HILO, Hawai'i — A California woman is asking for the public's help in finding her missing son on the Big Island.

Willie Dennis Eriksson, 42, was living on Kaiwiki Road north of Hilo, but family and friends say they have not seen him or heard from him since he disappeared on Nov. 7. Eriksson was last seen getting into a vehicle that evening at a store in Mountain View.

Eriksson, originally from Malibu, Calif., is a carpenter and surfer who had been living on the Big Island for about a year. He had been working temporarily harvesting trees in the Kaiwiki area, according to his mother, Anna-Greta Eriksson.

Eriksson said she has been on the Big Island since January looking for her son.

Eriksson is 5 feet 9 and about 165 pounds. He has blue eyes, short gray or partially gray hair and a goatee.

Police have not ruled out foul play, and the case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Section of the Big Island police department.

Police Lt. Randall Medeiros said Criminal Investigations gets involved in missing persons cases if the person is considered to be "high risk," or if the person remains missing for a prolonged period. In the Eriksson case, "there are specific circumstances which are a little disconcerting," said Medeiros, who declined to elaborate.

Police ask anyone with information on Eriksson's whereabouts to call the police department non-emergency number at 935-3311. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 961-8300 in Hilo or 329-8181 in Kona.