Name: Robert Merle ‘Bob’ Harrod
Age: 81 years old
Last seen: July 27, 2009
Location: Placentia, California
Status: Still Missing
Disappeared: Season 6 Episode 13 “Long Lost Love”
Case Information
81-year-old Robert Harrod was last seen in Placentia, California on July 27, 2009.
He disappeared after spending the afternoon doing work at his home on Carnation Drive in preparation for the arrival of his newlywed wife.
Background
Robert Harrod was born on January 6, 1928. He was married to Georgia Harrod with whom he had three daughters. The family moved from Monrovia to Placentia, California in 2002.
After his wife passed away after a prolonged illness in 2008, Harrod reconnected with Fontelle Hetter, a woman he had been engaged to in Missouri before the Korean War. They separated when Harrod joined the military, with both of them later marrying on their own.
On June 29, 2009, Harrod got married to Fontelle Hetter at the county courthouse in Fullerton, and they were planning to move in together to his Plancentia home in Orange County, California.
Harrod owned several properties and other assets that were worth approximately $5 million. He left behind three daughters, a grandson, and three great-grandchildren.
Disappearance
On July 27, 2009, Harrod was at his residence at 522 Carnation Drive in central Placentia, California. He was working on repairs with his son-in-law between 11:00 a.m and 12:00 p.m in preparation for his newlywed wife’s arrival.
Around 2:30 p.m, his son in-law drove off to Home Depot to pick up supplies. Upon his return around 3:00 p.m he found Harrod’s long time maid waiting on the porch.
The front door to the house was locked, so he let the maid in through a backdoor. Harrod was nowhere to be seen, and has not been heard from since.
That evening his family called in a missing persons report to the police when Harrod did not return home.
At the time of his disappearance Harrod was expecting to be reunited with his new wife, Fontelle Hetter, who was scheduled to arrive two days later. She had returned to her home in Missouri to pack up her belongings, and was then going to make the trip back to Placentia.
Investigation
Harrod’s wallet and keys disappeared with him, but he left behind his gold 1997 Toyota Camry and his reading glasses on the kitchen table. He did not own a cell phone. There’s also been no activity on his bank accounts or credit cards.
Investigators found notes indicating Harrod was planning to put Heeter’s name on various accounts.
A dispute between Harrod’s daughters and his second wife over Harrod’s estate developed after he vanished.
On August 7, 2009, two of Harrods daughters filed a petition of conservatorship to gain control of their father’s assets in order to free up money to offer a reward for information leading to his whereabouts.
Heeter contested the action and moved into the house, changing the locks shortly after.
Harrod was declared legally dead in 2014. His daughters inherited his home and Heeter was evicted.
In April 2019, two persons of interests were arrested in connection to Robert Harrod’s disappearance. They were later released pending further investigation, and authorities declined to identify them.
Initially Harrod’s family suspected his barber might have been involved in his disappearance, though investigators were unable to substantiate those claims.
Prior to marrying Heeter, Harrod had reportedly lent $86,000 to a younger woman who was his barber, over a period of nine months. The woman and her husband were brought in for questioning, but investigators found no evidence that could link them to his disappearance.
Whereabouts
No evidence of foul play in Robert Harrod’s disappearance was found, nor any evidence that he is still alive. He was declared legally dead in 2014 by his family.
A $50,000 reward is being offered by his family for information that leads to Harrod’s whereabouts or to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in his disappearance.
Authorities are investigating the case as a possible homicide, although they found no evidence of foul play to suggest a crime has been committed. His case remains unsolved.
Appearance
Physical Description:
Caucasian male. Partially gray hair, bald on top with blue/gray eyes.
He is 5’11” tall and weighs 160-170 pounds.
Clothing and accessories:
Robert was last seen wearing white shorts, white knee socks, a white v-neck undershirt, a white belt, a white hat, and a pair of white Reebok tennis shoes.
He possibly had a gold wedding band on his left hand, and a Masonic ring with a red stone behind the Masonic symbol on his right ring finger.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Robert Harrod please contact the Placentia Police Department at (714) 993-8168.
