Man, 19, Identified as 1 of 3 Hikers Found Dead on California’s Mt. Baldy: ‘We Are Destroyed,’ Says Family

One of the three bodies recently recovered from Mt. Baldy in California has been identified as 19-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Casanova’s identity in a press release issued Wednesday, Dec. 31. Authorities said he was a resident of Seal Beach, a coastal city in Orange County, California. A determination of the cause of death is still pending.

The identities of the other two hikers — both male — have not yet been released.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Casanova was a student at the Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business and worked as a sailing instructor at the Leeway Sailing Center.

In a statement shared with ABC 7, Casanova’s family expressed their grief following the news of his death.

“We are destroyed by the loss of our beloved Marcus,” the statement read. “He was a graduate of Los Alamitos High, a freshman at Santa Clara University’s business school, and an avid sailor and outdoorsman. It is difficult to explain the pain and anguish we are going through, and we ask for privacy as we try to find our way.”

Authorities initially responded to a call to locate an injured 19-year-old hiker on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025, at approximately 11:30 a.m. local time, according to a release from the sheriff’s department. The hiker was reported to have fallen about 500 feet, and his hiking companion left the area to find cell service and request help.

During an aerial search, a rescue helicopter located the injured hiker as well as two other hikers in distress in the same area. Severe winds prevented the helicopter from landing and completing a rescue.

Later that evening, around 7:30 p.m. local time, an airship from Los Angeles County joined the operation. While high winds again made a hoist rescue impossible, an air medic was lowered to the site and confirmed that all three individuals were deceased.

It remains unclear whether Casanova was the hiker who fell 500 feet or one of the other two victims discovered during the rescue effort.

“It is extremely unusual to have three persons die at the same time — or be found dead at the same time — while they are out hiking and trying to enjoy nature,” said Jenny Smith, a public information officer for the sheriff’s department, during a press conference reported by KTLA 5. “I feel so sorry for the families who are affected.”

In a follow-up update issued Wednesday, Dec. 31, authorities announced that select trails on Mt. Baldy would be temporarily closed due to ongoing public safety concerns following the tragedy.