A search warrant was issued in connection with the disappearance of Bryce Borca
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - According to the Pioneer Press, the Dakota County investigators have applied for a search warrant this week in search of more clues in the disappearance of Bryce Borca. Bryce was last seen around 2:08 AM on Sunday, October 30th, when Borca was dropped off around the Hill Ridge Drive apartments with two of his friends.
Police were notified that Bryce Borca was missing Sunday morning, which resulted in several agencies responding to aid in his search from local, state, and federal levels. The search went on from around 2 PM until dark on Sunday evening. As soon as the sun came up on Monday, October 31st, a second search was organized with the family of Bryce Borca requesting help from volunteers to help search for Bryce the night before. They requested volunteers to meet up at the Blue Cross Blue Shield University at 7:30 AM on Monday, October 31st, for the search. Little did the family know, nor did the police, how many people would end up showing up to help. In total, around 250 volunteers ended up showing help search a large area Bryce Borca was last seen. Something the Eagan Police Chief said he had never seen before.
The area officials and volunteers searched over a two-day period was a mix of industrial parks and businesses, neighborhoods, and a large marsh/prairie area around Highway 13 and Yankee Doodle Road in Eagan, Minnesota, on the far west side of the city of Eagan. The marsh area that was searched and also happened to be the last known location Bryce was before his cell phone died was to the east of Hwy 13 between railroad tracks and the Minnesota River. According to the Pioneer Press, the warrant stated that video surveillance from a business in the area also showed Borca walking alone early Sunday morning.
According to the Pioneer Press, the police obtained the search warrant for Bryce Borca’s Eagan, Minnesota apartment to collect his electronic devices, including his computer and an older phone. The police were hoping they might be able to shine additional light on his disappearance and reveal additional clues to what happened to him. Police continue to state they do not assume there was any foul play involved in his disappearance, but they hope this search warrant might officially rule that out.
Additionally, the Pioneer Press reports police were also able to gather the following information in regard to the final moments before Bryce disappeared from his friends. Up until this point, it was initially reported that Bryce left a party either via foot or a taxi service off Coachman Road. The police officially released later that he was dropped off in the area, which was mentioned to volunteers the morning of the search. According to the Pioneer Press, the search warrant uncovered that Borca and his friends were drinking on a party bus into the early morning of Sunday, October 30th. Bryce reportedly became very intoxicated. Bryce and his friends would eventually take a Lyft back to Eagan, where they were dropped off in the 3200 block of Hill Ridge Drive in Eagan at around 2:08 AM, according to the Pioneer Press. The Pioneer Press also reports that the warrant states the driver of the Lyft also reported that Borca was very intoxicated and even attempted to exit the vehicle while it was still moving.
After Borca and his friends were dropped off, Borca began walking away from his friends. Bryce’s friends had assumed he was walking back to his apartment that was a couple of miles away, according to the warrant attained by the Associated Press. Around 2:34 AM, Bryce Borca reportedly FaceTimed and talked to one of his friends, saying that he had only about 2 percent battery left on his phone and that he was lost. It was during this time that Bryce also sent his location via his phone to his friend. Bryce’s phone would die about 12 minutes later, which prompted his friends to begin the search for him early Sunday morning, according to the Pioneer Press.
That final location before Bryce’s phone died was another key piece of information that was disclosed to the volunteers on the day of the search on Monday, October 31st. A large group of those volunteers, in addition to K9s and the Minnesota State helicopter, would focus 4-5 hours on searching that last known location for Bryce in what would end up being some very tough terrain. From the video chat with Bryce, his friends gathered he was likely in an area with heavy woods. Which, when compared to his last known location, aligned very well. This was additional information that police and volunteers would later use during their searches on Monday.
Bryce’s last known location was just west of Highway 13 in a wooded area next to the railroad tracks. The location was also in the opposite direction of his apartment. According to the Pioneer Press, Broca’s friends then went out to search along Highway 13 and near his last known location but were not able to find him. Later that morning, his friends then called 911 and reported him missing.
From the search warrant, investigators found that Borca walked from the area of Letendre Street, between Minnesota 13 and Coachman Road, and then traveled away from Hill Ridge Drive towards Highway 13, according to the Pioneer Press. Bryce’s apartment was again in the opposite direction of where he walked, with some wondering if he might have gotten disoriented.
On the day of the search, volunteers were told that a tie that belonged to Bryce was found on the previous day, which officials said was in agreement with the direction of travel Bryce was last seen going. Additionally, a single Nike shoe was found behind a business in the area where Borca was last seen, according to the warrant and reported by the Pioneer Press. The shoe found did not match the description of the shoe he was said to be wearing, but investigators have not ruled out that this could have been his.
The Eagan Police Department is still asking anyone living south of Lone Oak Road, west of Pilot Knob Road, and north of Silver Bell Road to please check their security cameras from October 30th between the hours of 2 AM to 4 AM for any possible additional information in connection with the missing 23-year old, Bryce Borca. He is a white male with blonde hair. He was last seen wearing a white button-down shirt and possibly a cardigan. A map of that rough area can be found below.
If anyone has any information to share from their security cameras, they are asked to please call Bryan Hughes of the Eagan Police Department at 651-675-5827.
Sources: Pioneer Press - Mara H. Gottfried