The story of Thomas 'TJ' Mixon's disappearance is a complex one, beginning on May 4, 1998, in Buffalo, New York. At 26 years old, the young man was last seen at his home in the area of Bryson Street and Memorial Drive. That evening, he left a message on his mother's answering machine asking her to page him. When she tried, she received an odd message stating he had gone turkey hunting and that any inquiries should be directed to his roommate, Vladimir L. Sokolov. Concerned, she contacted Sokolov, who was evasive and told her he would explain in a couple of weeks, adding that he was nervous and planned to leave the country. Thomas Mixon, a father to a young son, was never seen or heard from again; his mother officially reported him missing on May 11, 1998.
The circumstances following Mixon's disappearance quickly grew more disturbing.
The day after he was last seen, his roommate, Sokolov, was seen putting all of Mixon's personal belongings out on the street and had begun wearing his clothes. It came to light that Mixon had deeded his apartment to Sokolov, a move his mother believed was to prevent his ex-wife from getting the property. She also told authorities that her son was involved in drug trafficking and suspected a drug deal with Sokolov had gone wrong. The investigation revealed unsettling claims, including an ex-girlfriend of Sokolov's who alleged she saw Mixon's dismembered body inside the apartment they shared. However, when police searched the residence two weeks after the disappearance, it had been cleaned and repainted, leaving no evidence of a crime.
The case took a significant turn when Sokolov, who had returned to his native Bulgaria in 1999 after learning he was a suspect, was charged with second-degree murder in 2000. In a landmark move, he was extradited to the United States to stand trial, believed to be one of the first times a Bulgarian citizen was extradited to a Western country since the Cold War. During the 2002 trial, prosecutors argued that Sokolov had killed Mixon in a fit of rage. The defense countered with witnesses who suggested Mixon was alive and had chosen to disappear. One witness claimed Mixon owed money to drug suppliers, was wanted by the FBI, and had been stockpiling survival gear for a planned escape. In March 2002, Vladimir Sokolov was acquitted of the murder charge. To this day, Thomas Mixon's body has never been found, and his disappearance remains an unsolved case, with foul play strongly suspected by authorities.Last Seen: May 4, 1998
