At-risk Santa Rosa man still missing; family, authorities continue search for Larry Atchison

Authorities and community members are continuing to search for a Santa Rosa man with dementia, who went missing Feb. 27.

Lawrence “Larry” Atchison, 64, was last seen at about 4:45 p.m. after leaving his home in Bennett Valley. The search, initially conducted by agencies such as the Santa Rosa Police Department and the Sonoma County Search and Rescue Team, began later that day.

As of Sunday, Santa Rosa police were continuing to go through information and follow leads, but the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has taken over most of the physical searching efforts, Santa Rosa Police Sgt. Travis Dunn said.

A search of local creeks by the Sheriff’s Office’s volunteer dive team on Saturday did not locate anything, Deputy Rob Dillion, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office, said Sunday.

Dillion did not know the specific creeks that were searched.

Authorities are advising residents to check the footage of their security cameras, as well as their “yards, outbuildings, cars, under brush, under porches, decks, any places someone might hide or seek shelter. Drainage entrances, etc.”

In addition to local authorities, community members and family of Atchison, a retired truck driver, have been conducting their own searches.

Atchison was diagnosed with dementia about three years ago. On Feb. 27, he disappeared while his wife, who he usually stays very close to, was in a bathroom for about 15 minutes.

Sean Natividad, one of Atchison’s nephews, said the family had never worried about him disappearing because he rarely left his wife’s side. He described her as Atchison’s “security blanket.”

“It was very out of character for what we’ve seen even in the last few years for him to just open the door and take off,” Natividad added.

Family members organized their own search efforts the day after he walked out the door of his home on Leafwood Circle. Atchison is 6 feet tall, 200 pounds and was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and black shoes. He has grey hair and brown eyes and was last seen on foot, officials said

Natividad, 36, said the family has been checking in each morning, afternoon and night to organize, assign tasks and debrief. Most nights they meet at Atchison’s house.

They began searching in the city of Santa Rosa and then expanded their search zones on Friday to include most of the cities and towns in Sonoma County — Healdsburg, Windsor, Guerneville, Forestville, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Cotati, Rohnert Park and Sonoma.

The group first began looking for Atchison on foot but is now focused on putting up flyers, asking for surveillance footage and spreading awareness, Natividad said

He said he spent three hours Sunday putting up flyers in Petaluma and some areas of Cotati. Three banners with information on Atchison were initially put up around Santa Rosa, but family members had to take them down because they didn’t have permission to post them.

The family and its task force of close friends, which includes up to 40 cousins, communicates through a text thread.

Those outside the family’s inner circle are encouraged to offer help or word of any sightings via a Facebook group that has been created.

The group, “Finding Lawrence (aka "Larry") Atchison in Santa Rosa,” had about 990 members as of Sunday afternoon.

In the group, members post about checking their security cameras, what they saw as they drove around looking for Atchison or ask other members to spread awareness by posting flyers or inviting others to the group.

Group member Michael Bracewell posted Sunday that he’d driven about 15 miles Saturday around the Bennett Valley area, looking for Atchison.

“As I made each turn I was hoping I would find him, which didn’t happen. I did see lots of his family walking looking for him,” he said in his post. “I pray every day that Larry is found and brought back to his family. If anyone sees him, please stay with him and call 911 right away, do not keep driving or walking and not call.”

Natividad said even though Atchison’s family is large and so many people are willing to help, many of the relatives are exhausted. Some took off work to assist in looking for Atchison. Others traveled from out of state to help.

“It’s just been long days with not a lot of sleep for everyone,” he said. “At some point there is a threshold on how much time people can give. It really feels like it has been a full-time job for six days.”

Natividad said in no way is the search a burden but that at some point people in the family will need to return to their jobs.

“At what point does everybody start their lives again?” he added.

Natividad said the family is working hard and still holding out for just one clue to where Atchison might have gone.

“It’s just the unknown that kind of eats at you a little bit,” he said. “We would like some answers. We would like something.”

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @madi.smals.