CA CA - 4 (previously 6) individuals missing near Idyllwild, summer 2020

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Six people now confirmed missing in area • Idyllwild Town Crier

It's not unusual to hear about missing hikers in Idyllwild, but it doesn't seem like all of these people were hikers. Also, I don't ever recall hearing about this many people all going missing at the same time in this area. This is my "backyard".

That's crazy! One, Melissa Lane, 41, went for a hike on June 15 and hasn't returned. Her family reported her missing, but police say since she didn't have a known destination, she's not considered missing! What? So no one is searching for her, aside from her family.

Another case is an elderly lady whose car was found abandoned. Doesn't sound good. Most of the missing cases are different, so maybe not linked. Some hiking related, but its a rugged, mountainous area and they surely need some SAR teams there.

Looks like a nice, touristy area

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That's crazy! One, Melissa Lane, 41, went for a hike on June 15 and hasn't returned. Her family reported her missing, but police say since she didn't have a known destination, she's not considered missing! What? So no one is searching for her, aside from her family.

Another case is an elderly lady whose car was found abandoned. Doesn't sound good. Most of the missing cases are different, so maybe not linked. Some hiking related, but its a rugged, mountainous area and they surely need some SAR teams there.

Looks like a nice, touristy area

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It is a nice area, not known for a lot of crime (I'm not saying it doesn't exist). It has a hippie kind if vibe to it, lots of tourists.

I couldn't believe what I read, either, about Melissa Lane. Odd.
 
These people were alone when they went missing? Living alone, visiting or hiking alone? Including Lydia Abrams who lives on a 160 acres ranch?
Very strange.

One woman was living with her father, but yeah, the others seemed to live alone. Agree, very mysterious about the woman missing from her 160 acre ranch.

Here's a google maps link to Apple Canyon Rd, there isn't much out there

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I made myself a cheat sheet from the article here: Six people now confirmed missing in area • Idyllwild Town Crier

Hope it helps. Photos at ^ link.

Rosario Garcia, 73, Hispanic/black hair/brown eyes. Last seen in Hemet. Possible dementia/ Alzheimer's. Reported missing 11:46 a.m. July 9 after her vehicle was found unoccupied in Pinyon Pines.

Lydia “Dia” Abrams, 65, blonde/blue : June 7, 8:24 a.m., Hemet Station Deputies were dispatched to the 58000 block of Bonita Vista in reference to (missing person) Lydia “Dia” Abrams. June 9, RMRU (?) volunteers searched her 160- acre ranch in Apple Canyon (between Mountain Center and Garner Valley), and more difficult areas (there) on June 10. The search ended at 6 p.m. and detectives took over.

Jade Kemerer, young (20's? MOO), white/light brown/green. Last seen at the Bluebird Inn in Idyllwild by her mother on July 22. Reported missing by friend 7/31 to RCSD.
According to (reporting friend from Ohio) deputies from RCSD responded to her last known address, which is Kemerer’s father’s home in the Anza area the morning of July 31, but he said he hadn’t seen her in two weeks.
Hemet Station received a report of Jade Kemerer missing on Aug. 2. Deputies searched the Idlewild area.

Venessa Vlasek, 26, white/brown/brown. Reported missing July 31 to RCSD.. Mom has not seen or spoken to (her) since Mother’s Day. Last seen location unknown/Idlwild (mom).

Melissa Lane, 41, (white/red/green MOO) was last seen June 15 in Pine Cove. Mother called RCSD July 4 around 3:20 p.m.but no report taken as Melissa is an adult with no known destination. She is an avid hiker.

Roy Prifogle, (40-ish, MOO), white/blonde/blue. Reported missing after going on a hike in Pine Cove. Last seen March 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Pine Cove Market:

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.”

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Roy Prifogle, Dia Abrams, Rosario Garcia, Melissa Lane, Jade Kemerer, or Venessa Vlasek, contact the RCSD immediately at 800-950-2444.

