Ivan Linan, a Spanish national whose family said he was a professional mountain climber and guide, disappeared off Hwy 36 after an apparent mental health episode on November 29. Searchers, including Southern Humboldt Technical Rescue, combed the nearby area but were unable to find him.

According to family, there have been several unconfirmed reports of sightings in the local area including one by a hotel clerk in Garberville on the evening of Wednesday, November 29. Other unconfirmed sitings include Arcata and Eureka. The last one was more than a week ago. They are hoping to remind people to look for him.

The family provided us with information given to them by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The piece said in part, that Ivan Linan and several friends…

were employed by an unknown person and were working on a marijuana cultivation site located in the area of Mad River Trinity County California. I was told by Fernandez and other subjects who knew him and were working with Liñan, that his behavior was becoming strange approximately two week before the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was described that Liñan was becoming less social with others and increasingly paranoid. Liñan had been smoking marijuana and on the Thanksgiving holiday had consumed an hallucinogenic (LSD). Liñan’s behavior continued to get worse. On Monday, November 27th. Fernandez drove Liñan into Eureka and booked a hotel room at the Travel Lodge. Fernandez spoke to Liñan that night about arranging for him to return to Spain. On Tuesday, November 28th Fernandez was driving Liñan back to the Mad River area from Eureka in order to get a different vehicle to travel to Oakland International Airport on Wednesday. Liñan was the passenger and Fernandez was the driver. Liñan’s behavior had become increasingly strange and paranoid according to Fernandez. While driving East Bound on Highway 36, Liñan grabbed the steering wheel and steered the vehicle to the road side where the vehicle had a minor collision with a fallen tree. This occurred around 8 PM at night. Fernandez stated that there were no injuries sustained from this collision. Liñan became assaultive with Fernandez and a physical altercation was initiated by Liñan over obtaining a cell phone which belonged to Fernandez….Fernandez last saw Liñan run into a wooded area heading south from their location on Highway 36.

There is a reward for his return. Below is a poster provided by his family.



Earlier Chapters: See more photos of the missing man at these links.