Christopher Schafer was 28 years old when his family in El Cajon last saw him in August 1997 — nearly 27 years ago, sheriff’s officials said.
Twelve years ago, human bones were discovered in rural East County. A decade passed before investigators learned they were the skeletal remains of long-missing Christopher Schafer. Now, investigators are pushing anew to figure out what happened to him.
Schafer was 28 years old when his family in El Cajon last saw him in August 1997 — nearly 27 years ago, sheriff’s Detective Jessica Kuehn said in a news release Friday.
In 2012, his bones were found in Sloane Canyon in the Alpine area, she said. But it wasn’t until 2022 that the Medical Examiner’s Office, using familial DNA, learned the remains belonged to Schafer. He was known to frequent Sycuan Casino and Viejas Casino in East County.
“The Sheriff’s Homicide Unit would like to talk to anyone who may have information about Schafer and what may have happened to him,” Kuehn said.
Anyone with information about the case was asked to call Kuehn (858) 285-6361.