MN MN - Bryce Borca, 23, college student, seen @ 2 AM, search focused near Minnesota River, Eagan, 30 Oct 2022

[lassy]

I've always thought there was something "off" about the lack of information provided by LE. I know it may have not changed the outcome, unfortunately, but may have provided more clues. LE indicated foul play wasn't suspected early on, so why not release where the tie was found, what business recorded him on surveillance, etc. They (LE) always just indicated "his suspected route of travel," etc. What's the harm in sharing that with the community?

Agree. Could have helped all the people from the community focus on certain areas. I still wonder if there is so much more to the story and the reason for the silence after the first couple of days. But they have said no foul play and no reason to think he was in any MH crisis. Makes no sense to not release information on his route of travel then.

Although with as much as LE knows and all their K9s, drones, sonar, staff, etc, they haven’t even found him in almost a month, so may not have helped us either.

 

[Trino]

I'm beginning to consider he may have crawled into something. Initial searches were confined to terrain, but perhaps he accessed a dumpster, culvert, trailer, shed either near a business not considered or on private property - something that wasn't searched or was missed.

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

I'm beginning to consider he may have crawled into something. Initial searches were confined to terrain, but perhaps he accessed a dumpster, culvert, trailer, shed either near a business not considered or on private property - something that wasn't searched or was missed.

Completely agree. Or if the individual was under the influence, on a rooftop (this does happen from time to time, unfortunately).

Pretty sure it has been reported drones have been used, so I hope it’s safe to assume this is being looked at.

 

[lassy]

I'm beginning to consider he may have crawled into something. Initial searches were confined to terrain, but perhaps he accessed a dumpster, culvert, trailer, shed either near a business not considered or on private property - something that wasn't searched or was missed.

I did check in some culverts as I walked the tracks. However I didn’t want to go on any of the business properties to check around. I would assume LE and the first 2 days of searches combed the area pretty well, and would the K9s have found him if he were under something or in in something? I have to wonder if he will be found in some spot they already checked a bunch of times, or even outside of their search area. Or I still wonder if he found his way back to the roads, and then it’s anybody’s guess.

 

[InternetGhost91]

It’s not very hard to be looking out there during the day. Pretty wide open after the small wooded area between the businesses and the river valley area. I did not venture too far out in the brush/valley, but walked a lot of the tracks looking. If he isn’t in the water, I don’t know how all the ground searches and K9s haven’t found him yet. The couple times I’ve been out, it was crawling with search teams and dogs.

I also keep checking multiple times a day for updates on here and the Eagan police FB site. I have unfortunately even started looking for an obituary because I no longer expect any update from LE

if the family isn’t updating the public at all, i wouldn’t expect an obituary either. i had to step back for a while because i was getting a little obsessed and we may never get any clarity or closure on this case. all jmo

 

[lassy]

Went to look out there today (Sat afternoon). 2 big search and rescue trailers in parking lot behind Essendant. Must still be searching.
Also just drove out there tonight at 3 am to see the lighting (same time, Sat night, similar moon). The Essendant lot and building had huge bright lights all over it. Also bright lights in the other business next up Essendant. Both companies are right next to the RR tracks and holding ponds. There is no way it was too dark for him to find his way back to the industrial area from the ponds or tracks. Also a ton of lights from all the other industrial businesses, apartments across 13, lights and airport across the river, streetlights, Yankee Tavern, Transport America, and Blue Cross Riverpark was all lit up. Surprisingly lit up everywhere at 3 am. Unless he was completely drunk or drugged out, he should have made his way out, IMO. And if he were that drunk or drugged, I find it hard to believe he walked the tracks to the ponds or the river. I took a bunch of pictures, but wasn’t able to upload them…said they were too big…I will try again tomorrow.

 

[lassy]

Here is Essendant from last night at 3 am…

 

[lassy]

And another of the industrial area and distant lights…

 

[Marysmith]

And another of the industrial area and distant lights…View attachment 382997

They are really bright. It’s really too bad he couldn’t have just sat there and waited until daylight broke. It was a Sunday the next day though so perhaps most of the businesses would have been closed anyways?
Thank you for doing this!

 

[Vail]

Went to look out there today (Sat afternoon). 2 big search and rescue trailers in parking lot behind Essendant. Must still be searching.
Also just drove out there tonight at 3 am to see the lighting (same time, Sat night, similar moon). The Essendant lot and building had huge bright lights all over it. Also bright lights in the other business next up Essendant. Both companies are right next to the RR tracks and holding ponds. There is no way it was too dark for him to find his way back to the industrial area from the ponds or tracks. Also a ton of lights from all the other industrial businesses, apartments across 13, lights and airport across the river, streetlights, Yankee Tavern, Transport America, and Blue Cross Riverpark was all lit up. Surprisingly lit up everywhere at 3 am. Unless he was completely drunk or drugged out, he should have made his way out, IMO. And if he were that drunk or drugged, I find it hard to believe he walked the tracks to the ponds or the river. I took a bunch of pictures, but wasn’t able to upload them…said they were too big…I will try again tomorrow.

