A 31-year-old Cortez resident remains missing after more than a week of searching by law enforcement.
According to Montezuma County Sheriff Steve Nowlin, Erick Hurley was last seen Friday, March 17 at 21285 County Road P. He was reported missing on March 18, and hasn’t been heard from since. Despite “two or three full, solid days of searching” by sheriff’s deputies and search and rescue teams, as well as interviews with neighbors and family members, Nowlin said he still had no concrete leads on Hurley’s whereabouts as of Tuesday.
“We’ve searched through the canyons, the fields, the draws, and there’s been no sign of anything,” Nowlin said. “He’s missing all right.”
He said there is no evidence of foul play in Hurley’s disappearance, and it’s not clear whether he is at risk.
Montezuma County Detective Bryce Queen said Hurley left his vehicle and identification at his parents’ house.
“He likely left on foot or was picked up by someone,” Queen said.
Hurley’s mother, Carol, said she last heard from him on March 17. She said there was no indication that he planned to leave town or that anything was wrong.
“This is not like him,” she said. “We’re very close, and we’ve always kept in close touch.”
In addition to sheriff’s deputies, several search and rescue teams, including the Dolores K-9 team, have searched the area around County Road P with no results. Nowlin said the lack of evidence in the immediate area leads him to believe Hurley was picked up.
Hurley is 5 feet and 10 inches tall, weighs 195 pounds and has blue eyes. According to Carol Hurley, his head was shaved when he was last seen.
Although Hurley’s close relatives and neighbors have been interviewed, Queen encouraged anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact the sheriff’s office immediately.
Carol Hurley echoed that request, and said the community has supported her family ever since her son went missing.
“Thank you to everyone who has been so kind and concerned for us,” she said.