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

[Trino]

My own opinion. I still think there is something going on that none of us know about and the family is keeping quiet about. Not sure exactly what that is. Since the beginning with so little info, calling off the search the first day and sending half the people home, no public appearances by family (nothing released about who the family even is), and rare updates since. Total opposite for Madeline Kingsbury in Winona…which is likely a POI and criminal case.
Also the $30K reward months later baffles me. For a family that well off, is that a reasonable reward to find your son? And coming AFTER they set up the foundation in his honor/memory? And with so many people in the community offering to help over months, and being turned away? I don’t get it.
I drove by Essendant and the holding ponds yesterday (Saturday) around noon. Zero cars or activity there, which was the hub last fall and full of cars and people searching.
So the snow is melted, and nothing going on? Is anyone even trying to look for Bryce anymore? Has anyone else seen any activity or searchers in that area recently?
Just devastating and confusing.

If this was my child, info would be all over: news, photos, updates from family, interviews with family and friends (especially "friends" he was with before he disappeared). Does anyone know names of individuals who were with him prior to his disappearance? And, why aren't searchers needed? No reason was given.

Rumor is the family is well-off so I wonder about reasons behind the reward as well as the reward amount. Maybe some of us are being sinister, but such odd behavior increases this feeling. Does the family read posts? Do they realize posters ideas? Are they still totally dependent on the Eagan police to find him? Have they hired outside resources?

 

[Dre]

The number of “young man last seen walking away after drinking” who end up found in water is astonishing.
Super late at night, wasted, cold and walking along swamps confused is a deadly combination, all it really takes is a stumble.

Very reminiscent of the Tyler Davis case, hoping for answers so both of their families can rest and grieve properly
Jmo

 

[lassy]

If this was my child, info would be all over: news, photos, updates from family, interviews with family and friends (especially "friends" he was with before he disappeared). Does anyone know names of individuals who were with him prior to his disappearance? And, why aren't searchers needed? No reason was given.

Rumor is the family is well-off so I wonder about reasons behind the reward as well as the reward amount. Maybe some of us are being sinister, but such odd behavior increases this feeling. Does the family read posts? Do they realize posters ideas? Are they still totally dependent on the Eagan police to find him? Have they hired outside resources?

We really still know nothing about anything. We heard months ago that they were considering draining the pond they think he is in. When might they do that? Or are they hoping he will surface in warmer temps? Or do they not think he is in there anymore? Are they still looking in that area or somewhere else? There has been no update from Eagan police or family since January.
I do know the names of one of the friends and one other person on the party bus, but haven’t seen one word posted from either…ever.

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

Why wasn't the CCTV footage of Bryce walking alone released? In similar cases, these images appear in the press quickly. It could have been useful if it had been published when he disappeared.

 

[Trino]

We really still know nothing about anything. We heard months ago that they were considering draining the pond they think he is in. When might they do that? Or are they hoping he will surface in warmer temps? Or do they not think he is in there anymore? Are they still looking in that area or somewhere else? There has been no update from Eagan police or family since January.
I do know the names of one of the friends and one other person on the party bus, but haven’t seen one word posted from either…ever.

Would you not think the friends would voluntarily give an interview or media statement? Are they afraid of liability, which I cannot understand since they did nothing illegal (I think). There's just got to be something more involved.

 

[JJDirty]

Two decades ago?

Yes, this was flag football. He would have been 4 or 5 years old.

 

[JJDirty]

Would you not think the friends would voluntarily give an interview or media statement? Are they afraid of liability, which I cannot understand since they did nothing illegal (I think). There's just got to be something more involved.

IMO there is nothing positive that can come from the friends making public statements. They know they made mistakes that night and deserve privacy. It's also important to understands the friends were also intoxicated that night and didn't make the best choices. Nothing they did seemed intentional or nefarious though.

 

[lassy]

IMO there is nothing positive that can come from the friends making public statements. They know they made mistakes that night and deserve privacy. It's also important to understands the friends were also intoxicated that night and didn't make the best choices. Nothing they did seemed intentional or nefarious though.

I think most of us on here believe the friends were not involved, and they were all drunk and unable to control what happened. But I know I find it odd that no one knows anything about the family or friends…nor have we heard from them publicly. If it were my friend or family member that this happened to, I would be speaking out, making pleas, getting search parties together, and out looking every day I could. Maybe they are, but we don’t know.
You are the first person with any real connection (even if it’s a 20 year old one) to Bryce that we have heard anything from …so thank you for that.

 

[JJDirty]

I think most of us on here believe the friends were not involved, and they were all drunk and unable to control what happened. But I know I find it odd that no one knows anything about the family or friends…nor have we heard from them publicly. If it were my friend or family member that this happened to, I would be speaking out, making pleas, getting search parties together, and out looking every day I could. Maybe they are, but we don’t know.
You are the first person with any real connection (even if it’s a 20 year old one) to Bryce that we have heard anything from …so thank you for that.

