You've given the most amazing, thoroughly detailed account of this case I've ever heard. Thank you. You sure did your due diligence!! That's why your channel is definitely one of the best.
Joseph (Joe) Schons was my father. Rosenda (Cindy) Schons was my mother. My name is Jon Schons. I'm their son, 68 years old now. My UA-cam name is Jon Stone, a fake name. You did a fantastic job of research and storytelling. I'm impressed that you pronounced our family name "Schons" correctly. Most people pronounce it incorrectly. It's a German name. I've never heard all the details you revealed. It was entertaining to hear you talk about my mom and dad. You made me laugh when you mentioned that there was vomit and feces next to the light-blue Volkswagen, and my mom said: "Joe made quite a mess." That sounds like something my mom would say about my dad. He was a recovering alcoholic, on and off again. I can clear up any suspicion that my dad was connected to the Yuba County Five. There was no connection. My dad didn't know them. My parents bought a 40-acre property on Raccoon Road in Berry Creek. My dad got drunk and was driving on a snow-covered dirt road in Plumas National Forest. He got stuck in the snow and suffered a minor heart attack when he was trying to get the Volkswagen unstuck. His brief encounter with the Yuba County Five was purely by chance. It's unfortunate that the young men didn't stay with my dad and help him. He could have led them back down the mountain, and they would have survived. Apparently, they weren't very bright, but my dad was smart. They should have helped him. He was stranded and could have died in the cold. My main takeaway from this story is: I'm very impressed that my dad was able to walk back down the mountain by himself after getting stuck in the snow and suffering a minor heart attack. He was a big guy, 6-foot-2-inches tall and more than 200 pounds. He was a tough old guy, born and raised in North Dakota.
The detail that always gets me is the woman saying they bought an unusual amount of junk food. It's late and you're coming home from an event with all your friends in the car, you had dinner hours ago so everyone's hungry, grabbing a bunch of junk food to share on the ride home. I think it's the carefree and fun night we've all had. It's so sad to think that only a few hours later they find themselves in such a horrible ordeal that, for some of them, lasts months.
yeah its very familiar to me. youre staying out a few hours later with all your buddies. "hey lets head up the mountain before heading home. lets buy some snacks first, have an adventure". they werent teenagers but they kind of were in a sense. living sheltered lives, probably just wanted the exciting night not to end. free from their parents. i think they accidentally tail gated the volkswagon guy and when he pulls off and gets stuck he gets pissed, the boys stop too unsure of the situation, the guy runs out of his car screaming at the boys, they panic and run and hide in the woods. he has heart attack. boys get lost.
Love the picture you drew of the fellas riding in the car. How excited they must have been when they piled back into the car after getting their snacks for the ride home. I appreciate what you do, brother.
Yes, you can feel that excitement can’t you! It’s also so heartbreaking seeing those happy faces knowing what we know about later events. Expressions in all the faces in the artwork, anguish too, makes me feel how they feel way better than any photo could. It makes me feel like I almost know each one personally. I’ve never been moved more by investigation stories like this channel does. Totally immersive. Makes it even more heartbreaking if that’s even possible. I have difficulty expressing what I’m trying to say. A huge thank you. Your skills are off the charts ❤️🐾
i really appreciate how you took the time to talk about each individual. I've heard this story before and most just group them as 'a bunch of mentally handicapped friends', i bet their families are grateful as well for giving them all a proper moment and depiction of how unique and important they all were. rest in peace guys.
Agreed --- The more aware and cultured of us know damn well, that the majority of users online today are the mentally handicapped... and I do mean that literally.
The least you can do when making content on the misfortune of others is get the facts right… a lot of those fast food horror content channels are pretty awful for that reason
It's amazing how much other channels leave out in order to make the case seem more paranormal and spooky. Everytime I see u cover a case I'm like finally ill get an honest look at each case
Really? How ridiculous. There is nothing paranormal about this story! It's clearly a tragedy due to the elements, and bad luck, which put five vulnerable adults at its mercy. If the forestry rangers had only thought to search all their shelters as they should have done, at least Ted and Gary could have been saved. Their families were rightly angry about that - they were alive, starving and frost-bitten in that shelter for many weeks. Help should have come in time.
Exactly why I hate the women's channels that just throw on 6 live off make up, $5000 worth of lighting and cameras and just read Wikipedia or plagiarize other channels and articles
Agreed. My brother suffered a breakdown when my father passed away, he had raised my other siblings. My brother was never the same afterward and it’s believed that it triggered the disease to surface, there was a history but he was fine and showed no a signs of it. He’s always very apologetic when he comes off his meds and does something. My heart breaks for him but family support is vital.
Best coverage I've ever come across on this strange tragic case. Details I have not heard before. The Weiher hunting trip and his connection to the mysterious figure with red pickup for example. Also Shons comes across as sketchy with his story changing and his behavior. Outstanding work and eagerly anticipating part two.
Agreed, the most detailed and well-researched video I've seen on the Yuba Five mystery to date, kudos to this channel. I had no idea Joe Schons' behaviour was so suspect. I'm now convinced he was involved in a road-rage incident with the five men's car, and that it was them he was talking about, when he later told the couple about a vehicle driving too close to his (@16:53). Perhaps the biggest mystery in this case is why the five men abandoned their car - it was not stuck in snow, broken down, or out of petrol. When collected two days later, it started first time. Yet they apparently exited it in such a hurry, they left it unlocked with a window wound down. Jack Madruga's parents said he would never have done that - the car was his pride and joy. Did Mr Schons' VW Beetle come to a halt due to running out of gas, after he perceived that the car behind was tail-gating him? And did the five stop their car behind him, then all six met outside their vehicles and an angry confrontation ensued? As we know, those young men were young for their ages, like children really. If 55-year-old Schons had yelled at and threatened them, maybe even punched one of them, it's possible they were frightened, and fled the scene on foot. A scenario like that would explain why the car was left unlocked with a window down, and why, panicked, they ran in the wrong direction, away from people and towards wilderness. It could also explain why Schons was so stressed he had a heart attack! The next video will discuss the various theories - I'm especially curious if any focus on Joe Schons!
@@glamdolly30 Shones has always been a weird element in this case, but as always this channel provides additional details. The fact that he was even up there is weird, but even if it was a road rage incident, it doesn't explain why the boys were on the road at all. I'm also a little confused about the location of the Beetle in relation to the boy's Montego. And were there any side roads for Shones to pull off on like he said? And even if there had been a confrontation, why would the boys wander 10+ miles? Hypothermia I supposed would do that, but it all seems like an overreaction. At least two of the boys were more than capable of defending themselves, and Shones wouldn't have known that these five men were in any way disabled, so for him to pick a fight with five people seems brazen. But the way Shones describes it, he started having a heart attack hours before the boys even arrived and was already in bad shape. It would be good to get the timeline settled to see if Shones left the bar at such a time that he would have been on the road at the same time as the Boys. I get the impression that the boys left the basketball game hours after Shones left the bar. So it seems unlikely they'd be on the road at the same time. Shones is a guy that seems like an obvious key to the story, but the more I've heard about him and thought through the timeline I just think his involvement may be a crazy coincidence.
His behavior and crying and anger is pretty on track for someone post heart attack. There are a series of cognitive and behavioral changes that occur the first few weeks to months after having one. And I know they keep saying it was a minor attack but you don’t piss and shit yourself over minor heart attacks.
@@Adrian-bx4ue That's the thing that got me about his story. They said they found both vomit and feces. It's possible he was embarrassed about something like 'shitting himself' after, and left that out of his story. There are also things that could be true of both versions. If he was having a heart attack - and since he got treated for it that seems to be true - and he was getting ignored by people, I could imagine he'd be pissed. If a car was slowing him down and he thought he ended up stuck because of it, when he needed help, he'd be pissed. His changed stories might be explained by both embarrassment and anger. Right after the attack maybe he was embarrassed about defecating and making a huge mess, and so he didn't want to bring it up. After, when he was interviewed later, he might be terrified of being a suspect and change his story to put himself at a greater distance from the situation. I think the thing that gets me about his story is that he had a heart attack. It's hard to imagine a man would be capable of taking down five other men in the middle of a heart attack. I just can't imagine he would have been in physical shape at that moment. UNLESS the heart attack was caused because of a confrontation. The thing is, people thought it was weird he was leaving and such, but how would he have ever predicted that the five men would be out there in order to target them? They weren't supposed to be there. The other possibility is: his story didn't change. Remember, we're saying his story changed based on hearsay from a third party. The third party could have made up that he told them something different.
