William Hugh Ward, 34, left his home in Clinton, Arkansas, on foot and was last seen the morning of March 22, 2023, near North Fork Road. He was described as a white male, brown hair, blue eyes, 5 feet 6 inches, 153 pounds, with distinctive tattoos on both cheeks. At the time he went missing he was reportedly wearing a light blue hooded sweatshirt, a turquoise plaid shirt, and blue jeans.

A statewide missing person investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies searched for William for more than a year. His family endured a prolonged and painful wait before his remains were found on September 5, 2024, in the Gravesville community near Damascus in Van Buren County, and the investigation was reclassified as a homicide.

If anyone knew William’s movements around North Fork Road on March 22, 2023, or has information about the Gravesville area near Damascus, please come forward.