Thanks for clarifying! I haven't gotten a chance to read all the previous posts so I am a little OOTL. As for Bryce, he is the only kid from that team that I can remember the name of. That's because this kid was the kindest, sweetest, and funniest kid I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I was heartbroken when I found out. My brother was still friends with him up to his disappearance. From all accounts, the kid I knew back then was the same lovable person. I hope his family can get closure soon.

 

[Trino]

I hope he's found soon. I used to live right here, as in off of Yankee Doodle but 1 road over from Coachman. It is very suburban. Very suburban. Not somewhere that you'd regularly be walking to get around. Spread out, retail and commercial buildings along Yankee Doodle with residential units off of the roads branching off of it. He had to have left someone's home or apartment, as there are no bars or restaurants open at 2 am in that area, that I know of. For sure not at Yankee Doodle and Coachman.

RE: the college student and water connection...one would have to really try to get in the river in this area. Look at a map - it's swamp surrounding the river right there, plus he would have had to walk a ways on Yankee Doodle, cross Hwy 13, which is 4 lanes with a median, then trek through more of the Blue Cross Blue Shield campus. No way for anyone to drunkenly fall off of a bridge or slide down a bank into the water. Falling down in the swampy area, maybe. Getting lost in the woods east of BCBS, maybe.

If he is a student at Century College, it is 25 minutes away in White Bear Lake. I'm pretty sure it's a nonresidential school.

Posted this before, but I cannot see an inebriated person crossing the tracks, walking through swamps and weeds over a mile from Highway 13 to the river. While there is access to the river from land, the Cedar Bridge pedestrian/bicycle crossing (2 miles away) is completely caged. More than likely somewhere he would have fallen or sat down, assuming he is in the state park, but what if he isn't found? Alternative missing persons plan?

 

[savagewoman]

Bryce's Blessings

i haven't seen this posted yet.

SBM
Troy & Carina started the nonprofit with a goal of supporting other parents and families navigating the grief of losing a child.

 

[lassy]

Bryce's Blessings

i haven't seen this posted yet.

SBM
Troy & Carina started the nonprofit with a goal of supporting other parents and families navigating the grief of losing a child.

Great find! We knew this non-profit was filed way back in December, and I have looked weekly and have not found any more about it.
Unfortunately still nothing about finding him. And reading it makes me more sad for Bryce and his family.

 

[FBI Wannabe]

What a wonderful foundation! They haven't been able to properly mourn the loss of their son yet they providing help for others. I pray with the nice weather he will be found soon. God Bless Bryce and his family.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Bryce's profile on NamUs. Added on May 15, 2023:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Circumstances of Disappearance:
On 10/30/2022, around 0230 hours Bryce Borca went missing after being dropped from a Lyft about 2 miles away from his apartment. Bryce told friends he was going to walk home. Evidence shows Bryce walked north west toward the Minnesota River Valley. Bryce's apartment was the opposite direction to the south east.

 

[Trino]

When will the LE searches resume? When?

 

[j_in_c]

When will the LE searches resume? When?

I applaud your dedication to finding Bryce. I volunteer with my local SAR in a completely different state but there are some generally applicable rules to most missing persons searches. The first is that the biggest effort is always when there is hope of a rescue. Once it is a recovery or an older case, it sadly gets bumped down the priority list. This is especially true if the search zone presents hazards (like the old quarries, rivers, marshlands, etc that have been mentioned). I can't be certain in this part of MN, but in lots of places, SAR activity relies on volunteers. That inevitably means it is very resource limited! Local LE can generally only afford to assist early when it is still a rescue mission.

I don't think anyone has forgotten Bryce and from what I can tell a very large search effort was mounted on his behalf, it just sadly did not result in a find. I very much hope that there are still areas of interest that the search coordinators will cover (or re-cover) when weather is favorable and volunteers are available.

Hoping he is found soon!

 

[annpats]

IMO there is nothing positive that can come from the friends making public statements. They know they made mistakes that night and deserve privacy. It's also important to understands the friends were also intoxicated that night and didn't make the best choices. Nothing they did seemed intentional or nefarious though.

I would still like to see them campaign and advocate for Bryce and getting his body found!

 

[annpats]

I do know the names of one of the friends and one other person on the party bus, but haven’t seen one word posted from either…ever.

It's a shame his friends aren't posting, talking, remembering him and getting him found.
Nothing good can come out of silence.
Plus, complete silence just seems a bit odd.

 

[ggcocopop]

Bryce's Blessings

i haven't seen this posted yet.

SBM
Troy & Carina started the nonprofit with a goal of supporting other parents and families navigating the grief of losing a child.

Reading this made me really feel like he is gone. Did anyone else feel that way? I have to believe he is still out there and will come home. There’s been no evidence pointing to his death.. Is there something I’m missing?

 

[Centaurus]

This case astounds me. A family like that with all the means in the world and they put absolutely no pressure on the media to keep his story alive and in front of our faces. They barely let any information become public...It's like they just wrote him off and created a non-profit. There was never a website "Help Find Bryce" just a donation website to help other parents.

My mind literally cannot understand the actions of this family or this case.