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Confirmation of the cause of death will be made by the Medical Examiner’s Office pending further investigation.
Update December 18, 2011 (Poway) 10 a.m. - ECM photographer Dennis Richardson is at Iron Mountain this morning, where family members of missing hiker Dan Hoff have set up a motorhome as a base camp for a volunteer search effort. Yesterday, the San Diego Sheriff called off its search after its team of search and rescue volunteers combed over 50 square miles. It is unknown how Hoff was dressed, or how long he could survive in winter weather--but he is an experienced hiker, camper and former military member. La Mesa Police will continue an investigation and ask anyone with information to contact them. A Facebook page, FindHikerDan, has been set up at http://www.facebook.com/findhikerdan. View a video by Dennis Richardson of yesterday's search.
December 17, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – A search for missing La Mesa man Dan Hoff, 43, of La Mesa has been suspended for the night, Lieutenant Kelly Stuart with the San Diego Sheriff’s office has informed ECM. She also disclosed new details about Hoff, who works for Loomis Armored Guard.
“The subject is a hiker and he hikes Iron Mountain regularly,” Lt. Stuart said of the popular hiking destination. His white Toyota Tacoma pickup truck was found at 3:07 a.m. by a deputy in the parking lot at the Iron Mountain trailhead at Highway 67 and Poway Road in Poway.
After running the license plate number, the deputy learned that a missing person report on Hoff had been filed yesterday with the La Mesa Police.
Hoff, who is single, was last seen Monday evening at a family dinner, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. He reportedly had a few days off from work and when he failed to show up yesterday at work, his employer contacted his family. Hoff’s mother filed a missing person report at 11 a.m. yesterday.
Deputies started a search “immediately” after finding the vehicle early this morning. However, Lt. Stuart said, “Because of wind conditions they were not able to get ASTREA out there right away.” The ASTREA helicopter did join the search this afternoon along with 25 volunteers from the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team.
The search will resume tomorrow morning, Lt. Stuart confirmed.
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