Missing Person Alert

Circumstances

Date of Disappearance

July 25, 1958

Notes

The victim’s height was listed as a range between 5’4” – 5’9” but he may have grown taller with time. He had a medium complexion. He may have been autistic and walked with a small shuffle. Thomas was preparing for bed that night at 10:00pm when he was last seen; he was not there when his parents got up the next morning. He had a history of running away from home and left without transportation (not taking any of the horses on the ranch either) or clothing / food, so his parents waited a week hoping he would just return. They originally thought he might be travelling towards Finley, Nevada where he was originally from or possibly Idaho. The family lived in Nevada until about a year before he disappeared and authorities suspected he might head there. Police from the area said he particularly liked trucks and would sometimes get rides or stow away in larger trucks. A young boy fitting Thomas’ description was seen boarding a train in Brigham City, Utah on its way for Wells, Nevada. That boy was not found. On August 4, a young boy was seen at the Ogden stockyard and rail yards (Ogden, Utah) that might have been Thomas. He was wearing a tan shirt and blue pants as well as a western style straw hat. He was carrying a gun (a rusty, older, .22) and had some cattail stocks about 18” long and cut smooth on each side. He told the railway worker that he was planning to go to Wells Nevada and boarded a flat gondola car. Witnesses said he jumped off the train near Wells. The train was still going 30mph so he hit the ground a little hard, rolled a few times, but then got up and walked off towards the highway. On August 11, a rancher thought he saw a boy fitting Thomas’ description in Snowville, Utah.

Location of the Disappearance or Crime Scene

Farm, Home, Train, Transit Station

Potential Circumstances

Hitchhiking, Isolated Location, Left Home Alone, Long-Distance Trip, Runaway, Walking

Vehicle

License Plate

Photo of Vehicle

Suspect

Suspect Description

Photo of Suspect