Silver Alert Issued For Local Artist, 87-Year-Old Billy Al Bengston, Last Seen Early Sunday Morning

VENICE (CBSLA) - Authorities issued a Silver Alert Sunday for local artist Billy Bengston who was last at approximately 6 a.m. Sunday near the 100 block of Mildred Street in Los Angeles.

The 87-year-old suffers from a moderate case of dementia, according to LAPD's alert.

Bengston is described as 5 foot 11 inches tall and 170 pounds. He has gray hair, blue eyes and was reportedly wearing orange pants, a fedora and an unknown shirt.

He is believed to be driving a white 2018 Toyota Rav4 with the license plate 8CMJ844 and a large black decal on the hood of the vehicle.

Bengston, who lives and works in Venice, is a contemporary American artist whose work is housed in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum, the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Art Institute of Chicago among others.

Officials are urging anyone who may have information regarding his whereabouts or might have seen him to call the LAPD Pacific Division at 310-482-6334 or 877-LAPD-24-7. Anonymous tips can be phoned in to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

A Silver Alert is activated by law enforcement when an elderly or developmentally or cognitively impaired person is missing and is determined to be at risk. Silver Alerts are designed to provide immediate information to the public to aid in the swift recovery of at-risk persons meeting the criteria.

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