “V” each arm of the lake is just over 2 miles in length and ⅓ of a mile wide. Castaic Lake has 29 miles of shoreline; the lake spans over 2,235 acres.
Just posting this to refresh my memory. I doubt Bryce could have made it out to the middle of Castaic so I would think he would be closer to shore. That being said, unless he somehow weighted himself (which I know if far fetched) he would have surfaced at some point.
I also believe as some others that he is among the many homeless. In what city or town? I don't know.
I'm live close enough to Castaic that I keep an eye out for that beautiful red hair.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Quick facts for new folks to this thread:

Bryce David Laspisa – The Charley Project

• Missing Since08/30/2013
• Missing FromCastaic, California
• ClassificationEndangered Missing
• SexMale
• RaceWhite
• Date of Birth04/30/1994 (30)
• Age19 years old
• Height and Weight5'11, 170 pounds
• Medical ConditionsA blue and white checkered shirt, white cargo shorts and size 12 red and white Nike shoes.
• Associated Vehicle(s)Beige 2003 Toyota Highlander (accounted for)
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsCaucasian male. Red hair, green eyes. Laspisa has a tattoo of a Taurus bull head and his birthday in Roman numerals on his upper left arm; a photo of it is posted with this case summary. His ears are pierced.
• 

 

[10ofRods]

Castaic Lake Fishing Report [Tips, Spots, Pictures, and Everything You Need to Know] - Fishing Blueprint

Castaic Lake fishing can be hard... but it's NOT impossible! Don't miss out... Use this free Castaic Lake Fishing Report now!

fishingblueprint.com

About Castaic Lake​

Castaic Lake is a deep body of water with the average depth ranging from 40-150 (out in the middle of the channel). It has a maximum depth of approximately 310 feet when the lake is completely full. Castaic lake is approx 5 miles long, however being shaped like a “V” each arm of the lake is just over 2 miles in length and ⅓ of a mile wide. Castaic Lake has 29 miles of shoreline; the lake spans over 2,235 acres.
Just posting this to refresh my memory. I doubt Bryce could have made it out to the middle of Castaic so I would think he would be closer to shore. That being said, unless he somehow weighted himself (which I know if far fetched) he would have surfaced at some point.
I also believe as some others that he is among the many homeless. In what city or town? I don't know.
I'm live close enough to Castaic that I keep an eye out for that beautiful red hair.

Right. We have been to the Beach Park at the lake - it's ankle deep at the section right next to the parking lot (it's not a very accessible lake). They have buoys and ropes to mark the 10 feet depth spot (about 20 yards out, I'd say) and the buoy marks "deep water" (where in theory, boats could go - but I think it's only park service boats who go in there).

The lake is as deep as it gets right now (it's full - for the first time in my life). In 1918-2021 they actually drained a lot of the water out to fix the dam:

Castaic Dam Modernization Program

Department of Water Resources is modernizing its SWP facilities across the state, including Castaic Dam.

water.ca.gov

They started keeping it at lower levels due to fear that the dam would fail - but I don't know if that had started in 2013.

Please do keep your eyes out for him! The Santa Clara River is the river that one can take from Castaic to the Pacific Ocean. Many homeless encampments along that stretch. However, one rarely sees them at the Castaic end (except as hitchhikers). Fillmore, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Oxnard and Ventura have LE who try to pry the camps out a few times a year. During that period, many of the homeless transfer themselves to other tributories (a couple of creek beds - almost always with a little water - or even rivers - the Ventura River drainage has lots of homeless).

It's my impression that many of these people are constantly on the move, for many reasons. There have been entire tent cities down in the river bed.

