The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a comprehensive search for Elizabeth Schenk, a 70-year-old woman from Oakland, CA, who went missing on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, while visiting Bruhel Point Road, north of Fort Bragg.
Authorities were notified at approximately 4:47 P.M. on Tuesday after Schenk, who has several pre-existing medical conditions, failed to return from a morning walk on a nearby logging road. Schenk had contacted a male acquaintance around 9:30 A.M. seeking directions after becoming lost. Despite receiving instructions, she did not return, and subsequent calls to her cell phone went unanswered.
The concerned acquaintance, along with local residents, conducted an initial search before contacting the Sheriff’s Office. Due to Schenk’s medical conditions, her case was classified as at-risk, prompting an immediate and coordinated search effort involving multiple agencies.
Overnight and into Wednesday morning, teams from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol, Westport Volunteer Fire Department, and CAL FIRE scoured the area but found no trace of Schenk. Additional Search and Rescue personnel and a helicopter from the California Highway Patrol Northern Division Air Operations in Redding, CA, joined the search efforts on Wednesday.
Schenk was last seen wearing a white sweater, white vest, and white jeans. She is described as a white female, 5’05’’ tall, weighing 150 pounds, with graying brown hair and blue eyes.
The search for Schenk continues as authorities urge anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086.
The entirety of the press release issued by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is below:
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office was contacted on Tuesday, 5/21/2024 at approximately 4:47 P.M., regarding a missing person on Bruhel Point Road north of Fort Bragg, CA. The missing person was identified as 70-year-old Elizabeth Schenk who was visiting the area from Oakland, CA.
Sheriff’s Office deputies contacted the reporting party who advised he received a call from Schenk at approximately 9:30 A.M. on 5/21/2024 after she went for a walk on a nearby logging road. Schenk was reportedly lost and called the male to request assistance and directions. Schenk described her surroundings and a nearby gate to the male subject, who provided Schenk walking directions.
At approximately 11:00 A.M. on 5/21/2024, the male became concerned because Schenk had not returned from her walk and was not answering her cell phone. The male subject requested assistance from numerous nearby neighbors to search the logging roads for Schenk. After searching for numerous hours and not locating Schenk, the male subject reported the situation to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 4:47 P.M. on 5/21/2024.
It was learned that Schenk has numerous pre-existing medical conditions that would classify her case as an at-risk missing person.
Sheriff’s Office initiated a response and contacted regional law enforcement and fire personnel to request assistance in searching for Schenk. Search and Rescue was also deployed to the area to assist with search efforts. Representatives from the Sheriff’s Office, Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol, Westport Volunteer Fire Department, and CAL FIRE all searched overnight into the late morning hours of 5/22/2024 and were unable to locate Schenk.
Sheriff’s Office requested additional Search and Rescue personnel to continue search efforts on Wednesday 5/22/2024. A helicopter was requested from California Highway Patrol Northern Division Air Operations in Redding, CA who also responded during the morning of 5/22/2024 to assist with search efforts.
Schenk is still missing and considered at risk due to her age and pre-existing medical conditions. She was reportedly wearing a white sweater, a white vest, and white jeans when she left for her walk on Tuesday 5/21/2024. Schenk is described as a white female, 70-years-old, 5’05’’ tall, 150 pounds, with graying brown hair and blue eyes (see attached picture).
Anyone with information regarding Schenk’s whereabouts is requested to call the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 707-463-4086.
