Four people officially listed as missing through the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) are still missing.
The Town Crier contacted RCSD Friday morning for any updates on the cases of Roy Prifogle, Melissa Lane, Dia Abrams and Rosario Garcia.
According to CBS Channel 8 out of San Diego, multiple search warrants were issued by RCSD back in June.
Channel 8 reported that on June 12, “detectives traveled to New Mexico and seized a Ford RV belonging to Keith Harper, Abrams’ 71-year-old fiancé. Investigators impounded the vehicle and removed a ‘section of front driver seat’ as evidence, according to the search warrant.”
The news station also reported “In a June 8 search warrant served on the Bonita Vista Ranch, investigators seized a list of evidence, including a tan bed sheet with possible blood, a Band-Aid with possible blood, a piece of toilet paper with possible blood, two spent bullet casings (with F and REM markings), two handwritten letters and a Netgear router.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF LYDIA ‘DIA’ ABRAMS
“Officers seized more than 2,300 marijuana plants and 357 pounds of processed marijuana, according to the warrant,” Channel 8 reported Sept. 2. “The records do not indicate who had been renting the property from Abrams.”
In addition, the news station reported, “Detectives described Abrams’ disappearance as a ‘possible homicide’ in search warrants obtained by News 8.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENDRA JOHNSON
“‘Abrams went missing under suspicious circumstances and foul play is suspected,’ Riverside detectives wrote in a June 9 warrant.”
The Town Crier asked RCSD if any of the information from Channel 8 could be confirmed.
On Tuesday morning Correctional Sergeant Deanna Pecoraro said, “At this time, none of this information is able to be confirmed. We have not confirmed or discussed this information with the Channel 8 (San Diego).”
As of print time, no further details or information was available regarding Roy Prifogle, Melissa Lane or Rosario Garcia.
PHOTO BY HALIE WILSON
Melissa Lane, 41, was last seen June 15, according to a poster on display in the Mountain Center area. The Town Crier spoke to Kathy Lamont, Lane’s mother, “She was an avid hiker, but didn’t have a destination. She was last seen in Pine Cove. I don’t know if she’s dead or alive.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT
Rosario Garcia was last seen July 7 wearing a brown shirt and blue jeans at the 26000 block of Katherine Street in Hemet. Garcia is a 73-year-old Hispanic female and it is possible she suffers from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. She is 5’ 3” tall and 120 pounds.
Palm Desert deputies from the RCSD were dispatched to the area of 70000 East Highway 74 in Pinyon Pines at 11:46 a.m. on July 9 after Garcia’s vehicle was found unoccupied. Garcia was not located after a search of the area was conducted.
“We are asking if anyone has any information or knows the whereabouts of Rosario Garcia to contact law enforcement immediately,” wrote Pecoraro.
Earlier in the year, local Roy Prifogle was reported missing after going on a hike in the Pine Cove area Wednesday, March 4. He left home at about 1 p.m. and was last seen at the Pine Cove Market at 6:30 p.m. on the same day. He was last seen wearing a red backpack and jeans.
RCSD Deputy Jeremy Parsons said, “After six full days of searching in between inclement weather, searching 8 to 10 hours per day, Prifogle has not been located. The Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit (RMRU), as well as search and rescue volunteers from San Bernardino County, Orange County and San Diego County, were assisting. In total, about 150 people have been searching during those six days.” Also adding, “On the second or third day of the search, we found his backpack, but have found no other clues as to his whereabouts.”
On Sunday, June 7 at approximately 8:24 a.m., Hemet Station deputies were dispatched to the 58000 block of Bonita Vista in reference to a missing person. Lydia “Dia” Abrams was placed into the system as a missing person.
Abrams is 65 years old, 5’ 5” tall, 130 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black and turquoise jack, yellow shirt and blue jeans.
According to RMRU, their team of volunteers was dispatched to Abrams’ 160-acre ranch in the Apple Canyon area (between Mountain Center and Garner Valley) on June 9. They conducted a search from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no success of finding Abrams.
RMRU went out again on June 10 to search more difficult areas on the property including a creek bed and the hills overlooking her ranch. All assignments were completed by 6 p.m. At that point, detectives took over the investigation and called off the physical ground search.
If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Roy Prifogle, Dia Abrams, Rosario Garcia or Melissa Lane, contact the RCSD immediately at 800-950-2444.
