Allison after NXIVM from Uncover Introducing | Valley of Shadows: The Devil’s Punchbowl
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Jan 19, 2026 Mike Bauer, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff captain, offers insights into the mysterious 1998 disappearance of Deputy Jon Aujay. He discusses initial search efforts that yielded no evidence and critiques the LASD's suicide ruling. Bauer highlights Aujay's military background and survival skills, fueling speculation about foul play in the criminal underbelly of the area. The conversation delves into restricted case files and cover-ups within the Sheriff's Department, raising questions about the truth behind Aujay's vanishing.
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Elite Survivalist Runner
- Mike Bauer describes Deputy John Ajay as an elite, loner runner and Army paratrooper who loved extreme endurance runs.
- Ajay regularly ran deep into the wilderness and used the Devil's Punchbowl as a favorite training ground.
Last Known Steps At The Punchbowl
- Ajay entered Devil's Punchbowl just before noon, used a payphone to check in, and went for a long run alone.
- By evening his truck remained in the lot and searchers later found no trace of him.
Search Lapses Spark Corruption Suspicions
- Mike Bauer and others say the LASD showed unusually low urgency in the investigation and may have had an interest in not solving the case.
- That suspicion transformed a missing-person mystery into an allegation of institutional cover-up.