Full Breakdown
Search for Missing Sexually Violent Predator Merle Wakefield Continues
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Disappearance and Ongoing Search
A GPS monitoring device worn by Merle Wakefield, a 69-year-old convicted child sex offender, sounded a tamper alert at a worksite in Rancho Bernardo early Friday morning. Liberty Healthcare, the state contractor supervising his conditional release, arrived to find the device removed and Wakefield absent. The sheriff’s office and San Diego police were notified, and a county-wide alert was issued. Authorities describe Wakefield as 5 ft 10 in, about 230 lb, with brown eyes, and have asked the public to report any sightings to law enforcement or Crime Stoppers.
Release History and Supervision Program
Wakefield has been under the state’s Conditional Release Program since November 2024 after convictions in 1980 and 1991 for lewd acts with a child under 14 and rape by force. The program requires GPS monitoring, unannounced home visits, surveillance, and a court-ordered 24-hour in-person supervisor wherever the individual resides. Prior to his current placement, a judge granted a transient release in October 2024 rather than assigning him to a designated residence, a decision that sparked community opposition.
Official Statements & Responses
State Sen. Brian Jones expressed concern that the release placed a tracking device on Wakefield without guaranteeing effective supervision. The Department of State Hospitals noted that court rulings ultimately determine whether a sexually violent predator may be conditionally released.
Criticism of Release Policy
Local officials have repeatedly questioned the decision to release Wakefield without a fixed address. The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office also opposed the release, citing limited monitoring capabilities. Sen. Jones called for an audit of California’s sexually violent predator program, noting that about 36 % of participants had violated release terms and urging that such individuals remain in state hospitals rather than community settings.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s a shell game that puts a community at risk,” — Steve Vaus, poway mayor
- “Supposedly, he’s going to have a tracking device,” — State Sen. Brian Jones, out to senator