Authorities have identified the 19-year-old who was killed after falling nearly 500 feet while hiking on Mt. Baldy this week as a Seal Beach resident. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
Several trails have been closed through January 7 after the bodies of three hikers were found earlier this week. One of the three people has been identified by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department as 19-year-old Seal Beach resident Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova.
Casanova’s body was found Monday along with two other hikers whose identities the department has not shared yet. He reportedly fell 500 feet near Devil’s Backbone, a popular trail where actor Julian Sands died in 2023. It took authorities several months to find Sands’ body in that incident after the actor went missing in January of that year, but wasn’t discovered until late June. Mt. Baldy is the highest peak in the San Gabriel Mountains, located just outside of Los Angeles.
“The tragic loss of life on Mt. Baldy and repeated rescue responses highlight how dangerous current conditions are, even for experienced hikers,” said San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus in a statement about the closure. “Weather and terrain conditions remain extremely dangerous and unpredictable, posing a significant risk to both the public and Search and Rescue personnel. The temporary closure of Mt. Baldy trails is necessary to prevent additional emergencies and protect lives. The public is urged to respect the closure and avoid the area until it is safe to reopen.”
Individuals who violate the closures will reportedly receive a fine of up to $5,000 and/or up to six months in jail.
As for Casanova, family members shared a public statement after news of his death was made public Wednesday.
“We are destroyed by the loss of our beloved Marcus. 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 ask for privacy as we try to find our way,” the statement reads.
