Patrick Wayne Mello was 13 when he was last seen at his home in Needles, California, on July 28, 1995. Early in the inquiry there were unverified sightings of him in Laughlin, Nevada, and a duffel bag thought to be his was found near a casino in Mohave Valley, Arizona; that bag later proved to belong to his younger brother, leaving those leads unresolved.

Investigators later learned Patrick had been living with Jimmy Joe Cox, a man who was convicted in 2012 for the 1982 murder of a young woman from Needles. There is no direct evidence linking Cox to Patrick’s disappearance, but the association and Cox’s later conviction have increased concern about what happened to the boy. Extensive searches and investigations have not located Patrick, and his case is considered suspicious.

Anyone who knew Patrick, his movements in late July 1995, or who has information about his time with Jimmy Joe Cox is asked to come forward.