Santa Cruz Mountains Homicide: Community Seeks Answers After Two Men Found Dead in Pickup Truck
The quiet, wooded terrain of the Santa Cruz Mountains became the scene of a chilling mystery this week, as California Highway Patrol (CHP) investigators confirmed that two men found in the back of an abandoned pickup truck were murder victims.
Both victims, 54-year-old Colter White and 45-year-old Sean Pfeffer, were from Boulder Creek, California. Their families, devastated by the brutal loss, are now demanding justice while authorities work tirelessly to piece together what happened.
A Disturbing Discovery
The truck, left abandoned along Highway 35, just miles from Castle Rock State Park, was first thought to contain two suspicious deaths. However, after further investigation, authorities officially reclassified the case as a homicide. The truck was towed from the scene on Tuesday afternoon, taking with it potential forensic evidence that could lead to answers.
For Pfeffer’s sister, Nicki Dorris, the circumstances of his death are almost too much to bear. Speaking from Texas, she expressed the torment of not knowing what really happened.
“It’s awful just knowing that he was in the back of an abandoned truck and that’s not where the murder happened. Somebody had to put him there. Was he alive when they did? I don’t know. It’s just terrible,” she said.
A Shocking Crime in a Close-Knit Town
The small community of Boulder Creek, nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains, has been left in shock. Local residents, used to the peaceful isolation of the area, now find themselves grappling with the reality of a double homicide in their midst.
“That’s pretty crazy. I don’t know the guys personally, but it’s definitely shocking,” said Zach McKay, a local resident.
For longtime residents like Doug Spilman, the crime is eerily out of place.
“The way they were found, in the back of a truck—it’s very odd up here. I might have seen something similar 30 years ago. Very odd,” he remarked.
A Social Media Clue?
A possible break in the case may come from a cryptic social media post made by Sean Pfeffer just two days before he and Colter White were found dead.
The post, now under scrutiny by investigators, may have predicted his fate—and even suggested the identity of a possible suspect. However, law enforcement has yet to confirm any leads or publicly name a suspect, and the name mentioned in the post has been blurred out in news reports.
A Family’s Plea for Justice
With little information from authorities and no arrests made, Pfeffer and White’s families are left grieving without closure.
“Nobody deserves this,” said Dorris. “Boulder Creek is a close-knit little community. Somebody knows something. This needs to be solved so we can have some closure.”
Investigation Continues
As of now, CHP and local law enforcement have not released details on how the men died, whether they were killed in the truck or moved there after the fact, or if any suspects are in custody. The case remains an active homicide investigation, with authorities urging anyone with information to come forward.
For now, the mystery of who killed Colter White and Sean Pfeffer—and why—remains unsolved, leaving a community on edge and two families desperate for justice.