Missing man likely disappeared voluntarily

The family of John Stivers pleads for his return after investigators call off their search

A day after the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office ruled out foul play or criminal activity in the disappearance of Lake Tulloch campground owner John Stivers, his wife told The Union Democrat she now believes he left by his own choice.

“I’m blindsided,” said Michele Parker Stivers. “I would have fought to the death to say he wouldn’t have done this to his family, to his child, to his parents. With that being said, I also just want him to be safe, I want him to be found and I want him to let someone know that he is OK.”

John Stivers disappeared under mysterious circumstances just over a month ago, on Aug. 2, leaving only a checkered timeline of his whereabouts and an unoccupied van on Campo Seco Road

between Jamestown and Sonora.

He was last seen by his wife at their Copperopolis home and spoke to her on the phone about 2:15 p.m. He reportedly made a deposit about 3 p.m. at Oak Valley Bank in Sonora. His 15-passenger white Chevrolet van was reported as a suspicious vehicle, parked on Campo Seco Road, to the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office at 7:49 p.m.

Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Niccoli Sandelin told The Union Democrat on Friday that the Sheriff’s Office would not release the evidence they uncovered that eliminated the suspicions of criminal activity or foul play.

He said all of the information known to the Sheriff’s Office was provided to Michele Stivers, and they would not be releasing any other information related to the case.

“We understand this incident has deeply affected our community, and we empathize with the passion everyone has shown towards the effort to locate Mr. Stivers,” the release stated. “Out of respect for the Stivers family and the privacy of John Stivers, no further information will be released.”

Sandelin confirmed that Stivers would remain on the missing persons database at the request of the family. He said he did not know whether Stivers would have remained there without the family request.

John Stivers’ mother, Janet Stivers, as well as Michele Stivers, told The Union Democrat that they do not know of anyone — including law enforcement — who had contact with John Stivers since his disappearance.

They both said they believe he is still alive.

“I’d like John to know how many people who have cared enough to look for him,” Janet Stivers said. “I just think he had to get away, and it was overwhelming.”

Over the course of the investigation, a shocked community gathered around Michele Stivers and their daughter, Karlie, 14. Search parties logged countless hours and miles, hunting for any sign of John Stivers. Thousands of fliers and banners were disseminated in Tuolumne County and beyond. Stories and articles were plastered through print and broadcast media. Prayer vigils were held. A Facebook group called “Find John Stivers” has more than 5,500 members and is a daily hotbed of speculation and discussion surrounding his disappearance and condition.

The family is now offering a reward of $25,000 for information leading to John Stivers’ safe return, and a Go-fund-me page set up for the family has raised nearly $20,000.

Still, the apparent lack of information indicating where John Stivers may be now and his current condition has left many, including Michele Stivers, taken aback.

“I am 100% relieved that he wasn’t hurt by somebody else or taken or involved in anything criminal or a victim to anything criminal, but I’m equally as scared that by doing this what his intentions are,” she said. “I don’t know.”

She said his motivations for disappearing voluntarily were unknown. There was some suspicion someone may have assisted in his disappearance, she said, but that also is still unverified.

“I guess he had a level of stress that no one understood,” she said.

Sandelin previously told The Union Democrat that detectives were waiting on the results of search warrants, investigating phone tips and evaluating forensic evidence from Stivers’ vehicle.

Sandelin said the search warrants were made on John Stivers’ phone records and social media sites. Deputies have received hundreds of telephone calls from the public related to the case.

Sandelin said he could not share if there was evidence revealed by the search warrants that led to the Sheriff’s Office’s conclusion.

Michelle Stivers said she would maintain her plea for John Stivers to come home, even now as the investigation is considered over because his actions were not classified as criminal.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get through this without the love and support of everyone,” she said. “We want to put it out there that we want him to come home. We want him to get in touch with somebody. There’s nothing that cant be resolved. We’ll keep looking. I will always have my eye out.”