RIVERSIDE - As tearful relatives looked on, Riverside police investigators Thursday appealed to the public to help find a man who has been missing since July 8.
Donald William Tobin, 51, was reported missing July 9.
His silver 2007 Toyota Corolla was found abandoned July 11 at Carlson Dog Park at the base of Mount Rubidoux in central Riverside. Tobin's wallet and cell phone were inside.
Investigators have termed the disappearance suspicious.
"We're at a juncture where we need the public's assistance," Lt. Michael Perea said at a news conference Thursday.
Tobin's mother, Bobbi Wilson, sister Dana Eriksen and sister-in-law Cathy Tobin, looked on while investigators made their announcement and answered questions.
Detective Mike Medici, who is assigned to the investigation, said two sightings were reported last week -- one in Riverside and another in Las Vegas -- but neither panned out.
"We don't know what happened to Mr. Tobin. We hope he is alive and well," Medici said.
Eriksen, who lives in Riverside's Orangecrest neighborhood, made a personal plea: "If anybody has seen him, please call. Our family wants him home."
She said her brother called her and their mother every month and would not be out of touch for such a long period of time.
"My brother would never do this to us. Something is wrong," she said.
Medici said Tobin left his Redwood Drive home July 8 to run errands and visit friends. He was last seen about 2 p.m.
He said no one saw Tobin park his car at Carlson Dog Park, and it is not certain he drove it there.
Medici said fingerprints have been recovered from the vehicle and are being analyzed.
Because Carlson Dog Park lies between Mount Rubidoux and the Santa Ana River bottom, the Police Department used its helicopter and search dogs to comb the area.
"We searched miles in both directions," Medici said.
Eriksen said her brother often took his Chihuahua "Roscoe" to the dog park but he would not have gone hiking on Mount Rubidoux or in the river bottom.
"My brother had a bad back. He was not a hiker," she said.
Bobbi Wilson, who splits her time between Las Vegas and Riverside, said Tobin called her several times earlier this month to check on a brother who was ill.
"He wasn't depressed or anything. He was just concerned about his brother," she said.
Tobin was a manager at the Second Time Around thrift store on Elizabeth Avenue but was due to start a new job.
Medici said Tobin did not pick up his paycheck. There also has been no bank activity or cell phone activity connected to his accounts since his disappearance.
Anyone with information about Tobin is asked to call 951-353-7136 or 951-353-7104.
Reach Sandra Stokley at 951-368-9647 or
sstokley@PE.com
