Escaped Sexually Violent Predator Found Dead in San Diego

An escaped sexually violent predator has been found dead in San Diego County, a month after disappearing from custody. Authorities say 69-year-old Merle Wakefield escaped on September 25th in Rancho Bernardo after cutting off his GPS monitoring device and leaving behind his cell phone. His body was discovered Monday morning in a riverbed along Fairmount Avenue, between the Kensington neighborhood and the College Area in San Diego. Wakefield had been convicted of sex crimes against children during the 1980s and 1990s. After serving his sentence, he was released by the state of California as a transient in San Diego County. Authorities had been searching for Wakefield since his escape, which prompted concerns about public safety. Officials have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death. It remains unclear how he died or how long his body had been at the location before it was discovered. The investigation into his death is ongoing.