@@danharp7273 Yes, there are many puzzling aspects to the story for sure. Could Joe Schons have threatened the boys with a gun? As you say, it seems unlikely a lone man, particularly a middle aged one, would take on five younger guys! But Schons' behaviour was shady, as reflected by witnesses and police, and smacks of a man with something to hide. The 'tail-gating' incident he shared with the couple (though not with the police), strikes me as a potential link to the Yuba Five. And what did he mean by that comment overhead at the bar of the Mountain House: "I should have done this two years ago"? Something spooked those five young men enough to leave the car, and walk for miles, despite the sub zero weather and the dark - but what? Could there have been a confrontation with Schons and then in addition, a scare from a wild animal (was it bear country - forgive my ignorance, I'm English and have no idea!) I hope Part Two will shine some light on the timeline as you rightly mentioned, and provide more clues as to how five young, fit and healthy men left their warm, loving homes that night, and ended up so defenceless to the elements that they died. It's a shocking tragedy, and hard to believe it could happen as recently as 1978. Those boys were close to civilisation! I'm not surprised the victims' parents were angry that the forestry trailer, which was obviously widely known about by local rangers, was not searched. They could have been saved. Incredible that poor Ted was found dead in that terrible starved, frost-bitten state, laying in bed under a blanket. Poor soul. His gravestone inscription is heartbreaking. He was clearly much-loved by his family. The truth is no doubt a series of unusual factors all combining together, to create tragedy - as is so often the case when disaster strikes. If we learned the full truth, I bet it would be a series of unfortunate events that together conspired that night in a most unlikely, and unfortunate way.
This case is genuinely heartbreaking to me. These men seemed like they were just out to have a good time and like they must have drawn a lot of enjoyment from each other, so seeing how it ended for them is just so bitter. On top of them being at varying levels of mental illness and not being equipped for this situation at all I can only imagine the state of mind they must have been in. I hope new light is shed on Mathias’ fate one day but considering what happened to the others we likely already know. Thank you for all your hard work on this project! The amount of research and time you put into this is a feat.
It is heartbreaking. Despite their disabilities/illnesses, it seemed like they'd formed a good group to go out and enjoy their lives, and they were doing everything you would hope they would be doing with themselves. Even the ones who had difficulty being around others were going out to games and enjoying their interests. When it comes down to it, it just seems like "they were doing everything right," and they were conquering their disabilities to the extent that they could be. I think there's an inherent feeling of being proud of them when listening to their story. It's something so horrible happening to such an innocent group of men.
Is it possible that Shons said "I should have done this two hours ago", and not two *years* ago? As in, he should have walked back down to the mountain house a lot sooner?
This has to be the best rundown of this case that I've seen so far. The amount of information you've gathered is exceptional, especially the original photos of the scene(s). I'd never thought much about Schons' testimony, putting it down as something he possibly hallucinated, but the information you've presented on his story/stories makes me think he may have seen/known something more that he let on. His behaviour was certainly very odd.
@@IanP1963 👀 I'd say the first odd example of his behavior was not only the inconsistent retelling of his experience, but more so the flip flopping of the events. Generally, when lying about simple facts like (seeing, not seeing, yep seeing) the red truck people don't rewind & replay their memory like an old VHS tape. In addition, the noted misplaced anger while giving the official statement. People generally keep their cool in those situations, especially when he's the one with a checkerboard story meant to help not suspect him. His wife noticed his odd, inconsistent behavior as well. Sorry if you weren't ready for a long winded reply or no prob if you were genuinely interested. 🤓
This case has fascinated me for a long time. I was born right around the same time that this event happened. Later on, I lived in Chico for about 10 years back in the late 90s through the 2010s. I also have a disability, so not a mental one. I feel a connection to these folks and hope that we get some understanding one day of what happened
We all have a disability of some sort... So long as you aren't part of the status quo, who are effectively involved in their own mental degradation, you are perfectly capable of anything in my book!
@@pauliedibbs9028 Thanks. Never meant to imply that people with disabilities aren't capable of things, though I do have to disagree with your conjecture that everyone has a disability. That has not been the case in my life. I ahve met countless people without disabilities. Far more non disabled people than disabled people.
@@ishmiel21 a thoughtful comment and a very thoughtful reply. I, too, feel a connection to these men. I have both developmental and mental disabilities. I see myself in these men. And I’ve seen many insensitive and ableist comments about them. It’s refreshing to both find a video that is respectful and compassionate comments like yours. May I ask, growing up in the area did you get a sense of what local opinions are in reference to this case?
Seriously though, take every reasonable chance to make your life more like a story you would want to hear. i wish you nothing but luck, liliacs, and success in bringing peaceful mind to a family
@ira onok I love that "take every reasonable chance to make your life like a story you would want to hear" What a lovely wee saying. Did you make that up?
I've heard a lot about this case, but you explained it very clearly. For instance, I've never been able to tell the individual men apart well, but you had so many great details.
Yeah this case is weird, but after the stuff I've read... I doubt it was foul play that killed them. I lot of the evidence in this case is... not necessarily related to the actual case. It takes a lot of puzzling to connect the dots properly.
I've seen a few videos about this case before and this one was the best so far. Not only you give us a good profile of the people involved, you also showed a lot of details people tend to skip. Things like Schons' testimony, I knew already that he changed his story several times but never heard every version before and this add a lot to the story. Amazing job, can't wait for part two!
There is a podcast about this incident called 'Yuba County 5 podcast" which provides a wealth of new information. It also confirms a few things that only have been mentioned on reddit before and it includes interviews with familiy and search team members. One of the most intriguing theories is that some people who had it out for Gary Matthias were involved in the boys disappearance. Generally speaking, a lot of people in the vicinity of this case at that time seem extremly shady, from violent outbursts to drug abuse etc. The podcast additionally clears up some misconceptions. The five (well four of them) were presented in the media as a bunch of completely inept r-tards and therefore a narrative developed that they acted irrationally for no reason and simply got lost. There is so much information about them, their backgrounds and external circumstances that imo make it really doubtful that they went up that road on their own volition.
It seems likely they were running from something or someone. Otherwise why leave the car? The car wasn't stuck, or out of gas. Somehow they were induced to leave the car and then, I think, chased. Weiher most likely died from septic shock eventually.
Yes the media completely character assassinated the men with headlines of , 5 retarded men missing , that’s a real headline , making way for the narrative of pretty much it was the blind leading the blind to doom and nothing else to see here
@@billymanziel5666 many, MANY books can be written on all of the things science and current civilization doesn’t know. These cases are hard to understand though so whatever makes you feel better.
Missing Enigma. I hold your channel in extremely high regard because the over all quality of your content is consistently excellent. From the gravity and clarity provided by your narrative skill to the efficient, sparing use of background music, there is always an authentic eeriness to your material which creates a haunting, serious atmosphere.
I'm a normal guy who would never intentionally drive down a wilderness road at night, yet I have wound up with my car stuck in mud 5 miles down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, at midnight. Me and my friend just weren't really paying attention on a long drive back home from the next state over, and he told me he knew a shortcut, so we took it. As I drove, the mud looked like snow in the headlights, which sounds weird, but we both saw the exact same thing. I think we were just tired, which combined with the light of a full moon, made the mud look like dirty snow to us. We thought we were just headed down a road that hadn't been plowed, which was very common in the area we were in, so we didn't think much of the car sliding around and having trouble gripping the road. By the time we realized what our actual situation was, my car was stuck in mud so deep that it was resting on the frame. No amount of pushing or rocking the car would have gotten us unstuck, because the tires basically weren't even touching the ground at this point. Thank goodness my friend brought his big ass truck to pull us out. The point is, if this had happened in a time before cell phones, we more than likely would have become an enduring missing persons mystery just like this one. It was in the single digits outside, we had no idea where we were, and it would have been a 15 mile hike just to get back to the middle of nowhere. We had no extra clothing to survive exposure, no food or water, and the area was full of coyotes that could make bodies disappear. I had a wilderness first responder license, so people would have said I had experience in the wilderness. The rain and snow would have washed away any drag marks or footprints, and there would be no good explanation that anyone could have come up with as to why we were even there in the first place. People would have said it was out of character for me, they would have said there must have been a good reason we took that road, and they would have said I was an intelligent person who wouldn't have gotten myself in to a situation like that. It's kind of haunting to think about what would have been said about me. The wilderness can swallow people without a trace, and people heaping all kinds of paranormal speculation on top of it could turn a tragedy in to a mystery that some douchebag uses to push crackpot conspiracies and to make money. The thought of that makes me pretty angry. That's why I appreciate your respectful story telling, and dedication to the facts. The way you do this actually gets us closer to the truth.
Within the first 4 minutes I realized this is the most in depth version of this story I have heard. Nice work! Also, I love your use of maps especially topographical maps, they can tell so much about a story.
Other versions have Gary being the bully and forcing them to drive up there and the boys were all in the trailer but they decided to leave and get help him after the first guy died. Gary left last.
The more I learn about this case, the more the sensation drifts from eerie to downright sad. The Boys earned a lot of trust to have their families permit them to drive alone, in bad weather, and over a long distance. But they really deserved having somebody who was neurotypical; who could handle panic and keep the team together.
@slutpuppy more capable as in how? I'm just curious? I know these boys and what they were capable of. Including an uncountable amount of trips to basketball games and bowling games without a chaperone. Which wasn't needed, btw. What is sad is how social media runs with the disabilities as the cause for the final result. These UA-cam videos would be different if any of them actually asked the living family about these guys and who they were. There is so much incorrect and unknown with every video we've watched .
