CA CA - Jacob Lee Heckart, 35, Nipomo, 4 July 2007 *NamUs #MP56717*

[beth651p]

Jacob Lee Heckart​

Heckart, circa 2007

• Missing Since 07/04/2007
• Missing From Nipomo, California
• Classification Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 04/10/1972 (51)
• Age 35 years old
• Height and Weight 6'1, 190 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A brown military fatigue shirt, blue jeans and combat boots.
• Associated Vehicle(s) 1988 Mercedes sedan
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance​

Heckart was last seen in Nipomo, California on July 4, 2007. He left in his 1988 Mercedes sedan and has never been heard from again. Heckart may be in Templeton, California. Few details are available in his case.

Investigating Agency​

• Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department 805-681-4330

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

Jacob Lee Heckart – The Charley Project

 

[Caring1]

Hearing dated November 2025 in Santa Barbara County. Full petition and analysis in the link below.

Kent Heckart (“Petitioner”) is the uncle of Jacob Lee Heckart, a missing person. Kent Heckart petitions the Court to establish the fact, time, and place of Jacob Lee Heckart’s death as 11:00 postmeridian, in San Francisco, California, pursuant to Health & Safety Code section 103450 et seq.

Petitioner testifies that Jacob told a roommate that he was going to San Francisco to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, there is no testimony offered by that roommate, and no credible evidence that a person was seen jumping from the bridge at that time, or that a jumper matching Jacob’s description was seen jumping off the bridge.

Making such a finding in this case would create a legal nightmare if Jacob Lee Heckart were to suddenly reappear. In one extreme case, a family who had their father declared dead after being missing for the statutory time period, was ordered to pay back Social Security Death Benefits paid out as a result of that order, when the father returned 20 years later.

As a result of the above analysis, it is recommended the Court deny the petition.

25PR00554 | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Barbara

Appearances required. The following analysis is provided for the Court at the hearing: Kent Heckart (“Petitioner”) is the uncle of Jacob Lee Heckart, a missing person. Kent Heckart petitions the Court to establish the fact, time, and place of Jacob Lee Heckart’s death as 11:00 postmeridian, in...

www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov

 

[renaebri]

Hearing dated November 2025 in Santa Barbara County. Full petition and analysis in the link below.

Kent Heckart (“Petitioner”) is the uncle of Jacob Lee Heckart, a missing person. Kent Heckart petitions the Court to establish the fact, time, and place of Jacob Lee Heckart’s death as 11:00 postmeridian, in San Francisco, California, pursuant to Health & Safety Code section 103450 et seq.

Petitioner testifies that Jacob told a roommate that he was going to San Francisco to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge, there is no testimony offered by that roommate, and no credible evidence that a person was seen jumping from the bridge at that time, or that a jumper matching Jacob’s description was seen jumping off the bridge.

Making such a finding in this case would create a legal nightmare if Jacob Lee Heckart were to suddenly reappear. In one extreme case, a family who had their father declared dead after being missing for the statutory time period, was ordered to pay back Social Security Death Benefits paid out as a result of that order, when the father returned 20 years later.

As a result of the above analysis, it is recommended the Court deny the petition.

25PR00554 | Superior Court of California | County of Santa Barbara

Appearances required. The following analysis is provided for the Court at the hearing: Kent Heckart (“Petitioner”) is the uncle of Jacob Lee Heckart, a missing person. Kent Heckart petitions the Court to establish the fact, time, and place of Jacob Lee Heckart’s death as 11:00 postmeridian, in...

www.santabarbara.courts.ca.gov

That scenario would mean the car would've shown up. Or did it and it just hasn't been said?

 

[Caring1]

That scenario would mean the car would've shown up. Or did it and it just hasn't been said?

As far as I can tell, his car has never been recovered.

 

[missingJulia]

Then it is likely that instead of jumping off the bridge, he drove his car into the river.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

The roommate didn't call 911 to report that he allegedly said he was going to jump?
Were cameras on the bridge in 2007?

Strange case. Although it does sound like self-harm, but maybe not in San Francisco.

is it possible he remained alive and staged his disappearance so people would believe he was deceased? Or not realistically? More information would be needed. In what ways was he struggling?

Does he have any exclusions in NamUs against known John Does?

I do feel for his family. It's been a long time and sounds like they need some kind of "closure."