This is a Glassbox media podcast.

Mopac Audio.

Hi, I'm Jonathan Beal, the executive producer on the Yuba County 5 podcast.

If you're enjoying the series, I wanted to ask you on behalf of the whole team to please leave a five-star

rating and review. It helps bring this baffling and heartbreaking story to the attention

of more listeners such as yourself. And one last thing, this episode contains descriptions

of death and suicide along with outdated terminology that may be offensive to some. And thanks again

from all of us here at Mopac Audio.

It was Sunday, June 4th, 1978.

The winter in the Sierras had been especially hard, and conditions remain challenging into the summer months.

16-year-old Roger Cook, his dad, Lauren, and his father's best friend, Bill, had spent the last three hours riding dirt bikes between Marysville and the mountain town of Quincy,

until a fallen pine just south of Bucks Lake made their path impassable.

Bill remembered passing some structures in the woods a few miles before,

so the three decided to backtrack, regroup, look at a map, and find a better way home.

Lauren and Bill pulled into the Daniels Inc. campground beside an outdoor bulletin board

and began studying a map pinned behind the glass.

I don't know, Bill. I mean, if we're right here, then we can head down this way.

Roger parked his bike a few yards back.

About 30 yards away, there were two tan-colored trailers side by side,

connected by a faded wooden deck.

Roger steadily paced toward it and was suddenly stopped when he caught a whiff of something putrid in the air.

What's that? It was the scent of death.

...