In the coastal community of Aptos, California, concern grew for 65-year-old Charles Dames after he was last seen on February 12, 2026. A welfare check was requested on March 22, 2026, at his residence in the Osocales mobile home park when the property manager noticed his mail was piling up and he had uncharacteristically failed to pay his rent. For the two decades he had lived there, he had always paid his rent promptly with a money order.
Deputies from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office who responded to the call for a welfare check found no answer at his door and could see no one inside.
The following day, Charles's brother, who had last spoken to him in September of the previous year, officially reported him as a missing person. He described Charles as a man who lived a very isolated life, with no known social circle beyond their brotherly connection. He did not use drugs or alcohol. Investigators noted that the inside of his home looked as though it had been partially packed, and several personal items were missing, which led his brother to believe he might have gone camping somewhere in Santa Cruz County. A key piece of his daily life, a dental retainer with a prosthetic front tooth, was found left behind in the bathroom. His neighbor confirmed that Charles was a quiet man who was often seen riding his bicycle while wearing a pair of distinctive red headphones, and she had not seen him in over a month. His bicycle was also missing from his residence, suggesting he had ridden it away from the area.
In an effort to locate him, deputies entered his information into the Missing and Unidentified Persons System and checked with local hospitals, the county jail, and the Behavioral Health Unit, but none of these searches yielded any information on his whereabouts. Attempts to reach him by his cell phone were also unsuccessful, as all calls went directly to voicemail. Following the investigation, official reports from the investigating agency have indicated that Charles Dames has been found alive. The specific date and the circumstances surrounding his return are not publicly available. This brought a close to the official missing person case that began with a concerned property manager's call.Last Seen: Feb 12, 2026
