Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP85060)
Joseph Clarence Wilma Jr., age 52, was last seen on August 26, 2005, in Covelo, California, while visiting his property in Mendocino County with a companion, Michael Desmet. The two men were last seen driving Wilma's 1998 maroon Toyota pickup truck, reportedly heading towards the China Creek area in southern Humboldt County. Both men disappeared under suspicious circumstances, and their families reported them missing on September 2, 2005.
Authorities later discovered that prior to their disappearance, a large illicit marijuana garden had been eradicated on Wilma's property. In April 2007, human remains, including a jawbone and femur, were found near a marijuana plantation close to Wilma’s property.
These remains were later confirmed to belong to Wilma, and his death was classified as a homicide. Despite extensive searches, Desmet's whereabouts remain unknown, and he is also believed to be a victim of foul play.
The case remains unsolved, with the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding their disappearances and Wilma's death.Last Seen: Sep 2, 2005
