The bodies of James Fuller, 61, and his brother Eric Fuller, 60, were discovered on June 25 near a wrecked vehicle off State Route 166 in California—nearly three weeks after they were reported missing.
The brothers were last seen on June 6 when they left their hometown of Cuyama around 3:00 p.m. to drive approximately 130 miles to a doctor’s appointment in Santa Maria. When they never arrived, their family reported them missing and launched a public search.
“Since that day, neither of their phones has been reachable. All calls went straight to voicemail,” wrote James’ daughter, Krystle Scott, in a Facebook post. The pair had been traveling in a blue 1998 GMC two-door pickup.
The tragic discovery was made around 10:30 a.m. on June 25 by a California Department of Transportation worker who spotted an overturned vehicle hidden in dense brush along an embankment near Old Sierra Madre Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The family later confirmed that the bodies found at the scene were James and Eric, though the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office says DNA testing is being conducted for official confirmation.
“It is with unimaginable sadness that we share the search for James and Eric Fuller has come to an end,” the family wrote on a GoFundMe page. “They were found yesterday morning deep in the canyon by Caltrans.”
The family described the 21-day search as exhausting and heartbreaking, noting that a tipster had claimed to see the truck near a sharp curve, but without an exact location, CHP searches had turned up nothing.
“This is not the outcome any of us prayed for,” the family added. “Our hearts are broken.” The GoFundMe campaign has raised over $1,400 of its $10,000 goal to help with funeral expenses.
According to KSBY News, the Fuller brothers were raised in Pismo Beach and were beloved by a large family, including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “They were very loved,” Scott said.
The crash appears to have been accidental, according to authorities, though the investigation is ongoing. The California Highway Patrol and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office have not yet commented publicly on the case.