Credit to the author
 

Ok, this flyer says she was missing from the 58000 block of Bonita Vista, which is down the road from the Google Maps link to Apple Valley Rd. that I posted above. Makes it sound like its in town, but its in the middle of nowhere, desert mountains. Here's another view:

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Living that far out, its possible she liked to hike. The flyer describes her last wearing a black & turquoise jacket, jeans and a blouse, so that doesn't sound like hiking clothes. Was she working on her ranch? Did she live there alone or have hired workers?

From this article:

Local woman Dia Abrams is missing • Idyllwild Town Crier

According to the Facebook post by Diana Souza, “Dia Abrams, 65, is missing from her ranch off Apple Canyon Road in Mountain Center. She has blonde hair and stands around 5’4” tall. She was last seen Saturday, June 6th around 2 p.m., wearing blue jeans, a yellow shirt and a black multi-colored windbreaker. She was heading to the Garner Valley area, however her vehicle, handbag, keys and cell phone were still at her home.

BBM Garner Valley Center is like 11 miles from her ranch.

خرائط ‪Google‬‏‏
 
Last edited:
I made myself a cheat sheet from the article here: Six people now confirmed missing in area • Idyllwild Town Crier

Hope it helps. Photos at ^ link.

Rosario Garcia, 73, Hispanic/black hair/brown eyes. Last seen in Hemet. Possible dementia/ Alzheimer's. Reported missing 11:46 a.m. July 9 after her vehicle was found unoccupied in Pinyon Pines.

Lydia “Dia” Abrams, 65, blonde/blue : June 7, 8:24 a.m., Hemet Station Deputies were dispatched to the 58000 block of Bonita Vista in reference to (missing person) Lydia “Dia” Abrams. June 9, RMRU (?) volunteers searched her 160- acre ranch in Apple Canyon (between Mountain Center and Garner Valley), and more difficult areas (there) on June 10. The search ended at 6 p.m. and detectives took over.

Jade Kemerer, young (20's? MOO), white/light brown/green. Last seen at the Bluebird Inn in Idyllwild by her mother on July 22. Reported missing by friend 7/31 to RCSD.
According to (reporting friend from Ohio) deputies from RCSD responded to her last known address, which is Kemerer’s father’s home in the Anza area the morning of July 31, but he said he hadn’t seen her in two weeks.
Hemet Station received a report of Jade Kemerer missing on Aug. 2. Deputies searched the Idlewild area.

Venessa Vlasek, 26, white/brown/brown. Reported missing July 31 to RCSD.. Mom has not seen or spoken to (her) since Mother’s Day. Last seen location unknown/Idlwild (mom).

Melissa Lane, 41, (white/red/green MOO) was last seen June 15 in Pine Cove. Mother called RCSD July 4 around 3:20 p.m.but no report taken as Melissa is an adult with no known destination. She is an avid hiker.

Roy Prifogle, (40-ish, MOO), white/blonde/blue. Reported missing after going on a hike in Pine Cove. Last seen March 4, 6:30 p.m. at the Pine Cove Market:

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.”

If you have any information about the whereabouts of Roy Prifogle, Dia Abrams, Rosario Garcia, Melissa Lane, Jade Kemerer, or Venessa Vlasek, contact the RCSD immediately at 800-950-2444.

Credit to the author
Melissa and Roy are hikers. What about the others? Is there a serial killer in Idyllwild?
 
Correlation doesn’t prove causation but at least three of these happened within a relatively small geographical area that’s in the relative middle of nowhere.
 

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And, for what it’s worth, the 70 something “possible dementia” woman was seriously off track if her family reported her beginning and intended destinations accurately. As in, it should have been at most small town highway driving not middle of a National Forest driving.
 

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It's possible 2 or 3 of them could have something in common....age range, women, brunette, attractive...but they don't all have an obvious commonality with each other.....2 hikers, 2 older, one man, one older Latina.
I don't think there's a link, other than all were alone (I think, not sure). Maybe a couple were accidents, or self harm, or taking off with someone, going off the grid, we don't know.

However if there's a killer, could be opportunistic. Personally I doubt all are victims of foul play by one individual.
 

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