Body Found Confirmed As Missing Lake Elsinore Man

The search for a missing 63-year-old Lake Elsinore man who suffered from dementia has officially ended.

in the city of Lake Elsinore, Sgt. Marc Cloutier of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed.

The body was found in mud near reeds by three residents riding on horseback, the sergeant said.

“They recognized the man from flyers circulating in reference to Craig Staneart's missing person investigation and immediately called the police,” he said.

The Staneart family has been notified and are requesting privacy for a time to mourn, the sergeant added.

A cause of death is yet to be determined by the Riverside County Coroner, but severe weather conditions at the time of Staneart’s initial disappearance are suspected to be a contributing factor, Cloutier said.

The Lake Elsinore man went missing Feb. 7 around 5:30 p.m. from has Maes Avenue home. His family searched for him through the night and an intensive police search was initiated the next day when family reported him missing.

Staneart is survived by his wife of 42 years, four adult children, and grandchildren.

The family moved to Lake Elsinore from Orange County in 1979. Staneart was a general contractor during his career and shortly before his dementia diagnosis was going through the process of applying for the a position with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, his family said.

He was described by the family as a fit man who loved people.