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

[lassy]

With hypothermia, core temperature drops below 95 degrees. In severe hypothermia, core body temperature can drop to 82 F or lower.

Bryce loosens his tie.

Heat loss speeds up when skin is exposed to wind or moisture.

Bryce drops his tie.

More skin exposed will cause his core temperature to drop.

Bryce walked for 45 minutes. Has he been sweating/perspiring? If so, he's getting wet, too. So, now he's wet and cold and probably exhausted and fearful and disorineted. It was windy that night and a sweater is not a windbreaker. Also, breathing in air that's 45 degrees will cool the body.

Under these conditions, in that dangerous environment, Bryce probably didn't understand what was happening to him. Therefore, he lacked the ability to save himself. It makes me so sad.

First signs of hypothermia

Warning signs of hypothermia in adults include:

• Shivering, which may stop as hypothermia progresses.
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Confusion and memory loss
• Drowsiness or exhaustion
• Slurred or mumbled speech
• Loss of coordination, fumbling hands, stumbling steps
• A slow, weak pulse

I guess depending where (and if) his clothes were found and not finding his body, I may be more suspicious of what happened.
Would still like to see his FaceTime call. Was he shivering, disoriented, missing his clothes at that point? If so, if I were the friends I would have definitely been freaked out and called the police right then. And not waited until 11 am to make the call.

 

[lassy]

OCT 31, 2022

Out of respect to the family, the police know one thing but won't be releasing that information, except to prepare the family.

The search warrant affidavit reveals later that morning a searcher found a tie believed to belong to Borca in the roadway along his suspected route of travel. < > Friends search the area along Highway 13 on foot but were unable to locate him," Detective Schroepfer wrote.


During the past year, there has been no indication that anyone saw Bryce after the FaceTime with friends. Based on two other MP of young college men who became lost or disoriented in cold temps, it is my humble opinion that BB likely removed his clothing during this event as a sign of

The Bizarre Effects of Hypothermia ... "paradoxical undressing" is even more confounding. The term describes the behavior among many victims of extreme hypothermia of peeling off most or all of their clothing, increasing heat loss. <> Over time, however, the muscles necessary for inducing vasoconstriction become exhausted and fail, causing warm blood to rush from the core to the extremities. This results in a kind of "hot flash" that makes victims of severe hypothermia — who are already confused and disoriented — feel as though they're burning up, so they remove their clothes, researchers have concluded.​

In this theory, Bryce not only removed his tie, but he also likely stripped himself of most all of his clothing as he went along due to effects of hypothermia. This could be an embarrassing detail for the family, if released. Besides, internet rumors would latch that fact and make something bad and untrue of it.

The ground search was called off Nov 1 near the Minnesota River due to the already described perilous conditions that are far too treacherous for searchers. If it is too dangerous for searchers during the daylight hours, how much more dangerous was it for Bryce that fateful night?

So because 2 other missing persons stripped themselves of their clothes due to hypothermia, Bryce did too? Again, do you have information about LE finding his clothes?
I also don’t believe anyone truly concerned with finding this poor kid for over a year, would make something bad, about what he did when hypothermic or intoxicated, and embarrass the family. Although, as I said before, there are bad people all over, so who knows. But who cares anyway? Isn’t the main goal of finding him and bringing the family some closure and peace? And not being worried what people say or think?

 

[DeDee]

So because 2 other missing persons stripped themselves of their clothes due to hypothermia, Bryce did too?

TX - TX - Jason Landry, 21, en route from TSU to home, car found crashed at Luling, 14 Dec 2020
Allow me to admit, due to my own good common sense, I believe it's highly likely Bryce suffered hypothermia and perhaps paradoxical undressing before succumbing to death.

Again, do you have information about LE finding his clothes?

I wrote in the OP that it was my own opinion because it is my opinion that more clothing items were found. Please do not ask me again if I have more information than anyone else on this thread. I don't.

I also don’t believe anyone truly concerned with finding this poor kid for over a year, would make something bad, about what he did when hypothermic or intoxicated, and embarrass the family. Although, as I said before, there are bad people all over, so who knows.

Precisely why this alleged information was not released to the pubic is bad people exist. Do you have a better explanation for what LE is holding back from the public but divulging to the family?

But who cares anyway? Isn’t the main goal of finding him and bringing the family some closure and peace? And not being worried what people say or think?

 

[lassy]

TX - TX - Jason Landry, 21, en route from TSU to home, car found crashed at Luling, 14 Dec 2020
Allow me to admit, due to my own good common sense, I believe it's highly likely Bryce suffered hypothermia and perhaps paradoxical undressing before succumbing to death.