UNHOUSED ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP | River Haven area residents told to move belongings aside

Pictured: One tidy and elaborate living space along the main “road” in the River Haven area. Aug. 8, 2021. Photo by Kimberly Rivers. by Kimberly Rivers kimberly@vcreporter.com In the riverbottom

www.vcreporter.com

 

[LaborDayRN]

Right. We have been to the Beach Park at the lake - it's ankle deep at the section right next to the parking lot (it's not a very accessible lake). They have buoys and ropes to mark the 10 feet depth spot (about 20 yards out, I'd say) and the buoy marks "deep water" (where in theory, boats could go - but I think it's only park service boats who go in there).

The lake is as deep as it gets right now (it's full - for the first time in my life). In 1918-2021 they actually drained a lot of the water out to fix the dam:

Castaic Dam Modernization Program

Department of Water Resources is modernizing its SWP facilities across the state, including Castaic Dam.

water.ca.gov

They started keeping it at lower levels due to fear that the dam would fail - but I don't know if that had started in 2013.

Please do keep your eyes out for him! The Santa Clara River is the river that one can take from Castaic to the Pacific Ocean. Many homeless encampments along that stretch. However, one rarely sees them at the Castaic end (except as hitchhikers). Fillmore, Santa Paula, Saticoy, Oxnard and Ventura have LE who try to pry the camps out a few times a year. During that period, many of the homeless transfer themselves to other tributories (a couple of creek beds - almost always with a little water - or even rivers - the Ventura River drainage has lots of homeless).

It's my impression that many of these people are constantly on the move, for many reasons. There have been entire tent cities down in the river bed.

UNHOUSED ENCAMPMENT CLEANUP | River Haven area residents told to move belongings aside

Pictured: One tidy and elaborate living space along the main “road” in the River Haven area. Aug. 8, 2021. Photo by Kimberly Rivers. by Kimberly Rivers kimberly@vcreporter.com In the riverbottom

www.vcreporter.com

Interesting. I think it's great that only park service boats are allowed now. When I was quite young, my then husband and I would go to Castaic to take our boat out. It was the closest lake for us. Starting when my son was about three years old we went to the beach at Castaic about twice a month

 

[Catmommy]

Just a question for those who think that Bryce is still alive. I don't but admit either way is possible until we know for certain. If Bryce has been part of a homeless or transient community all this time as some suspect, what makes you think, if he wanted and got a new life, he needs or wants to be found?
No snark, I'm seriously interested in your thoughts about this. I admit my curiosity and want to know as badly as most anybody else what became of Bryce for certain but if he's not dead and has been laying low all these years, should finding him be a priority if he voluntarily checked out from his family?

 

[10ofRods]

Just a question for those who think that Bryce is still alive. I don't but admit either way is possible until we know for certain. If Bryce has been part of a homeless or transient community all this time as some suspect, what makes you think, if he wanted and got a new life, he needs or wants to be found?
No snark, I'm seriously interested in your thoughts about this. I admit my curiosity and want to know as badly as most anybody else what became of Bryce for certain but if he's not dead and has been laying low all these years, should finding him be a priority if he voluntarily checked out from his family?

Those are the same questions I ended up having (and why I stopped handing out the fliers). The response from the family facebook Missing Persons page was of the same tone. They said they'd had repeated reports of him being sighted in the area where I saw him...so either he was in that area or there's someone who looks nearly identical to him, living homeless in Northern LA or Ventura Counties. Could also include Kern County.

IMO.

Local PD said they too had had reports of him being in my area, but that unless I had my eyes on him at the very moment I dialed 911, they weren't coming, as they'd never been able to actually contact the person that people were calling in.

It's just too easy to walk from the intersection where I thought I saw him... into the Woop Woop.

(a large sandy bramble patch immediately adjacent to a network of pedestrian overpasses and large fields of various kinds - and the riverbed).

Technically, I think people are not supposed to beg while standing on the median strips meant to contain traffic lights. So all of the people who do that are wary and notice any marked police cars showing up. They just tuck their signs away and walk back to the regular sidewalk (so they cease their illegal activity) and they keep walking - in 2 minutes, they're in this "open space preserve."

All IMO