Marvin Hardy Creel, a 57-year-old resident of Grizzly Flats in El Dorado County, California, was last seen on August 16, 2021. His disappearance occurred during the chaotic evacuation efforts prompted by the rapidly spreading Caldor Fire, which devastated the Grizzly Flats area. Creel was among the many residents forced to flee their homes as the wildfire raged through the community.
The last known contact with Creel was on August 18, 2021, when he attempted to call his nephew, Jim Bradford, at approximately 10:48 a.m. Due to poor reception, the call was brief and disconnected. Bradford reported hearing his uncle say, "Jimmy, it's your uncle," followed by background noise before the line went dead. Subsequent attempts by family and friends to reach Creel were unsuccessful. Around 11:30 a.m. on the same day, another family member received a call from Creel, but they were unable to speak due to the poor connection.
In the days following his last attempted communication, concern for Creel's welfare grew. The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office launched an investigation and discovered his white Dodge pickup truck abandoned in the Grizzly Flats area. The keys were reportedly still in the ignition, and his personal belongings, including paperwork and firearms that he had packed for the evacuation, were found inside the vehicle. This discovery deepened the mystery surrounding his disappearance, as family members stated he would not have willingly left his possessions behind.
Marvin Creel is described as a white male, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighing approximately 160 to 200 pounds. He has brown or blond hair, blue eyes, and wears eyeglasses. Despite search efforts by the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office, his whereabouts remain unknown. The circumstances of his disappearance, set against the backdrop of a catastrophic wildfire, have left his family seeking answers.
Last Seen: Aug 16, 2021