I wrote in the OP that it was my own opinion because it is my opinion that more clothing items were found. Please do not ask me again if I have more information than anyone else on this thread. I don't.

Precisely why this alleged information was not released to the pubic is bad people exist. Do you have a better explanation for what LE is holding back from the public but divulging to the family?

So you have an opinion and are making a logical guess…just like the rest of us. Perfect.

IMO, LE is keeping info from the public because it’s still an active investigation, they are looking for unbiased tips, and/or possibly some legal things going on. If they are keeping everything quiet only to spare embarrassment, that seems like a pretty poor reason to me at this point.

And really no info has been released…what tips they have received, what business had him on camera, his suspected route of travel, where the K9s tracked his scent, what was discussed on the FaceTime call, etc. Is every piece of information going to embarrass the family that they have to keep it quiet?

 

[MURDERER_SERVANT]

This is my timeline I could gather from various news articles. Not sure how accurate they are though.

02:08 drop off at 32XX Hill Ridge Dr
????? Tie drops on the road ( tie found on the side of the road 1600 Letendre (Time guessed )
?????? Caught on a business’s camera
02:34 called his friends (facetime)and sent his location .
02:38 last Ping
02:46 phone battery off.
????? Friends looked for him on foot.(along highway 13 )

Would like to make the unknown time estimates according to his most probable route .

I wonder if Bryce was walking or standing still during 12 minutes phone call? From what we heard of the phone call, my guess is he was standing. So at 02:46 he may still be on the same location he sent to his friends.

 

[lassy]

Your known timelines are what I know too.
I wasn’t sure of the tie location, but wondered if it could have been tossed/dropped out of the Uber on the way to friends house? Or dropped on his walk? Either way, probably not due to being hot and starting to get rid of clothes.
I have see nothing about which business had him on camera or where on his route it was.
Reports said the phone call was in a wooded area. Nothing about whether he was standing, sitting or moving.
Also I have not seen anything as to how long the friends looked for him or where, other than along 13 and where the friends had his location from the call.
So few details anywhere and some conflicting

 

[Trino]

So you have an opinion and are making a logical guess…just like the rest of us. Perfect.

IMO, LE is keeping info from the public because it’s still an active investigation, they are looking for unbiased tips, and/or possibly some legal things going on. If they are keeping everything quiet only to spare embarrassment, that seems like a pretty poor reason to me at this point.

And really no info has been released…what tips they have received, what business had him on camera, his suspected route of travel, where the K9s tracked his scent, what was discussed on the FaceTime call, etc. Is every piece of information going to embarrass the family that they have to keep it quiet?

Your guess info is as good as anyone's guess. Intoxication can bring hypothermia on more rapidly too. BUT, on day 1 there were about 250 searchers. Would they not have found clothes other than the tie?

Eagan PO at first concentrated on the tracks and the river. Sounds like that would have given private searchers an opportunity to find something.

If such evidence has been found, wouldn't he be nearby? Maybe I'm being too logical. I just find it difficult to believe if he's really in Ft Snelling State Park that with today's technology he can't be found. How long will this go on? Will he never be found, and will everyone be satisfied with that outcome?

 

[lassy]

I’m logical too and I agree, if he stripped off his clothes, how much further would he have walked from them…hypothermic/confused, naked and being scratched by brush/weeds.

I’ve heard of nothing of his being found…other than his tie. And one white sneaker that wasn’t his. Although that doesn’t mean LE would tell us if they did find something…given their silence on this case.

If LE is sure he stumbled into the brush/marsh while intoxicated and died, why don’t they just say that? Their most recent statement was that they ‘believe’ they are looking in the right place. That is not very convincing IMO.

Once snow and freezing happens again, could be another how many months with nothing

 

[Trino]

So because 2 other missing persons stripped themselves of their clothes due to hypothermia, Bryce did too? Again, do you have information about LE finding his clothes?
I also don’t believe anyone truly concerned with finding this poor kid for over a year, would make something bad, about what he did when hypothermic or intoxicated, and embarrass the family. Although, as I said before, there are bad people all over, so who knows. But who cares anyway? Isn’t the main goal of finding him and bringing the family some closure and peace? And not being worried what people say or think?

I’m logical too and I agree, if he stripped off his clothes, how much further would he have walked from them…hypothermic/confused, naked and being scratched by brush/weeds.

I’ve heard of nothing of his being found…other than his tie. And one white sneaker that wasn’t his. Although that doesn’t mean LE would tell us if they did find something…given their silence on this case.

If LE is sure he stumbled into the brush/marsh while intoxicated and died, why don’t they just say that? Their most recent statement was that they ‘believe’ they are looking in the right place. That is not very convincing IMO.