Thanks for doing that lassy! I really hope LE has done something similar. If this is an accidental death I believe he will be found somewhere in the woods/reeds behind the tavern where it is less lit and easier to get turned around or stuck if he fell or sat down in what turned out to be shallow water. You could try uploading to a free site like imgur.com and sharing the link instead.

I was thinking on the case of Henry McCabe who was found in Rush Lake NW of the cities after a night out with friends, he had also tried phoning his wife and then left a weird vm. The lake was about 6 miles from his house and not on his route home from the gas station where he was dropped off. I'm not suggesting a connection, but more that the situation and behavior may be similar - while it is most likely he will be found where they've already searched, it also makes sense to expand the search further up 13.

First, I wonder how thoroughly this has been covered


and then what if he went north after circling back on Terminal and somehow ended up somewhere in here

 

[lassy]

Thanks for doing that lassy! I really hope LE has done something similar. If this is an accidental death I believe he will be found somewhere in the woods/reeds behind the tavern where it is less lit and easier to get turned around or stuck if he fell or sat down in what turned out to be shallow water. You could try uploading to a free site like imgur.com and sharing the link instead.

I was thinking on the case of Henry McCabe who was found in Rush Lake NW of the cities after a night out with friends, he had also tried phoning his wife and then left a weird vm. The lake was about 6 miles from his house and not on his route home from the gas station where he was dropped off. I'm not suggesting a connection, but more that the situation and behavior may be similar - while it is most likely he will be found where they've already searched, it also makes sense to expand the search further up 13.

First, I wonder how thoroughly this has been covered

View attachment 383003
and then what if he went north after circling back on Terminal and somehow ended up somewhere in here
View attachment 383004

I had to go out there at 3am Sat night, just to see what he saw. LE seems to be pretty focused on area/ponds behind Essendant. SAR trailers and RVs have been in their parking lot for weeks. LE must know something we don’t. I just can’t grasp that if Bryce walked and got to the ponds, that he didn’t see all those lights and get back to the buildings, lots, and roads. That huge lit up Essendant building is maybe 200 feet at most from the ponds. Unless he wasn’t trying too hard to get back, ran into someone or trouble, or accidentally slipped in one of the ponds.
If he made his way out, I agree, he could be in any other wooded area or pond in Eagan. There are so many of both everywhere around the city.

 

[lassy]

Supposed to get 5-7 inches of snow in Eagan today. This breaks my heart that Bryce is still out there somewhere. I read on MN United from a month ago that many agencies had already, at that time, put in countless hours and resources. And many more since then as I’ve seen SAR trailers at Essendant every time I drive over that way…boats, divers, airboats, ground searches with K9s, etc.
I wonder if we could have found him in that first week with volunteers from the community…like they found Joe Brunn from Otsego MN in 5 days with 4000 volunteers. Everyone I know and half the community wanted to help search.
What did LE or family know that they called off the ground searches after 2 days and didn’t want the public’s help? And no updates since? And where is he after over a month of all these agencies looking? Not even in the area? Way down river? Are they even looking in the right places?
IDK, but this poor kid has me thinking about this all the time.

 

[FBI Wannabe]

Many people who live in the area have mentioned the SAR trailers being in the same place for the last several weeks. It would appear they know where Bryce is but haven't been successful in recovering his body. Most people believe when you drown your body floats - that isn't true, the body will sink first. What makes a body float is the gases in the body being released during decomposition. With it being so cold it slows that process down. If the retention ponds are deep it is likely the divers haven't been able to get that far down. I found an article from Chicago that talks about how bodies are found in spring that have been in water over the winter SPRING BRINGS DROWNING VICTIMS TO THE SURFACE. I wonder if LE and the family haven't said anything because they are waiting to recover his body and don't want others risking their safety in that area. I'm sure his family is mourning and feeling helpless just waiting. I can't begin to imagine what they are going through.

 

[lassy]

Many people who live in the area have mentioned the SAR trailers being in the same place for the last several weeks. It would appear they know where Bryce is but haven't been successful in recovering his body. Most people believe when you drown your body floats - that isn't true, the body will sink first. What makes a body float is the gases in the body being released during decomposition. With it being so cold it slows that process down. If the retention ponds are deep it is likely the divers haven't been able to get that far down. I found an article from Chicago that talks about how bodies are found in spring that have been in water over the winter SPRING BRINGS DROWNING VICTIMS TO THE SURFACE. I wonder if LE and the family haven't said anything because they are waiting to recover his body and don't want others risking their safety in that area. I'm sure his family is mourning and feeling helpless just waiting. I can't begin to imagine what they are going through.

