Search-and-rescue personnel looking for a missing 76- year-old Alzheimer's patient in the Fallbrook area Monday found a body a short distance from the man's abandoned car.
The discovery occurred shortly after 11 a.m., less than 12 hours after searchers located the silver 2007 Infinity G35 belonging to Murrieta resident Robert Cricks.
The San Diego County Medical Examiner's Office was called in to take custody of the body for identification and autopsy purposes.
Cricks' wife reported him missing Thursday morning, after he abruptly drove off in their car in the 40000 block of Winchester Road in Riverside County when she stepped out to run a quick errand.
He had no money or cell phone with him at the time, and authorities believed his cognitive problems likely would have prevented him from finding his way home or to any other familiar location.
