It’s been over 48 hours since a convicted child sex offender and violent rapist effectively disappeared into thin air, and the vibes in San Diego are officially off. Merle Wakefield, 69, went missing early Friday morning while at a worksite in Rancho Bernardo. According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, his GPS monitor triggered a “Tamper Mode” alert around 3:30 a.m. By the time supervisors from Liberty Healthcare—the state contractor tasked with his monitoring—arrived on the scene, the device was gone, and so was Wakefield. ## The real tea on his release Wakefield has a history dating back to convictions in 1980 and 1991 for lewd acts with a child under 14 and rape by force. He had been on conditional release since November 2024, a decision that local officials had previously fought hard against. San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond didn't hold back on Facebook, calling out the state for its failure to keep him supervised. “That’s how easy it was,” Desmond wrote. “The state released him into our community... and promised he’d be monitored and supervised. Less than two years later, he’s missing and wanted.” Previously, Poway Mayor Steve Vaus and the District Attorney’s Office warned that placing Wakefield in a transient status without a fixed address was a “shell game” that put residents at risk. An audit of the state’s program found that a staggering 36% of participants had violated their release terms. ## What this means for you If you are in the San Diego area, keep your eyes peeled but stay safe. Wakefield is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing 230 pounds with brown eyes. Authorities are stressing that if you spot him, do not engage. Real talk: do not approach him under any circumstances. Call 911 or your local law enforcement immediately.