Missing Man Found; Police Trying to Determine If Foul Play Was Involved

A 22-year-old man who went missing after taking his dog for a walk in the West Adams district was found Friday in the Los Angeles Police Department's Pacific Division, police said.

Darwin Vela, who had last been seen about 9 p.m. Tuesday in the 2900 block of South Redondo Boulevard, was located about 1:30 p.m., police said.

Details of his disappearance were not released.

Earlier, police had said that detectives would try to determine if foul play was involved in the disappearance.     

Vela had failed to return home after taking his dog for a walk. The dog returned without Vela, whose girlfriend had said there was blood on the dog's leash and that the dog appeared agitated and upset.

LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith said Friday that police were analyzing the substance, and were working to determine if foul play was involved in the man's disappearance. He declined to comment on a report in the Los Angeles Times that Vela and his girlfriend were supposed to testify Thursday in a criminal case involving a burglary at the home of actor Nicolas Cage's ex-girlfriend.

Anyone with information on the case was urged to contact the LAPD's Missing Persons Unit at (213) 996-1800. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.