Vernon "Cody" Matthews, age 23, was last seen on June 6, 2014, in Pollock Pines, California. He had traveled to his family's cabin for the summer and planned to go on a hike that afternoon. Before leaving, he spoke with his mother and told her about a recent break-in at the cabin, where items worth approximately $18,000 were stolen. He set off for the hike, taking minimal supplies with him: a water bottle, a hunting knife, a compass, his phone, and some trail mix.
His cell phone was last detected near the American River, but after that, there was no further contact from him.
Cody, an experienced outdoorsman and anthropology student at UC Berkeley, was very familiar with the area. Despite an extensive search in the rugged terrain known for wildlife like bears and mountain lions, no traces of him have been found. His parents later moved to Pollock Pines to aid in the search efforts, but tragically, their cabin was destroyed in a wildfire in September 2014, further compounding the family's hardships.
Authorities believe Cody likely encountered a mishap while hiking, but the exact circumstances of his disappearance remain unknown. His case remains open and unsolved.Last Seen: Jun 6, 2014
