Stephen Shane Barton, 54, was last seen at his Rochester, Washington home on the evening of March 9, 2023. The next morning his family discovered he was missing; his wallet, keys, and cell phone remained at the house and his vehicle was still parked on the property, prompting immediate concern and a report to the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office.

A large-scale search focused on the family’s 11-acre property and nearby areas. Investigators used as many as 30 ground searchers, multiple search dogs, a dive team to search ponds on the property, human remains detection dogs, and an aircraft with infrared flown by the Washington State Patrol; none of those efforts turned up a trace of Barton. Detectives also interviewed friends, family, and neighbors across Western Washington. Barton’s wife cooperated with investigators, provided access to his devices, and voluntarily took a polygraph that reportedly showed no deception.

Officials describe the disappearance as suspicious but say it remains unclear whether Barton left voluntarily or was the victim of foul play. Anyone with information about Stephen Barton or his movements around March 9, 2023 is asked to come forward.