Lake Elsinore Missing Hiker
March 3, 2026
Lake Elsinore, CA
2026-08
Written by: David Bever
RMRU was requested to assist with a search for a missing 45-year-old male subject who left to hike with his dog from his residence sometime in the evening of March 2, 2026. Shortly before midnight, the subject contacted his brother indicating he was in the hills above his residence and unable to return home due to Elsinore gang members waiting to kill him.
In the early morning hours, the subject called 911 indicating his dog had been attacked by 3 mountain lions before his phone died. RSO deputies, RSQ9 and a drone unit began the search after sunrise. STAR9 joined the search without success.
RMRU was activated at 7:30am and searchers Matt and Dave began a foot search of the area at approximately 9:30am. David Bever was in the CP as the Search Manager. After just over an hour, the subject was located in the neighbor’s backyard along with his uninjured dog. It is unknown where the subject spent the night or how long he had been in the backyard.
CalFire E11 and AMR 447 evaluated the subject and transported to Inland Valley Hospital with minor lacerations to his arms and a mental health evaluation hold.
RMRU Members involved: (David Bever, Matt Frenken, and Dave Kosmal)
Other Agencies Involved: (RSO Elsinore patrol deputies, STAR96, RSQ9, Elsinore UAS unit, CalFire, AMR)