Couple Disappears After Mother's Day Trip to Valley View Casino: Sheriff

Silver Alert issued for missing Orange County couple

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} A family is desperately searching for a couple who uncharacteristically didn’t show up to a Mother’s Day dinner after a trip to Valley View Casino on Sunday and has seemingly vanished without a trace.

A Silver Alert has been issued for the couple -- a special alert for those 65 years old and older missing under suspicious circumstances, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The couple; Cecil “Paul” Knutson, 79, and Dianna Bedwell, 67; planned to head to their son’s home in La Quinta in Riverside County after the casino, but never made it, according to a bulletin from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

Their son told NBC 7 he was expecting them for Mother's Day dinner at 4 p.m.

Son Robert Acosta said their disappearance is highly unusual, as they are always punctual and are always in touch with family members.

He said when they didn’t show up by 4:30 p.m., he started dialing both their cellphones repeatedly, but no one answered.

“This is way out of their character. They would never blow me, my wife and my daughter off,” he said. “There’s something wrong.”

Acosta said he called and checked in with his mom at 10:30 that morning and everything seemed fine.

“I could hear them at the machines. They were having fun,” he said.

Deputies said the couple was last seen leaving the casino in Valley Center at about 2 p.m. on Mother’s Day. They did not return to their home in Fullerton and both of their cell phones were turned off, their son said.

By 5 p.m., Acosta said he knew something was wrong, so he headed to Valley View and drove throughout the surrounding area all night, looking for any trace of their vehicle.

He found no trace of them and says he now fears the worst.

“My opinion is that it’s a vehicle crash or they were abducted,” he said. “I really have no answers. I just know something isn’t right and I need to find my parents.”

Acosta said he planned to spend all Monday afternoon continuing his search for his parents. Sheriff’s deputies said search-and-rescue teams are on standby once they have a lead on a specific area to search.

Acosta described them as “two loving, amazing people.”

“My mom has the biggest heart,” he said. “Someone I’ve always known to count on. I’m a mama’s boy.”

The couple was driving a 2014 white Hyundai Sonata with California license plate 7EHE981.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department at 858-565-5200.

Contact Us