Lala Sauta and her family have been worried about her brother since May 16th. That’s the day Anesi Sauta’s 11-year-old daughter went to wake him up to say goodbye before she left for school but he wasn’t there. Lala’s brother’s phone was gone but his wallet was still in his pants from the night before. [UPDATE Friday: According to Anesi’s wife, he texted her on the 17th.]

Lala says that on the evening of the 15th, Anesi was with someone when he received a call from Dan Nguyen, his brother-in-law, saying he would pick him up later.

No one has heard from Anesi since. The last call Anesi made was from Orange County where he lives with his oldest daughter. (His other two young children live with his wife, Dan’s sister.)

A friend of Dan’s told Lala’s family that he had rented a silver Jeep Cherokee with license plate 7UGP903 for Dan, Anesi, and the two others. He told them that the men were taking the vehicle to the Mad River, California area. The rental was supposed to last two days.

Lala and other family members of Anesi, Dan, and Johnson went to Mad River on Monday, the 22nd to search for the missing friends. A waitress at the Mad River Burger Bar said she had seen the four men on the 20th. Later, a worker at the post office said that Dan Nguyen had asked to use the phone on the 22nd.

Dan Nguyen reportedly has contacts in the Mad River area but the family has not been able to get in touch.

Anesi Sauta is a 29-year-old Samoan man who is 5’11 and weighs about 190 lbs. He has black hair and dark brown eyes. If you have any information about Anesi or his friends, please contact the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office at (530) 623-2611.

UPDATE 5:45 p.m.: The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office released the following information: