This story previously aired July 30, 2016. It was updated on Aug. 30, 2025.

When he's not out looking for the big wave, there's a big story that has consumed Stephen Baxter, a reporter for the Santa Cruz Sentinel and a "48 Hours" consultant: the mysterious death of Google executive Forrest Hayes at the city's sprawling marina.

Forrest Hayes Forrest Hayes Memorial Site

"Forrest Hayes was ... 51 years old. He lived in a pretty upper crust neighborhood," Baxter told "48 Hours." "He was a pretty high-powered guy and ... obviously had a lot of assets; he lives in a $3 million house in Santa Cruz."

In 2013, one of the boats docked in Santa Cruz Harbor was the majestic 46-foot-long yacht called "Escape." It belonged to Hayes. Not surprisingly, the tech exec outfitted his boat with some of

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