CONEJOS COUNTY, Colo. — The search continues for 64-year-old Rodney Guilinger, who vanished a month ago in Conejos County.
Guilinger was reported missing on April 16 by his wife. He has a cognitive impairment and needs daily medication. According to an update from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI), his wife told Conejos County Sheriff’s deputies that he dropped her off at work in Fort Garland around 7:30 a.m. that day before heading out to scout hunting areas between La Jara and the New Mexico border. He had planned to return between 5 and 6 p.m.
When Guilinger didn’t come back, she reported him missing around 7:40 p.m., prompting a Be On the Lookout alert for him and his silver 2021 Dodge Ram.
The next day, officials found the truck stuck on Forest Service Road 380 in Conejos County, but there was no trace of Guilinger nearby. His phone went straight to voicemail.
Extensive Search Efforts Involved Multiple Agencies
Over the past month, numerous law enforcement and search and rescue groups have joined the search for Guilinger, including:
- Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office and tracking dogs
- Flight for Life air support
- Rio Grande Sheriff’s Office
- Mineral County Search and Rescue
- U.S. Forest Service (using snowmobiles for high-elevation areas)
- Multiple search and rescue teams
- Bloodhound Man Trackers
- Springfield Police Department
- Montrose County Sheriff’s Office
- Colorado Department of Fire Prevention and Control
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Costilla County Sheriff’s Office
- Colorado Air Guard
Severe weather, including heavy snow and strong winds, has hampered parts of the search.
On April 22 and 23, two separate K-9s tracked Guilinger’s scent to a pond near a cabin. However, nothing was found on the surface. A few days later, an underwater drone was deployed to check the area, but that search also yielded no results.
Authorities urge anyone with information about Guilinger’s location to call 911 or contact the Conejos County Sheriff’s Office at 719-589-5807.
“We are dedicating every available resource and working tirelessly with our partners to locate Rodney Guilinger,” said Conejos County Sheriff Garth Crowther. “We understand the urgency of this situation, and are making every reasonable effort to find him.”
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Vikas Lalit is an experienced content writer at OTE News, covering business, economy, and international affairs. With a degree in Journalism, he combines analytical thinking with engaging storytelling to deliver well-researched updates. Vikas is passionate about uncovering underreported stories that impact readers.
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