Robert Ray Bobby Fitzgerald, 60, of Staunton, Virginia, disappeared after a hike on Shenandoah Mountain in November 2012. On Sunday, November 11, 2012, he and a friend completed a three-mile hike; he lost his cell phone and a shirt that day. It is believed he returned alone the next day, Monday, November 12, to search for the lost items on the Confederate Breastworks Trail and was never seen again.

Fitzgerald’s 2001 Kia remained parked at the trailhead; his trail pack was in the car with power bars, water bottles, a flashlight, and rain gear, suggesting he did not plan a long absence. Another hiker later recovered his phone, so the second trip would have been unnecessary. More than 200 personnel searched over 4,500 acres using K-9 teams, horseback units, and a state police helicopter, but no trace was found. Friends offered a $50,000 reward and repeated searches produced no tips or clues.

What did anyone in the area notice on or after November 12, 2012, that might help explain Fitzgerald’s disappearance?