Back in March, Pine Cove resident Roy Prifogle went missing. It’s been a long year, and after almost nine months, Prifogle has not been found.

Last week, the Town Crier spoke with Kendra Johnson, Prifogle’s daughter, to see how she and her family are doing. 

According to Johnson, the last time the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) searched for Prifogle was Aug. 21.

“I’m not sure exactly where they searched, but I think it was in areas they’ve searched before,” Johnson explained. “The search and rescue teams are separate from the detectives handling the investigation. I feel like the detective hasn’t followed up on things he should have, which is really concerning, but the search and rescue teams have been really communicative.”

While searching has continued and life moves forward, the emotional toll has been heavy for Johnson as she tries to continue living life without her father. 

As emotions rise to the surface, Johnson said with tears in her eyes, “Through time and trying to come to terms with it because it’s been so long, it’s gotten easier. COVID-19 hit within a couple of weeks of him going missing and it was at the worst time. It was hard when I went back to school after not finding him because we were all isolated, so I didn’t have my friends around to support me. I have a good support system though.”

Not only is Johnson suffering, but so is the rest of the family.

“It’s been hard on my aunt,” Johnson said. “In the past few years she’s lost her best friend, her husband, then my dad went missing and then my grandpa passed away. It’s been hard on us. It’s been really hard on my mom. They were still best friends even though they weren’t together. She misses him.”

Prifogle, who has always been a nature lover, was a certified logger when Johnson was growing up. That came with some very early workdays. She shared one of her favorite memories.

“One of my favorite things to tell about my daddy was when I was little,” Johnson said. “He would leave really early for work before I could be dropped at school. So, he would take me to the coffee shop and get me hot cocoa, would go to work, then on his break, would take me to school.”  

Through moments of silence as she tried to control her emotions, Johnson said, “He was always a really good dad. He was very funny. He would always tell me how proud of me he was. He would always help me with my car. He was always just there for me in whatever way he could be. Daddy always liked to put up lights and the Christmas tree during this time of year.”

As we closed our interview, she remembered one more memory. 

“My dad would drive the trucks that carried the logs they had cut down,” Johnson said. “Sometimes, he would pick me up from school in them. He would let me talk on the truck radio. My nick name was Circle K and we would talk to his friends on the radio using our nicknames. It was fun. When we would get to the dump site, he’d let me push the button to make all the trees fall out.”

Three people in addition to Prifogle remain missing
Seven people have gone missing in the area since March of this year. Four of the seven people, including Prifogle, remain missing. RCSD media information bureau responded to the newspaper’s weekly inquiry Saturday as to whether or not the agency had any updates.

“We do not have any updates on our missing persons at this time,” Correctional Sgt. Deanna Pecoraro wrote.

Lydia “Dia” Abrams, Roy Prifogle, Melissa Lane and Rosario Garcia remain missing.

The community remains confused by the lack of information released by the media information bureau and is wondering if their safety is at stake. The newspaper has been asking for updates weekly since early summer.
On Sept. 10, a RCSD SUV was spotted hauling an off-road vehicle near Highway 243 and Saunders Meadow Road.

According to Hemet Sheriff Station Capt. Leonard Purvis, “They were conducting follow-up searches for Melissa Lane.”

While it was unclear exactly where on the mountain deputies were searching for Lane, Purvis also confirmed that the search didn’t provide any further information or evidence of where Lane may have gone missing. That is an update the media information bureau could have provided.
Lane, 41, was last seen June 15, according to a poster that was displayed in the Mountain Center area. The Town Crier spoke to Kathy Lamont, Lane’s mother, right after she was reported missing.

“She was an avid hiker but didn’t have a destination,” Lamont said. “She was last seen in Pine Cove. I don’t know if she’s dead or alive.”

Outside of the search for Lane, the community has not received any updates on the other three missing people. Friends, family and the community have been left in the dark.

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. July 9 after Garcia’s vehicle was found unoccupied. Garcia was not located after a search of the area was conducted.

Earlier in the year, 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. 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 jacket, 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) June 9. They conducted a search from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no success of finding Abrams.

RMRU went out again 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 at 800-950-2444.