MENDOCINO CO., 5/8/26 — Human remains found near a park near Ukiah this week were identified as a missing 51-year-old man whose disappearance prompted a large search effort involving dozens of volunteers, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office said.
The Sheriff’s Office said Joshua Retallick of Ukiah was reported missing to the Ukiah Police Department on April 17 after he was last seen the previous day near Maple Avenue.
Police later asked the Sheriff’s Office for search-and-rescue assistance, leading to a large-scale search operation on April 30 involving about 60 volunteers and law enforcement personnel from Mendocino and Marin counties, authorities said.
Search crews focused on western Ukiah, including areas near the Ukiah Valley Golf Course, but found no evidence connected to Retallick’s whereabouts.
On Monday morning, a citizen reported finding possible human remains near the western edge of Low Gap Park close to an archery range, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Ukiah police confirmed the discovery and contacted sheriff’s investigators and the county coroner’s office. Authorities later identified the remains as Retallick, and his family was notified on Monday.
Retallick’s parents Anne and Bill described him as active when he was younger. Retallick played several sports, eventually falling in love with golf, for which his game earned him the coveted Blanket Award at Ukiah High School his senior year.
After going to off college, Retallick began to show symptoms of serious mental illness and came home, his parents said. They said he struggled with his illness, medication side effects, and dealing with “the stigma of having a serious mental illness in a small town where so many knew him.”
Retallick’s parents said they hope their son will leave a lasting impact.
“Our hope is that our son’s very public disappearance, widespread search and ultimate death will bring about greater awareness and open discussion about serious mental illness and how we can do better in our community,” they said.
The Sheriff’s Office said an autopsy was performed on Wednesday, but the preliminary cause and manner of death were not being released pending toxicology results and completion of the investigation.
“Criminal conduct is not suspected at this stage of the coroner’s investigation,” the Sheriff’s Office said.