On June 17, 2011, Thomas L. Duesterhaus, a 37-year-old male from McLean, Virginia, disappeared after leaving his job in Arlington, Virginia. At the time, he was reportedly distressed over problems related to his employment. Duesterhaus, a teacher at Bishop Denis J. O'Connell High School and a lay Catholic minister with the Youth Apostles, had just been informed that his teaching contract would not be renewed.
He was last seen dressed in dark-colored slacks, a white short-sleeved collared shirt, and dress shoes, and was carrying a dark-colored duffel bag. He was described as a white male with blond or strawberry blond hair, green eyes, and a beard. Although he normally wore glasses, it is believed he did not have them with him at the time of his disappearance.
Following his departure from work, Duesterhaus traveled to Virginia Beach, Virginia. He was scheduled to begin a four-day religious retreat there with a group on June 20. There was a possible sighting of him in Virginia Beach on June 18, 2011. An eyewitness reported seeing a man believed to be Duesterhaus swimming in the ocean that day. About twelve hours later, his travel bag was discovered abandoned on the beach. While the bag contained some of his personal property, his keys and credit cards were missing. When he did not show up for the retreat, the rest of the group canceled their plans.
The investigation into his disappearance continued, and nearly six weeks later, in late July, the 1999 blue Buick LeSabre he had been driving was located. The vehicle, which belonged to the Youth Apostles, was found in a commercial parking garage near the Rosslyn Metro station. Investigators determined that Duesterhaus himself had parked it there on June 17, the day he went missing. Duesterhaus was known to be a deeply religious man who was very involved in his Catholic community, attended Mass daily, and ministered to homeless individuals. Theories about his disappearance vary; some speculate he may have drowned while swimming in the ocean, though investigators noted a body would likely have washed ashore quickly. Others believe he may have chosen to walk away from his life due to the distress he was experiencing over his job situation. The case remains an unsolved missing person investigation, characterized by the sudden disappearance of a man reportedly upset about his employment, a last potential sighting of him swimming in the ocean, and the separate discoveries of his personal bag on a beach and the car he was driving in a parking garage.Last Seen: Jun 17, 2011
