Thomas Novak was 12 when he vanished from the Lawrence Carter Ranch in Park Valley, Utah. He was last seen about 10:00 p.m. on July 25, 1958, preparing for bed and unlacing his shoes; by morning he had left the ranch on foot without extra clothing or food. His parents did not report him missing until July 29 because Thomas had a history of running away.

Several reported sightings followed. On August 4 a boy matching Thomas’s description was seen at a stockyard in Ogden, Utah, wearing a tan shirt, blue jeans and a straw hat, carrying a rusted .22 rifle and a bundle of cattails. Witnesses said the boy told them he was headed to Wells, Nevada, and was later seen on a train bound that way; observers reported he jumped from the train just outside Wells and walked toward the highway. Extensive searches around Park Valley found no trace, and no confirmed contact has ever been established.

Anyone who knew Thomas, saw a boy matching his description in late July or early August 1958, or has information about his movements on trains or highways between Utah and Nevada is asked to come forward.