A Riverside man vanished from a Big Bear-area campsite overnight and was found dead near the same site after authorities launched an extensive search. Brian Schofield, 47, had been camping with his fiancée in Fawnskin. Investigators say there were no initial signs of foul play.
According to an alert from the Big Bear Sheriff's Department, Schofield was reported missing at 8:53 a.m. Monday after his fiancée woke up and found him gone. He had last been seen around 11:30 p.m. Sunday at Yellow Post Campsite #33 on Delamar Mountain Road, where the pair had gone to bed. The alert identified him as a Riverside resident and asked anyone with information to contact deputies.
The Los Angeles Times reported that San Bernardino County sheriff's personnel later located Schofield deceased near the campsite. The site sits along Big Bear Lake, about seven miles outside the city of Big Bear Lake, and authorities said a preliminary investigation found no signs of foul play. Officials have not released a cause of death or explained what happened between the time Schofield went to bed and the morning report.
Search Focused On A Remote Fawnskin Campsite
Yellow Post sites are not typical developed campgrounds. The U.S. Forest Service describes them as free campsites in remote areas reached by back roads or trails, offering solitude but fewer nearby amenities. The sheriff's department has not provided additional details about the search, and no criminal allegations have been announced.
