Topline: A 53-year-old man who vanished after getting out of the Santa Barbara County Jail was found dead a week later on a brush-covered hillside just a few hundred feet from the facility.
Published: September 1, 2026 11:34 am ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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SANTA BARBARA, CA — A 53-year-old Kern County man who was released from the Santa Barbara County Jail after a DUI arrest was found dead a week later on a hillside just a few hundred feet from the jail, leaving investigators trying to determine how he ended up there and what caused his death.
David Mireles of Shafter was arrested Aug. 19 on suspicion of driving under the influence and released Aug. 20, according to authorities. More than five hours after his release, the California Highway Patrol notified the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office that Mireles had been reported missing from Shafter.
In a statement cited by the Los Angeles Times, sheriff’s officials said deputies then carried out an extensive search of the jail property and surrounding area, including nearby businesses and places often frequented by people recently released from custody, but they did not find him at the time.
Mireles’ body was discovered Thursday by a custodian working on county property. Authorities said the location was down in vegetation off the walkway, in an area that would have required someone to leave the path, enter the brush, and look down into the hillside to see him.
Investigators believe Mireles had likely been in that location since around the time he was released from jail. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active, and his cause of death had not been determined as of Friday.
The case echoes another Southern California incident from earlier this year in which a man released from an Azusa police facility after a DUI arrest was later found dead in a patrol car outside the building. In that case, the Los Angeles County medical examiner determined the man died from extreme heat.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Missing Man Found Dead Steps From Santa Barbara Jail After Release
A 53-year-old man who vanished after getting out of the Santa Barbara County Jail was found dead a week later on a brush-covered hillside just a few hundred feet from the facility.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 1, 2026 11:34 am ET
SANTA BARBARA, CA — A 53-year-old Kern County man who was released from the Santa Barbara County Jail after a DUI arrest was found dead a week later on a hillside just a few hundred feet from the jail, leaving investigators trying to determine how he ended up there and what caused his death.
David Mireles of Shafter was arrested Aug. 19 on suspicion of driving under the influence and released Aug. 20, according to authorities. More than five hours after his release, the California Highway Patrol notified the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office that Mireles had been reported missing from Shafter.
In a statement cited by the Los Angeles Times, sheriff’s officials said deputies then carried out an extensive search of the jail property and surrounding area, including nearby businesses and places often frequented by people recently released from custody, but they did not find him at the time.
Mireles’ body was discovered Thursday by a custodian working on county property. Authorities said the location was down in vegetation off the walkway, in an area that would have required someone to leave the path, enter the brush, and look down into the hillside to see him.
Investigators believe Mireles had likely been in that location since around the time he was released from jail. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active, and his cause of death had not been determined as of Friday.
The case echoes another Southern California incident from earlier this year in which a man released from an Azusa police facility after a DUI arrest was later found dead in a patrol car outside the building. In that case, the Los Angeles County medical examiner determined the man died from extreme heat.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Missing Man Found Dead Steps From Santa Barbara Jail After Release
A 53-year-old man who vanished after getting out of the Santa Barbara County Jail was found dead a week later on a brush-covered hillside just a few hundred feet from the facility.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: September 1, 2026 11:34 am ET
SANTA BARBARA, CA — A 53-year-old Kern County man who was released from the Santa Barbara County Jail after a DUI arrest was found dead a week later on a hillside just a few hundred feet from the jail, leaving investigators trying to determine how he ended up there and what caused his death.
David Mireles of Shafter was arrested Aug. 19 on suspicion of driving under the influence and released Aug. 20, according to authorities. More than five hours after his release, the California Highway Patrol notified the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office that Mireles had been reported missing from Shafter.
In a statement cited by the Los Angeles Times, sheriff’s officials said deputies then carried out an extensive search of the jail property and surrounding area, including nearby businesses and places often frequented by people recently released from custody, but they did not find him at the time.
Mireles’ body was discovered Thursday by a custodian working on county property. Authorities said the location was down in vegetation off the walkway, in an area that would have required someone to leave the path, enter the brush, and look down into the hillside to see him.
Investigators believe Mireles had likely been in that location since around the time he was released from jail. The sheriff’s office said the investigation remains active, and his cause of death had not been determined as of Friday.
The case echoes another Southern California incident from earlier this year in which a man released from an Azusa police facility after a DUI arrest was later found dead in a patrol car outside the building. In that case, the Los Angeles County medical examiner determined the man died from extreme heat.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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