Three teenagers who wander into a redwood forest discover a van locked for 10 years, uncovering a horrifying truth: two missing tourists were trapped in a freezer, and a chilling secret lies behind it.
On a seemingly ordinary summer day in July 2016, three teenagers from Crescent City, California, embarked on an adventure that would lead them to a horrifying discovery. Ethan Parker, Madison Wilson, and Jacob Lee, all locals familiar with the towering redwoods of Redwood National Park, decided to explore old logging roads. What they found would unravel a decade-old mystery and reveal the dark underbelly of the serene forest they thought they knew so well.
An Innocent Adventure
On July 16, 2016, the trio packed their backpacks with snacks and water, leaving notes for their parents before setting off around 10:00 a.m. The narrow dirt roads they traversed had long been abandoned, overgrown with vegetation and forgotten by time. After two hours of hiking, Ethan noticed something unusual peeking through the dense foliage—a rectangular shape obscured by moss and a sagging tarp.
Curiosity piqued, the teenagers approached the object, revealing a white Dodge Ram van, heavily overgrown and rusted, its wheels sunk into the earth. Despite the heavy padlocks on the doors, Jacob, armed with a multi-tool, spent about 20 minutes sawing at one of the locks until it finally gave way. As the side door creaked open, a musty odor wafted out, a mix of dampness and something far more unsettling.
Inside, the van was empty except for a plywood partition at the back. Madison opened it, revealing an industrial-grade portable freezer, typically used by hunters or fishermen. With a sense of trepidation, Ethan slowly lifted the lid, and what they saw inside sent them reeling in horror. Two bodies, wrapped in sleeping bags and layers of plastic, lay within. The mummified faces were barely recognizable, but one detail stood out—a silver heart-shaped medallion around the woman’s neck, engraved with the name “Dianiela.”
Panic and the Call for Help
The teenagers fled the van in a panic, their hearts racing. Jacob attempted to call emergency services, but the remote location left them without cell reception. They sprinted back along the overgrown path for nearly half an hour until they finally picked up a signal. Breathless and terrified, Ethan relayed the shocking discovery to the dispatcher, who initially suspected it was a prank. However, the urgency in his voice prompted her to take the call seriously, instructing them to stay put until help arrived.
Within an hour, officers from the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Department and National Park Rangers reached the scene. The teenagers guided them back to the van, where yellow tape cordoned off the area. Forensic experts and a medical examiner began their meticulous work, documenting every detail of the scene before recovering the bodies.
A Grim Examination
The condition of the bodies was perplexing. Although the freezer had not been operational for years, the combination of low humidity and cool temperatures had led to natural mummification. Medical examiner Dr. Elizabeth Chen noted that the skin had darkened and hardened, preserving the internal structures sufficiently for analysis. The medallion provided a crucial clue, with an engraving on the back marking a date—July 17, 2005—and the initials “TM.”
Detective Mark Holloway of the sheriff’s office began piecing together the missing persons reports, leading him to a case from nearly a decade earlier. On August 17, 2006, Trevor Miller and Daniela Cruz, a couple from Portland, Oregon, had vanished while on a week-long trip along the California coast. Their van had never been found, and the case had gone cold.
Detective Holloway contacted the families of the missing couple, delivering the devastating news. Trevor’s father, Robert Miller, was left speechless, while Daniela’s family provided DNA samples for identification. Four days later, forensic analysis confirmed the identities of the bodies—Trevor and Daniela had been found just 15 kilometers from where they were last seen alive.
The Investigation Unfolds
The forensic examination revealed no visible signs of trauma on the bodies, but the internal analysis indicated severe dehydration and hypothermia as the causes of death. Dr. Chen estimated that their deaths occurred between August 19 and 22, 2006. Disturbingly, scratches were found on the inside of the freezer lid, suggesting that at least one of them had been alive when they were sealed inside.
Detective Holloway focused on reconstructing Trevor and Daniela’s final days. The last text message from Daniela, sent on August 19, indicated they were exploring the Redwood Forest area, seeking less touristy trails for photography. The last signal from her phone was recorded shortly thereafter, while Trevor’s phone had ceased communication the day before.
Interviews with local shop owners revealed that the couple had stopped at a roadside store, where they purchased supplies and asked for recommendations on good photography spots. The owner, George Curtis, recalled advising them to take the old Mill Creek access road, warning them about its poor condition but ultimately directing them toward the very location where their van was found.