@@cth_tt5829 There’s an old classification called “trainables” who are mentally challenged people who, through attention and counseling, can be autonomous and serviceable members of society. I have no doubt that the Boys were at least on their way to earning that autonomy and serviceability but that also requires routine and supervision. When you get lost and have no immediate helper to reference, it doesn’t matter how “trainable” you are because it is not a situation that you’ve been trained for. This politically correct position that “you can do anything!” is ultimately reverse ableism because you are no longer properly accommodating somebody’s disability nor helping them reach their fullest potential or happiness.
@WheresPoochie I do understand what you are saying and do appreciate your response. I have been a part of this story for 26 years and know these families. Jackie Huett was my brother inlaw. He is very under estimated by social media and investigation. He also was not as extremely "disabled" as had been written. Back in the late 70s, these men were different, so as such as to be labeled incorrectly. Madruga didn't have any known disabilities yet that is what investigation decided to go with. It was a very heartbreaking situation that 5 families suffered and are still hoping for answers today. We hope for someone to come forward with that one small thing that gives us that lead we so desire. Thank you for your interest in the case. The more who learn about it, the more people can talk about it. That is what we want. We just ask people to know all the case and facts about the guys before they judge.
Quite honestly, schones arriving back at the moutain house and saying “I should’ve done this sooner” makes complete sense. He should’ve walked back to the bar sooner, instead of waiting so long.
@@thurayya8905 and ya I believe he got smashed right before heading up the mountain and getting stuck. I kinda lean towards him having something to do with the 5 people. But still doesn’t explain why they drove that way to begin with. Idk. This whole scenario just boggles my mind.
@@MoustacheCloud other docs I watched say he kinda bullied the driver and drove the car himself and then they got stuck he’s a lot stronger than the rest and he and the guy who dead in the cabin left them not necessarily killing them but it was his idea.
@@Abdi-libaax Okay, that seems plausible. Based on the video, Gary seems a lot more independent than the rest, and less of a homebody. I can imagine the boys wanting to be safe at home with their families. Meanwhile, Gary is much more used to being away from home, evidenced by his army service and the story of his long walk home eating from people's garbage. I wonder if Gary felt regret at any point as they trudged through the snow, or while they were stuck in the cabin. Strange behavior...I'm still unclear on why they stopped the car and started walking. Did the car get stuck? I don't recall.
Once again, you have produced the most in depth and comprehensive coverage currently available on a given case. The best channel of its kind on UA-cam.
Maps really helped me understand all that happened much better. Thanks for the special care you’ve taken covering this very sad story. Easily the most informative version available.👍
Was just telling my husband that you're my favorite "missing persons UA-camr" for your voice over and artwork. Was happy to open your page for an example and find a brand new video!
This is so weird. I was watching a different content creators video on this just yesterday and was thinking it was a case I'd love to see you look at! Was genuinely about to comment on one of your videos asking if you'd ever considered it! I'm very excited to see what I know will be a level headed and well researched take on a case that some people have really clouded with wild speculation.
Thank you for doing honest examinations of the cases without trying to hide facts. There are plenty of actual mysteries in this world without trying to make it spooky and supernatural. Edit: I have watched videos about this same case on a couple other channels, and the distortion of facts and blatant omission is just horrendous. The UA-cam "creators" responsible should feel ashamed.
Love this channel, even with the over saturation of the true crime genre on UA-cam this is one of those channels that stands out to me. Can’t wait for part 2!
Great documentary, it adds in new details I've never heard before and adds to the mystery even more.. How would they have known that forestry camp was there though if they were walking to it
I’ve driven this route many times from Idaho to Yuba City and within a couple years I’m going to retrace their steps… This is an horrid epic tale… Poor Souls went through unimaginable pain before their deaths
This is the absolute best breakdown I've seen regarding the Yuba Five. The Lore Lodge and Wendigoon did fantastic jobs as well, but this day-by-day timeline, with extremely detailed descriptions of each testimony, is absolutely superb. Wow. Stunning. Fantastic job.
I’ve been studying this mystery since it first broke in there newspapers in California back in 1978. It’s always been apparent that the Matthias family took over the narrative of the story very early on, along with some of the local officials. I understand that this was much to the displeasure of the other missing man’s families, who were not aware of Matthias’s background until after the tragedy.
I was like 5 year old when this happened. I kind of remember it a little. I remember the building the Gateway program was in. It's mental health, today. I bet my mom remembers this.
Man you have so many details in this video I have never heard. Love how in depth you went with the witnesses. So much more to this story than anyone has provided so far
I often watch videos like these from various UA-camrs and the Yuba City case is a particular a favorite of mine. Also, I almost never comment on these types of channels but, man, you are so much better at this than anyone else I just thought I'd tell you. Really enjoyable. The amount of work you put into these really shows. Thanks.
I came here after watching a couple other hiking vids. I always come back to yours because they're not sensationalized, and you do a good job of presenting evidence (or lack thereof) without all the drama. Also I like the longer vids. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video. I've been fascinated by this mystery ever since I heard about it on UA-cam a few years ago. I worked with developmentally disabled adults for many years, and known so many people like "the boys," so I've always felt a close connection to this story. This was the most thoroughly researched and detailed recounting of the story that I've ever seen. Wonderful work
Thanks for all the work you put into your videos. By far the best 411 type channels around. You seem to have a level head and don't try to push a personal narrative. Plus you actually get out and put boots on the ground which is awesome
You have one of my favorite channels. Money is tight because I’m on disability due to autoimmune diseases but I will absolutely support you on patreon once I’m back to work. Thank you for your incredible content.
I'm from the UK but stumbled on this story, I'm absolutely fascinated by what happened to those poor boys, surely a chaperone should've gone with them, I'll eagerly watch your take on this tragedy
I've seen this case covered on other channels but yours is BY FAR the most thorough and well-written. You cover details that were missing from the other vids. Kudos!
Seems like Shoens might have gotten upset that the boys were tailgating him and whenever they stopped he jumped out on them and could have possibly gotten into a fight with one of them and it might have caused the boys to scatter from their vehicle. It doesn't make sense as to why he would lie about something like that though.
@@NicStageBut why deal with any potential hassles lol? Even if you technically didn’t commit a crime you could still get sued by the families for something like that.
This video is very well done with a newfound respect shown to the victims, who were people beyond their disabilities. 10/10 would recommend to folks like me who thought they already knew the whole story.
This is easily the best recounting of this particular case available on YT, by and far. The research is top quality and the evidence provided is incredibly in depth. This channel sets the bar for content on YT.
Ive seen/heard a lot of coverage of this case, and this is the first one Ive encountered that makes me look at Schons with suspicion - I never heard about his odd behaviour before.
What do you believe he did to them? There's no evidence of murder. They were lost and not mentally capable of taking care of themselves. As for Schons, after a person has a heart attack or surgery on the heart, they tend to be overly emotional, whether anger or sadness, it's a symptom of heart issues. High blood pressure can cause extreme anger in a person.
Nothing better on UA-cam than checking this channel on a hunch there might be a new enigma video and actually finding this. I finally subscribed. I can see a degree of inspiration for the style of these videos in other UA-camrs but this channel melded it all together, added its unique aesthetic, and now does it better than the rest.
I've seen this story on here a few years ago .. but you by far have given better detail's and information on this story and the 5 men !! The pictures helped very much with the details together you did an amazing job at putting it all together . I'll be waiting on part 2 !! Ty so much for your time and effort in putting this all together.
This is the best version of this case with the most details I have ever heard. I listen to quite a few true crime and missing people yype channels, so I can kind of recognize the same "canned" version people tend to parrot (as well as the even lazier, inaccurate version of that where a couple of facts are picked up and tossed out with no actual knowledge) to something freshly researched with completely new info like yours which actually adds, compares and contrasts with the more known canned version. Very refreshing to have just found your channel. I think I'll be binging this over the next few days while anxiously awaiting for part 2. Thank you!
the netflix doc left all of this out. there's so much more to the story than it first appears--changes the whole dynamic. So tragic and bewildering. Thanks for sharing!
This is by far the best researched report i've seen on this mystery. Dave Paulides ignored the Mr. Shones in his telling of the story. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) This is one of the stories that made my lose faith in Mr. Paulides. Mr. Paulides doesn't not revisit is stories even when more evidence has been discovered (I believe that's because it doesn't fit his narrative.) Dave often talks about only believing early reports and yet, he ignored the reports from Mr. Shones which happened early in the investigation. Dave's left out many details of the stories he tells. For that, he's untrustworthy, but still has a huge following. When you dig deeper, Dave's interpretation of stories leaves me wondering what other details he left out in order to support his mysterious disappearance stories.
DP is a fake. Tries to link all missing persons to water, when in fact everybody is in a stones throw distance of water, whether it be a brook, stream, river or lake, etc. Unless you happen to live in a desert of course.
You aren't the first person that I've seen comment on how Paulides does that shit. That's why I never watch any of his vids. How can you trust what someone is saying if they leave out huge details like that? Not cool at all.
Thank you for describing these wonderful men. They had some disadvantages but they made the most of their lives. God Bless them and their families. Also I love animation.
