Authorities are asking for assistance in locating 20-year-old Derrick Ortega, who mysteriously disappeared from his Hesperia, California home on March 5.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department (SBCSD), Ortega was last heard from around noon on the day of her disappearance. He contacted his parents to inform them that he would no longer be able to take his younger sister to her dentist appointment as planned. Surveillance footage later showed Ortega leaving his home on Cactus Street in a gray 2012 Honda Civic, without his cellphone or any identification.
Ortega, who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds, was last seen wearing a burgundy sweatshirt, brown pants and a black hat. Police have since begun a missing persons investigation and have classified him as a “critical missing person”, a designation that refers to individuals who are believed to be at risk of harm due to foul play, crime or kidnapping.
His disappearance has raised concerns, especially since Ortega has no history of running away or disappearing. SBCSD is urging anyone with information about Ortega’s whereabouts to come forward. A close-up photo of Ortega wearing a black hat, as well as an image of him walking in the clothes he was last seen in, have been shared by authorities in hopes of generating leads.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Deputy Carrion of the Hesperia Police Department at (760) 947-1500 or submit anonymous tips through the WeTip Hotline at (844) 909-3096.