The Masters didnt worry much about Bryce in high school. He mostly kept out of trouble and hung out with friends from school. He was athletic and made good grades. But in the summer of 2014, Bryce started having run-ins with the local police. First, according to Bryce, he and a friend named Curtis Martes were searched by two Independence officers, Travis Gillihan and Timothy Runnels. The officers found half a joint but let them go. Then one morning in August 2014, after spending the night at a friends house in Independence, Bryce walked outside and approached his car, which was parked on the street. Officer Gillihan was involved again. Gillihan claimed hed received a call about a suspicious car parked overnight, and he was waiting when Bryce walked outside. The officer pushed him against the car and began digging through his pockets. Bryce was carrying a small amount of marijuana in a baggie.
A friend at the Independence police station called Matt to tell him his son had just been arrested. Matt headed to jail and posted Bryces bail. Later, when they got home and Bryce described what had happened, something about the arrest didnt seem right. Matt couldnt see any probable cause. He told Bryce that the officer shouldnt have gone into his pockets and the search was likely illegal.