Ernest Lopez Salado Sr., a 61-year-old Hispanic male, has been missing since the morning of October 29, 1998. He was last seen between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m. leaving his home on Dillon Road in Indio Hills, California. At the time of his disappearance, Salado owned a ten-acre date farm on Jackson Street. Neighbors reported hearing gunshots in the area around the time he went missing.
Salado was reportedly wearing tan work pants, a white V-neck t-shirt, a gray and green plaid flannel shirt, and white sneakers. He is described as being 5'8" tall and weighing 175 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and may have had a mustache. He predominantly spoke Spanish.
Two weeks after he vanished, on November 11, 1998, his maroon 1988 Chevrolet truck was found abandoned off Interstate 10 in south-central Los Angeles. The truck had a California license plate number of 5P84746. Investigators found possible traces of blood inside the vehicle. Additionally, Salado's. 22 caliber revolver was missing from the truck. A notable detail was that the truck's radio was tuned to an English-language station, which was unusual as Salado was known to only listen to Spanish-language radio.
Foul play is suspected in Salado's disappearance, and his case remains an open and unsolved investigation. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department is handling the case.Last Seen: Oct 29, 1998
