Public Asked to Help Find Missing Man

FOUNTAIN VALLEY —  It has been more than two days since Lori Nitkin heard from her boyfriend, 36-year-old Barry P. Stephens, and Sunday she appealed for help in locating him.

Stephens suffers from diabetes and heart disease and Nitkin, 32, said she fears he may be in trouble. Stephens, who owns a rental vehicle transportation business in Fountain Valley, was last heard from at 2 p.m. Friday in a telephone call from the Los Angeles area to a business associate in Orange County, said Nitkin, who has been living with Stephens for two months at his home in the 9300 block of Daisy Avenue.

“He said he was running late for his 2 o’clock appointment, but that he would be back to the Orange County area by 5 (p.m.),” said Nitkin, choking back tears. “I haven’t seen him since. He checks with me regularly and I’m really worried. I miss him and want him home safely.”

Stephens requires two daily injections of insulin to treat his diabetic condition, but Nitkin said he missed his morning dose on Friday and did not take the medication with him. She is concerned that he could have slipped into a diabetic coma, and woken up not knowing his own identity.

Stephens also suffers from the heart condition known as angina pectoris, and suffered a heart attack about two months ago, Nitkin said in an interview Sunday.

Nitkin, who also works as Stephens’ secretary, filed a missing person report Sunday with Fountain Valley police, according to an officer with the department. Those with information on Stephens are asked to contact Nitkin at (714) 964-1147, or to notify police.

Stephens was last seen wearing blue jeans, brown hiking boots, a black- and blue-checked, short-sleeve shirt, a sea captain’s hat and sunglasses.

He is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs about 155 pounds and has a full beard and mustache with black and gray hair. He also has tattoos on both arms, with one reading “R.C.”