Mendocino County Sheriff's Office press release:
On 04/12/2023 at approximately 12:02 p.m., Mendocino County Sheriff's Office deputies received a call about a suspicious vehicle in the 29000 block of Mountain View Road in Boonville, California.
The vehicle was located several miles along a dirt road on a large rural property. Officers responded to the scene and were accompanied to the vehicle by the reporting party.
When officers arrived, it was confirmed that the vehicle was unoccupied and was registered to Michele Paul, who was reported as an “endangered” elderly missing person in Sonoma County, California on November 27, 2023. At the time of the vehicle's discovery, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office was conducting the missing persons investigation.
Because the area consists of heavily wooded and rugged terrain, officers on scene separated and began a hasty search of the area with the assistance of a citizen. Officials also called the Mendocino County Search and Rescue Team for assistance because there was a risk of the missing person being lost or injured.
During a hurried search of the area, officers found the missing person, who had died.
Officers launched a death investigation and no obvious signs of foul play were discovered. The investigation was then turned over to the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office Coroner's Division for further investigation related to medical records collection and a possible autopsy.
The Sheriff's Office would like to thank the Point Arena Fire Department and the citizen who assisted in the immediate search for Michele Paul. The Sheriff's Office would also like to thank the Mendocino County Search and Rescue Team for their willingness to assist in the search before Michele Paul was located prior to her arrival.
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