On a spring day in Missouri, May 31, 2013, 25-year-old Jonathan 'Jay' Franklin was enjoying a float trip with a group of friends on the Meramec River. The group had entered the water in the Pacific Palisades area and was near Times Beach in Eureka when Jonathan, a male with brown hair and brown eyes, was last seen. He was wearing green and white swim trunks and water shoes at the time of his disappearance.
The location where he went missing is described as being at the confluence with the Big River, about two miles upstream from the Route 66 State Park Boat Ramp.
The circumstances surrounding Jonathan's disappearance were complicated by severe weather that moved in shortly after he was last seen. These storms caused the Meramec River to rise significantly, creating dangerous currents that made search and rescue efforts extremely challenging. Despite the treacherous conditions, Jonathan's family, friends, and community members launched an extensive search. For weeks, they conducted daily searches by air, boat, and on foot, covering the river from Eureka down to Arnold. His family, who lived in Peoria, Illinois, traveled back and forth to the St. Louis area on weekends to continue the search, hanging flyers and pleading with the public for any information.
Jonathan is described as being 5'11' and weighing between 175 and 200 pounds. A distinctive feature is a tattoo on his left shoulder of praying hands with the text of the bible verse 'John 3:16'. In a touching tribute, many of his family members later got similar tattoos to honor him. Although the circumstances of his disappearance on the notoriously dangerous river suggest he may have drowned, he officially remains classified as a missing person. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is the investigating agency for his case. His family holds onto hope, remembering the strong and athletic young man they love and continuing to seek answers in his case.Last Seen: May 31, 2013
