Gregory Harold Nicely, a 34-year-old man from Van Buren, Arkansas, disappeared on January 4, 1987, and has not been seen or heard from since. On that day, an argument reportedly occurred between Nicely and another man at a residence. According to an eyewitness, the confrontation escalated, resulting in Nicely being shot. The witness stated that after the shooting, Nicely was dragged to his own pickup truck and driven away from the scene. This violent encounter was the last time anyone reported seeing Gregory Nicely. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance immediately suggested foul play and prompted an investigation by the Crawford County Sheriff's Office.
Two days after Nicely was last seen, his pickup truck was discovered abandoned near the border between Arkansas and Oklahoma. Inside the vehicle, investigators found a significant amount of blood on the floorboard, further intensifying concerns for his safety.
Despite the evidence of a violent struggle, there was no sign of Nicely himself. The man last seen with Nicely was subsequently arrested and faced charges of kidnapping and second-degree battery. He was later acquitted of the kidnapping charge but found guilty of battery. The investigation into Nicely's whereabouts continued, but the lack of a body presented significant challenges for law enforcement officials.
The man convicted of battery provided a different account of the events. He testified that after the initial altercation, he was driving Nicely to the hospital when Nicely regained consciousness and insisted on not going. He claimed he then drove to a property owned by Nicely to talk things over, left him there, and went to a nearby store. Upon his return, he said, Nicely was gone. While authorities have long believed that Nicely is deceased, his mother held onto the hope that he might be alive and suffering from amnesia, citing past mental health struggles following the deaths of his father and grandfather. The case of Gregory Harold Nicely remains an unresolved and troubling mystery, a story that began with a heated argument and concluded with a man vanishing, leaving behind only a blood-stained truck and a family left with unanswered questions. The official investigation by the Crawford County Sheriff's Office is still considered open, a long-standing cold case that continues to seek answers.Last Seen: Jan 4, 1987
