News

Body of missing Stanford nurse found near Dumbarton Bridge

Discovery ends two-day search for Michael Odell in the Don Edwards wildlife refuge

A search effort for a Stanford Hospital nurse who disappeared on Tuesday ended on Thursday with the discovery of his body, the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau has confirmed.

Michael Odell. Courtesy Find Michael Odell Facebook page.

A deputy sheriff with the coroner's bureau said the deceased man is 27-year-old Michael Odell. No cause of death was available on Thursday night.

According to a public Facebook page, Odell, 27, a traveling ICU nurse, walked off his job at the hospital at about 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 18 in the middle of his shift. Odell's car was found on Tuesday morning parked in a dirt pullout just to the east of the Dumbarton Bridge. Friends said they think he might have walked out into the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a marshy area known for its wildlife.

The coroner's bureau confirmed to the Weekly on Thursday afternoon that a body was recovered in the area.

Odell's family lives in Oklahoma, according to the Facebook posts on the public group Find Michael Odell.

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Friends organized search parties, they said on the Facebook page. The California Highway Patrol's Hayward area office is the lead investigating agency and had been searching with its allied agencies since Tuesday, CHP Hayward spokesperson Officer Kylie Musselman said. On Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard joined the search but didn't find anything. Musselman said investigating agencies were conducting their search by air and ground.

A search helicopter was circling the refuge wetlands on Thursday afternoon, according to data from flightradar24.com.

In a statement, Stanford Health Care said, "Upon being informed that a traveling nurse with Stanford Health Care may be missing, we alerted authorities and are working with them to help confirm this nurse's whereabouts. We are deeply concerned and hope that this nurse is found quickly and safely."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hayward CHP office at 510-489-1500 or 911.

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Sue Dremann
 
Sue Dremann is a veteran journalist who joined the Palo Alto Weekly in 2001. She is a breaking news and general assignment reporter who also covers the regional environmental, health and crime beats. Read more >>

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Body of missing Stanford nurse found near Dumbarton Bridge

Discovery ends two-day search for Michael Odell in the Don Edwards wildlife refuge

by / Palo Alto Weekly

Uploaded: Thu, Jan 20, 2022, 9:51 am
Updated: Thu, Jan 20, 2022, 8:22 pm

A search effort for a Stanford Hospital nurse who disappeared on Tuesday ended on Thursday with the discovery of his body, the Alameda County Coroner's Bureau has confirmed.

A deputy sheriff with the coroner's bureau said the deceased man is 27-year-old Michael Odell. No cause of death was available on Thursday night.

According to a public Facebook page, Odell, 27, a traveling ICU nurse, walked off his job at the hospital at about 4:30 a.m. on Jan. 18 in the middle of his shift. Odell's car was found on Tuesday morning parked in a dirt pullout just to the east of the Dumbarton Bridge. Friends said they think he might have walked out into the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a marshy area known for its wildlife.

The coroner's bureau confirmed to the Weekly on Thursday afternoon that a body was recovered in the area.

Odell's family lives in Oklahoma, according to the Facebook posts on the public group Find Michael Odell.

Friends organized search parties, they said on the Facebook page. The California Highway Patrol's Hayward area office is the lead investigating agency and had been searching with its allied agencies since Tuesday, CHP Hayward spokesperson Officer Kylie Musselman said. On Wednesday, the U.S. Coast Guard joined the search but didn't find anything. Musselman said investigating agencies were conducting their search by air and ground.

A search helicopter was circling the refuge wetlands on Thursday afternoon, according to data from flightradar24.com.

In a statement, Stanford Health Care said, "Upon being informed that a traveling nurse with Stanford Health Care may be missing, we alerted authorities and are working with them to help confirm this nurse's whereabouts. We are deeply concerned and hope that this nurse is found quickly and safely."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Hayward CHP office at 510-489-1500 or 911.

Comments

Fritzie Blue
Registered user
Stanford
on Jan 20, 2022 at 10:28 am
Fritzie Blue, Stanford
Registered user
on Jan 20, 2022 at 10:28 am

He looks like a nice person. I truly hope he is found safely, and soon.


NanaDi
Registered user
Midtown
on Jan 20, 2022 at 10:39 am
NanaDi, Midtown
Registered user
on Jan 20, 2022 at 10:39 am
Bystander
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 20, 2022 at 10:46 am
Bystander, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Jan 20, 2022 at 10:46 am

Thanks for the link to the Facebook group.

I hope he can be found safely soon.


Local Wisdom
Registered user
Old Palo Alto
on Jan 20, 2022 at 6:46 pm
Local Wisdom, Old Palo Alto
Registered user
on Jan 20, 2022 at 6:46 pm
Jennifer
Registered user
another community
on Jan 20, 2022 at 8:25 pm
Jennifer, another community
Registered user
on Jan 20, 2022 at 8:25 pm

Very sad. Prayers.


vmshadle
Registered user
Meadow Park
on Jan 20, 2022 at 9:36 pm
vmshadle, Meadow Park
Registered user
on Jan 20, 2022 at 9:36 pm

I am so, so sorry. May his family, friends, and colleagues find peace somehow, and may his name be for a blessing.


Bystander
Registered user
Another Palo Alto neighborhood
on Jan 21, 2022 at 11:38 am
Bystander, Another Palo Alto neighborhood
Registered user
on Jan 21, 2022 at 11:38 am

This is so sad.

People are really suffering and this pandemic is nearing 2 years of restrictions.

So very sad.


Fritzie Blue
Registered user
Stanford
on Jan 21, 2022 at 11:19 pm
Fritzie Blue, Stanford
Registered user
on Jan 21, 2022 at 11:19 pm

Such sad news. It just shows we never really know what those around us, and even those close to us, are dealing with, and for many these last couple years it has been a lot.

Condolences to Michael's family and friends, and all who cared about him.


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