Another Malibu Mystery: Jennifer Lorber Vanishes in Malibu

Startling comparisons to another missing woman, Elaine Park, came to mind almost immediately when the Malibu community first learned about 30 year old Jennifer Lorber’s disappearance.

Social media chatter reminded us of Elaine Park, the last young woman to go missing in Malibu area 2 years ago on January 28th, 2017. On February 2, Park’s 2015 Honda Civic was found on Pacific Coast Highway near Corral Canyon with the keys in the ignition and all of her belongings inside the vehicle.

Jennifer Lorber and Elaine Park are both young, pretty brunettes, both went missing over a weekend and both cars were found abandoned on PCH only 3 miles apart. The similarities, although possibly purely coincidental, are still very unsettling to many in this community.

Lorber, a resident of Utah, arrived in California May 23rd. Lorber checked into the M Motel, located at 22541 Pacific Coast Hwy, making contact with her family that night at 11 p.m. That was the last anyone heard from Jennifer.

Concerned friends contacted law enforcement making a report which was distributed widely the afternoon on May 25th.

Lorber’s rental car, a white Toyota Rav 4, was found by a Malibu Sheriff on patrol (who was off duty at the time) on the north side of PCH just west of Paradise Cove close to a storm drain at 11 pm Saturday May 25th at 11:00 p.m. The storm drain was searched by deputies.

The car was reported to be “clean”  with have a towel inside, presumably from the hotel where Lorber was staying.

Her backpack was found on the beach at Paradise Cove and turned in to law enforcement.

Unconfirmed reports of Lorber in a nearby gated community close to the Paradise Cove pier reportedly turned up no leads from security footage.

Extensive air, ground, and water searches were conducted by Law Enforcement from the time the car was found, into the night and throughout the holiday weekend.

Lorber is the third young person to go missing in the Malibu area in the last two years.

Matthew Weaver Jr. went missing on August 10th, 2018. Numerous searches have turned up only a few articles of clothing, including the hat Matthew was wearing the day he went missing and a torn t-shirt, however, the searches provided no clues to Weaver’s whereabouts.

Sky LaBrot, a friend, who stated Lorber having made plans to stay with her before she vanished posted info regarding a search party being conducted by family and friends this Sunday, June 2nd at 10 a.m. starting at the entrance of Paradise Cove.

A $10,000 reward was approved Wednesday for information regarding the whereabouts of Lorber. The reward was approved Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Sheila Kuehl recommended the reward in hopes of finding the missing woman.

This is a developing story.

 

 

 

 

The Current Report Editor in Chief Cece Woods started The Local Malibu, an activism based platform in 2014. The publication was instrumental in the success of pro-preservation ballot measures and seating five top vote-getters in the Malibu City Council elections.

During the summer of 2018, Woods exposed the two-year law enforcement cover-up in the Malibu Creek State Park Shootings, and a few short months later provided the most comprehensive local news coverage during the Woolsey Fire attracting over one million hits across her social media platforms.

Since 2020, Woods was the only journalist reporting on the on-going public corruption involving former L.A. Metro CEO Phil Washington. Woods worked with Political Corruption expert Adam Loew, DC Watchdog organizations and leaders in the Capitol exposing Washington which ultimately led to the withdrawal of his nomination to head the FAA.

Woods also founded Malibu based 90265 Magazine and Cali Mag devoted to the authentic southern California lifestyle.

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