In the late summer of 2014, a sense of unease settled over a family in Arizona as they lost contact with 71-year-old Samuel Grider. A resident of Buckeye, he was last seen on September 29, 2014. On that day, his whereabouts were traced to the Calvary Chapel in the city of Maricopa. After that, Samuel, a Black/African American man standing at 5 feet 10 inches and weighing around 195 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, seemed to vanish without a trace.
The vehicle he was believed to be driving, a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado, also disappeared. Adding to the concern for his welfare was the knowledge that Samuel had a distinctive physical feature, an artificial hip.
The days turned into weeks, and with no word from Samuel, his case was officially reported to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office on the same day he was last seen. An official missing persons report was filed, and an investigation was opened under case number 14-022785. The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System later created a case file for him, #MP35955, on November 5, 2016, to aid in the search. This public file contained photographs of Samuel, including one taken in 2013, in the hopes that someone might recognize him and provide a crucial lead. Despite these efforts, information about his disappearance remained scarce, leaving his family and investigators with few answers.
The investigation into Samuel Grider's disappearance has remained open, a quiet and persistent search for a beloved member of the community. His case is a somber reminder of the many individuals who go missing each year, leaving behind families caught in a state of perpetual uncertainty. With no significant leads or updates publicly available, the circumstances surrounding his disappearance on that September day remain a mystery. The case is an overview of a man who was last seen at a place of worship and then disappeared, along with his vehicle, leaving investigators to piece together the sparse evidence in the hopes of one day providing his family with the answers they so desperately seek.Last Seen: Sep 29, 2014