Once snow and freezing happens again, could be another how many months with nothing

Temps are expected near 60 next week, giving opportunities for searches, assuming there will be searches. I don't think we can expect police to look for him after Thanksgiving, which usually brings snow. IMO there will not be continuing tries until after the 2024 floods, maybe around June 2024. I just can't believe this is happening.

New ideas welcome. Thinking outside the box welcome. I don't feel posters have expressed negative feelings toward those directly impacted, just surprises at several things surrounding the case. Maybe our ideas can solve it.

 

[FBI Wannabe]

With hypothermia, core temperature drops below 95 degrees. In severe hypothermia, core body temperature can drop to 82 F or lower.

Bryce loosens his tie.

Heat loss speeds up when skin is exposed to wind or moisture.

Bryce drops his tie.

More skin exposed will cause his core temperature to drop.

Bryce walked for 45 minutes. Has he been sweating/perspiring? If so, he's getting wet, too. So, now he's wet and cold and probably exhausted and fearful and disorineted. It was windy that night and a sweater is not a windbreaker. Also, breathing in air that's 45 degrees will cool the body.

Under these conditions, in that dangerous environment, Bryce probably didn't understand what was happening to him. Therefore, he lacked the ability to save himself. It makes me so sad.

First signs of hypothermia

Warning signs of hypothermia in adults include:

• Shivering, which may stop as hypothermia progresses.
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Confusion and memory loss
• Drowsiness or exhaustion
• Slurred or mumbled speech
• Loss of coordination, fumbling hands, stumbling steps
• A slow, weak pulse

It was 50 degrees that night I doubt he got hypothermia. It was 45 degrees here today and I was outside in a sweatshirt and jeans for 5 hours.

 

[iamnotagolem]

I have followed several cases where the MP suffered hypothermia and were found deceased either undressed or had burrowed themself under something. There is nothing to indicate Bryce had hypothermia from what I’ve read.

This is one of the oddest cases I’ve followed. The usual response from family, LE and community is not typical IMO.

 

[Trino]

I have followed several cases where the MP suffered hypothermia and were found deceased either undressed or had burrowed themself under something. There is nothing to indicate Bryce had hypothermia from what I’ve read.

This is one of the oddest cases I’ve followed. The usual response from family, LE and community is not typical IMO.

It seems obvious that on day one of the search with 250 volunteers, if hypothermia caused undressing, that clothing would have been found by somebody. No indication any clothes were found. So, if the Eagan PD is keeping secrets, IMO it is not undressing.

 

[Megnut]

It seems obvious that on day one of the search with 250 volunteers, if hypothermia caused undressing, that clothing would have been found by somebody. No indication any clothes were found. So, if the Eagan PD is keeping secrets, IMO it is not undressing.

Or they did find clothing and the only secret-keeping is from the public. His clothing would indicate hypothermia and would indicate the stage of hypothermia, perhaps giving LE and Bryce's own family sad confirmation of inevitability.

In my rural homwtown, an ekederly denentia patient walked away from a nursing home. The city came all but to a standstill searching for him, on foot and by sky. He'd only been missing a brief spate. His body was recovered a full year later at barely a distant. Tragically he drowned in bareky more than a drainage puddle.

It is my opinion that Bryce died following a series of accumulative misfortunes, claimed by marshland, no less unforgiving than a minefield of quicksand.

His family has all of my respect. Turning their enormous loss and unrelenting grief into something good, in their son's name.

There's a beauty in that kind of resilience.

Grief into gratitude....

JMO

 

[fridaybaker]

With hypothermia, core temperature drops below 95 degrees. In severe hypothermia, core body temperature can drop to 82 F or lower.

Bryce loosens his tie.

Heat loss speeds up when skin is exposed to wind or moisture.

Bryce drops his tie.

More skin exposed will cause his core temperature to drop.

Bryce walked for 45 minutes. Has he been sweating/perspiring? If so, he's getting wet, too. So, now he's wet and cold and probably exhausted and fearful and disorineted. It was windy that night and a sweater is not a windbreaker. Also, breathing in air that's 45 degrees will cool the body.

Under these conditions, in that dangerous environment, Bryce probably didn't understand what was happening to him. Therefore, he lacked the ability to save himself. It makes me so sad.

First signs of hypothermia

Warning signs of hypothermia in adults include:

• Shivering, which may stop as hypothermia progresses.
• Slow, shallow breathing
• Confusion and memory loss
• Drowsiness or exhaustion
• Slurred or mumbled speech
• Loss of coordination, fumbling hands, stumbling steps
• A slow, weak pulse

Add in the effects of alcohol…

 

[Trino]

Or they did find clothing and the only secret-keeping is from the public. His clothing would indicate hypothermia and would indicate the stage of hypothermia, perhaps giving LE and Bryce's own family sad confirmation of inevitability.

