Overview
- Officials said the bodies were recovered following weather delays and named Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova, 19, of Seal Beach, among the deceased.
- The search began after reports that a 19-year-old fell about 500 feet near the Devil’s Backbone, and his companion hiked to find cell service to relay GPS coordinates.
- Aerial teams located the teen and two others, but powerful Santa Ana winds prevented hoist operations; an air medic later confirmed all three were dead around 7:30 p.m.
- The two additional hikers were not part of the teen’s group and were found by chance during the aerial sweep, according to the sheriff’s department.
- Mount Baldy trails were temporarily closed through Wednesday night due to hazardous winter conditions, and the causes of death remain under investigation.