Ruby Akers, 75, vanished from the Sherman Nursing Center in Sherman, Texas, on January 1, 1986, while recovering from a dislocated shoulder. According to reports, she asked a nurse to remove stitches from a finger cut; the nurse stepped away for about 10 minutes and on return found Ruby gone. Her eyeglasses, dentures and a sweater she typically wore were all left behind in her room.

Akers had lived alone and ran a washateria in Sherman for many years and was described as relatively independent, though she had moments of confusion and had not been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Extensive searches of the surrounding area produced no trace. Unconfirmed claims that she may have died from a medication overdose at the nursing home have never been substantiated.

The disappearance remains unsolved and investigators report no significant breakthroughs. Does anyone who knew Ruby or her routines in Sherman have information that could help locate her or explain what happened that day?