ROSEVILLE – A Palmdale teen, reported missing by his family in March, was found dead in a creek in Roseville, Calif. According to the Roseville Police Department, 19-year-old John Alpert left Palmdale in March “to have an adventure” and traveled north with a group of illegal freight train riders before meeting his death in Roseville. Roseville detectives believe Alpert died of blunt force trauma, and they have classified the death as a homicide, authorities announced this week. Investigators are asking for the public’s help in solving the mystery.
The following is the press release from the Roseville Police Department:
Roseville Police Department detectives are looking for witnesses or anyone with information about the disappearance and death of 19-year-old John Alpert of Palmdale.
On May 15, someone fishing in Dry Creek near Atkinson Street found human remains near the creek bed. Roseville Police detectives and crime scene investigators examined the scene and collected the remains. It appeared that the person had been dead for a few months.
Roseville detectives worked with the Placer County Sheriff’s Coroner’s Division to identify the deceased person. In late June, the Coroner identified the deceased person as 19-year-old John Paul Alpert of Palmdale, a missing person from Los Angeles County.
By all accounts, John was a responsible and caring young man who had never been in trouble with the law. He lived at home, helping his parents and attending [Antelope Valley] community college.
He left Palmdale in March to have an adventure – traveling north with a group of illegal freight train riders. He had never illegally ridden the rails before. He stopped communicating with his family soon after he left. Concerned for his safety, his family reported him missing to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office on March 25.
Detectives believe that Alpert arrived in Roseville on a freight train between March 16 and 17, where he met his death. His body had unexplained injuries consistent with blunt force trauma, and detectives have classified his death as a homicide.
Detectives need help and information from the public. Anyone who has any information about Alpert’s death, or who saw Alpert in Roseville in mid-March, or had any contact with freight train riders in Roseville around that time is asked to call the Roseville Police Department’s Investigations Unit at (916)774-5070.
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No name says
Look for eddo
lucie says
To The Alpert Family, I’m so very sorry for your loss and may John R.I.P how sad this world has become that a young man can’t even go on a adventure or trip safely!!!
gonetoosoon says
To the Alpert family:
My heart and prayers go out to you, your family and John’s friends, I know what it’s like to lose a son, not a day goes by where something reminds me of him and brings a smile (23 years old, 21 years ago this Dec. by drunk driver). No matter how you lose a loved one, it will take time before those memories will bring you smiles instead of tears. May you find some closure and bring John home where his adventure here on earth may have ended, I feel and believe he has started his true adventure in heaven. When they find who did this awful deed, may they be punished, and made to pay for this unholy act of taking a life.
I am so sorry for your loss, and pray you will find some kind of peace of mind now that you know he has been found. You are in my prayers. God Bless you all!!