Loved ones desperately searching for missing Southern California father

A family is desperately searching for a missing Southern California father whose truck was found abandoned and ransacked on the highway.

Delfino Guadalupe Lopez Fajardo, 47, was last seen on Aug. 15 when he went to visit his sister in the hospital.

Known as “Lupe” by loved ones, the husband and father of two young children has lived in Idyllwild for over 20 years.

His wife, Rosa Aguilar, was told by authorities her husband may have nearly caused an accident while driving back home, which enraged another driver.

Lupe pulled over at a gas station on the 63000 block of Highway 74 in Mountain Center and parked his truck at around 6:30 p.m. The angry driver arrived shortly after and allegedly confronted Lupe and began pushing him.

Fearful of being assaulted, Lupe allegedly ran away from the suspect who was chasing him and eventually jumped over a fence. It’s unclear what happened next but that was the last time Lupe was seen alive.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deployed search teams to scour the remote area using drones, ground crews and more. No sign of Lupe was found.

His abandoned truck was eventually located in a different area and was found ransacked.

Lupe’s sister, Maria Victoria Lopez Fajardo, described her brother as a good person who is a hard worker and very responsible.

“For us, it’s a very strange case,” Maria said.

Lupe had worked as a chef at the Red Kettle restaurant in Idyllwild for over 20 years. Inside the dining room, missing posters with his photo can be seen as loved ones plead with the public for help.

His coworkers are in disbelief over the incident and are hoping he will be found soon.

“He’s been here for 20 years and he is the rock that has held the whole Kettle together for a long time,” said Tamara McFarlane, Lupe’s coworker.

Friends and family said Lupe was a fixture in his community who was a proud father and loved his friends and family.

“I’m still waiting for him to walk in through the front door,” said Damien Yawman, Lupe’s coworker.

“We want to know that he’s okay,” Maria said.

No suspect description was provided as authorities continued searching the area for the missing man.

Lupe is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs around 200 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt and gray sweatshorts.

Anyone who has seen the missing man or has additional information on the case is asked to call the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department at 800-950-2444.

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