In June 2022, four college roommates from Boise State University — Maya Cruz, Ellie Tran, Jordan Fields, and Ben Harper — set out on what should have been a peaceful weekend camping trip in the remote Pine Hollow mountains.

They were all experienced hikers. Their gear was packed. Their GPS coordinates had been texted to friends. The plan was simple: drive up Friday, set camp, and return Sunday.

But they never came back.

No emergency calls. No campsite. No evidence of foul play.

Just silence.

When authorities were alerted, a massive search-and-rescue operation was launched. Dogs, helicopters, drones — all combed through miles of wilderness. Still, nothing turned up.

After three weeks, the official conclusion was grim: they had likely gotten lost, possibly fallen into a ravine or swept away by sudden floods — common in that region during summer.

But their families never bought that story.

And two years later… they were proven right.

The Discovery: June 2024

In early June 2024, two hikers — Tom Langley and Erica Zhu — were exploring an overgrown side trail deep in Pine Hollow, far from any marked path. They weren’t searching for the missing students. In fact, they had never even heard of the case.

But what they found changed everything.

Nestled in a dense grove of fir trees was a decaying, abandoned house, the kind you’d expect to find in a ghost story — windows broken, porch sagging, vines creeping across the structure.

But it was what sat behind the house that made their blood run cold: A white Toyota Highlander, nearly swallowed by vegetation.

The license plate? ID-A9037 — registered to Ben Harper, one of the missing students.

Langley and Zhu immediately contacted local authorities, who arrived within hours.

The SUV was confirmed to be the same vehicle the students had taken in 2022. Strangely, its tires were intact, the gas tank still a quarter full. The engine showed no signs of crash damage.

But that wasn’t the only mystery.

On a clothesline behind the house — strung between two trees — fresh clothes were hanging. Not two-year-old rags. Recently worn, freshly washed clothing, gently swaying in the mountain breeze.

Even more disturbing: Inside the house, investigators found a half-stocked pantry, a pile of blankets and survival gear, and in a dusty side room… a diary tucked beneath a floorboard.

The Diary and the Scratched Messages

The diary, its cover water-stained and pages brittle, appeared to belong to Ellie Tran. Inside, the entries painted a terrifying picture of what might have happened after the group vanished.

“June 5, 2022 — Something’s not right. We followed the road but never reached the trail. Map doesn’t match. Ben says we should turn back but Maya saw smoke in the distance…”

“June 7, 2022 — Found a house. No one here. Weird carvings on the door. Jordan thinks we’re being watched.”

“June 10 — The SUV won’t start. It started fine two days ago. Did someone tamper with it?”

“June 14 — Food’s running low. We hear movement outside at night.”

One entry, dated July 2, 2022, simply read: “Ben is gone.”

That was the last full page.

But investigators later discovered scratched messages into the wood-paneled walls of the upstairs bedroom. Jagged letters read: “HELP US” “STILL ALIVE” “NOT ALONE OUT HERE”

The final message appeared newer than the rest: “IF YOU FIND THIS, STAY QUIET. SOMEONE’S STILL HERE.”

Survival… or Something Else?

Based on the state of the pantry, clothes, and firepit outside, experts believe someone had been staying at the house within the last few weeks.

DNA testing on some of the clothing has confirmed that at least one of the four — believed to be Maya Cruz — was alive as recently as May 2024, nearly two years after the group disappeared.

But where she (or they) are now remains unknown.

The Pine Hollow disappearance is now back in the national spotlight. The FBI has joined the investigation, and a special task force has been formed to comb the area surrounding the house.

So far, there’s been no signs of the students themselves, but authorities have acknowledged “highly unusual circumstances” surrounding the case — including the possibility that the group did not vanish accidentally.

A source close to the investigation has even hinted at unexplained structures and symbols found deeper in the woods near the house — though officials have declined to comment further.

What Happened in Pine Hollow?

How did four students vanish in broad daylight?
Who — or what — kept them from leaving that house?
And is one of them still alive out there… hiding?

For the families of Maya, Ellie, Ben, and Jordan, this discovery has reopened old wounds — but also reignited hope.

“I knew in my gut they didn’t just disappear,” said Lucia Cruz, Maya’s mother. “Something happened. And we’re finally getting closer to the truth.”

The abandoned house in Pine Hollow may have given investigators the biggest break in two years, but it’s only raised more questions than answers.

The scratched messages, the recent clothing, the hidden diary — all point to a chilling reality: The story isn’t over.

And the forest may still be keeping its darkest secrets.