Russell D. Burnett was a 46-year-old man from Franklin, Maine, whose disappearance began on the morning of February 21, 2017, in a quiet rural area of Hancock County. He was last seen leaving a residence on Eastbrook Road, and official case information places his last contact in Franklin that day. Russell was described as a white male, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 155 pounds, with hazel eyes and blond or strawberry-blond hair, though he shaved his head.
He had several tattoos, including tattoos on his arms and a distinctive tattoo on his calf reading, “If found return to Hog Bay.” At the time he vanished, he was believed to have been wearing a gray baseball cap, a maroon sweatshirt, a green or gray Carhartt jacket, blue jeans, and brown steel-toed work boots.
The circumstances of Russell’s last known movements are especially poignant because he was not alone when he disappeared. According to public case summaries and law enforcement information, Russell had spent the previous night at a neighbor’s residence on Eastbrook Road with his dog, Bev or Bevi. Around 7:00 a.m., he left that residence and was seen walking with the dog through the woods in the direction of his own home, which was roughly half a mile away. He was expected to return to his routine, and one account notes that he had a doctor’s appointment scheduled that day, but when his ride arrived later that morning, Russell and the dog were gone. Items reportedly left behind at his home included his cell phone, charger, and jacket, details that deepened concern because they suggested he had not prepared for a long absence.
Russell was reported missing to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department on February 23, 2017. Authorities later said he had last been seen on or about February 21 near his residence at 323 Eastbrook Road in Franklin and was believed to have left on foot with his dog. Searches of his property, residence, and surrounding areas were conducted, but those efforts did not locate him. His dog’s return added another painful mystery to the case: Bev reportedly came back about two weeks later, while Russell remained missing. The dog’s reappearance offered a small sign of relief to those who cared about Russell, but it also left investigators and loved ones with more unanswered questions about where the dog had been and what may have happened to Russell after he walked away that morning.
As the investigation continued, the case drew the attention of state-level investigators. Due to the complexity of the matter, lead investigative responsibility was transferred to the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit in August 2017, with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office remaining involved. Publicly available information also notes that Russell had a history of substance abuse but was reported to have been sober at the time he disappeared, and that he may have been experiencing mental health difficulties and could have needed medical attention. These details do not lessen who he was; they underscore the vulnerability of the situation and the urgency felt by those trying to find him. For a person to vanish in familiar surroundings, near home, while accompanied by a beloved dog, left his family, friends, and community facing a long and painful absence without clear answers.
Years later, Russell’s case remained active in public appeals and search efforts. In May 2026, authorities announced that the Maine Warden Service would lead a ground search in Eastbrook as part of the continuing investigation. Officials described it as a routine search of a high-probability area, a type of follow-up often used in missing person investigations, and said the public was not being asked to assist. News reports at that time stated that prior searches of the home, surrounding property, and nearby areas had not been successful, and that Russell had not been located. Anyone with information was asked to contact Maine State Police, including through the Major Crimes Unit. In overview, Russell Burnett’s case began with a short walk from a neighbor’s home toward his own residence on Eastbrook Road, became more troubling when he missed expected contact and his dog later returned without him, and has continued for years as investigators search for answers in the woods, roads, and rural communities around Franklin and Eastbrook.Last Seen: Feb 21, 2017
