Rancho Bernardo Man, 83, Found Dead in Alpine
An 83-year-old Rancho Bernardo man who had been missing since Thursday was found dead Sunday morning in Alpine.
The body of Benjamin Ratner was discovered on a dirt road about a mile south of a dead end at the eastern end of Alpine Boulevard, according to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Chris Von Olmhousen. Ratner’s 1977 Cadillac Seville was found about 200 feet away, stuck in the dirt, Von Olmhousen said.
Though the cause of Ratner’s death is still undetermined, homicide detectives said there were no signs of foul play.
Sheriff’s deputies responding to a call about a body on the road made the discovery at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, and quickly determined that the deceased man was Ratner.
Ratner’s family had reported him missing at noon Thursday, after he failed to pick up his wife, Bernice, at a beauty parlor, as planned.
The family had set up a telephone hot line to receive information about Ratner and were offering a reward for information leading to his safe return.
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