John Alan Hale, 28, disappeared from Columbus, Ohio on November 26, 1978. He was last seen on Morse Road driving a maroon 1975 Chevrolet Monza fastback and was reportedly on his way to open one of the two convenience and liquor stores he co-owned, called Beer Wine Stop. Hale was described by his wife as driven and ambitious, with a Y-shaped scar on his forehead; he was last seen wearing green pants and tan shoes.

Hale’s business partner was James W. Woody Thomasson. Their relationship reportedly deteriorated as Thomasson moved from being a silent partner to taking a more active role in the stores, a change that produced disputes. After Hale vanished, Thomasson changed the locks on both stores and transferred the business accounts into his own name, cutting Hale’s wife off from the income. The maroon Monza has never been found; there were later rumors the car had been dismantled and destroyed. No one has been charged in connection with Hale’s disappearance.

What can readers add about John Hale, the stores, or the area around Morse Road in late 1978 that might help fill gaps in this case?