Overview

• The bodies were discovered on Monday, March 24, 2025, in a pickup truck abandoned on Highway 35 near Oak Ridge Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
• The California Highway Patrol has classified the case as a double homicide based on autopsy findings from the Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office.
• One victim has been preliminarily identified as 45-year-old Sean Pfeffer of Boulder Creek, though official confirmation is still pending.
• Investigators have ruled out a vehicle crash as the cause of death but have not yet identified any suspects or motives.
• The secluded location near Castle Rock State Park poses challenges for the ongoing investigation, with further details about the second victim and circumstances still unavailable.