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Rescuers search for missing 11-year-old boy in Riverside County

Community members hold candles after a vigil for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith, whose body was believed to have been found after an extensive search.
1/23
Community members hold candles after a vigil for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith, whose body was believed to have been found after an extensive search.   (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Community members gather after a candlelight vigil in front of the Menifee Market for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.
2/23
Community members gather after a candlelight vigil in front of the Menifee Market for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.   (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Friends, volunteers and community residents attend a candlelight vigil for Terry Dewayne Smith, 11, in front of the Menifee Market on Wednesday. Remains found Wednesday were believed to be those of the missing boy.
3/23
Friends, volunteers and community residents attend a candlelight vigil for Terry Dewayne Smith, 11, in front of the Menifee Market on Wednesday. Remains found Wednesday were believed to be those of the missing boy.   (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Search volunteers Ember Bridwell, left, with daughter Jaden Morrell, 9; Crystal Monk with daughter Sarah, 10; and Donny Moffitt with girlfriend Victoria Hammond attend a candlelight vigil for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith in front of the Menifee Market on Wednesday.
4/23
Search volunteers Ember Bridwell, left, with daughter Jaden Morrell, 9; Crystal Monk with daughter Sarah, 10; and Donny Moffitt with girlfriend Victoria Hammond attend a candlelight vigil for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith in front of the Menifee Market on Wednesday.   (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
A Riverside County sheriff's investigator bags evidence at the Menifee home of 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.
5/23
A Riverside County sheriff’s investigator bags evidence at the Menifee home of 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Search volunteers Kathy Jablecki, right, her daughter, Stacy Jablecki, left, and Tyler True (not seen) hug one another outside the Menifee home of Terry Dewayne Smith, the 11-year-old autistic boy missing since last weekend.
6/23
Search volunteers Kathy Jablecki, right, her daughter, Stacy Jablecki, left, and Tyler True (not seen) hug one another outside the Menifee home of Terry Dewayne Smith, the 11-year-old autistic boy missing since last weekend.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Riverside County sheriff's investigators walk up the driveway of the Menifee home of 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith searching for evidence into his disappearance.
7/23
Riverside County sheriff’s investigators walk up the driveway of the Menifee home of 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith searching for evidence into his disappearance.   (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
The Menifee home of Terry Dewayne Smith, an 11-year-old autistic boy missing since last weekend.
8/23
The Menifee home of Terry Dewayne Smith, an 11-year-old autistic boy missing since last weekend.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Riverside County sheriff's investigators look for signs of 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith at his Menifee home.
9/23
Riverside County sheriff’s investigators look for signs of 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith at his Menifee home.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Becca Smith, the mother of Terry Dewayne Smith, is surrounded by friends and neighbors during a prayer session at the volunteer center in Menifee. Terry Dewayne Smith, an 11-year-old autistic boy remains missing, despite the efforts of more than 100 volunteers and emergency workers who combed the hills of Menifee looking for the child.
10/23
Becca Smith, the mother of Terry Dewayne Smith, is surrounded by friends and neighbors during a prayer session at the volunteer center in Menifee. Terry Dewayne Smith, an 11-year-old autistic boy remains missing, despite the efforts of more than 100 volunteers and emergency workers who combed the hills of Menifee looking for the child.  (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers gather before the start of a prayer session for Terry Dewayne Smith.
11/23
Volunteers gather before the start of a prayer session for Terry Dewayne Smith.   (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)
Ashley Cathers hands out fliers on Scott Road in Menifee as the search continues for Terry Dewayne Smith.
12/23
Ashley Cathers hands out fliers on Scott Road in Menifee as the search continues for Terry Dewayne Smith.   (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)
Fliers are passed out in the search for Terry Dewayne Smith.
13/23
Fliers are passed out in the search for Terry Dewayne Smith.   (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers pray for the safety of the lost boy as the search continues for Terry Dewayne Smith.
14/23
Volunteers pray for the safety of the lost boy as the search continues for Terry Dewayne Smith.   (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)
Bill Gillette signs in as scores of volunteers lined up Tuesday morning to join the search for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith, who was last seen Saturday.
15/23
Bill Gillette signs in as scores of volunteers lined up Tuesday morning to join the search for 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith, who was last seen Saturday.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers wait in line to sign up for the search Tuesday morning.
16/23
Volunteers wait in line to sign up for the search Tuesday morning.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Tony Richuisa, left, Ciera West, Christina West and Brooke West search for Terry Dewayne Smith in Menifee.
17/23
Tony Richuisa, left, Ciera West, Christina West and Brooke West search for Terry Dewayne Smith in Menifee.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Debi Velivis holds a sign at the intersection of Bundy Canyon Road and Murrieta Road with information about missing 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.
18/23
Debi Velivis holds a sign at the intersection of Bundy Canyon Road and Murrieta Road with information about missing 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Debi Velivis holds a sign by the side of the road asking passersby to help find Terry Dewayne Smith.
19/23
Debi Velivis holds a sign by the side of the road asking passersby to help find Terry Dewayne Smith.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Molly Jenks searches on horseback for missing 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.
20/23
Molly Jenks searches on horseback for missing 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers ventured out under blazing sun to look for missing 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.
21/23
Volunteers ventured out under blazing sun to look for missing 11-year-old Terry Dewayne Smith.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
A group of volunteers searches an area near Terry Dewayne Smith's Menifee home. The effort to find the missing boy has included search dogs, helicopters and dozens of volunteers.
22/23
A group of volunteers searches an area near Terry Dewayne Smith’s Menifee home. The effort to find the missing boy has included search dogs, helicopters and dozens of volunteers.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Volunteers search rural areas of Menifee on Tuesday for Terry Dewayne Smith.
23/23
Volunteers search rural areas of Menifee on Tuesday for Terry Dewayne Smith.  (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
By Robert J. Lopez

Volunteers were aiding law enforcement officers late Monday in a search for an 11-year-old autistic boy last seen at his Riverside County home on Saturday night.

Terry Dewayne Smith is described by law enforcement authorities as an “at-risk” child who was discovered missing from his home in 33000 block of Helen Lane in Menifee, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said.

The effort to find the missing boy has included search dogs, helicopters and dozens of volunteers who have scoured the area.

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Terry is 4-feet 8-inches tall and weighs 76 pounds, authorities said. He has blond hair and blue eyes and was last seen wearing blue basketball shorts.

Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at (951) 776-1099.

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Twitter: @LAJourno

robert.lopez@latimes.com

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Robert J. Lopez

Robert J. Lopez is a former Los Angeles Times investigative journalist. He was part of a team of Times reporters awarded the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for uncovering corruption in Bell, a small city near Los Angeles. He and several Times colleagues were Pulitzer Prize finalists in 2023 for investigations that exposed corruption, criminality and worker exploitation in California’s legal cannabis market. Born and raised in L.A., he is a graduate of the University of Hawaii.

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