UPDATE: 12/19/23 — Sheriff’s deputies investigating the identity of human remains found in the Island Mountain area of Piercy have identified the decedent as 63-year-old Scott Graves using dental records, according to an update from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. The cause and circumstances of his death remain under investigation. The staff of the Mendocino Voice offers our condolences to Graves’ loved ones.
MENDOCINO Co., 12/14/23 — The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is using dental records to confirm the identity of human remains found this weekend during the search for a 63-year-old Piercy man reported missing last Thursday. Capt. Greg Van Patten said in an email the process takes several days, but results may be available next week.
Scott Graves told family members on Monday, Dec. 4, that he’d been unable to leave his property in the 73000 block of Island Mountain Road due to wet and unsafe road conditions, but would try again the following day. That appears to be the last time anyone heard from Graves.
Sheriff’s deputies began their search around 11 p.m. Thursday, and continued looking for him over the weekend, joined by search and rescue personnel from a half-dozen counties as well as the California National Guard and California Office of Emergency Services.
They found human remains in the search area Sunday, but couldn’t positively identify the individual due to the condition of the body.
The press release has been included below:
DATE: “December 11, 2023”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Incident Number:
2023-26370
Crime/Incident:
Missing Person / Search and Rescue
Location:
73000 block of Island Mountain Road in Piercy, CA
Date of Incident:
12-07-2023
Time:
6:00 PM
Victim(s):
Scott William Graves (63-year-old male from Piercy, CA)
Suspect(s):
N/A
Written By:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten #1184
Synopsis:
UPDATED PRESS RELEASE 12-11-2023 @ 1:25 PM:
On 12-09-2023 and 12-10-2023 the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office continued search efforts regarding the reported disappearance of Scott William Graves.
The following is a detailed list of mutual aid resources provided to the Sheriff’s Office during those dates:
Saturday 12-09-2023 – 6 teams (and CalOES representative) with a total of 51 members
- Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office SAR (8 members)
- California Search and Rescue (CALSAR – from CalOES) (5 members)
- CalOES Assistant Chief (1 member)
- Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU) (11 members)
- Napa County Sheriff’s Office SAR (4 members)
- California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) (6 members)
- Marin County Sheriff’s Office SAR (16 members)
Sunday 12-10-2023 – 11 teams (and CalOES representative) with a total of 72 members
- Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office SAR (5 members)
- Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office SAR (3 members)
- Lake County Sheriff’s Office SAR (4 members)
- California Search and Rescue (CALSAR – from CalOES) (5 members)
- CalOES Assistant Chief (1 member)
- California National Guard Blackhawk Crew (6 members)
- Bay Area Mountain Rescue Unit (BAMRU) (11 members)
- Napa County Sheriff’s Office SAR (6 members)
- California Rescue Dog Association (CARDA) (8 members)
- Marin County Sheriff’s Office SAR (16 members)
- San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office SAR (2 members)
- Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office SAR (5 members)
On 12-10-2023 searchers located a deceased person in the missing person investigation established search area. At this time, the person is unidentified due to the condition of the body.
Sheriff’s Detectives were summoned to the location and are actively conducting investigations in an attempt to determine the identity of the person along with the cause and manner of death.
Anyone who might have information that could assist Sheriff’s Detectives in this investigation are urged to contact the Sheriff’s Office Tip-Line by calling 707-234-2100 or the WeTip Anonymous Crime Reporting Hotline by calling 800-782-7463.
ORIGINAL PRESS RELEASE:
On 12-07-2023 at 6:18 PM, Deputies from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office received a missing person report regarding 63-year-old Scott Graves (see photos).
Scott was last heard from by family members on Monday, 12-04-2023, at about 9:30 AM. Scott informed family he had tried to leave his property in the 73000 block of Island Mountain Road in Piercy (California), but it was too wet and the roads were unsafe for travel. Scott informed family he would instead attempt to leave on Tuesday, 12-05-2023.
When family members had not heard from Scott by Thursday, 12-07-2023, they became worried. Family members then traveled to Scott’s property, but they were not able to locate his whereabouts. It did not appear Scott had left the property as the majority of his personal belongings and vehicle were at the property.
On 12-07-2023 at about 11:00 PM, Deputies arrived in the 73000 block of Island Mountain Road in Piercy. Deputies and family continued searching for Scott until 3:00 AM but were unsuccessful in located him.
The Sheriff’s Office deployed local Mendocino County Search & Rescue resources for a further search during the morning of Friday, 12-08-2023.
Search & Rescue was unable to locate Scott and were deployed again on Saturday, 12-09-2023, and are still actively searching at this time.
Mendocino County Sheriff’s Search & Rescue resources are currently in the planning stages for additional searches for Sunday, 12-10-2023, and Monday, 12-11-2023 with the use of Search and Rescue mutual aid resources.
Approved by:
Captain Gregory L. Van Patten #1184
