Body found on hill identified as man who vanished on walk in 2019, California cops say

Human remains found on a hillside have been identified as a man who vanished on an evening walk four years ago, California police reported.

Paul Farmer, 84, who had memory loss, never returned home from his walk Aug. 26, 2019, Belmont police said in an Aug. 11 news release.

Despite extensive searches, Farmer could not be found, police said.

In May 2023, police learned his identification card had been found in a waterway in San Mateo County two months earlier, the release said.

That led officers to search a heavily forested area just south of Highway 92 near Hillsdale Boulevard, police said.

Officers found human remains on hillsides covered in thick brush, police said. The remains were identified as belonging to Farmer.

“Although we are deeply saddened by this tragic case, we are very thankful for the agencies that assisted us with locating Mr. Farmer and helping us bring closure to this investigation,” police wrote.

Belmont is a city about 25 miles south of San Francisco.

This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 5:50 AM with the headline "Body found on hill identified as man who vanished on walk in 2019, California cops say."