Since LE and SAR have been in the deep ponds multiple times, I think people suspect they know he is in there. I have heard they are deep (100-150 feet?) but aren’t very wide at all. I have to wonder why they are pretty sure he is in there? Did they see something on a camera at the businesses close by? Find his belongings next to the ponds? See a body with the sonar? Seems odd with all the sonar and divers that have been in there, that they can’t find him, but I don’t know how tough it is diving in there. Also someone mentioned draining the pond. Is that an option? But more odd to me, that if they are sure he is in a pond, why all the ground searches back there, K9s, airboats, etc lately? Seems that would be a waste of resources if they are sure he is in the water. JMO.

 

[InternetGhost91]

it’s baffling to me how an entire community of people who knew bryce can somehow all be completely silent about him still being missing. you would think over the course of a month that a high school friend or extended family would let something slip on social media, or talk to a local newspaper or something. that kind of coordinated effort to keep silent about this person still being missing, to me is truly the biggest mystery in this case. all JMO

 

[FBI Wannabe]

Since LE and SAR have been in the deep ponds multiple times, I think people suspect they know he is in there. I have heard they are deep (100-150 feet?) but aren’t very wide at all. I have to wonder why they are pretty sure he is in there? Did they see something on a camera at the businesses close by? Find his belongings next to the ponds? See a body with the sonar? Seems odd with all the sonar and divers that have been in there, that they can’t find him, but I don’t know how tough it is diving in there. Also someone mentioned draining the pond. Is that an option? But more odd to me, that if they are sure he is in a pond, why all the ground searches back there, K9s, airboats, etc lately? Seems that would be a waste of resources if they are sure he is in the water. JMO.

I believe SAR can only dive up to 100 feet so even if dogs and sonar have placed him there they can't get to him if he is on the bottom. Someone said it was a quarry and they can be up to 400 feet deep. Many SAR K9's are able to detect bodies underwater so perhaps that is the reason they are there. Where are the airboats? I assumed the boats were in the pond. As for draining the pond I can't imagine what that would entail. Assuming the pond is an acre, 1 foot of water is 325,000 gallons, I doubt the sewer system could handle that much water.

 

[JurassicParker]

He's been missing for a month. If he has been in the water this whole time shouldn't his body have started floating by now? The gases produced during decomp would cause his body to bloat. This poor guy. I really hope he is found soon so that his family can have answers and some sort of closure.

 

[lassy]

I believe SAR can only dive up to 100 feet so even if dogs and sonar have placed him there they can't get to him if he is on the bottom. Someone said it was a quarry and they can be up to 400 feet deep. Many SAR K9's are able to detect bodies underwater so perhaps that is the reason they are there. Where are the airboats? I assumed the boats were in the pond. As for draining the pond I can't imagine what that would entail. Assuming the pond is an acre, 1 foot of water is 325,000 gallons, I doubt the sewer system could handle that much water.

Thanks, that info was helpful.
By the looks of the map, each pond is maybe 700 feet across. Why can divers only dive 100 feet? I assumed professional ones could go much deeper?
I know the airboats were there the week of Nov 14th. I assumed they would be all over and not just those ponds, but I don’t know for sure.

 

[lassy]

He's been missing for a month. If he has been in the water this whole time shouldn't his body have started floating by now? The gases produced during decomp would cause his body to bloat. This poor guy. I really hope he is found soon so that his family can have answers and some sort of closure.

I would have guessed it would float by now too, even in cold weather…unless it is stuck on something or in sludge.
What I don’t understand though is all the ground searching still going on if they know he is in the water. The few times I have been walking back there along the tracks and around the ponds in the past few weeks, there have been some big groups searching that looked official, smaller groups with K9s, truckloads of searchers…both along the tracks and out in the fields. Or are those not part of LE or SAR and just random groups or agencies going out for lack of any info or updates? Hard to know.
Also the few days I was out there…no activity in the ponds.

 

[InternetGhost91]

He's been missing for a month. If he has been in the water this whole time shouldn't his body have started floating by now? The gases produced during decomp would cause his body to bloat. This poor guy. I really hope he is found soon so that his family can have answers and some sort of closure.

Its been fairly warm in MN the past month, consistently above average temps until today, I was thinking this too. The ponds are a finite area to search.

When the family of a missing person is silent, does that typically mean they are satisfied with the work police are doing? or does it mean they are absent and not involved? i am trying to think of missing person cases involving young people where i never hear from either of the parents, and none come to mind