Search For At-Risk Man Ends Tragically In The Inland Empire

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA — A 73-year-old at-risk man who went missing last week out of Rancho Cucamonga has been found dead in the high desert, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department announced Monday.

Julian Rodriguez of Rancho Cucamonga was last seen around 1:45 p.m. on June 17 in the 8600 block of Oak Drive. He drove away in his black Kia Forte that did not have license plates, and he was wearing a blue Dodgers hat, white T-shirt, blue jeans, and black shoes, the sheriff's department reported.

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His destination was unknown.

Rodriguez had a cognitive disability and other medical conditions that required medication, according to the sheriff's department.

A days-long search was mounted for Rodriguez, and shortly after 6 p.m. on Father's Day, his body was found about 75 miles away from Rancho Cucamonga, in the area of Interstate 15 and Stoddard Mountain Road, in Barstow.

Rodriguez's cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

The sheriff's department released a statement Monday saying its Rancho Cucamonga Station "would like to thank those that shared the information and assisted in locating Julian."