Clues Sought in Executive’s Disappearance

IRVINE —  Family members suspect that a Huntington Beach aerospace executive was abducted after making a “substantial bank deposit” at a bank here on Tuesday morning and are asking for help in locating him.

Rod Coulter Snowdon, 48, was last seen at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Union Bank branch at 2001 Michelson Drive, near the John Wayne Airport.

“The bank has verified that the money was deposited, and the bank even let us look at its security (videotape) for Tuesday, and we’ve seen that it was dad who made the deposit at 9:30 Tuesday morning,” said his son Rick Snowdon. “But no one has seen him since then.”

The family reported Snowdon missing to Huntington Beach police on Tuesday. The case was turned over to Irvine police Thursday since Snowdon was last seen in that city, Irvine Sgt. Leo Jones said.

“There is nothing else we can think of for his disappearance because this is totally unlike him,” said Rick Snowdon, 25, of Whittier. “My dad has a storybook marriage of 27 years and has been with the same company, Parker-Hannifin, for 20 years. He just had a medical checkup, and it was great. He’s made no withdrawal of money.”

Rod Snowdon’s wife, Cheryl, is a former principal with the Fountain Valley School District. In addition to Rick, the couple have another son, 23-year-old Michael of Huntington Beach.

Rod Snowdon is 6 feet tall, weighs 195 pounds, and has dark brown hair and dark brown eyes. He was wearing a light gray wool suit when last seen. He was driving a crimson-colored 1989 Buick Electra Park Avenue, with California license 2MCU079.

Police and family are asking that anyone who might have seen Snowdon call the Irvine Police Department at (714) 724-7000.