ELKO, Nev. - A missing California man may have been fatally mauled by a mountain lion in a remote section of Elko County, Sheriff Neil Harris said Tuesday.
Torn, bloody clothing found not too far from the abandoned vehicle of Dennis Dorsey, 49, of Walnut Creek, indicates some sort of animal attack, Harris said.
Money, keys and other personal property also were found in the same area near the mining town of Midas, 220 miles northeast of Reno. They're believed to be those of Dorsey.
Harris said dogs would begin a search Wednesday morning for mountain lion dens in the area, where they hope to find human remains necessary for a positive identification.
Dorsey was reported missing by his wife nearly a month ago after he failed to return from a 10-day fishing and hiking trip.
He was last heard from Oct. 13 when he reportedly called from Orovada, 45 miles north of Winnemucca, to say he was heading for the Idaho border to explore the region.
The rugged region near the Owyhee Desert was described by authorities as prime mountain lion habitat.
