UPDATE: Search for Missing Belmont Man Shifts to Redding Area

Image of Paul Merrill Courtesy findpaulmerrill Facebook Page

The following is a news release from the Belmont Police Department:

The investigation into the disappearance of elderly Belmont resident Paul Merrill appears to be shifting from Siskiyou County to the Redding area in Shasta County.

On Wednesday, 9/10/14, based on reported sightings around the McCloud area, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office began an extensive ground and air search for missingBelmont resident Paul Merrill. The search followed two possible sightings. The first was a report that Merrill’s car, a silver 1956 Mercedes Convertible, was seen parked at the side of the road on Hwy 89, approximately 15 miles east of McCloud. Another tip reported that a man, matching Merrill’s description, was seen walking in the forest near Cattle Camp.

The search was suspended on Saturday 9/13/14, after four days, with neither Merrill nor his car being located. During the search, Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was assisted by ground and air units of the California Highway Patrol, as well as units from Jackson County Oregon Search & Rescue.

The latest tip was reported to Siskiyou County authorities on Friday 9/12/14 and indicated that Merrill and his car were seen on Tuesday 9/9/14, in the area of Dana Drive and Churn Creek Road in the City of Redding, CA. Information on the sighting was given to Redding Police as soon as it was reported to Siskiyou County Sheriff’s investigators.

Merrill had been initially reported missing to Belmont Police on Thursday, 9/4/14, when a family member reported that he had gone on a trip to the Mt. Shasta area and had not been heard from after checking out of a hotel in McCloud.

While Belmont Police remains the lead agency in this missing person investigation, the focus is now shifting to Shasta County, and specifically the Redding area. Any sightings in the Redding / Shasta County area should be reported to Shasta County Communications at (530) 245-6025.

The Merrill family has set up a Facebook page in an effort to find Paul and are offering a reward for information leading to the finding of Paul or his car. Interested persons should go to www.facebook.com/findpaulmerrill