The latest on the case of Bryce Borca, still missing one year later
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - It has been a year since 23-year-old Bryce Borca was reported missing after a night out with friends ended with their close friend, whom some reportedly had known since the 6th grade, just disappeared. It's a case that shook not only the family and friends of Bryce Borca but also one that resonated across the Eagan and surrounding communities. The impact this case had across the community became well known on the morning of Halloween, Monday, October 31, 2022, when car after car came to the Blue Cross & Blue Shield campus to join in a search for the young man. Hundreds of people came together to search for Bryce Borca, including friends, family, and strangers. It has been a case that has grabbed national and international headlines, surrounded by conspiracies and rumors of cover-ups amongst the online communities and even anger toward law enforcement for lack of transparency on this case. Eagan Police continue to say no foul play is expected in this case; however, the one question that continues to be at the center of this is: Where is Bryce Borca?
Back Story
For those unfamiliar with the case, 23-year-old Bryce Borca was last seen around 2 AM on Sunday, October 30, 2022, following an Uber/Lyft ride with friends after they were partying/drinking all day in Stillwater, Minnesota. The group was dropped off at an apartment in the Coachman Road/Yankee Doodle area in Eagan, Minnesota. After being let out of the ride-sharing vehicle, Eagan Police report Bryce Borca reportedly demanded to walk home to his apartment, which was about a couple of miles east of their current location. Instead of walking east toward his apartment, Bryce Borca reportedly walked westward toward Highway 13, the Yankee Tavern, the Eagan Gun Range, and the Minnesota River Valley. Around 2:45 AM, one of the friends received a Facetime call from Bryce Borca. It appeared Bryce was lost with the friend, saying he looked like he was walking in tall grass and kept falling. According to the friend, it looked like he was in the tall grassy marsh area just north of the train tracks, just west of Highway 13 and Yankee Tavern. Unfortunately, Bryce Borca's phone died during the Facetime. A few friends went down to the train tracks behind the Blue Cross & Blue Shield grounds by the Eagan Police Gun Range but could not find him.
Later that morning, after the friends had not heard any updates from Bryce Borca, they called 911 around 10:50 AM on Monday, October 30th, requesting a welfare check at Bryce's apartment. The friends reported that his car was there, but they have been unable to get ahold of him. Around 11:30 AM on Monday, October 30th, Eagan Police went to Bryce's apartment, but Bryce was not there. Over the next few hours, several Eagan Officers searched locations near his estimated last known location, including the Eagan Gun Range, Quarry Park, Strop Mall Rockin Tattoo, Blue Cross & Blue Shield property, and the Dakota County Jail. He was not seen at any of these locations. Additionally, several local medical centers and hospitals, police departments, State Patrol, and surrounding county jails were all contacted to see if they had anyone named Bryce Borca or fit his description. He was not found in any of these locations. Cellphone tower pings for his last known location before his phone died, and emergency location requests were made to Snapchat to try and pinpoint his last known location. The cell tower ping put him roughly in the area of his last known location. A tie, which was believed to have been worn by Bryce, was also found in the area of his last known location per the cellphone power. After they exhausted these resources, it was around 12:48 PM on Monday, October 30th, when Bryce Borca was officially entered as a missing person. Emergency personnel from various departments all across the Twin Cities Metro came to assist the Eagan Police Department's search for Byrce Borca, a search that went until dark and then was called off.
The following day, friends and family of Bryce Borca organized a search with the community that brought around 250 friends, family, and strangers from all across the community together in what the Eagan Police Chief, Roger New, would later say was one of the biggest turnouts he has ever seen for a missing person. At around 4:30 PM, the Eagan Police Department released a statement saying they no longer needed additional volunteers to help in the search. Unfortunately, even with all the help, Bryce Borca nor any additional clues were found. No other official organized searches were done with the general public after that day, but several groups of people reportedly did searches on their own over the coming months.
During the afternoon of October 31, 2022, Eagan Police asked residents and businesses in the area south of Lone Oak Road, west of Pilot Knot Road, and north of Silver Bell Road to check their security cameras for any signs of Bryce Borca between the hours of 2-4 AM on October 30th. A map of that area can be seen below.
One Year Later
Officials with the Eagan Police Department say they continue to conduct searches for Bryce Borca. So far, they say 28 different organizations around 15 different public safety agencies, and with the help of over 500 volunteers, around 1,500 acres have been searched for Bryce Borca. Within these search efforts, specialized teams that included k9s, drones, and sonar technology have also been used. They have expanded their search area, which no includes challenging terrain and the navigation of 14-foot tall grass, cattails, and marsh area.
The Eagan Police Department does not believe any foul play is suspected in this case. They estimate around 45 tips have been received related to the case so far. They confirmed Bryce Borca was seen on a local business's surveillance, but because it is still an open and active investigation, they could not provide us with what business that was.
In a statement from the Borca Family a year following Bryce's disappearance, they say:
“It’s been one year since we lost our sweet Bryce. Losing a child is the hardest loss there is, as the pain never retreats. It’s a club you never want to join. We have deep love and appreciation for our family and friends and couldn’t have made it through the last year without them. Thank you. We love you all.
Thank you to the Eagan Police Department, county and state authorities, and the search groups that continue every week to help us find answers. Finally, thank you to the people we may not even know who continue to think about Bryce and send us their thoughts and prayers.
Bryce, we love you more than life itself. We miss you in every way. We miss that smile. We miss your sweetness, your kindness, and your ability to make everyone around you feel better.
We pray and hope that another year will not go by without answers.”
Earlier this Fall, the Borca Family announced they had started a non-profit organization called Bryce's Blessings so they could honor him and support other families coping with the loss of their child.
If anyone has any information or tips on the Bryce Borca case, you are asked to please call Bryan Hughes of the Eagan Police Department at 651-675-5827.
