Overview
- San Bernardino County officials named the remaining victims as Juan Sarat Lopez, 37, and Bayron Pedro Ramos Garcia, 36, both Guatemalan nationals living in Los Angeles.
- Authorities previously identified the third victim as 19-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova of Seal Beach, who reportedly fell about 500 feet near the Devil’s Backbone.
- Investigators say Lopez and Ramos Garcia were not hiking with Casanova and are believed to have fallen from the Devil’s Backbone the same day they were found, with causes of death still pending.
- Deputies began the search on Dec. 29 for the injured teen, aerial crews then spotted all three victims, high winds prevented helicopter hoists, and an air medic later confirmed the deaths before recovery the following day.
- Seven Mount Baldy trails, including Devil’s Backbone, remain closed through Jan. 7 as the Forest Service evaluates safety measures, and violators face fines of up to $5,000 to $10,000.