Questions still unanswered

Since the beginning of June, the Town Crier has contacted the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD) media information bureau every week in an attempt to receive updates about the missing people in and around the Idyllwild area.

On Oct. 30, the Town Crier wrote, “I emailed a couple of weeks ago about getting information on the four missing people in the Idyllwild area but didn’t receive a response. If you can send any updated information about [Lydia] Dia Abrams, Roy Prifogle, Melissa Lane and Rosario Garcia, I’d appreciate it. What further search efforts have been conducted? Were those search efforts on foot, by air, etc.? Do you have any persons of interest with any of the cases? What are your plans for future search efforts?”

The department has failed to release any new information in months. In the most recent email response from RCSD, Correctional Sgt. Deanna Pecoraro wrote Saturday, Oct. 31, “I reached out to the station investigators to see if there is any updates. I will get back with you as soon as I hear back.”

Pecoraro did not respond by press time with any information from the investigators working on the cases or answered any of the questions sent Oct. 30.

The community is confused by the lack of information being released by the media information bureau and wondering if their safety is at stake.
Locals expressed their frustration last week to the Town Crier. Because there is no information being released, it leaves the community with a sense of uneasiness and wondering if RCSD is actively searching for any of the missing people.

Todd Gilliland, Idyllwild local and cousin of Lane, spoke to the Town Crier Oct. 24 about the impact this has had on his family, “If there was more info about what the sheriff was doing to find out where these missing people are, I would at least have a sense that something was being done and wouldn’t be so harsh to judge.” Also adding, “the small amount of information they’ve given out to our family hasn’t helped. My aunt Kathy [Melissa Lane’s mother] wasn’t given an area on a map of where they searched, when they searched, or where or what area they are searching or doing next.”

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 RCSD could have provided.

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, 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.

Gilliland said Lamont continues her own search for her daughter saying, “My aunt did a check of Jane Doe’s at every hospital within a 90-mile radius and found someone that she believed might be Melissa. Kathy went straight there to see if it was her, but it wasn’t Melissa. She was bawling.”

The emotional toll all of the families and friends of these missing people are having to endure can only be expressed as excruciating.

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. 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 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.