Human Remains Found in Border Fire Area Believed to Be Missing Couple

Potrero, CA — The remains of two people who went missing 10 days ago as the Border Fire spread through rural southeastern San Diego County were found Wednesday morning, friends said.

A woman wrote in a Facebook post that she and others hiked up a ridge and found the remains of Jim Keefe and his girlfriend, Kyrie.

They reported their finding about 8:30 a.m. to officials with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

County officials confirmed the remains were found but said it may take several days to determine the identities.

"The remains appear to be those of a male and female," said Michele Clock, a county spokeswoman. "However, due to significant heat injuries, they are not visually identifiable."

Personnel from the San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office responded to the scene, about 70 yards north of 28020 State Route 94, in Potrero, according to Clock.

"Upon responding to the scene, two sets of charred human remains were located between two boulders on a hill, approximately 50-70 yards from the closest dwelling."

An autopsy to determine cause and manner of death has yet to be scheduled.

Notification of the next of kin is pending the identification process, which may take several days, she said.

The Border Fire broke out June 19 and has since burned more than 7,600 acres and destroyed five homes.

Neighbors wrote in Facebook posts that they had worried about the couple when they saw their dogs but not them.

Keefe, nicknamed "Barefoot Jim,'' and his girlfriend — whose last name was not immediately known — were free-spirit artists who led rustic lives out of a van and a small trailer they parked on a parcel owned by an acquaintance, neighbors told reporters.

Jan Caldwell, spokeswoman for the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, said the address where the remains were found, the 28000 block of Highway 94 in Potrero, was under mandatory evacuation orders June 19 when the Border Fire broke out.

Caldwell said a deputy from the Campo Sheriff's Substation was first notified about the couple possibly being missing on Sunday, June 26.

"The concerned citizen had no information on the address of the couple or their names," Caldwell said.

After obtaining the couple's address from the Red Cross on Monday, she said, the deputy opened a missing persons report and searched the property alongside Cal Fire personnel.

"They searched five structures, two vehicles, a trailer and the grounds, but did not locate the missing couple," Caldwell said. "As part of a missing person investigation, deputies also searched local hospitals and jails for the couple. The couple was entered into a national missing persons database."

The sheriff's bomb/arson unit and Cal Fire continued their search Tuesday of the property, she said.

"Sheriff's Search and Rescue was scheduled to send a search dog, but it was diverted to Valley Center for a missing person at risk," Caldwell said.

"On Wednesday morning, Search and Rescue was planning to undertake a more comprehensive search and was meeting with deputies regarding the search area when local residents who launched their own search found the remains."

This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates as information is added.

(Photo/County of San Diego)

— City News Service contributed to this report.