Case snapshot
Bryce Laspisa, a 19-year-old college student, spent more than 13 hours driving roughly 350 miles between Southern California and his parents’ home in August 2013. He broke down on the roadside twice, acted strangely with police and a roadside assistance driver, then crashed his SUV near Castaic Lake. Searchers found his vehicle overturned with his phone, wallet, and laptop inside, but Bryce was gone.
The unraveling
In the weeks before his disappearance, Bryce’s behavior shifted. Friends at Sierra College in Rocklin, California, noticed he was drinking heavily and experimenting with Vyvanse, a study drug he had never taken before. His girlfriend, Kim Sly, grew concerned when his personality changed. He became withdrawn, gave away prized possessions including his Xbox and diamond earrings, and spoke in ways that unsettled her.
On August 28, 2013, Bryce told his mother, Karen, that he was coming home to Laguna Niguel for the weekend. The drive normally took about eight hours. Karen expected him by midnight.
A drive that never ended
Bryce left his college apartment in the early hours of August 30. He stopped for gas in Buttonwillow, California, around 2 a.m. His mother tracked his movements through his cell phone and credit card activity. Hours passed. By midmorning, he had barely moved.
Karen called roadside assistance after learning her son was stranded near Castaic Lake, roughly three hours from home. A driver arrived and gave Bryce gas. He reported that Bryce seemed lucid but oddly detached. Bryce mentioned he was heading home but showed no urgency.
At 1:50 a.m. on August 30, California Highway Patrol officers found Bryce parked in the same area. They asked if he was okay. He told them he was just tired and needed rest. The officers noted nothing criminal and let him go.
The final ping
Karen continued tracking Bryce’s phone. It remained stationary for hours near the lake. She called him repeatedly. At one point, he answered but said almost nothing before hanging up. Another time, he told her he would call her back. He never did.
Around 2 a.m., Kim received a voicemail from Bryce. He sounded strange and said he planned to speak with her later. She never heard from him again.
At approximately 5:30 a.m., surveillance cameras near Castaic Lake captured Bryce’s 2003 Toyota Highlander heading toward the recreation area. Just after 9 a.m., his vehicle was found overturned down an embankment off the main road, 15 feet from the water. The rear window had been broken from the inside. Blood was found on the seats and the back cargo area. His wallet, phone, laptop, and other belongings were still in the car. Bryce was not.
The search
Authorities launched an immediate search of Castaic Lake and the surrounding wilderness. Divers scoured the water. Search dogs tracked scents near the crash site but lost the trail. Helicopters swept the hills. Volunteers combed dense brush for days. No trace of Bryce was found.
Investigators discovered that Bryce’s phone last pinged near the lake at 1:58 a.m., roughly three and a half hours before his SUV was found. The timeline suggested he remained in the area for hours after police spoke with him.
The blood in his car was confirmed to be his, consistent with minor injuries from the crash. There were no signs of foul play, but also no clear explanation for why he left the vehicle or where he went.
Theories and dead ends
In the years following his disappearance, leads surfaced and evaporated. Possible sightings were reported in Oregon, California, and other western states. None were confirmed. Some speculated Bryce may have suffered a mental health crisis or a reaction to Vyvanse. Others suggested he intentionally vanished. His parents believed something happened to him, either during or after the crash.
Investigators found no evidence he planned to disappear. His bank accounts went untouched. His Social Security number was never used again. There were no digital footprints, no phone activity, no confirmed contact with anyone after the morning of August 30, 2013.
Castaic Lake and the surrounding area were searched multiple times over the years. In 2020, a private search team used sonar equipment to sweep parts of the lake again. Nothing connected to Bryce was recovered.
A family still waiting
Karen and Michael Laspisa have never stopped searching for their son. They maintain a website, distribute flyers, and continue working with investigators and search teams. They hold out hope that someone knows something, saw something, or will come forward with new information.
Bryce Laspisa remains missing. His case is still open with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He was 19 years old when he disappeared. He would be 30 now.
Where to dive deeper
- Podcast: “The Mysterious Disappearance of Bryce Laspisa” (“Disappeared”, Investigation Discovery)
- Podcast: “Bryce Laspisa” (“True Crime Garage”, Audiochuck)
- Podcast: “Where is Bryce Laspisa?” (“Trace Evidence”, Steven Pacheco)
