Cabazon Deputies Find Remains Of Missing Oceanside Man

MOUNTAIN CENTER, CA — Sheriff's deputies discovered the remains of an Oceanside man over the weekend who's been missing for nearly seven months, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced this week.

John Sturkie, 55, was reported missing on Jan. 4, in a remote area of the Black Mountain Truck trail in San Jacinto State Park, northeast of state Route 243. Cellphone tower records obtained by the Oceanside Police Department in February indicated his last known location was somewhere in that area.

His truck was found in March, but he never turned up.

Then, on Saturday, another search was conducted for Sturkie, according to sheriff's officials.

"Numerous searches had been conducted in the area prior," a news release from the sheriff's department stated. "At 11:55 a.m., human remains believed to be Mr. Sturkie’s... were located and recovered by the search teams."

The remains were positively identified as Sturkie on July 1, according to coroner's officials.

Foul play is not suspected, according to the sheriff's department.

— City News Service contributed to this report