Backpacker.com published a story by Bill Donahue titled “Kidnapped on the Pacific Crest Trail” Dec. 17, 2019.
The introduction reads: “This is the story of an alleged kidnapping and rape on the Pacific Crest Trail. No charges have been filed against the alleged perpetrator [James William Parrillo]. The accuser [Kira Moon] died on February 7, 2019. Prior to the alleged crimes, the alleged perpetrator was accused of mistreating a number of other women, but was never criminally charged or convicted for such behavior. This story is based on statements the accuser made prior to her death, interviews with more than 20 witnesses, and a review of public records. The alleged perpetrator has not responded to requests for comments.” Donahue reports “Moon died when an electrical failure caused the trailer to catch fire.”
According to the story, Idyllwild is one of the towns Parrillo and Moon would hitchhike between. Read the entire story at https://www.backpacker.com/stories/thru-hikes/trail-stories/kidnapped-on-the-pacific-crest-trail/?fbclid=IwAR10pzWQRIvbMGwic2LfszMHn-nK4vAFXFZOZ_cz7Gj07coADcbo4r94uSo.
The newspaper has been covering missing persons in and around the area for over a year. Rosario Garcia’s remains were located, giving her family closure. Her remains were located by two nonprofits, not the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD).
Four people remain missing
Four (Roy Prifogle, Melissa Lane, Lydia “Dia” Abrams and Diana Perez Gonzalez) of eight people to go missing in and around the Idyllwild area remain missing.
Another search of the area where Prifogle went missing was conducted Sunday, April 18. “A search was completed on Sunday in the area where it was believed Roy [Prifogle] was last near,” the RCSD media information bureau wrote in an email response. “No evidence and or items were located during the search.” Prior to April 18, multiple searches had been conducted.
Prifogle was reported missing after going on a hike in the Pine Cove area Wednesday, March 4, 2020. He left home at about 1 p.m. and was last seen at the Pine Cove Market at 6:30 p.m. the same day. He was last seen wearing a red backpack and jeans.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENDRA JOHNSON
Lane was last seen June 15, 2020. “I love my daughter so much and I’ve been praying for the other three families,” Lane’s mother Kathy Lamont said. “My heart tells me there is foul play somewhere.”
Local and Lane’s cousin Todd Gilliland was the last person to see her before she went missing. “I miss her a lot,” Gilliland said. “I wish we would get some kind of word about her. It’s nerve-racking. They [RCSD] have interviewed me once when she was reported missing and haven’t talked to me since. I was the last one to see her. You would think they’d want to go over it with me again.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF TODD GILLILAND
According to Lamont in December, the RCSD last searched in early September with cadaver dogs on Black Mountain Trail, north of Pine Cove, where Lane was last seen. The search came back with nothing.
Abrams was 65 years old at the time she went missing. She is 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.
PHOTO COURTESY OF LYDIA 'DIA' ABRAMS
On June 6, Abrams was last seen by her self-proclaimed live-in boyfriend/fiancé Keith Harper at her ranch in Apple Canyon (between Mountain Center and Garner Valley). Since the initial search efforts more than 11 months ago, the RCSD has not provided new information or updates regarding her disappearance.
David Gotfredson, News 8, previously reported that the San Juan County Sheriff in New Mexico obtained a search warrant and deputies impounded the RV Harper drove to New Mexico taking evidence from inside. However, the RCSD has not provided any persons of interest or suspects regarding Abrams or any of the other missing people.
Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit conducted searches on Abrams’ property before assigning the case to detectives.
The most recent woman to go missing from the Hemet/San Jacinto area is Diana Perez Gonzalez who was reported missing Dec. 11 and 27 years old at the time she went missing. According to family, Gonzalez visited the Idyllwild area regularly. She was last seen by her boyfriend.
PHOTO BY DIANA PEREZ GONZALEZ
Christy Rojas, Gonzalez’s sister, and her family are struggling with her sister missing.
Rojas said, “We’ve been terribly sad. We think about her every day and have dreams of her, waiting for any sign or a miracle because we miss her and love her a lot. But the most important, her baby needs her. We can see the sadness in her eyes. Although she can’t speak, we know she misses her mom.” Gonzalez is also pregnant.