Well I am officially excited as can be for part II. You aways do such a responsible, tasteful, well researched, & entertaining job I just want to thank you.
I've seen this story covered several times, but this is the only one that has gone into detail about the whole thing including the interviews. Wonderful job. First time I've ever heard anything about the pickup truck and the additional sightings.
I’ve grown to love this channel and wish it had a bigger following. I’ve been recently watching all your videos on cases I thought myself acutely familiar with. Boy was I wrong. While it can be hard to dig up every minute detail you do a great job of offering massive amounts of information that fails to find its way into the countless retellings of these cases. What I find most fascinating is that you often have official reports and documents that other channels claim are lost, destroyed, or won’t be released. What I’m most grateful for is that you do serious legwork, sometimes literally, to uncover rational explanations. While I enjoy a spooky story or creepypasta as much as the next guy, there is typically zero need for paranormal nonsense like bigfoot and aliens. These stories are plenty terrifying on their own; when you’re dealing with potential real life human predators, or watching your friends suffer, fear, paranoia, the sheer terror of disorientation and dwindling mental states due to starvation and hypothermia, helplessness, loneliness, and more these things are frightening enough without the need for bogeymen.
Not only are you amazing at explaining cases and putting great care into them, but you are also so thankful and humble. I am happy to be a supporter of such a great content creator. You deserve all the best!
Oh wow, there’s more info in this one video than in any other one I’ve ever seen about this case, LOADS of info I’ve never heard that just makes the case stranger, yet easier to understand
I have never heard of this case. The way you described and detailed everything, plus the illustrations had me glued to the screen. Waiting for #2 and will subscribe to your patreon. Keep doing what you do man.
I have listened to 5/6 podcasts regarding the Yuba County Five and this was BY FAR the best! So much more information included that the others didn't have at all. Excellent! You have a new fan!!
I love this channel so much. I wish you uploaded more often however, with as much information and effort that you put into each video, I can understand why you don't upload as often. You add details I don't hear anywhere else and I watch A LOT of true crime. Thank you for the work you put in.
I know how you feel. I try to make sure the videos are as comprehensive as possible. It can make creating them quite time consuming. The next few videos I release will be coming out in pretty quick succession though.
I was going to skip this because I already know allllll about it. Then you said you have information I haven't heard. YOU SIR ARE CORRECT! Best coverage I've ever seen. TYSM all the surrounding events are important to the event, imo
I owned a 1969 . What a great car. I dragged a camper trailer from Casper Wyoming to Grant's Pass Oregon, and all the way across the country to Boston MA. With that car back in 1977. What a great car. Nothing else rides like a Mercury.
It's both extremely sad and frustrating the police refused help from the forestry. Weiher and Mathias would have almost certainly been saved and this story would have closure.
Excellent video! This is the best coverage of this story I have yet to run across. I am originally from NorCal and am familiar with the mountains where this took place. Plumas National Forest is very remote, very rugged, and very steep. The snow has a way of making things look very different than when an area is without snow. Trying to navigate on foot in mountain snow can be extremely confusing for someone untrained to do this. This would be a very difficult survival situation for most people, let alone someone with a mental disability. I can understand why the man in the Volkswagen told varying stories. I have known a few people who have been through a heart attack. Even a mild one has a significant affect on the human body, and being confused as to what happened is pretty common. As for Gary, I can only surmise that he either perished trying to save himself after all his friends had died, or perhaps he was afraid he would be blamed for their deaths, and decided to run away and create a new life elsewhere. Being an experienced mountaineer, I have never believed any foul play took place in this story, but only that Mother Nature took them as she so often does to those who travel too deep into the wild unprepared. But I do look forward to hearing your thoughts on this in part 2! Great video, as always.
wow. I have studied this a lot since I first heard about it. I have never heard such a comprehensive study of this mystery until now. You have certainly proved yourself head and shoulders among the others who have tried to cover this topic. Keep it up please. Subscribed for life.
I’ve always felt like Gary is the key to this. Maybe they got stranded and he didn’t have his medication and flipped out and had an episode. The way you broke down how mentally disabled some of these boys were helps this case to be understood ALOT! One guy wouldn’t leave a burning house because he wanted to sleep!
I've always disliked other cases handling this story by implying Gary's guilt. I don't think it's fair give Gary so much suspicion. I'm only half way through this video though, so perhaps missing enigma provides other info about Gary
If you understand how hypothermia works, mentally, that explains a lot about why people make strange decisions when they are lost in a cold remote environment for a while. You can basically pretty much go nuts regardless of your underlying mental health or intellect. Also I don't understand people who complain about heat when cold weather is much more physically and mentally dangerous. Without adequate clothing and shelter your body and mind can quickly deteriorate into dysfunction. When it's hot out you will be fine as long as you don't do too much physical activity.
I've heard and read about this case but never learned many of these details. This is a really interesting and a welcome contribution to the mystery. Thanks, Missing Enigma.
Part 2 is out now! - ua-cam.com/video/IweN7uLhGRc/v-deo.html
You've given the most amazing, thoroughly detailed account of this case I've ever heard. Thank you. You sure did your due diligence!! That's why your channel is definitely one of the best.
@@CoralineJonesPinkPalace 😊
@@UnwrittenNormal😂 by
Joseph (Joe) Schons was my father. Rosenda (Cindy) Schons was my mother. My name is Jon Schons. I'm their son, 68 years old now. My UA-cam name is Jon Stone, a fake name. You did a fantastic job of research and storytelling. I'm impressed that you pronounced our family name "Schons" correctly. Most people pronounce it incorrectly. It's a German name.
I've never heard all the details you revealed. It was entertaining to hear you talk about my mom and dad. You made me laugh when you mentioned that there was vomit and feces next to the light-blue Volkswagen, and my mom said: "Joe made quite a mess." That sounds like something my mom would say about my dad. He was a recovering alcoholic, on and off again.
I can clear up any suspicion that my dad was connected to the Yuba County Five. There was no connection. My dad didn't know them. My parents bought a 40-acre property on Raccoon Road in Berry Creek. My dad got drunk and was driving on a snow-covered dirt road in Plumas National Forest. He got stuck in the snow and suffered a minor heart attack when he was trying to get the Volkswagen unstuck. His brief encounter with the Yuba County Five was purely by chance.
It's unfortunate that the young men didn't stay with my dad and help him. He could have led them back down the mountain, and they would have survived. Apparently, they weren't very bright, but my dad was smart. They should have helped him. He was stranded and could have died in the cold.
My main takeaway from this story is: I'm very impressed that my dad was able to walk back down the mountain by himself after getting stuck in the snow and suffering a minor heart attack. He was a big guy, 6-foot-2-inches tall and more than 200 pounds. He was a tough old guy, born and raised in North Dakota.
The detail that always gets me is the woman saying they bought an unusual amount of junk food. It's late and you're coming home from an event with all your friends in the car, you had dinner hours ago so everyone's hungry, grabbing a bunch of junk food to share on the ride home. I think it's the carefree and fun night we've all had. It's so sad to think that only a few hours later they find themselves in such a horrible ordeal that, for some of them, lasts months.
yeah its very familiar to me. youre staying out a few hours later with all your buddies. "hey lets head up the mountain before heading home. lets buy some snacks first, have an adventure". they werent teenagers but they kind of were in a sense. living sheltered lives, probably just wanted the exciting night not to end. free from their parents. i think they accidentally tail gated the volkswagon guy and when he pulls off and gets stuck he gets pissed, the boys stop too unsure of the situation, the guy runs out of his car screaming at the boys, they panic and run and hide in the woods. he has heart attack. boys get lost.
The late night snack run is suck a relatable detail. Who hasn't grabbed a pile of goodies for a long ride home with friends before?
Uhhmmm I don’t eat “junk food.” That’s not only unhealthy and irresponsible, it’s disgusting.
@@thing_under_the_stairsI haven’t
@@thing_under_the_stairsI don’t have “buddies.” And if i did they could purchase there own meals . Thats not my responsibility.
I REALLY appreciate the mapping of locations. I was always confused by just verbal description. I feel even sadder about the situation
Maps are important to a story.
Love the picture you drew of the fellas riding in the car. How excited they must have been when they piled back into the car after getting their snacks for the ride home. I appreciate what you do, brother.
Yes, you can feel that excitement can’t you! It’s also so heartbreaking seeing those happy faces knowing what we know about later events. Expressions in all the faces in the artwork, anguish too, makes me feel how they feel way better than any photo could. It makes me feel like I almost know each one personally. I’ve never been moved more by investigation stories like this channel does. Totally immersive. Makes it even more heartbreaking if that’s even possible. I have difficulty expressing what I’m trying to say. A huge thank you. Your skills are off the charts ❤️🐾
Does the author do his own pictures? Is it his or her own voice even?
@@communication001 it is his own voice. He does plenty of videos with himself in them. The pictures, on the other hand are AI.
