Friends Plan Search For Man Who Fell Into Bay Near AT&T Park
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Friends of a Los Angeles Dodgers fan who may have fallen into the water at San Francisco's Pier 30-32 Monday after a baseball game are organizing a search effort to find him.
Victor Murillo, a 27-year-old correctional officer who works in Vacaville, was last seen on Pier 30-32 just off the Embarcadero at Bryant Street on Monday around 10:30 p.m.
Murillo and his friend had just come from a San Francisco Giants game against the Dodgers at AT&T Park, U.S. Coast Guard officials said earlier this week.
Murillo's friend told searchers he looked away momentarily, and when he looked back, Murillo was no longer on the pier, according to the Coast Guard.
A search was conducted by the Coast Guard and San Francisco Fire Department crews, but it was called off around 1 p.m. Tuesday.
Around 30 or 40 of Murillo's friends were out on the waterfront Friday, distributing flyers and looking for volunteers to help conduct another search of the area, said Anthony Ornelas, a friend and co-worker.
In particular, Ornelas said they're looking for people with boats willing to get out on the water to check the waterfront and the area near Treasure Island.
He said it seems certain Murillo fell into the water, since there was "only a 30-second window when there were no eyes on him."
"We're just hoping to find him dead or alive," Ornelas said.
Murillo, a Woodland resident, moved to Northern California from the Los Angeles area around five years ago to get a job, and has been "trying to get back home ever since," Ornelas said.
"He was really into Southern California sports teams, he loved sporting events," Ornelas said. "He lived life to the fullest really. He was always down to have a good time, and he was an all-around good guy and good co-worker."
Members of Murillo's family are expected to fly into the Bay Area this weekend to help with the search.
San Francisco police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said police continue to investigate Murillo's disappearance.
"It's an open, active investigation," Esparza said. "We're looking into all possibilities."
Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the search this weekend should call Ornelas at (707) 333-1767 or Ashley Long at (707) 486-9835.
Anyone with information on Murillo's disappearance is asked to call San Francisco police at (415) 575-4444 or send a text message to TIP411.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
