Case overview
Bryce Laspisa, a 19-year-old college student, disappeared on August 30, 2013, after his car was found overturned near Castaic Lake in California. His final hours involved unexplained delays, three roadside stops, and a compressed timeline that investigators have never fully reconciled. Despite extensive searches and verified sightings, no trace of Bryce has been found.
The last confirmed day
On August 28, 2013, Bryce Laspisa left his apartment in Chico, California, telling his girlfriend he was driving home to Laguna Niguel to see his parents, Karen and Michael Laspisa. The drive should have taken approximately eight hours. He never arrived.
In the days before his departure, friends reported that Bryce seemed withdrawn. He had recently broken up with his girlfriend, Kim Sly, though they had reconciled. He told her he had taken Vyvanse, a study drug he was not prescribed, and had been drinking heavily.
On August 29, Karen received a call from a roadside assistance service. Bryce had run out of gas near Buttonwillow, California, roughly three hours into what should have been a direct route home. Karen provided her credit card information to have gas delivered. The service confirmed Bryce received the fuel and left the area around 3:00 a.m.
Eight hours near Castaic Lake
After leaving Buttonwillow, Bryce did not continue south. Instead, he was seen multiple times in a small area near Castaic Lake, more than 100 miles from his parents’ home, over the course of approximately eight hours.
At 1:50 a.m. on August 30, a California Highway Patrol officer saw Bryce pulled over on the side of Interstate 5 near the Castaic Lake exit. The officer spoke with him briefly and determined he was not impaired. Bryce said he was headed to Laguna Niguel but needed to rest. The officer left after a few minutes.
At 2:08 a.m., Karen’s phone received a ping indicating Bryce’s location near the same area. Over the next several hours, she called him repeatedly. He answered several times, each time saying he was too tired to drive and would resume the trip soon. She spoke with him at approximately 12:30 p.m., and he again said he would be home soon.
At 2:15 a.m. on August 30, Bryce was seen on surveillance footage at a convenience store near Castaic. He appeared calm and purchased an energy drink. This was one of the last confirmed sightings.
The crash and the search
At approximately 5:30 a.m. on August 30, a deputy with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department found Bryce’s 2003 Toyota Highlander overturned on an access road near Castaic Lake. The vehicle had gone off the road, through a chain-link fence, and rolled down an embankment. The car was found with the rear window broken out, the driver’s side door open, and the keys still in the ignition.
Inside the vehicle, investigators found Bryce’s wallet, cell phone, and laptop. His clothes and personal belongings were still in the car. There was no blood and no sign of a struggle. Tire marks indicated the vehicle may have been deliberately driven off the road, though the exact mechanics of the crash were never definitively determined.
Search and rescue teams, cadaver dogs, helicopters, and divers were deployed to search Castaic Lake and the surrounding area. The search covered thousands of acres over multiple days. No trace of Bryce was found.
Unaccounted time
Investigators attempted to reconstruct the timeline between Bryce’s last known movements and the discovery of his vehicle. Multiple witness reports placed him in the Castaic area between 2:00 a.m. and approximately 4:00 a.m., but no confirmed sightings exist after the convenience store footage at 2:15 a.m.
One witness reported seeing someone matching Bryce’s description walking near the lake in the early morning hours of August 30. Another reported seeing a young man sitting on rocks near the water. Neither sighting was conclusively verified.
Karen reported that Bryce’s final communication with her occurred around 12:30 p.m. on August 29, roughly 17 hours before his vehicle was found. Investigators have not explained the discrepancy between the timing of that call and the discovery of the vehicle, or what Bryce may have been doing during that period.
Reported sightings and ruled-out remains
In the years following Bryce’s disappearance, multiple tips and possible sightings have been reported to law enforcement. In 2015, a man resembling Bryce was reportedly seen in Portland, Oregon. In 2018, a driver reported seeing someone who matched his description in Montana. None of these reports led to verified confirmation.
In 2020, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that dental records had been used to rule out several sets of unidentified remains found in California and neighboring states. None matched Bryce.
Investigators have not named any suspects or persons of interest. There is no evidence suggesting foul play, though it has not been ruled out. The possibility of voluntary disappearance has been considered but remains unsupported by any confirmed activity or communication.
Bryce’s parents have continued to search for answers. They have hired private investigators, maintained a public presence through media interviews, and distributed missing person flyers across California and surrounding states. Karen Laspisa has stated in interviews that she believes Bryce may have experienced a psychological crisis in the hours before his disappearance.
What remains
Bryce Laspisa was 19 years old at the time of his disappearance. He is white, 5 feet 11 inches tall, and weighed approximately 170 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. He has a tattoo on his upper right arm that reads “Lover” inside a heart.
The case remains open and active with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the department’s Missing Persons Unit.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Disappeared: The Unexplained Disappearance of Bryce Laspisa” (Investigation Discovery)
- Podcast: “Thin Air Podcast”
- Podcast: “True Crime Garage”
