UPDATE: 12/16/20 – The remains found have been identified as belonging to James “Blackhawk” Escalante. The investigation continues.

“UPDATE 12/15/2020: It is with an extremely heavy heart that I’m posting to let you all know that we got the results of the DNA test back today confirming that the remains found on August 8th are James’s. While he death is still being investigated, at this time there is no evidence of foul play. – Heather Escalante.”

Original Story: James “Blackhawk” Escalante, 56, went missing in the Wonder Valley, CA, area on June 25, 2020. He was on his red bike and had gone to help his girlfriend’s friend who was stuck on Shelton Road in her vehicle. James lived at the other end of Shelton Road.

“Went straight up Shelton, got to the intersection of Shelton and 62 called his girlfriend and said, “I can’t find your friend,” his girlfriend claims that she called the friend on three way and asked her to honk her horn, said she could hear the horn honking. James said I got it and hung up,” James’ daughter-in-law, Heather Escalante told KESQ news.

Now we are finding out that during the search for Erika Lloyd, a red bike was found on Shelton Road. Near by at two different locations, two sets of human remains were found.

One near Amboy Road and Wilson Road and the other set near Shelton Road and Highway 62 were found on August 8,. The police have said that one set is of a man. A cell phone was also found and it is believed to be Escalante’s KESQ reports, but I can’t help wonder why police are not confirming one way or the other.

One set of the  skeletal remains was found about a quarter-mile south of Amboy Road and Wilson Road. The other set was discovered near Shelton Road and Highway 62, east of Twentynine Palms.

Neither sets of remains have been identified.

“We are still actively pursuing this as a missing persons case,” Heather said. “We just want to find out where he is.”

James is stocky, about 5′ 10″ tall, with dark black hair pulled back into a pony tail, and a lot of tattoos.

If you have any information to James Escalante’s disappearance, please call Detective Halloway with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department at 760-366-5707.