Rescued camper gives Inyo Investigations details of suspect

INYO COUNTY, CA. July 16, 2019 – Inyo County Investigations met with recently escued, Sheryl Powell. Powell, and her small dog, had been missing since July 12 from Grandview Campground in the Bristlecone Pine Forest area.

Following a massive multiagency search and rescue that involved resources from throughout California including – ground teams, dog teams, and aerial reconnaissance, Powell and her dog were successfully located on July 15 near Montenegro Springs, approximately 2.5 miles from her last known location.

Mrs. Powell’s recounting of events leading up to her disappearance involve being approached by an unknown suspect with a knife, the suspect threatening her and her dog with the knife, the suspect making a sexual remark, then her running away from the suspect and ultimately getting lost.

We are asking that the public be on the lookout for anyone matching the following description: under 6 feet, 180 pounds, bald/shiny head, dark eyes, brown eyebrows, white male but with tanned skin, potentially with a Southern accent, around 50 years old, no visible tattoos, stocky, dark colored backpack, dark green button up shirt with long sleeves, dark colored pants, armed with a 6-8 inch bladed knife with a dark colored handle.

Now that Mrs. Powell has been rescued and is back with her family, our primary concern is public safety. Short of Mrs. Powell’s eyewitness account of the suspect, there have been no other reports of someone matching this description or incidents reported in Inyo County that are similar to this.

This case is considered an open investigation – we are urging the public to report anything that might assist by calling 760-878-0383, option 4.