Man, 81, Disappears After Marrying Childhood Sweetheart

An 81- year-old Placentia man who recently married his childhood sweetheart was still missing Thursday, police said.

Robert "Bob" Merle Harrod was last seen at his home in the 500 block  of Carnation Drive about 1:30 p.m. Monday.

He married Fontelle Harrod June 29 in Fullerton, and she went to Kansas City to move her belongings and bring her dog to his Placentia home.

When she arrived Tuesday, he was missing, said Placentia  police Detective Corinne Loomis.

Police are checking telephone records, possible credit card charges and  other evidence that might provide clues to where he went, Loomis said.

"We're going to look into bank activity, identify bank accounts and get  phone records," the detective said.

Police will also determine whether any of his movements, as outlined by  witnesses in the days before he disappeared, can be confirmed by surveillance  tape.

For instance, she said, Harrod's son-in-law told police that he went to  a Home Depot on Monday, and when he returned, Harrod was gone.

Surveillance tape at the Home Depot might corroborate that account, or  show something different, such as that Harrod was at the business with the son- in-law, she said.

There are no suspects or any indication at this point as to what might  have happened, she stressed.

Loomis said she talked to Fontelle Harrod last night after her return  from Kansas City.

"I talked to her at length last night," Loomis said. "She does not  understand for the life of her what's happened. She came home to a house full  of his kids and relatives and there's no Bob. She's totally confused and  scared."

Family members said Harrod was looking forward to his new wife's return,  Loomis said.

He has three daughters, with one living in Running Springs and another in Diamond Bar. Loomis did not know where the third daughter lived.

The couple were engaged for a time in the 1940s, broke up, then recently reunited, Loomis said. They married June 29 at the Fullerton Justice Center, six days after reconnecting.

The pair spoke twice daily by telephone while she was away, most  recently Sunday evening, Loomis said.

Bob Harrod, with help from his daughter and son-in-law, had been  rearranging things in his home to accommodate his new wife.

"There's all kinds of speculative theories, such as foul play, family  issues," Loomis said.

He took his wallet and keys, but there has been no activity on bank  accounts that police have initially been aware of, she said.

He is not believed to have his cell phone with him, and his car is in  the driveway, Loomis said.

Harrod has some short-term memory problems typical of people his age, but Loomis said he had left notes at the house that were cogent and lucid. She said police do not suspect he became confused and wandered away.

Harrod was known to take walks near his home, but none of neighbors remembered seeing him since Saturday, Loomis said.