Authorities have identified the two remaining hikers found dead on Mt. Baldy in California following a deadly incident late last month.
The hikers were identified as Juan Sarat Lopez, 37, and Bayron Pedro Ramos Garcia, 36, both Guatemalan nationals who were living in Los Angeles, according to a Jan. 3 update from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD).
Investigators believe Lopez and Ramos Garcia fell from the Devil’s Backbone Trail on the same day their bodies were recovered, officials said.
During the same recovery operation, authorities also located the body of a third hiker, 19-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova of Seal Beach, California. His identity was released on Dec. 31. A cause of death has not yet been determined for any of the three hikers, according to SBCSD.
Authorities first responded on Dec. 29 at around 11:30 a.m. local time after receiving a report of an injured 19-year-old hiker, later identified as Casanova. Officials said he had fallen approximately 500 feet. His friend and hiking companion reportedly left the area to find cell service and call for help.
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A helicopter rescue team later spotted Casanova during an aerial search, along with two other hikers — Lopez and Ramos Garcia — who were not part of his group. However, rescue crews were unable to land due to severe wind conditions, according to the sheriff’s department.
Later that evening, at approximately 7:30 p.m., an airship from Los Angeles County joined the operation. High winds once again prevented a hoist rescue. An air medic was lowered to the scene and confirmed that all three individuals had died.
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“It is extremely unusual to have three persons die at the same time — or be found dead at the same time — while hiking and trying to enjoy nature,” said Jenny Smith, a public information officer for SBCSD, during a press conference reported by KTLA 5. “Our hearts go out to the families impacted by this tragedy.”
In a Dec. 31 update, the sheriff’s department announced that select trails on Mt. Baldy would be temporarily closed due to public safety concerns following the incident.
