Missing Since: 2024-10-10 Location: Costa Mesa, California
Nuetzel was last seen in Costa Mesa, California on October 10, 2024. He has never been heard from again. On October 28, his car was found in the parking lot at Chantry Flat in the Angeles National Forest, just north of Sierra Madre, California. Nuetzel had an active lifestyle at the tmie of his disappearance and had hiked Chantry Flat many times before. Although he hadn’t shared his hiking plans with his family or friends before he disappeared, investigators believe he disappeared while hiking. He went missing only about a week after Chantry Flat reopened to the public; it had been closed for four years due to damage caused by the Bobcat Fire, which burned over 115,000 acres in 2020. Authorities stated the area looked “quite radically different” than it had before the fire. An extensive search turned up no indication of Nuetzel’s whereabouts. His case remains unsolved. Investigating Agency Costa Mesa Police Department 714-754-5373 Source Information California Attorney General’s Office SF Gate Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated October 13, 2025; casefile added.