El Cajon police said Tuesday afternoon that Barbara Murray, 93, had been found after being reported missing earlier in the day, ending the department’s public search.
Police had asked the public to help locate Murray, who was last seen in the 1000 block of Jamacha Road, according to an update from El Cajon Police
The department wrote, “UPDATE: Barbara Murray has been located.”
Police said the earlier missing-person alert should be disregarded. The department did not say where or when Murray was found.
Missing-person cases in California
For statewide context, the California Department of Justice says the number of active missing-person cases in California averages around 20,000. The department says its statistics are compiled from missing-person entries and cancellations submitted by law-enforcement agencies to its Missing Persons System; that statewide figure does not by itself specify how many cases involve older adults or their outcomes. The California Highway Patrol describes a Silver Alert as a separate program for an elderly or developmentally or cognitively impaired missing person who is determined to be at risk, according to its Silver Alert guidance. El Cajon police did not identify Murray’s local alert as a Silver Alert.
Reporting a missing person and Silver Alerts
The California Department of Justice says there is no waiting period for reporting a missing person and that law-enforcement agencies must accept reports without delay. The statewide statistics cited above do not establish how often Silver Alerts are issued or what outcomes they produce. The California Highway Patrol describes a Silver Alert as a separate program for an elderly or developmentally or cognitively impaired person who is missing and determined to be at risk. Activation also requires multiple criteria, including that local resources have been used and that publicizing the case could aid recovery, according to California Highway Patrol guidance. El Cajon police did not identify Murray’s alert as a Silver Alert.
Description Shared During the Search
Before she was found, police had described Murray as 5 feet 4 inches tall and about 125 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes. She was reportedly last seen wearing a dark Forest Service T-shirt, dark pajama pants, and blue shoes.
The department did not release additional information about the circumstances that led to Murray being reported missing or about how she was located.
Police Thank the Community
In the same update, the department credited the public for helping spread the word during the search. “Thank you to everyone who assisted and shared the information,” the post read.
El Cajon Police also reiterated their standing instruction for anyone who encounters a missing person in the future: call 911 immediately. The department’s update did not include further specifics on Murray’s condition or the circumstances of her disappearance.
