Back in 2013, 19-year-old Bryce Laspisa was a sophomore at Sierra College. The young man was studying graphic and industrial design at the university located in Rocklin, California. On August 28 of that same year, Bryce reached out to his parents in a slightly concerning manner. He called his parents that night to tell them that he was going to drive home to Laguna Niguel, California, in order to speak with them.
“I have a lot to talk about,” Bryce told his mother Karen.
According to Karen, she told her son that she would purchase a plane ticket and go to him in Rocklin. She was concerned because she knew that Bryce had just broken up with his girlfriend and was probably sad. Bryce, however, told his mom that she didn’t need to buy a plane ticket. He was going to meet them in Laguna Niguel. That all took place at 11:30 pm. His parents knew that he was at his (now) ex-girlfriend’s house and believed he was planning to drive home to his apartment.
Then came the phone call from the insurance company.
Mike and Karen were told that someone under their insurance coverage had asked for roadside assistance. Karen reached out to Bryce to see if it was him but got no answer. She then reached out to his roommate. His roommate made her aware that Bryce had never made it home after the phone call from the night before. That’s when his parents got the police involved.
During their investigation, the police learned that Bryce was actually driving straight to his parent's house after breaking up with his girlfriend. That drive would have taken about 8 hours to complete. Bryce’s car ran out of gas and was no longer moving when he was about 200 miles away from his destination. That is when he requested the roadside assistance that the insurance company alerted his parents about. The request came close to 9:00 am.
Karen was able to get in touch with the attendant at the rest stop where Bryce’s car was located. The attendant told her that his car was still parked at the rest stop and had been there for quite some time. Finally, Karen got in touch with her son. He told her that he was getting some sleep before he got back on the road.
His parents would be in touch with him on and off before the communication ended.
Then, on August 30, a California Highway Patrol Officer knocked on their door. He told them that Bryce’s car had been found badly damaged. Strangely, however, Bryce was nowhere to be found. Bryce’s roommate and ex-girlfriend told investigators that he was not acting like himself in the days leading up to this tragic ordeal. That information led the investigators to believe that Bryce may have suffered from a psychotic break.
If you have any information regarding Bryce’s case, you are urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (818) 984–0630.
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