In the late summer of 2016, concern began to grow for 51-year-old Robert Deshawn Childers in Florence, Alabama. He was last seen on September 17, 2016, at the residence he shared with a roommate on Highway 141. According to his roommate, Childers, who was known as Shawn to friends and family, left the home on foot sometime between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. He was reportedly wearing blue Wrangler jeans, a green long-sleeved Wrangler shirt, and brown cowboy boots.
Childers locked his truck and walked away without stating his destination, carrying little to no money with him. His disappearance was officially reported to the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department two days later, on September 19, 2016. Those who knew him were worried, as he was dealing with depression and substance abuse issues and had left his medication behind. Compounding their fears, Childers had physical limitations, including fused cervical vertebrae that caused him to walk with a limp, making it difficult for him to travel far on foot.
The initial investigation into Childers's disappearance brought to light several concerning circumstances. At the time he went missing, he was embroiled in a contentious property dispute over the home he had shared with his late father. The house had been sold at auction due to unpaid taxes, and the new owner had been taking steps to evict him, including shutting off the power. A court hearing to determine the legal ownership of the property was scheduled, but Childers vanished before it could take place. Friends and family also harbored suspicions about his roommate's account of his departure, citing inconsistencies in his statements and a history of conflict between the two men. Tragically, the roommate has since passed away, taking any potential information with him. Despite extensive searches, the case grew cold, with no activity on Childers's bank account or Social Security number for years.
For nearly a decade, the fate of Robert Childers remained a painful mystery for his loved ones and community. Then, in the spring of 2026, a significant breakthrough occurred. On March 21, human remains were discovered in a wooded area behind a residence on County Road 10 in Lauderdale County. Following a careful excavation and forensic investigation, DNA evidence was recovered from the remains. On July 2, 2026, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office announced that the remains had been positively identified as Robert Deshawn Childers through the Combined DNA Index System. This long-awaited confirmation provided answers to his family after years of uncertainty. The investigation into the circumstances of his death remains active, as authorities work to determine what happened to him after he walked away from his home that September day. The case, which had once been entered into the FBI's Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, now shifts from a missing person's investigation to a death investigation, bringing a close to one chapter of a long and difficult journey for his family while opening another.Last Seen: Sep 17, 2016