The Bizarre Circumstances
Forensic investigators conducted a thorough examination of the van, uncovering personal belongings, including Daniela’s professional camera. The last photos taken on August 19 showed stunning redwoods and the couple enjoying their time in nature, but the camera had stopped functioning shortly after the last image was captured.
In addition to the freezer and generator, the van contained empty plastic water bottles and camping supplies, but the keys, wallets, and phones were missing. This suggested that someone had taken these items after their deaths. Scratches and traces of dark blue paint found on the rear bumper of the van hinted at a possible collision with another vehicle, raising suspicions of foul play.
Detective Holloway began to explore the criminal history of the area, noting that over 40 cases of missing persons had been reported in Redwood National Park over the past three decades. Most cases had been resolved, but seven remained unsolved, including a particularly intriguing case from October 2003 involving an older couple, James and Carol Harrison, who disappeared while traveling in their motor home.
A New Suspect Emerges
The similarities between the Harrison case and Trevor and Daniela’s disappearance were striking. Both vehicles had been found on abandoned roads, and both lacked keys and personal belongings. Detective Holloway requested the complete file on the Harrisons, discovering that traces of dark blue paint had been found on their motor home as well—just like the paint on Trevor and Daniela’s van.
Holloway’s investigation led him to Raymond Delvin, a 64-year-old man living alone in a trailer near the site of the van’s discovery. Delvin owned a dark blue Chevrolet Silverado and had a criminal record for aggravated assault. When detectives visited his home, Delvin appeared uncooperative, denying any knowledge of the missing couple.
Upon inspecting his truck, officers noticed fresh paint on the bumper, which Delvin claimed was due to rust. However, when they requested paint samples, he refused, prompting detectives to seek a warrant for a more thorough investigation.
The Arrest
On July 28, 2016, police executed a search warrant at Delvin’s trailer. Inside, they discovered a set of keys belonging to Trevor’s van and two driver’s licenses bearing the names of the missing couple. This evidence linked Delvin directly to their disappearance, leading to his immediate arrest.
Forensic analysis of Delvin’s truck revealed traces of paint matching Trevor’s van, while DNA found on the keys and licenses confirmed their identities. During questioning, Delvin initially invoked his Fifth Amendment rights but eventually confessed to the events leading up to the couple’s deaths.
According to Delvin, he had encountered Trevor and Daniela on August 19, 2006, when their van got stuck in the mud. He offered to help them but later drugged them with sleeping pills, intending to rob them. When he returned to the van that night, a storm forced him to take drastic measures. Fearing for their lives, he placed them in the freezer, believing he could revive them in the morning.
The Trial and Sentencing
Delvin’s trial began in April 2017, with the prosecution presenting extensive evidence linking him to the crime. While the defense argued that Delvin did not intend to kill the couple, the jury ultimately found him guilty of two counts of second-degree murder, theft, and concealment of evidence. On May 22, 2017, he was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 25 years in prison without the possibility of parole.
The bodies of Trevor Miller and Daniela Cruz were returned to their families for burial, bringing a bittersweet closure to a decade-long mystery. Their funerals were held in Portland, where friends and relatives gathered to honor their memory, reflecting on the tragic loss of two young lives filled with promise.
The Aftermath
The discovery of Trevor and Daniela’s bodies profoundly impacted the three teenagers who stumbled upon the van. Ethan Parker, Madison Wilson, and Jacob Lee shared their experiences in interviews, revealing how the event changed them forever. They grappled with nightmares and the realization of how quickly life can be extinguished.
In the wake of the tragedy, Redwood National Park increased patrols of abandoned roads and improved visitor tracking systems to prevent future disappearances. The case also reignited interest in other unsolved missing persons cases in the region, prompting families to demand that authorities reopen old investigations.
Raymond Delvin remains incarcerated at Pelican Bay State Prison, living a reclusive life away from the public eye. Despite attempts by journalists to interview him, he has largely remained silent, only once issuing a written response where he reiterated his version of events and expressed remorse, though he understood he did not deserve forgiveness.
The haunting tale of Trevor Miller and Daniela Cruz serves as a chilling reminder of the dangers lurking in seemingly peaceful places. Their story continues to resonate, urging caution among those who venture into the wilderness, where beauty can mask the darkest of secrets.