@@Saffron-sugar no its not ai? its very clearly hand drawn art, abit digital. did you mean digital art?
i really appreciate how you took the time to talk about each individual. I've heard this story before and most just group them as 'a bunch of mentally handicapped friends', i bet their families are grateful as well for giving them all a proper moment and depiction of how unique and important they all were. rest in peace guys.
I agree Missing Enigma is a classy man for sure.
Agreed --- The more aware and cultured of us know damn well, that the majority of users online today are the mentally handicapped... and I do mean that literally.
The least you can do when making content on the misfortune of others is get the facts right… a lot of those fast food horror content channels are pretty awful for that reason
Couldn't agree more. Really appreciate the detailed research that goes into the videos.
except that one Mum, describing her child as largely lacking a personality.
It's amazing how much other channels leave out in order to make the case seem more paranormal and spooky. Everytime I see u cover a case I'm like finally ill get an honest look at each case
Really? How ridiculous. There is nothing paranormal about this story! It's clearly a tragedy due to the elements, and bad luck, which put five vulnerable adults at its mercy.
If the forestry rangers had only thought to search all their shelters as they should have done, at least Ted and Gary could have been saved. Their families were rightly angry about that - they were alive, starving and frost-bitten in that shelter for many weeks. Help should have come in time.
Exactly why I hate the women's channels that just throw on 6 live off make up, $5000 worth of lighting and cameras and just read Wikipedia or plagiarize other channels and articles
@@everythingbobbywolfe That crap is NOT exclusive to women's channels you fool!
@@glamdolly30 I'm glad you read the part where I said only woman's channels are like this, you ignorant c
@@glamdolly30 hope I didn't touch a nerve, because you're thinking of starting your own channel?? 😂🤣
The level of detail you’ve gathered is far superior to any other telling of this story.
GREAT JOB 👏
The old photos of the car is satisfying to see. Gives us an actual visual that I haven't seen anyone else share that covered this case.
Schizophrenia is truly such a heartbreaking diagnosis. It’s so hard on the individual and the family. The violence isn’t from a place of malice.
Sure is.
Fully agree. It’s a hateful condition. I feel so sad for those who have to manage it.
Agreed. My brother suffered a breakdown when my father passed away, he had raised my other siblings. My brother was never the same afterward and it’s believed that it triggered the disease to surface, there was a history but he was fine and showed no a signs of it. He’s always very apologetic when he comes off his meds and does something. My heart breaks for him but family support is vital.
I do know several people who are able to live life just like anyone else. Medication can really save lives.
Most schizophrenic’s harm themselves not others.
I learned about this from Netflix and then watched another video. Dissatisfied, I came here. Yours is so much more informative. Really good work.
I don't think Netflix even mentioned Shonz at all?
Best coverage I've ever come across on this strange tragic case. Details I have not heard before. The Weiher hunting trip and his connection to the mysterious figure with red pickup for example. Also Shons comes across as sketchy with his story changing and his behavior. Outstanding work and eagerly anticipating part two.
Agreed, the most detailed and well-researched video I've seen on the Yuba Five mystery to date, kudos to this channel. I had no idea Joe Schons' behaviour was so suspect. I'm now convinced he was involved in a road-rage incident with the five men's car, and that it was them he was talking about, when he later told the couple about a vehicle driving too close to his (@16:53).
Perhaps the biggest mystery in this case is why the five men abandoned their car - it was not stuck in snow, broken down, or out of petrol. When collected two days later, it started first time. Yet they apparently exited it in such a hurry, they left it unlocked with a window wound down. Jack Madruga's parents said he would never have done that - the car was his pride and joy.
Did Mr Schons' VW Beetle come to a halt due to running out of gas, after he perceived that the car behind was tail-gating him? And did the five stop their car behind him, then all six met outside their vehicles and an angry confrontation ensued? As we know, those young men were young for their ages, like children really. If 55-year-old Schons had yelled at and threatened them, maybe even punched one of them, it's possible they were frightened, and fled the scene on foot.
A scenario like that would explain why the car was left unlocked with a window down, and why, panicked, they ran in the wrong direction, away from people and towards wilderness. It could also explain why Schons was so stressed he had a heart attack!
The next video will discuss the various theories - I'm especially curious if any focus on Joe Schons!
@@glamdolly30 Shones has always been a weird element in this case, but as always this channel provides additional details. The fact that he was even up there is weird, but even if it was a road rage incident, it doesn't explain why the boys were on the road at all. I'm also a little confused about the location of the Beetle in relation to the boy's Montego. And were there any side roads for Shones to pull off on like he said? And even if there had been a confrontation, why would the boys wander 10+ miles? Hypothermia I supposed would do that, but it all seems like an overreaction. At least two of the boys were more than capable of defending themselves, and Shones wouldn't have known that these five men were in any way disabled, so for him to pick a fight with five people seems brazen.
But the way Shones describes it, he started having a heart attack hours before the boys even arrived and was already in bad shape. It would be good to get the timeline settled to see if Shones left the bar at such a time that he would have been on the road at the same time as the Boys. I get the impression that the boys left the basketball game hours after Shones left the bar. So it seems unlikely they'd be on the road at the same time.
Shones is a guy that seems like an obvious key to the story, but the more I've heard about him and thought through the timeline I just think his involvement may be a crazy coincidence.
His behavior and crying and anger is pretty on track for someone post heart attack. There are a series of cognitive and behavioral changes that occur the first few weeks to months after having one. And I know they keep saying it was a minor attack but you don’t piss and shit yourself over minor heart attacks.
@@Adrian-bx4ue That's the thing that got me about his story.
They said they found both vomit and feces. It's possible he was embarrassed about something like 'shitting himself' after, and left that out of his story. There are also things that could be true of both versions. If he was having a heart attack - and since he got treated for it that seems to be true - and he was getting ignored by people, I could imagine he'd be pissed. If a car was slowing him down and he thought he ended up stuck because of it, when he needed help, he'd be pissed.
His changed stories might be explained by both embarrassment and anger. Right after the attack maybe he was embarrassed about defecating and making a huge mess, and so he didn't want to bring it up. After, when he was interviewed later, he might be terrified of being a suspect and change his story to put himself at a greater distance from the situation.
I think the thing that gets me about his story is that he had a heart attack. It's hard to imagine a man would be capable of taking down five other men in the middle of a heart attack. I just can't imagine he would have been in physical shape at that moment. UNLESS the heart attack was caused because of a confrontation.
The thing is, people thought it was weird he was leaving and such, but how would he have ever predicted that the five men would be out there in order to target them? They weren't supposed to be there.
The other possibility is: his story didn't change. Remember, we're saying his story changed based on hearsay from a third party. The third party could have made up that he told them something different.
@@danharp7273 Yes, there are many puzzling aspects to the story for sure. Could Joe Schons have threatened the boys with a gun? As you say, it seems unlikely a lone man, particularly a middle aged one, would take on five younger guys!
But Schons' behaviour was shady, as reflected by witnesses and police, and smacks of a man with something to hide. The 'tail-gating' incident he shared with the couple (though not with the police), strikes me as a potential link to the Yuba Five. And what did he mean by that comment overhead at the bar of the Mountain House: "I should have done this two years ago"?
Something spooked those five young men enough to leave the car, and walk for miles, despite the sub zero weather and the dark - but what? Could there have been a confrontation with Schons and then in addition, a scare from a wild animal (was it bear country - forgive my ignorance, I'm English and have no idea!)
I hope Part Two will shine some light on the timeline as you rightly mentioned, and provide more clues as to how five young, fit and healthy men left their warm, loving homes that night, and ended up so defenceless to the elements that they died. It's a shocking tragedy, and hard to believe it could happen as recently as 1978. Those boys were close to civilisation!
I'm not surprised the victims' parents were angry that the forestry trailer, which was obviously widely known about by local rangers, was not searched. They could have been saved. Incredible that poor Ted was found dead in that terrible starved, frost-bitten state, laying in bed under a blanket. Poor soul. His gravestone inscription is heartbreaking. He was clearly much-loved by his family.
The truth is no doubt a series of unusual factors all combining together, to create tragedy - as is so often the case when disaster strikes. If we learned the full truth, I bet it would be a series of unfortunate events that together conspired that night in a most unlikely, and unfortunate way.
seriously THE BEST coverage of this case i’ve ever heard or read
This case is genuinely heartbreaking to me. These men seemed like they were just out to have a good time and like they must have drawn a lot of enjoyment from each other, so seeing how it ended for them is just so bitter. On top of them being at varying levels of mental illness and not being equipped for this situation at all I can only imagine the state of mind they must have been in.
I hope new light is shed on Mathias’ fate one day but considering what happened to the others we likely already know. Thank you for all your hard work on this project! The amount of research and time you put into this is a feat.
It is heartbreaking. Despite their disabilities/illnesses, it seemed like they'd formed a good group to go out and enjoy their lives, and they were doing everything you would hope they would be doing with themselves. Even the ones who had difficulty being around others were going out to games and enjoying their interests. When it comes down to it, it just seems like "they were doing everything right," and they were conquering their disabilities to the extent that they could be. I think there's an inherent feeling of being proud of them when listening to their story.
It's something so horrible happening to such an innocent group of men.
