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Authorities in California have identified one of the three hikers found deceased on Mt. Baldy as 19-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova of Seal Beach, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
In a statement released Wednesday, December 31, officials confirmed Casanova’s identity while noting that the causes of death for all three individuals remain under investigation. The identities of the other two male hikers have not yet been made public.
Casanova was a freshman at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business and worked as a sailing instructor. Family members described him as an avid outdoorsman with a deep love for nature and adventure. In a statement shared through local media, his family expressed profound grief, asking for privacy as they mourn his loss.
The incident began on Monday, December 29, when authorities received a report of an injured 19-year-old hiker who had reportedly fallen approximately 500 feet. A hiking companion left the area to seek cell service and call for help. During an aerial search, rescue teams located the injured hiker along with two other unrelated hikers who were also in distress.
Severe weather conditions, including high winds, prevented helicopters from landing or conducting hoist rescues throughout the day. Later that evening, an air medic was lowered into the area and confirmed that all three individuals had died.
Investigators have not clarified whether Casanova was the hiker who initially fell or one of the other two victims found during the same rescue operation. Officials described the incident as highly unusual, noting that it is rare for multiple hikers to die simultaneously during recreational outings.
Following the tragedy, the sheriff’s department announced temporary closures of select Mt. Baldy trails due to safety concerns, urging hikers to exercise caution amid hazardous winter conditions.