Search for Missing Hiker Suspended

Guillermo Pino's father, mother, and sister said the search needs to continue

Efforts to find missing hiker, Guillermo Pino Jr., have been suspended since Sunday, according to the victim’s family.

Pino went missing in the Anza-Borrego desert on April 8.

Pino’s family held a press conference on Thursday to say that efforts still need to be made in searching for him.

Pino's father, mother, and sister said the search needs to continue because they feel he is still alive in the Anza-Borrego desert.

“We are appealing to re-open the search and research,” said Pino’s father. “How can we do anything other than that? We owe it to him...we owe it to ourselves.”

Pino's father said  a sheriff deputy told him the large search had been called off because they felt sufficient effort had been put in the area.

The family said the search efforts have been excellent and they are not frustrated with the suspension of the search. They just feel they owe it to Pino to continue searching for him if he is alive. A website has been set up that encourages people to donate toward the effort to find Pino.

The sheriff’s department said they did not want to comment on the situation.

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