Is it possible that Shons said "I should have done this two hours ago", and not two *years* ago? As in, he should have walked back down to the mountain house a lot sooner?
Yes, his speech might have slurred his words.
Very distinct possibility.
Or in his confused, tired state he said years but meant hours and didn't perceive his error
I thought that too.
yes I thought so too instead of staying in the car he should have walked the 7 miles
This has to be the best rundown of this case that I've seen so far. The amount of information you've gathered is exceptional, especially the original photos of the scene(s). I'd never thought much about Schons' testimony, putting it down as something he possibly hallucinated, but the information you've presented on his story/stories makes me think he may have seen/known something more that he let on. His behaviour was certainly very odd.
Such as...?
@@IanP1963 👀 I'd say the first odd example of his behavior was not only the inconsistent retelling of his experience, but more so the flip flopping of the events. Generally, when lying about simple facts like (seeing, not seeing, yep seeing) the red truck people don't rewind & replay their memory like an old VHS tape. In addition, the noted misplaced anger while giving the official statement. People generally keep their cool in those situations, especially when he's the one with a checkerboard story meant to help not suspect him. His wife noticed his odd, inconsistent behavior as well.
Sorry if you weren't ready for a long winded reply or no prob if you were genuinely interested. 🤓
wat surprised was learning he had a special needs daughter!
@IAN PAYNE not to mention the self admitted 3 days of crying
This case has fascinated me for a long time. I was born right around the same time that this event happened. Later on, I lived in Chico for about 10 years back in the late 90s through the 2010s. I also have a disability, so not a mental one. I feel a connection to these folks and hope that we get some understanding one day of what happened
We all have a disability of some sort... So long as you aren't part of the status quo, who are effectively involved in their own mental degradation, you are perfectly capable of anything in my book!
@@pauliedibbs9028 Thanks. Never meant to imply that people with disabilities aren't capable of things, though I do have to disagree with your conjecture that everyone has a disability. That has not been the case in my life. I ahve met countless people without disabilities. Far more non disabled people than disabled people.
@@ishmiel21 a thoughtful comment and a very thoughtful reply. I, too, feel a connection to these men. I have both developmental and mental disabilities. I see myself in these men. And I’ve seen many insensitive and ableist comments about them. It’s refreshing to both find a video that is respectful and compassionate comments like yours. May I ask, growing up in the area did you get a sense of what local opinions are in reference to this case?
Dude . Ever since I moved to Yuba City and heard this story I feel like it's my duty to find the last guy .. I'm gonna find him guys.
That's one of then callings, like the blues brothers heard
Seriously though, take every reasonable chance to make your life more like a story you would want to hear. i wish you nothing but luck, liliacs, and success in bringing peaceful mind to a family
Protip: don't go up there when it's snowing or very cold.
Jokes aside, please be careful
@ira onok I love that "take every reasonable chance to make your life like a story you would want to hear" What a lovely wee saying. Did you make that up?
@@sarah-jaynemcdonald2594 i may have, but a drunk never remembers anything for certain. If it is mine, then thank you
I've heard a lot about this case, but you explained it very clearly. For instance, I've never been able to tell the individual men apart well, but you had so many great details.
Yeah this case is weird, but after the stuff I've read... I doubt it was foul play that killed them. I lot of the evidence in this case is... not necessarily related to the actual case. It takes a lot of puzzling to connect the dots properly.
I've seen a few videos about this case before and this one was the best so far. Not only you give us a good profile of the people involved, you also showed a lot of details people tend to skip. Things like Schons' testimony, I knew already that he changed his story several times but never heard every version before and this add a lot to the story. Amazing job, can't wait for part two!
Finally, a UA-cam channel handling this story with actual competence and honest care. 👍✌️
@Adam Exactly. I always recommend this channel to those interested in this genre.
It's channels and people like this creator, that help keep my faith strong... and ensure that I remain in the good fight!
@Adam 👍
@@deerichardz 👍
@@pauliedibbs9028 Stay Strong 👍
There is a podcast about this incident called 'Yuba County 5 podcast" which provides a wealth of new information. It also confirms a few things that only have been mentioned on reddit before and it includes interviews with familiy and search team members. One of the most intriguing theories is that some people who had it out for Gary Matthias were involved in the boys disappearance. Generally speaking, a lot of people in the vicinity of this case at that time seem extremly shady, from violent outbursts to drug abuse etc.
The podcast additionally clears up some misconceptions. The five (well four of them) were presented in the media as a bunch of completely inept r-tards and therefore a narrative developed that they acted irrationally for no reason and simply got lost. There is so much information about them, their backgrounds and external circumstances that imo make it really doubtful that they went up that road on their own volition.
I think they may have been trying to escape from Mr. Shons or someone else.
It seems likely they were running from something or someone. Otherwise why leave the car? The car wasn't stuck, or out of gas. Somehow they were induced to leave the car and then, I think, chased. Weiher most likely died from septic shock eventually.
Yes the media completely character assassinated the men with headlines of , 5 retarded men missing , that’s a real headline , making way for the narrative of pretty much it was the blind leading the blind to doom and nothing else to see here
I've been waiting for you to cover this one for a long time. You did a phenomenal job, can't wait for part 2.
this is one of the dissapearance stories I’ve been drawn to the most, there’s so many unexplained things still
Are you familiar with Bob Gymlans Chanel, he does a good one on the Dennis Martin case. The Boy who was taken from the Smokies.check it out.
Everything can be explained with logic and science. But people will still be like OMG BIGFOOT? ALIENS?
@@billymanziel5666 many, MANY books can be written on all of the things science and current civilization doesn’t know. These cases are hard to understand though so whatever makes you feel better.
@@billymanziel5666
@@DannyPepprs scared of what? MAKE BELIEVE monsters? I’m about as scared of them as I am of Godzilla
Dude you killed it! Best cover I have heard yet of this story. Very detailed and informative! 🤘🏼
Look harder there's better ones
@@Tom-uv7ry If you feel like that's the case, why stick around in the comments of this video? Not necessary to be rude like that....
Missing Enigma.
I hold your channel in extremely high regard because the over all quality of your content is consistently excellent. From the gravity and clarity provided by your narrative skill to the efficient, sparing use of background music, there is always an authentic eeriness to your material which creates a haunting, serious atmosphere.
I'm a normal guy who would never intentionally drive down a wilderness road at night, yet I have wound up with my car stuck in mud 5 miles down a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, at midnight. Me and my friend just weren't really paying attention on a long drive back home from the next state over, and he told me he knew a shortcut, so we took it. As I drove, the mud looked like snow in the headlights, which sounds weird, but we both saw the exact same thing. I think we were just tired, which combined with the light of a full moon, made the mud look like dirty snow to us. We thought we were just headed down a road that hadn't been plowed, which was very common in the area we were in, so we didn't think much of the car sliding around and having trouble gripping the road. By the time we realized what our actual situation was, my car was stuck in mud so deep that it was resting on the frame. No amount of pushing or rocking the car would have gotten us unstuck, because the tires basically weren't even touching the ground at this point. Thank goodness my friend brought his big ass truck to pull us out.
The point is, if this had happened in a time before cell phones, we more than likely would have become an enduring missing persons mystery just like this one. It was in the single digits outside, we had no idea where we were, and it would have been a 15 mile hike just to get back to the middle of nowhere. We had no extra clothing to survive exposure, no food or water, and the area was full of coyotes that could make bodies disappear. I had a wilderness first responder license, so people would have said I had experience in the wilderness. The rain and snow would have washed away any drag marks or footprints, and there would be no good explanation that anyone could have come up with as to why we were even there in the first place. People would have said it was out of character for me, they would have said there must have been a good reason we took that road, and they would have said I was an intelligent person who wouldn't have gotten myself in to a situation like that. It's kind of haunting to think about what would have been said about me. The wilderness can swallow people without a trace, and people heaping all kinds of paranormal speculation on top of it could turn a tragedy in to a mystery that some douchebag uses to push crackpot conspiracies and to make money. The thought of that makes me pretty angry. That's why I appreciate your respectful story telling, and dedication to the facts. The way you do this actually gets us closer to the truth.
Some bozo would say “the skin-walkers got him!”
Within the first 4 minutes I realized this is the most in depth version of this story I have heard. Nice work! Also, I love your use of maps especially topographical maps, they can tell so much about a story.
Other versions have Gary being the bully and forcing them to drive up there and the boys were all in the trailer but they decided to leave and get help him after the first guy died. Gary left last.
The more I learn about this case, the more the sensation drifts from eerie to downright sad. The Boys earned a lot of trust to have their families permit them to drive alone, in bad weather, and over a long distance. But they really deserved having somebody who was neurotypical; who could handle panic and keep the team together.
Or not even a NT, just one who is more capable.
@slutpuppy more capable as in how? I'm just curious?
I know these boys and what they were capable of. Including an uncountable amount of trips to basketball games and bowling games without a chaperone. Which wasn't needed, btw. What is sad is how social media runs with the disabilities as the cause for the final result. These UA-cam videos would be different if any of them actually asked the living family about these guys and who they were. There is so much incorrect and unknown with every video we've watched .
