Christopher Lee Cessna, 45, of Cary, North Carolina, vanished on April 27, 2011, after his 2009 Audi was found parked for an extended period at Newfound Gap in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The vehicle’s presence prompted a missing person report to the Cary Police Department even though family members did not have a specific reason to think he was in the park.

Concern increased when it emerged that Cessna had been feeling despondent before his disappearance and a handgun he owned was missing from his home. Park rangers mounted an extensive search centered on Newfound Gap, sweeping the Appalachian Trail and connecting routes with up to 30 personnel and four search dog teams. Trail logs at shelters were checked and every lead investigated, but no trace of Cessna was found.

The terrain—steep, rocky slopes and dense brush—made searching difficult. After weeks of intensive effort the large-scale operation was scaled back, though the case remained open and park staff continued to watch for signs of him during routine patrols. Does anyone who hiked the Newfound Gap or Appalachian Trail area around late April 2011 remember seeing Cessna or his vehicle?