On February 19, 2019, 81-year-old Rommie Lee Essex was last seen in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was walking in the vicinity of the Pines Apartments in the Barnes Crossing area. The night before his disappearance, Mr. Essex had a concerning phone call with his daughter, who lived out of state. He was in a state of panic, believing someone was attempting to break into his apartment. His daughter promptly contacted local relatives to check on him. When they arrived, they found that everything appeared to be in order. It remains unclear if this incident was connected to his subsequent disappearance.
On the day he went missing, it was reported that Mr. Essex had called for a taxi, but when the cab arrived at the designated pickup location, he was nowhere to be found. At the time he vanished, Mr. Essex did not have a car or a cellphone. He was last seen wearing a navy blue jacket with a tan collar and a tan cap. Concerns were raised that he may have been suffering from a mental condition, such as dementia, that could have impaired his judgment. There was a possibility that he was attempting to travel to Memphis, Tennessee. Shortly after he was reported missing, there was a potential sighting of him in Columbus, Mississippi, which led authorities to conduct searches in that area with the help of search and rescue dogs.
Despite the efforts of law enforcement and his family, Mr. Essex's case has grown cold. The initial report of a possible sighting in Columbus did not lead to any significant breakthroughs. The Tupelo Police Department has been the primary investigating agency, and they have encouraged anyone with information to come forward. The circumstances surrounding the night before his disappearance, including his fearful phone call to his daughter, add a layer of complexity to the case. With no further leads or sightings, the disappearance of Rommie Essex remains an unresolved and sorrowful mystery for his family and community.
Last Seen: Feb 19, 2019
