A California man was found dead earlier this week, hours after he went missing while camping with his fiancée in the Big Bear area of Southern California, authorities said.
Schofield was initially reported missing just after 8:50 a.m. on Monday by his fiancée, whose identity has not been released.
The couple was staying at Yellow Post Campsite #33 near Fawnskin, a small unincorporated community located on the north bank of Big Bear Lake. The popular primitive camping area is situated just off Delamar Mountain Road in the San Bernardino National Forest, roughly 100 miles east of Los Angeles.
Schofield, who was a resident of Riverside, was described as being 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. In the wake of his disappearance, anyone with information about the case had been asked to contact the sheriff's station at (909) 866-0100 or submit an anonymous tip by calling or texting "REPORT" to We-Tip at (844) 909-3006.
Schofield's fiancée told authorities that she had last seen him around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday night before they went to bed, noting that he had been wearing a blue T-shirt, camouflage shorts, orange hiking boots, and a gray beanie at the time he went missing.
"When his fiancée awoke in the morning, Brian was nowhere to be found," officials said.
Authorities did not share any other information about the circumstances surrounding Schofield's disappearance or the exact location where his body was discovered. However, officials said investigators found no signs of foul play during their preliminary investigation.
A spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, which oversees the Big Bear patrol station, told NTD via email on Wednesday that no additional information was available beyond the details provided in the press release.
It is unclear whether any medical issues or other factors played a role in Schofield's death. The official cause and manner of death remain pending, according to the San Bernardino County Coroner's Office.
After Schofield was found, local authorities expressed gratitude to the public for their efforts in helping to spread the word about his disappearance.
"The Big Bear Station would like to thank the community for sharing the information in the search for Brian," the department said.