A six-day search for a missing Casmalia man has been suspended, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Robert Brusstar, 68, of Casmalia was last seen June 9 near the northern boundary of Vandenberg Air Force Base walking on a trail in the area.
But he failed to show up to work as an aerospace maintenance technician at Vandenberg, leading to Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputies to check the man’s house.
“When his work requested a welfare check due to his absence for several days, deputies found his door unlocked and his wallet, keys and cell phone in the house,” sheriff’s spokeswoman Kelly Hoover said.
“The concern is that something happened when he went out on his walk because it was really, really hot that day as well,” Hoover told Noozhawk.
On Monday evening, authorities announced they had suspended the search pending further leads about Brusstar’s possible whereabouts.
On the weekend, approximately 100 military and civilian personnel, nine search dogs and 10 horses were involved in a big push to locate Brusstar, Hoover added.
“Search crews carefully covered the 6-square mile area looking everywhere possible in hopes of finding Brusstar,” Hoover said. “Despite their best efforts, they were not able to find the missing man or any evidence of his travel.”
Search efforts were complicated by thick vegetation and steep terrain at the northern section of Vandenberg, Hoover said.
Brusstar was known to hike the area.
Law enforcement officers say there is no reason to believe his disappearance involved foul play.
The search crews included members of the Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, and Ventura County Search and Rescue Teams, Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Mounted Enforcement Unit, California Rescue Dog Association, Vandenberg AFB personnel and California Air National Guard.
The Santa Barbara County Air Support Unit had been involved previously for three days of the search.
The missing person case has now been turned over to sheriff’s detectives, Hoover said.
Anyone with information on Brusstar’s whereabouts is asked to call 805.681.4150. To leave an anonymous tip, call 805.681.4171 or go to the website by clicking here.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
