Police are asking for the public’s assistance as they continue to look for a 76-year-old man who suffers from dementia.
Richard Scartozzi was last seen around 3 a.m. on Sunday at his Inverness Drive residence and was discovered missing by his wife around 7 a.m., according to a Lake Havasu City Police Department news release. It is believed Scartozzi walked away from the residence, according to the release.
Police have been out in force since Sunday, with the assistance of the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue teams, looking for Scartozzi, who is described as five-foot-nine, weighing 180 pounds with gray hair and hazel-colored eyes. Police said it is unknown what Scartozzi was wearing when he was last seen or where he may be headed.
“Search and rescue did grid searches and a lot of officers started walking neighborhoods,” said Sgt. Kirk Cesena. “They’ve targeted the desert area by his house.
Several volunteers from the police department’s Citizens on Patrol program participated in neighborhood canvass searches, according to the release. Detectives will be actively working on the case and tracking down any investigative leads that may surface.
The Department of Public Safety issued a Silver Alert, which is much like an Amber Alert, for Scartozzi. Based on this alert system, the missing person must be lost in a car or on foot and must be 60 or older. The missing person also must have an illness related to memory loss such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.
The Department of Public Safety utilized a helicopter to conduct a search of the area as well.
Any person with information as to the whereabouts of Richard Scartozzi is asked to call the Lake Havasu City Police Department at (928) 855-1171. Anonymous information also can be called into Lake Havasu Silent Witness at 928-854-TIPS (8477).