@@cth_tt5829 There’s an old classification called “trainables” who are mentally challenged people who, through attention and counseling, can be autonomous and serviceable members of society. I have no doubt that the Boys were at least on their way to earning that autonomy and serviceability but that also requires routine and supervision. When you get lost and have no immediate helper to reference, it doesn’t matter how “trainable” you are because it is not a situation that you’ve been trained for.
This politically correct position that “you can do anything!” is ultimately reverse ableism because you are no longer properly accommodating somebody’s disability nor helping them reach their fullest potential or happiness.
@WheresPoochie I do understand what you are saying and do appreciate your response. I have been a part of this story for 26 years and know these families. Jackie Huett was my brother inlaw. He is very under estimated by social media and investigation. He also was not as extremely "disabled" as had been written. Back in the late 70s, these men were different, so as such as to be labeled incorrectly. Madruga didn't have any known disabilities yet that is what investigation decided to go with. It was a very heartbreaking situation that 5 families suffered and are still hoping for answers today.
We hope for someone to come forward with that one small thing that gives us that lead we so desire. Thank you for your interest in the case. The more who learn about it, the more people can talk about it. That is what we want. We just ask people to know all the case and facts about the guys before they judge.
@@cth_tt5829 Wow, didn’t realize that you were so close to the case. Thank you for your insight, and yes, I hope that one day we find an answer.
Quite honestly, schones arriving back at the moutain house and saying “I should’ve done this sooner” makes complete sense. He should’ve walked back to the bar sooner, instead of waiting so long.
Yeah makes sense he said should have done this two years ago.He should walked to the bar two years ago?
I was going to suggest he hadn't been in the bar before, but didn't he stop in on his way up?
@@thurayya8905 it was a joke about him being an alcoholic
@@thurayya8905 and ya I believe he got smashed right before heading up the mountain and getting stuck. I kinda lean towards him having something to do with the 5 people. But still doesn’t explain why they drove that way to begin with. Idk. This whole scenario just boggles my mind.
What difference does 2 hours make
We are all suspicious of Gary, but he's likely the one who took care of Weiher for so long.
It was most likely his idea they go up there when the boys wanted to go home.
@@Abdi-libaax What made you think that again? Sorry, been a while since I watched this one.
@@MoustacheCloud other docs I watched say he kinda bullied the driver and drove the car himself and then they got stuck he’s a lot stronger than the rest and he and the guy who dead in the cabin left them not necessarily killing them but it was his idea.
@@Abdi-libaax Okay, that seems plausible. Based on the video, Gary seems a lot more independent than the rest, and less of a homebody. I can imagine the boys wanting to be safe at home with their families. Meanwhile, Gary is much more used to being away from home, evidenced by his army service and the story of his long walk home eating from people's garbage.
I wonder if Gary felt regret at any point as they trudged through the snow, or while they were stuck in the cabin.
Strange behavior...I'm still unclear on why they stopped the car and started walking. Did the car get stuck? I don't recall.
No somebody targeted these boys because they were so predictable and Gary was the perfect scapegoat
Once again, you have produced the most in depth and comprehensive coverage currently available on a given case. The best channel of its kind on UA-cam.
I wholeheartedly agree 👍🏻
Maps really helped me understand all that happened much better.
Thanks for the special care you’ve taken covering this very sad story.
Easily the most informative version available.👍
This is the most detailed, meticulous retelling of this story I've ever heard, and I've heard it a few times before. I'm looking forward to part 2.
Was just telling my husband that you're my favorite "missing persons UA-camr" for your voice over and artwork. Was happy to open your page for an example and find a brand new video!
Fascinating case. Your channel is such a goldmine for such stories, great narration and presentation. 👍🏻
This is so weird. I was watching a different content creators video on this just yesterday and was thinking it was a case I'd love to see you look at! Was genuinely about to comment on one of your videos asking if you'd ever considered it!
I'm very excited to see what I know will be a level headed and well researched take on a case that some people have really clouded with wild speculation.
I feel so sorry for them. We all hate it when bad things happen to people who can't fend for themselves.
Thank you for doing honest examinations of the cases without trying to hide facts. There are plenty of actual mysteries in this world without trying to make it spooky and supernatural.
Edit: I have watched videos about this same case on a couple other channels, and the distortion of facts and blatant omission is just horrendous. The UA-cam "creators" responsible should feel ashamed.
Love this channel, even with the over saturation of the true crime genre on UA-cam this is one of those channels that stands out to me. Can’t wait for part 2!
Great documentary, it adds in new details I've never heard before and adds to the mystery even more.. How would they have known that forestry camp was there though if they were walking to it
I’ve driven this route many times from Idaho to Yuba City and within a couple years I’m going to retrace their steps… This is an horrid epic tale… Poor Souls went through unimaginable pain before their deaths
No u won’t
This is the absolute best breakdown I've seen regarding the Yuba Five. The Lore Lodge and Wendigoon did fantastic jobs as well, but this day-by-day timeline, with extremely detailed descriptions of each testimony, is absolutely superb. Wow. Stunning. Fantastic job.
I’ve been studying this mystery since it first broke in there newspapers in California back in 1978. It’s always been apparent that the Matthias family took over the narrative of the story very early on, along with some of the local officials. I understand that this was much to the displeasure of the other missing man’s families, who were not aware of Matthias’s background until after the tragedy.
If there any one of them that I felt to be sus, it we Matthias...
I was like 5 year old when this happened.
I kind of remember it a little. I remember the building the Gateway program was in. It's mental health, today.
I bet my mom remembers this.
How did Gary Mathias# family take over the narrative?
Gary was just as much a victim as the rest of the boys.
There is zero evidence the guy did anything but help his friends tho. Let’s not convict him of something there’s zero proof he even did. Come on now.
Man you have so many details in this video I have never heard. Love how in depth you went with the witnesses. So much more to this story than anyone has provided so far
I often watch videos like these from various UA-camrs and the Yuba City case is a particular a favorite of mine. Also, I almost never comment on these types of channels but, man, you are so much better at this than anyone else I just thought I'd tell you. Really enjoyable. The amount of work you put into these really shows. Thanks.
I came here after watching a couple other hiking vids. I always come back to yours because they're not sensationalized, and you do a good job of presenting evidence (or lack thereof) without all the drama. Also I like the longer vids. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this video. I've been fascinated by this mystery ever since I heard about it on UA-cam a few years ago. I worked with developmentally disabled adults for many years, and known so many people like "the boys," so I've always felt a close connection to this story. This was the most thoroughly researched and detailed recounting of the story that I've ever seen. Wonderful work
Thanks for all the work you put into your videos. By far the best 411 type channels around. You seem to have a level head and don't try to push a personal narrative. Plus you actually get out and put boots on the ground which is awesome
Your research and narration will be the best of this sad story. Thanks for your great work!
You have one of my favorite channels. Money is tight because I’m on disability due to autoimmune diseases but I will absolutely support you on patreon once I’m back to work. Thank you for your incredible content.
thank you for going over the details with a map and pinpoints. really makes this story easier to follow!
I'm from the UK but stumbled on this story, I'm absolutely fascinated by what happened to those poor boys, surely a chaperone should've gone with them, I'll eagerly watch your take on this tragedy
I never heard of this story before, the one I feel sad about is the guy who could not read or write. That can really mess up your life.
Schon's story about five men getting into a pickup truck already occupied by two adults and a baby is simply not credible..
I've seen this case covered on other channels but yours is BY FAR the most thorough and well-written. You cover details that were missing from the other vids. Kudos!
The best explanation of this case that I have seen to date. The maps help a lot.
Seems like Shoens might have gotten upset that the boys were tailgating him and whenever they stopped he jumped out on them and could have possibly gotten into a fight with one of them and it might have caused the boys to scatter from their vehicle. It doesn't make sense as to why he would lie about something like that though.
It makes perfect sense lol. Why would he snitch on himeself and allow himself to get into trouble?
@@Chromium457 that scenario wouldn't make him culpable for their deaths, in a legal sense.
@@NicStageBut why deal with any potential hassles lol? Even if you technically didn’t commit a crime you could still get sued by the families for something like that.
Bro you deserve at least 1 mil subscribers.. Every time I see new video from you it's like Christmas for me..
This video is very well done with a newfound respect shown to the victims, who were people beyond their disabilities. 10/10 would recommend to folks like me who thought they already knew the whole story.
The Schons fella is a real piece of work.
Been waiting for you to cover this one. One of the strangest cases I've ever encountered. Gonna be interesting to hear your thoughts on it.
This is easily the best recounting of this particular case available on YT, by and far. The research is top quality and the evidence provided is incredibly in depth. This channel sets the bar for content on YT.
So what the hell happened to all 5 of them? Were they murdered? Abducted??
Ive seen/heard a lot of coverage of this case, and this is the first one Ive encountered that makes me look at Schons with suspicion - I never heard about his odd behaviour before.
Schon's is sus by what I'm hearing.
