John Wesley Hicks III, 47, disappeared from Oakridge, Oregon after being last seen on September 6, 2008. He was a familiar, routine-oriented member of the small town and was described as having the mental capacity of a young teenager, which family members say made him especially vulnerable.

Hicks left behind his trailer, all of his possessions and, notably, his dog Bear — a fact his sister Debra Brunken and the family found particularly worrying because he would not have willingly abandoned his companion. A missing persons report was filed with the Oakridge Police Department on September 13, 2008; the case is classified as a suspicious disappearance and later involved the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. Rumors of foul play circulated locally but were never substantiated by authorities.

No trace of Hicks has been found and the family continues to seek answers. If anyone knew John, his routines, or saw anything in Oakridge around early September 2008, please share what you know.