Missing sexually violent predator Merle Wakefield found dead in San Diego riverbed – FOX 11 Los Angeles

Missing sexually violent predator Merle Wakefield found dead in San Diego riverbed  FOX 11 Los Angeles

The weeks-long search for a sexually violent predator who disappeared from state supervision last month has ended after the man's body was found in a San Diego riverbed, according to the sheriff's office.The San Diego Police Department was dispatched to the 4800 block of Fairmount Avenue shortly after 9:30 a.m. on October 19 following a report that a human body had been spotted in a riverbed. Officials from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office arrived at the scene, took custody of the remains, and subsequently confirmed the person's identity as Merle Wakefield. Wakefield was classified as a sexually violent predator and placed under the State’s Conditional Release Program, where his daily monitoring and supervision were managed by Liberty Healthcare personnel, according to the sheriff's office.

The regional search began after Wakefield removed his court-mandated GPS tracking monitor during work hours in Rancho Bernardo and took off, officials said. Once Liberty Healthcare staff realized he was missing, they immediately alerted local law enforcement agencies and community groups about his disappearance.Authorities have not disclosed the cause or manner of Wakefield’s death, which will remain unknown until the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office completes a comprehensive autopsy examination. Authorities have not shared details regarding how long the body had been in the riverbed before being discovered, nor have they indicated whether