Human Remains Found Near Big Bear Confirmed As That Of Missing Hotshot

BIG BEAR, CA — Since last fall, authorities have worked to determine the identity of a person whose remains were found near Big Bear. That effort has revealed a name, which is expected to significantly impact the firefighting community.

On Tuesday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced the remains belonged to Carlos Baltazar of La Puente. Baltazar was a member of the U.S. Forest Service Interagency Hotshot Crew who was reported missing in September 2020 at age 35.

His missing person's case gained momentum when on the afternoon of October 26, 2024, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department received a call about a human skull found in the area of Smarts Rancho Road, north of Cactus Flats, near Big Bear.

A hunter discovered the skull and contacted authorities, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies cordoned off the area, and the next day, the coroner, along with sheriff's investigators, searched the area and found "additional remains," the sheriff's department reported.

DNA was used to positively identify the remains.

Baltazar was reportedly off duty when he disappeared. His vehicle and backpack were located in the Big Bear area near the time of his disappearance, but it took four years before the remains thought to belong to him were discovered.

According to Baltazar’s family, the Hotshots crewmember went missing after his squad boss died while fighting the El Dorado Fire. The wildlands blaze burned 22,744 acres in San Bernardino and Riverside counties from September to November 2020. It was ignited on September 5 by a pyrotechnic device at a gender-reveal party in El Dorado Ranch Park; it quickly spread to the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area of the San Bernardino National Forest.

The fire destroyed 20 structures and killed Charles Morton, 39, a Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad Boss, who died while battling the blaze, according to an announcement from San Bernardino National Forest officials.

The couple who hosted the gender-reveal party was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

As fire crews navigated Morton's death, “Carlos went to report to the barracks to prepare for the funeral services and was not seen after talking with co-workers … later, his vehicle was found crashed along Highway 18," according to a GoFundMe page that states it was established to pay for funeral expenses for Baltazar.

Baltazar's cause of death is still under investigation.

According to the GoFundMe page, he was the father of a young boy.