In my rural homwtown, an ekederly denentia patient walked away from a nursing home. The city came all but to a standstill searching for him, on foot and by sky. He'd only been missing a brief spate. His body was recovered a full year later at barely a distant. Tragically he drowned in bareky more than a drainage puddle.

It is my opinion that Bryce died following a series of accumulative misfortunes, claimed by marshland, no less unforgiving than a minefield of quicksand.

His family has all of my respect. Turning their enormous loss and unrelenting grief into something good, in their son's name.

There's a beauty in that kind of resilience.

Grief into gratitude....

JMO

Wonderful the family created something for their son, but the usual path is to find a missing child first. I find the golf tournament and get-a-away unusual in that aspect.

 

[lassy]

Why keep a secret about hypothermia? Or anything else for that matter? Everyone knows he was intoxicated. Things happen. Although it was not that cold that night…lows in the high 40s. Why turn away half the people who came to search the first day? Why turn away help from other police depts from other cities? And other people with expertise with drones and K9s? Was there something they did not want anyone to find or know?
So here we are a year later and still no Bryce. If he stripped off his clothes and slipped in some type of quicksand marsh, why did the dozens of different K9 searches not track him there? Or the dozens of other searches, drones, technology not find him yet? How long do they keep looking in that same area? Years? What if he is not back there?
Why did they not enter him into NamUs until May?
And why the reward, if it was just a series of misfortunes?

 

[bombardier]

Your local statistics fan wanted to pop in with some facts about paradoxical undressing (not endorsing or commenting on the possibility of hypothermia, just wanted to share):
On meta-analysis, cases of fatal hypothermia associated with some degree of paradoxical undressing range between 20-50% (the 50% value is reported by Wikipedia, and I don't have access to their source) of cases (x, x).
As a TC consumer, you might assume that number would be higher, but we are all subject to a bit of an exposure bias; cases with paradoxical undressing are interesting and mysterious, and get more press coverage and will stick in your mind longer than the run-of-the-mill hypothermia cases.

 

[lassy]

Not that I know Bryce did or didn’t have hypothermia, but dressed as he was in close to 50 degree temps, I have a hard time believing he was hypothermic. Unless he fell in a pond or other body of water and got wet and got out of the water. Seems LE thought he was in that pond for months, but he must not be?
For reference, George Musser from Stillwater was also extremely intoxicated after leaving a bar last December. I think he also walked in the wrong direction. Dressed in jeans, a flannel shirt, hat and shoes. Temps got below zero that night. He managed to walk 2 1/2 miles in those temps, where he was found deceased in a field the next day. The St. Croix River is a couple blocks away from the bar he was at, but seems he didn’t head to the river…not sure I agree with the theory that drunk college kids head to water. Nor do I think Bryce would trek through brush and marsh and horrible terrain to get to the river. But that’s MOO.
Maybe the Eagan police should reach out to the Stillwater police to help find Bryce, since they found George so quick.

 

[Trino]

Not that I know Bryce did or didn’t have hypothermia, but dressed as he was in close to 50 degree temps, I have a hard time believing he was hypothermic. Unless he fell in a pond or other body of water and got wet and got out of the water. Seems LE thought he was in that pond for months, but he must not be?
For reference, George Musser from Stillwater was also extremely intoxicated after leaving a bar last December. I think he also walked in the wrong direction. Dressed in jeans, a flannel shirt, hat and shoes. Temps got below zero that night. He managed to walk 2 1/2 miles in those temps, where he was found deceased in a field the next day. The St. Croix River is a couple blocks away from the bar he was at, but seems he didn’t head to the river…not sure I agree with the theory that drunk college kids head to water. Nor do I think Bryce would trek through brush and marsh and horrible terrain to get to the river. But that’s MOO.
Maybe the Eagan police should reach out to the Stillwater police to help find Bryce, since they found George so quick.

Eagan police reaching out? Doubtful. Is BB is in the pond or even in Ft Snelling State Park? I cannot understand how any investigator isn't questioning the pond idea. It seems worth consideration he took an offered ride. I think there is more the Eagan police know but have decided not to make public.

I don't subscribe to the idea that drunk kids head to water. I think they head to whatever, and Minnesota has a lot of water, of course - about 15,000 lakes, rivers, and lots of small ponds.

 

[concernedResident]

No idea if this is related... but it caught my eye:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1749861264799445074