Noe Navar's Disappearance In Riverside County: Search Efforts Continue

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Noe Navar's family is desperate for clues about his mysterious disappearance two months ago. The only thing his loved ones say they know for certain is that his prized 2018 silver Nissan Maxima was found burned on a trail in the San Jacinto Mountains.

An active search continues for the 31-year-old man, and while foul play is not suspected, it hasn't been ruled out either, Riverside County Sheriff's Department Sgt. Wenndy Brito-Gonzalez confirmed Thursday.

"We just want to know where he is," said Maria Navar, Noe's aunt and godmother. "We are looking for peace."

The last time Maria heard from her nephew was Sept. 21. She was vacationing in Mexico when he called asking for help with gas money. Another family member stepped up with a few bucks, and on Sept. 23 he stopped by to say thank you. There's been no correspondence since.

Noe is someone to keep tabs on — he suffers from schizophrenia, Maria said.

At the time of his disappearance, Noe, a Brawley resident, was staying with various extended family members in the San Gorgonio Pass Area while he worked temp jobs in the region, according to Maria.

"He has a lot of cousins around Banning and Beaumont," she said.

It wasn't until Sept. 28 that the family learned something was really wrong, Maria explained. Noe's mother, who also lives in Brawley, received a letter from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Hemet Station. The envelope was addressed to her son, but she opened it anyway.

"Notice of Stored or Impounded Vehicle," the Sept. 26 letter began.

Noe's Maxima was towed because on Sept. 23 it was found abandoned and "blocking traffic," according to the correspondence. A $92 impound fee was due in return for the car.

No one could get a hold of Noe to find out what happened, so family members went to the impound yard to get the vehicle back for him, Maria continued.

That's when alarm bells really went off. Parked in the yard was Noe's prized ride — totaled by fire.

"That car was a trophy to him," Maria said. "If it overheated, he would have flagged someone down. He would have called me. He would have called someone."

The burned-out car was found on Rouse Hill Truck Trail, near Idyllwild, according to Maria, who lives in Riverside County.

The rural mountain trail is a fire road that twists and turns, and ruts after rains.

"It didn't make sense," Maria said. "Only trucks can get up that trail. How did his car get there?"

Back in Brawley, Noe's mother filed a missing person report with the local police department. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department eventually became involved once the two agencies connected the dots.

"Noe Navar was reported missing on 9/28/22. His vehicle was found abandoned in the San Jacinto Mountains," a flyer from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department reads. "Although Navar is from Brawley, California, information received indicates he was recently in the Cabazon and Hemet areas. Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit, along with search dogs, are actively searching the area for Navar."

Thousands of handmade missing person flyers were posted and shared by the family across Anza, Banning, Beaumont, Cabazon, Colton, Hemet, Idyllwild, Jurupa Valley, Riverside, Perris and San Jacinto in the hope that someone knows where Noe is. Giant 6-foot-square vinyl banners were hung in several communities. The family is also using social media platforms to get the word out. A $2,500 reward is being offered for information that leads to his whereabouts.

Because of his schizophrenia, the family fears Noe may not know who he is.

"We just hope someone might recognize him and call," Maria said.

According to his family, Noe is Hispanic with brown eyes, stands about 5-feet-5-inches tall, weighs approximately 165 pounds, always wears a baseball cap, has an Aztec symbol tattooed on his right eyebrow and Roman numerals on both hands. He is bald and lacks facial hair due to alopecia the family said.

Anyone with information about Noe's disappearance is asked to call Investigator Negrete at the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Hemet Station: 951-791-3400 or 800-950-2444.