The Yuba County Five - California 1978

Reference TimelineLast updated FEB 2
SUMMARY

On February 24, 1978, five young men from Yuba City, California – Gary Mathias, Jack Madruga, Jackie Huett, Theodore 'Ted' Weiher, and William 'Bill' Sterling – vanished after driving into the Plumas National Forest following a basketball game. The bodies of four of the men were found months later under mysterious circumstances, while Gary Mathias remains missing. The case is still open as a missing person/homicide investigation, with many questions unanswered and theories ranging from accidental misdirection to foul play.

Timeline

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January 2026 — 2 developments

  1. The Genesee District Library will host an event on February 16, 2026, titled 'Things Aren't Right: The Disappearance of the Yuba County Five,' featuring author Tony Wright.

    The Genesee District Library will host an event on February 16, 2026, titled 'Things Aren't Right: The Disappearance of the Yuba County Five,' featuring author Tony Wright.

  2. A new movie adaptation titled "The Yuba County Five" is currently in development.

    A new movie adaptation titled "The Yuba County Five" is currently in development. The film aims to explore the mysterious 1978 disappearance of the five men, promising to delve into previously unrevealed details and various theories.

October 2025 — 1 developments

  1. The YouTube channel 'Bedtime Stories' is revisiting the Yuba County Five case, promising to shed new…

    The YouTube channel 'Bedtime Stories' is revisiting the Yuba County Five case, promising to shed new light on the disappearance using previously unavailable information obtained through collaboration with an investigative writer.

May 2025 — 2 developments

  1. A new Netflix documentary titled 'The Yuba County 5' has been released, exploring various theories surrounding the disappearance.

    A new Netflix documentary titled 'The Yuba County 5' has been released, exploring various theories surrounding the disappearance. A Hewitt family member suggests the men were attacked by a 'town bully' and his group.

  2. A new theory suggests that witness Joseph Schons may have been involved in a road rage incident that led the Yuba County Five into the woods.

    A new theory suggests that witness Joseph Schons may have been involved in a road rage incident that led the Yuba County Five into the woods.

August 2024 — 1 developments

  1. Deputies continue to receive calls regarding the Yuba County Five cold case, mostly speculative, hig…

    Deputies continue to receive calls regarding the Yuba County Five cold case, mostly speculative, highlighting the ongoing public interest and the unresolved nature of the disappearance.

March 2024 — 1 developments

  1. New information highlights witness reports of strange lights and voices heard in the Plumas National Forest on the night the Yuba County Five disappeared.

    New information highlights witness reports of strange lights and voices heard in the Plumas National Forest on the night the Yuba County Five disappeared. These accounts add to the unanswered questions surrounding their fate.

October 2023 — 1 developments

  1. Digitalized case files are finally released after Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests were submitted by the media.

    Digitalized case files are finally released after Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests were submitted by the media.

October 2020 — 1 developments

  1. A Yuba County Sheriff's Department letter, later made public in October 2023, rules that Gary Mathia…

    A Yuba County Sheriff's Department letter, later made public in October 2023, rules that Gary Mathias is believed to be 'a victim of foul play' and that the case remains open as a missing person/homicide case.

June 1978 — 3 developments

  2. The bodies of Jack Madruga and William Sterling are found by searchers near the vicinity of the trailer where Ted Weiher was found.

    The bodies of Jack Madruga and William Sterling are found by searchers near the vicinity of the trailer where Ted Weiher was found.

  3. The body of Theodore 'Ted' Weiher is discovered by motorcyclists in an unoccupied U.

    The body of Theodore 'Ted' Weiher is discovered by motorcyclists in an unoccupied U.S. Forest Service trailer, approximately 12 miles from the abandoned car. He was found wrapped in sheets, and an autopsy suggested he had survived for 8-12 weeks after disappearing, dying of starvation and hypothermia.

February 1978 — 2 developments

  1. Jack Madruga's 1969 Mercury Montego is discovered abandoned and stuck in snow on a remote road in the Plumas National Forest, approximately 60 miles east of Chico.

    Jack Madruga's 1969 Mercury Montego is discovered abandoned and stuck in snow on a remote road in the Plumas National Forest, approximately 60 miles east of Chico. There are no signs of the men.

  2. Melba Madruga reports her son, Jack Madruga, missing to the Yuba County Sheriff's Department, but is told to wait 24 hours.

    Melba Madruga reports her son, Jack Madruga, missing to the Yuba County Sheriff's Department, but is told to wait 24 hours.