The Disappearance of Bryce Laspisa: A Deep Dive into the Buttonwillow Mystery

Road to Nowhere: The Vanishing of Bryce Laspisa

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WHO or WHAT Was in Buttonwillow?

August 30, 2013. A 19-year-old college student vanished into the California wilderness or perhaps into thin air. His name was Bryce David Laspisa, and his disappearance remains one of the most haunting modern mysteries on the West Coast.

But let’s rewind. Before the wreck. Before the blood. Before the scent trail ended near the Lake Hughes Road Rest Area. Let’s go back to the town with the name that sounds like it belongs in a Flannery O’Connor short story.

Let’s talk about Buttonwillow.

A Day in the Desert and a Plan?

Bryce left his college in Rocklin, California, and for nearly an entire day, he stayed in Buttonwillow. Sitting. Waiting. Doing… what exactly?

Was he waiting for someone? Was he meeting a stranger to vanish with? Or worse was someone orchestrating this?

Bryce made calls. He bought drinks. He even had a minor car issue that led him to Christian, a friendly roadside mechanic from Castro Tire and Truck. But he didn’t leave. He didn’t go home. He stalled.

That’s not aimlessness. That’s intent.

The Drug Nobody Warned Us About

Let’s talk about Vyvanse.

Prescribed to treat ADHD, Vyvanse is a stimulant similar to Adderall but longer-acting, metabolized in the liver. In moderation, it boosts focus. In excess or when mixed with alcohol, it’s a chemical cocktail for disaster.

And Bryce? He had been abusing Vyvanse heavily. His friends and girlfriend noticed his personality change. His behavior became erratic. He stayed up for days. He gave away his personal belongings like his Xbox and a pair of diamond earrings.

Let me be blunt: that’s not stress. That’s a spiral.

Goodbye Without Saying Goodbye

Why did he text his girlfriend to break up but then go to her house?

Why did he avoid calling his parents making police officers do it instead?

Why give away prized possessions?

These are signs we see again and again: people saying goodbye without actually using the word. His actions every one of them suggest a calculated exit. He was clearing the deck. Tying up loose ends. Saying farewell without fanfare.

Bryce wasn’t lost. He was done.

That Wreck Wasn’t a Wreck

At 5 a.m., just outside Castaic Lake, Bryce’s car was found on its side at the bottom of an embankment. The back window was shattered. His wallet, laptop, and phone were inside. But Bryce?

Gone.

Can I say what everyone’s thinking?

That crash was staged. No blood. No body. The way the car went down the hill controlled, not chaotic. The scent dogs followed his trail to the Lake Hughes Road Rest Area, and then it disappeared.

Poof.

Did he hitch a ride? Was someone waiting for him?

A State Database Got the Date Wrong?!

Now let’s talk about how even the most official sources fumble the truth.

The California Attorney General’s Office lists Bryce’s missing date as August 12th, 2013 more than two weeks before he vanished.

How does a mistake like that happen? And why hasn’t it been corrected?

When you’re searching for a missing person, dates and locations matter. That kind of discrepancy erodes trust and undermines investigations. And frankly, it’s unacceptable.

So Why Buttonwillow?

That dusty little town off I-5 wasn’t just a random stop.

Buttonwillow was a fork in the road.
Do I go back?
Do I disappear?
Do I finish what I’ve been planning?

I believe Bryce was waiting for someone. Or at least waiting for the moment when he could fully commit to vanishing. And when Christian the tire guy and the sheriff’s deputy both got too close? When they stood at the edge of his plan, unintentionally interfering?

He panicked. He revised the script.
He staged a crash.
And he was gone.

My Theory

Bryce’s disappearance was premeditated.

His extended Buttonwillow stay wasn’t hesitation. It was strategy.

The mental health crisis, the drug and alcohol misuse, the farewell behavior all of it built up to a moment of execution. I believe the presence of law enforcement and Christian spooked him, triggering a hasty shift. But the plan didn’t vanish.

He did.

Final Thoughts

There are too many holes in this case.

Too many assumptions. Too many official errors. Too much faith in a narrative that assumes Bryce was just another kid who broke down.

He wasn’t. He was screaming silently. He was unraveling, piece by piece.

And he left us clues. He just didn’t leave answers.

📣 Shoutouts & What’s Next

Big love to Crime Junkie for their phenomenal coverage of this case and for keeping Bryce’s name alive. We need more platforms doing the work.

🎙️ Up next on Dicking Around With Richie: A True Crime Feed:
The Greenbrier Ghost Murder Trial the only U.S. case where a ghost testified in court. You read that right. A ghost.

If you know something about the disappearance of Bryce Laspisa, speak up. Even the smallest detail might be the missing piece.

Until then… we keep digging.

🕯️ #JusticeForBryceLaspisa
🕯️ #RoadToNowhere
🕯️ #DickingAroundWithRichie