His symptoms made me think drug use, displaying sociopathic characteristics, changing his story…. There’s more to his sty.
Schons’ entire existence was one long saga of odd behavior.
@@sherryceltic9856 he was a known liar and village drunkard/troublemaker according to locals.
What do you believe he did to them? There's no evidence of murder. They were lost and not mentally capable of taking care of themselves. As for Schons, after a person has a heart attack or surgery on the heart, they tend to be overly emotional, whether anger or sadness, it's a symptom of heart issues. High blood pressure can cause extreme anger in a person.
I love your honest and detailed work. You don’t leave out important details like the other fake accounts.
This is overall the most comprehensive and non-biased account of the story I have come across. Great job!
Nothing better on UA-cam than checking this channel on a hunch there might be a new enigma video and actually finding this. I finally subscribed. I can see a degree of inspiration for the style of these videos in other UA-camrs but this channel melded it all together, added its unique aesthetic, and now does it better than the rest.
I've seen this story on here a few years ago .. but you by far have given better detail's and information on this story and the 5 men !! The pictures helped very much with the details together you did an amazing job at putting it all together . I'll be waiting on part 2 !! Ty so much for your time and effort in putting this all together.
This is the best version of this case with the most details I have ever heard. I listen to quite a few true crime and missing people yype channels, so I can kind of recognize the same "canned" version people tend to parrot (as well as the even lazier, inaccurate version of that where a couple of facts are picked up and tossed out with no actual knowledge) to something freshly researched with completely new info like yours which actually adds, compares and contrasts with the more known canned version. Very refreshing to have just found your channel. I think I'll be binging this over the next few days while anxiously awaiting for part 2. Thank you!
the netflix doc left all of this out. there's so much more to the story than it first appears--changes the whole dynamic. So tragic and bewildering. Thanks for sharing!
This is by far the best researched report i've seen on this mystery.
Dave Paulides ignored the Mr. Shones in his telling of the story. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) This is one of the stories that made my lose faith in Mr. Paulides. Mr. Paulides doesn't not revisit is stories even when more evidence has been discovered (I believe that's because it doesn't fit his narrative.)
Dave often talks about only believing early reports and yet, he ignored the reports from Mr. Shones which happened early in the investigation. Dave's left out many details of the stories he tells. For that, he's untrustworthy, but still has a huge following. When you dig deeper, Dave's interpretation of stories leaves me wondering what other details he left out in order to support his mysterious disappearance stories.
DP is a fake. Tries to link all missing persons to water, when in fact everybody is in a stones throw distance of water, whether it be a brook, stream, river or lake, etc. Unless you happen to live in a desert of course.
You aren't the first person that I've seen comment on how Paulides does that shit. That's why I never watch any of his vids. How can you trust what someone is saying if they leave out huge details like that? Not cool at all.
Thank you for describing these wonderful men. They had some disadvantages but they made the most of their lives. God Bless them and their families.
Also I love animation.
New netflix series just released 2024 called: Files of the unexplained. It has a episode on the yuba County 5
Wow!! So much more detail about this incident that I've ever heard before!! Kudos to you!! I'm SO GLAD I'm subscribed!!!
Well I am officially excited as can be for part II. You aways do such a responsible, tasteful, well researched, & entertaining job I just want to thank you.
I've seen this story covered several times, but this is the only one that has gone into detail about the whole thing including the interviews. Wonderful job. First time I've ever heard anything about the pickup truck and the additional sightings.
I’ve grown to love this channel and wish it had a bigger following. I’ve been recently watching all your videos on cases I thought myself acutely familiar with. Boy was I wrong. While it can be hard to dig up every minute detail you do a great job of offering massive amounts of information that fails to find its way into the countless retellings of these cases. What I find most fascinating is that you often have official reports and documents that other channels claim are lost, destroyed, or won’t be released. What I’m most grateful for is that you do serious legwork, sometimes literally, to uncover rational explanations. While I enjoy a spooky story or creepypasta as much as the next guy, there is typically zero need for paranormal nonsense like bigfoot and aliens. These stories are plenty terrifying on their own; when you’re dealing with potential real life human predators, or watching your friends suffer, fear, paranoia, the sheer terror of disorientation and dwindling mental states due to starvation and hypothermia, helplessness, loneliness, and more these things are frightening enough without the need for bogeymen.
Excellent, thorough research as ever. Looking forward to part 2.
Not only are you amazing at explaining cases and putting great care into them, but you are also so thankful and humble. I am happy to be a supporter of such a great content creator. You deserve all the best!
Oh wow, there’s more info in this one video than in any other one I’ve ever seen about this case, LOADS of info I’ve never heard that just makes the case stranger, yet easier to understand
Excellent presentation.
My sister and her family live in Rocklin. However for yrs she had a small shop in Yuba City.
Shons is the most suspicious part of this case, I have trouble believing his story.
Which one? He told like 5 different versions of his story.
I've seen every video covering this mystery. This is by far the most comprehensive I've seen yet. Well done.
The best presentation on the subject I’ve seen so far.
I have never heard of this case. The way you described and detailed everything, plus the illustrations had me glued to the screen. Waiting for #2 and will subscribe to your patreon. Keep doing what you do man.
Really looking forward to your take on part two. I've heard about them before but, you are giving much better detail. Thanks for showing this.
This is the most thorough summary of this incident I have seen. Can't wait for part 2!
I have listened to 5/6 podcasts regarding the Yuba County Five and this was BY FAR the best! So much more information included that the others didn't have at all. Excellent! You have a new fan!!
Hearing you go through the story of the missing "boys"... Goes very quick. I didn't seem like 46 minutes! Looking forward to part 2.
You are finally talking about this case, bedtime stories covered this case back in 2018.👍
This one has always fascinated me. I will enjoy your take on this enduring mystery!
Well done. You consistently leave the rest in the dust when it comes to research.
I love this channel so much. I wish you uploaded more often however, with as much information and effort that you put into each video, I can understand why you don't upload as often. You add details I don't hear anywhere else and I watch A LOT of true crime. Thank you for the work you put in.
I know how you feel. I try to make sure the videos are as comprehensive as possible. It can make creating them quite time consuming. The next few videos I release will be coming out in pretty quick succession though.
I was going to skip this because I already know allllll about it. Then you said you have information I haven't heard. YOU SIR ARE CORRECT! Best coverage I've ever seen. TYSM all the surrounding events are important to the event, imo
Epic coverage of the story. This guy does such good research
I owned a 1969 . What a great car. I dragged a camper trailer from Casper Wyoming to Grant's Pass Oregon, and all the way across the country to Boston MA. With that car back in 1977. What a great car. Nothing else rides like a Mercury.
It's both extremely sad and frustrating the police refused help from the forestry. Weiher and Mathias would have almost certainly been saved and this story would have closure.
Excellent video! This is the best coverage of this story I have yet to run across. I am originally from NorCal and am familiar with the mountains where this took place. Plumas National Forest is very remote, very rugged, and very steep. The snow has a way of making things look very different than when an area is without snow. Trying to navigate on foot in mountain snow can be extremely confusing for someone untrained to do this. This would be a very difficult survival situation for most people, let alone someone with a mental disability.
I can understand why the man in the Volkswagen told varying stories. I have known a few people who have been through a heart attack. Even a mild one has a significant affect on the human body, and being confused as to what happened is pretty common. As for Gary, I can only surmise that he either perished trying to save himself after all his friends had died, or perhaps he was afraid he would be blamed for their deaths, and decided to run away and create a new life elsewhere. Being an experienced mountaineer, I have never believed any foul play took place in this story, but only that Mother Nature took them as she so often does to those who travel too deep into the wild unprepared. But I do look forward to hearing your thoughts on this in part 2! Great video, as always.
wow. I have studied this a lot since I first heard about it. I have never heard such a comprehensive study of this mystery until now. You have certainly proved yourself head and shoulders among the others who have tried to cover this topic. Keep it up please. Subscribed for life.
The number one most thorough case analysis.
I’ve always felt like Gary is the key to this. Maybe they got stranded and he didn’t have his medication and flipped out and had an episode. The way you broke down how mentally disabled some of these boys were helps this case to be understood ALOT! One guy wouldn’t leave a burning house because he wanted to sleep!
Yes !
"ALOT". Speaking of disabilities, a lot are two different words.
I've always disliked other cases handling this story by implying Gary's guilt. I don't think it's fair give Gary so much suspicion. I'm only half way through this video though, so perhaps missing enigma provides other info about Gary
@@dyates6380feel better for pointing that out? That’s good.
If you understand how hypothermia works, mentally, that explains a lot about why people make strange decisions when they are lost in a cold remote environment for a while. You can basically pretty much go nuts regardless of your underlying mental health or intellect. Also I don't understand people who complain about heat when cold weather is much more physically and mentally dangerous. Without adequate clothing and shelter your body and mind can quickly deteriorate into dysfunction. When it's hot out you will be fine as long as you don't do too much physical activity.
I've heard and read about this case but never learned many of these details. This is a really interesting and a welcome contribution to the mystery. Thanks, Missing Enigma.
Thank You, You are my favorite on these topics