A man missing for 25 years was reunited with his family after being identified through a newspaper report. The individual, who is nonverbal and believed to be in his 60s, was found in Los Angeles earlier this year. Despite spending time in two hospitals, staff and police were unable to identify him. A breakthrough came when his sister recognized him in a news article and reached out to the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office.
The article, published in USA Today in April, detailed the case of an unidentified man who had been found in Los Angeles on April 15 and was receiving care at St. Francis Medical Center. Unable to communicate, he could not provide his name or other identifying details. The story called for public assistance, leading the woman to realize the man could be her brother, who had been missing from Doyle, California, since 1999.
Missing Man Reunited With Family After 25 Years Thanks to Newspaper Report
Deputy Derek Kennemore investigated and found that the man had been transferred to another hospital in July. After contacting the second hospital, staff confirmed they were caring for a nonverbal, unidentified man matching the missing person’s description. The LAPD’s Missing Persons Unit then fingerprinted the patient, conclusively identifying him as the long-missing brother.
The family, whose identities remain private, expressed relief and gratitude. The sheriff’s office informed the woman of the identification, and plans for the reunion were quickly set into motion. The man’s rediscovery brought closure to a decades-long mystery and reunited him with loved ones who had not seen him since his disappearance.
Although many questions remain about the man’s life over the past 25 years, the reunion has brought hope to his family. The case underscores the importance of media attention and cooperation between law enforcement agencies in solving cases of missing persons. For this family, a long and uncertain chapter has finally ended, allowing them to begin anew.
