Police hope phone records search will help find Roy Mora, missing Fort Bragg teen
FORT BRAGG., CA., 12/11/24 – A search warrant was served this morning for cell phone data from 15-year-old Roy Mora, who vanished the evening of Dec. 7 during Fort Bragg’s Lighted Truck Parade. Coast Guard and canine search teams have been looking for him ever since. Police Chief Neil Cervenka said that finding the teen was the department’s “highest priority.”
Mora left a group of friends to visit another friend after attending the parade with his high school buddies. When Mora’s mother contacted the police late Saturday, she told police that being gone this long without any contact is completely out of the ordinary and Mora has no history of running away, a press release provided by Chief Neil Cervenka said.
Officers immediately requested a location of Mora’s cell phone from the provider. The provider indicated the battery on the phone was dead, but the last location detected by the cell phone provider was well after the parade in the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 8 at 2:03 a.m. There is no evidence as to whether the phone was in Mora’s possession at the time. The phone went dead near the Skunk railroad yard, a location very close to the parade.
Officers and Skunk Train staff searched the entire railyard, buildings and trains, but could not locate Mora or the cell phone. A search warrant for all phone data was authored and approved Wednesday, but the provider indicated it would take three to four days to provide the information. Meanwhile, an active locate signal was placed on the phone in the event the battery is charged. As of Wednesday morning, the battery has not received a charge.
Officers interviewed several of Mora’s friends who were with him when he left his home to go to the parade, establishing a timeline of when the friends had last seen him. The police department said the friends gave the police a list of Mora’s favorite spots to walk. State Parks officers helped the police search ocean areas both inside and outside the parks, places Mora enjoyed walking.
“An Incident command was established the morning of Dec. 9, 2024, and a mutual aid request was made to Mendocino County OES,” the press release said. “A US Coast Guard helicopter stationed in Humboldt Bay responded the afternoon of Dec. 9 and thoroughly searched the coastline, bluffs, and headland areas inaccessible by foot.” In addition, “Mendocino County Search and Rescue searched the entire headlands area on foot and with tracking dogs, but did not locate any sign of Mora.”
Fort Bragg Police officers have interviewed dozens of people who know Mora. They conducted a thorough search of Mora’s house to look for clues, the chief said. Officers expanded the search areas and contacted businesses for surveillance video in an effort to establish a possible path of travel to direct and coordinate search efforts.
Fort Bragg Police Care Response Unit (CRU) members, who work as liaison agents with social services, went to Fort Bragg High School where Mora is enrolled. One CRU member was also assigned as a family liaison to Mora’s mother.
A rumor circulated in which Mora left in a “tan van.” On Dec. 9, officers interviewed a witness who said Mora never got into a vehicle during the time that was rumored. Additionally, witnesses and video surveillance show Mora on foot and alone after the time he allegedly got into the vehicle.
The police department has reviewed dozens of videos and followed up many leads. Then a thorough search of Mora’s home was conducted to locate any information about where he may have gone.
“Currently, we have positively identified Mora in one surveillance video walking south on the Noyo Bridge at approximately 8 p.m after the parade on Saturday,” the release said. “Due to the camera angle and it occurring at night, the video would not have captured Mora walking back north at a later time. It is also possible the original location of the cell phone was incorrect, which will be known when the full cell phone data is received.”
Missing teen Mora has been the subject of a huge search and a nearly equivalent debate over what terminology should be used to describe him as a trans teen. One social media effort to find Mora was shut down as debate raged. The original press release from the city contained Mora’s former name, which offended some. This was revised, but the police department issued a press release at 11 a.m. today that said Mora, 15, was still missing.
The press release continued: “[Mora] is described as being 5’6” tall with a thin build. He was last seen wearing a dark blue T-shirt with the Mendocino College logo in white writing, denim jeans, and white shoes. Mora may also be wearing a dark blue sweatshirt and round-rim glasses.”
“Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact FBPD Dispatch with the Fort Bragg Police Department at (707)964-0200 or email room-299199@room.veoci.com. If you have photo or video surveillance of Mora from the evening of Dec. 7, 2024 or after, you can direct upload at https://fortbraggpd.ca.evidence.com/axon/communityrequest/public/findMora.”
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