Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Dec. 17, 2020, at about 5:20 p.m., Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 300 block of Road D near Garberville to conduct a welfare check on a 76-year-old male resident of the property. A neighbor of the man told deputies that he had not seen or heard from the man in approximately two months.

Deputies arrived at the missing man’s residence and conducted a search, however, due to darkness and the expansive associated property, deputies suspended the search until daylight the next day. On Dec. 18, deputies conducted a thorough search of the property. Utilizing a search and rescue K9 with the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Posse, deputies located skeletal remains on the property.

Due to the state of the remains, a positive identification has not been made at this time. However, after considering all information and evidence found on scene, the deceased is believed to be the person for which deputies were searching. Foul play is not suspected at this time.

Identification of the deceased will be released to the public once it is confirmed.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at (707) 268-2539.