Officials on Wednesday identified 19-year-old Marcus Alexander Muench Casanova as one of three hikers found dead off a rugged mountain trail on a windy day in Southern California’s Mount Baldy.
A search and rescue effort began Monday after a hiking companion called authorities to report witnessing the teen fall about 500 feet while hiking in the Devil’s Backbone area of Mount Baldy, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
During the search, sheriff’s Air Rescue deputies located Casanova, a Seal Beach resident. and found two additional individuals nearby. Initial efforts to rescue the trio were unsuccessful due to severely windy conditions, the department said…