On the evening of February 18, 2011, 51-year-old Richard Earl Strong attended a gathering at a campsite situated atop a strip mine overlooking Highway 899 in Raven, Kentucky. Earlier that day, around 3:00 p.m., he had spoken with his wife, Darlene, telling her he was giving a neighbor a ride home. At the time of his disappearance, Richard and Darlene were in the final stages of adopting a child.
The last known sighting of Richard was when he walked away from the campsite after a reported altercation with another individual. Witnesses at the gathering later told police that Richard was accused of stealing a wallet and was struck a couple of times before he left on foot.
Later that same night, a person reportedly came to Darlene Strong's door and informed her that her husband had been injured. She promptly contacted the authorities, initiating a search for her husband. Law enforcement located Richard's truck on a hill near mile marker 9 on Highway 899, a few miles from the campsite, but there was no sign of Richard himself. Despite extensive searches of the area involving dog teams and volunteers, no further evidence of his whereabouts was discovered. Richard was a diabetic who required medication, adding to the urgency of the search.
Investigators interviewed everyone who was present at the campsite on the night Richard disappeared, and they all recounted a similar story about the stolen wallet and the physical altercation. However, law enforcement officials have expressed their belief that there is more to the story and that individuals at the campsite that evening possess more information about what truly happened to Richard. Authorities suspect foul play in his disappearance and believe he is deceased, though no arrests have ever been made in connection with the case. Richard has several distinct physical characteristics, including iron rods in his right leg and arm, a tattoo on his back of a chihuahua with the name 'Tiffany' underneath it, a tattoo of praying hands on one of his arms, and a tattoo of the cartoon character Yosemite Sam on his left arm. At the time he went missing, he was wearing jeans, an orange shirt, a blue checkered flannel jacket with a hood, and brown boots. The investigation into Richard Strong's disappearance remains open, a painful and unresolved chapter for his family who continue to seek answers.Last Seen: Feb 18, 2011
