Riverside County CA— On Saturday, June 29, 2019, starting at 8:00 A.M., the Riverside County Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team (SERT) organized and conducted a search of the remote mountain area of Black Meadow Truck Trail. The search was for John Sturkie, who was reported missing person on January 4, 2019, out of Oceanside.
Oceanside P. D. provided information that Sturkie’s last know location was in the Black Mountain Truck Trail area.

SERT utilized resources from the Special Enforcement Bureau’s ROVE Team, Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit, Desert Search and Rescue, Unmanned Aerial Surveillance (Drone Team), Sheriff’s Aviation, Hemet and Cabazon Stations.
Numerous searches had been conducted in the area prior. At 11:55 A. M., human remains believed to be Mr. Sturkie’s, pending positive identification by the Coroner’s Bureau, were located and recovered by the search teams. Foul play is not suspected in this investigation.
Anyone with information on this case is encouraged to call Sergeant Chris Mattson or Sergeant John Carlberg at the Cabazon Sheriff’s Station by calling (951) 922-7100.