Local

DeLand man 'going off the grid' found

DELAND, Fla. — A DeLand man who never came back to work and left a note for his wife that said he was "going off the grid" has been found Tuesday night.

Bret Rathel, 54, went missing Monday after leaving his workplace, Spring Garden Apartments.

Deputies said a family friend convinced Rathel to meet a deputy in DeLand Tuesday. Rathel was taken into custody under the Baker Act.

He told his boss on Monday he had to run errands around 2 p.m. He never returned, which was unusual behavior according to the people close to him.

His wife said she had been trying to call Rathel and couldn't reach him. Then she found out he had never returned to work.

When she got home she found a note that said he was "going off the grid."  He wrote the death would be on his "own terms" and made other statements indicating he may be in a troubled state of mind.

Rathel's wife reported him missing Tuesday. She said he had packed some clothes and may have taken two guns with him.

She said that it's possible he went to a hunting camp near Tennille, Ga.