Resources & Further Information
Missing Person #MP2706 – Robert Merle Harrod – NamUs
Bob Harrod Still Missing – Facebook
News & Media Links
81-year-old Placentia newlywed disappears – Los Angeles Times 07/09
81-year-old newlywed is still missing 2 months later – The OC Register 09/09
Vanished: Millionaire newlywed, 81, still missing – The OC Register 10/09
Few leads in vanished millionaire case – The OC Register 02/10
$50,000 reward offered for missing 81-year-old – The OC Register 08/11
Two ‘persons of interest’ in 2009 disappearance of Placentia millionaire arrested, later released – The OC Register 04/19
Couple of facts, his wife died in 2008, the children didn’t find out until then their dad was a millionaire. As many parents do, they make a living or by trust. Solely to say the money is ours, if we die it will go to the children. It seems he was the one earning it and saving, leading a normal lifestyle. Then they argue he doesn’t disclose them information. Fact is he could have taken out all the money, he was the trustee. I can only imagine how aggravating this must have been. For him. Children somehow always think it’s owed to them.
Next fact, he remarries, he doesn’t speak with his children for 6 months, then a day before he disappears, he talks to the kids, and again, why do they need that info? Just because it’s standard language, he should do an ‘accounting’ annually and as his children are beneficiaries, yes they do have a right to see it. But again he could have taken out all the money, he didn’t need their approval, as the sole trustee. I’m sure he regretted this all,
Isn’t it odd, that he hasn’t spoken to his children for 6 months, yet the son in law, comes the next day to fix things in his house? And if he had seen him wouldnt he have known the cleaning lady was going to come? He was surprised she was there, that makes no sense.
The new wife, comes as they hope they will return, then she is told she shouldnt even be let in the house? This lady left everything behind. Do these kids even care about their dad? He married her. So eventually these kids declare him dead, throw his wife out in 2014 and they are ok with that ? That’s disgusting and their father would have never approved of it, the least they could do out of respect for their father is let her live there until… it’s one of these kids for sure.
Its sickening WhAt money does, its why their father lived a normal life style, I experienced the same, having married a man with prior children, my kids were under 10 when he passed, and all they cared about was money. As of today my kids have nothing personally of their dad. They couldn’t take away the money. Kids are adults now and those prior kids never ever contacted them. And oh they promised their dad how they would look after his kids, and how they loved them. I had my doubts my he believed them. He would be so disappointed if… he would have disowned them. They belief in god, and so one day they will have to answer to him, and their dad
Money is trouble
well they say they believe in god, which or all of them involved in this case, obviousley are atheists, as they couldnt do what they did, if they believed in god surely.
This is such a sad case I really wish they could find his body
Really?? The daughters and son-in-law was part of it…… HELLO!!!!!!
Did his children end up getting his money/properties because the last time i heard that his new wife was entitled to keep everything
his wife was entitled to nothing so she was given nothing and on top of that she was kicked out of the house in 2014.
She did get the house, in the beginning, I remember the children creating about it.
Conspicuous by their absence from the episode of Disappeared ? The barber and and the son-in-law ? It puzzled me , why the police didn’t do lie detectors , or did they ? Also , why they never mentioned if any of the possible suspects phone records/texts/emails had been looked at . Ok , they established the barber had an alibi , but what about her associates ?
Lie detector tests were done according to PPD spokesperson Colleen Loomis early on in the case.
Such greedy children. You had lost your mother. How could you be so cruel to your father? Why did you NEED for him to be accountable to you> Couldn’t you just love him and hold him close? IT WASN’T YOUR MONEY! Hope you have a lot of fun with it….
I rented a house located around the corner from Bob Harrod’s house on Carnation Dr. His nephew was kicked out of the house because of the debt he was not paying him back for. After I moved in, every month we would get Gun magazines, along with a out of place mound of dirt in the side yard I alerted his relatives, specifically one of his daughters and it was never taken seriously or looked into. I agree with the other comment asking about the lie detector tests. I think someone in the family knows something or suspects who it might be and won’t say anything. The whole thing is weird and a lot of steps missed by detectives.
I just watched this on missing in the uk I think the son in law at was doing work at the house at day had something to do with it and I think it’s terrible they kicked Fontel out the house as she gave up everything to move all she wanted was to spend time with Bob n that daughters were to busy asking Bob about the trust greedy it’s disgusting
Definitely it was the son in law and the sisters were in on the whole nasty problem
Son in Law for sure. Whether or not his wife or the other daughters knew, I believe he did it to make sure they all got “their” money.