The unexplained disappearance of 73-year-old Ralph Santos has
been a roller-coaster ride of emotion for his family and the
Hollister Police Department.
By Linda Lee King and Jed Logan
Staff writer and Assistant Editor
The unexplained disappearance of 73-year-old Ralph Santos has been a roller-coaster ride of emotion for his family and the Hollister Police Department.
The family is convinced that Santos has been abducted, while investigators say evidence indicates that the Hollister resident has apparently decided that he is not ready to return home or is possibly suffering from dementia.
Family members said they contacted their father’s physician, who said he had no reason to believe Santos is suffering from any mental illness.
Santos is described as 5-feet, 6-inches tall and weighing about 150 pounds with light gray hair.
He has been missing since the morning of June 10 when he failed to pick up his granddaughter from school.
Police investigators point to what they said was a confirmed sighting of Santos at a Taco Bell in Gilroy.
However, family members said they personally went to Gilroy and tracked down the man that a witness believed was Santos.
“That wasn’t him, it was a man who looked like my father, but he was not my father,” Lorie Santos said. “I ought to know what my own father looks like.”
The family claims that police are not doing a thorough investigation.
Investigators said they have no evidence that foul play has occurred.
“This is a great misunderstanding,” said Detective David Godoy.
Besides the initial report, HPD has filed seven additional reports since Santos disappeared.
Officials have involved at least 15 law enforcement agencies from Monterey to Sacramento and notified 51 separate TRAKS centers.
One of the problems investigators say is the lack of communication between family members.
Godoy said he explained to the family how to set up a command center where information can be gathered and shared with other family members.
But he said he still gets calls from family members asking questions that he had already answered.
“The family isn’t talking to each other,” Godoy said.
Family members disagree.
“We sit down every night and log all the information we have,” said Lorie Santos.
Ralph Santos Jr. said his dad was a creature of habit and since his mother died 11 years ago his father emphasized the importance of the family sticking together.
He said for him to simply walk away was unlikely.
“We sat down as a family and talked about every possible scenario why he wouldn’t want to come home,” he said.
The family is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his safe return.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Hollister Police Department at 636-4330.
E-mail Linda Lee King at lk***@fr***********.com. E-mail Jed Logan at jl****@fr***********.com.
