Until the day that Bryce Laspisa, a talented young artist, went missing, it was thought that he had drowned in a local river. The car he was driving fell 15 feet down a ravine, and his wallet, phone, and laptop were found inside. The case remains one of the most perplexing missing persons cases in modern true crime.
Case remains one of the most perplexing missing person cases in modern true crime
Among the many cold case investigations that have perplexed true crime enthusiasts, the case of Renee Lamanna is one of the more intriguing. During her time in Virginia, she looked strikingly similar to another young woman who went missing in the area. She was photographed on a grocery store surveillance camera, but investigators haven’t been able to pin down her identity.
Another young woman who went missing in the same year was Tara Calico. On September 20, 1988, she went out for a two-hour bike ride. However, when she returned home, she wasn’t there. She went missing, and her body has never been found.
On the same day, a young adult female in a polaroid picture looked remarkably like Tara. The two photographs were found in a convenience store parking lot in Port St. Joe, Florida.
Car tumbled 15 feet down a ravine
Among the many car accidents that have hit the Los Angeles area over the years, one stands out: a car tumbled down a ravine in the Angeles National Forest. Several agencies were involved in the rescue. One of the first to arrive on the scene was the West Metro Fire District.
Fortunately for the drivers and pedestrians involved in the accident, the rescue effort did not end there. The following day, a search and rescue team from the Baker County Sheriff’s Office was sent to the scene. The team used a winch and rope system to move the injured driver up the hillside. The car also was found at Castaic Lake.
The rescue effort was notable for two reasons. First, the vehicle had rolled off the road. Second, the vehicle did not actually hit anything before it came to rest.
Phone, laptop, and wallet were found inside
During the last week of August, Bryce Gibson had been drinking more and was not acting like himself. He had also allegedly taken prescription ADHD drugs, Vyvanse. He had also given away some personal belongings before hitting the road. His roommate informed Karen Laspisa that he was feeling bad. She believed Bryce wasn’t acting right and didn’t want him to drive.
Bryce drove from Sierra College near Sacramento to his parents’ house in Laguna Niguel, California. It was his first time driving on his own. He called his mother around two in the morning. He was ninety miles away. He said he was going to visit Kim’s place in Chico, California. He left around 11:30 pm.
Bryce drove for nearly 19 hours, which was longer than any previous trip. He was in no trouble. His parents believed he was going to drive back to their apartment in Rocklin. But when he did not show up, they filed a missing person report. They were worried about him. They also wanted him to call home.
He was a talented artist
Despite his disappearance in 2013, the case of Bryce Laspisa remains open. The family has never given up and is confident he will be found. They have launched a $5,000 reward for information leading to his arrest. Several ceremonies have taken place to help keep his case in the public eye. Thousands of flyers have been printed and distributed to homeless shelters in the hopes that a sighting will lead to his location.
Bryce Laspisa is a 19-year-old artist and graphic designer who moved from Illinois to California with his parents. He started attending Sierra College in Rocklin, where he studied graphic design. He became friends with roommate Sean Dixon and his girlfriend Kim Sly. During the summer, Bryce enrolled in a web design class.