It was on December 12, 1988, in the rural area of Rocky Branch Road in Franklin County, Kentucky, that 48-year-old Harvey Allen Kays was last seen. His disappearance would not be officially reported to the Kentucky State Police until several weeks later, on January 3, 1989. The circumstances surrounding his vanishing were immediately puzzling. A note was discovered, simply stating, 'Had to leave.' Adding to the mystery, two of his vehicles, a 1977 Ford pickup truck and a 1983
Winnebago, were also gone. At the time he went missing, Kays was described as a white male, 5'11' tall and weighing 230 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. He wore eyeglasses and had a beard. Distinctive features included a small, circular birthmark on the upper right side of his face and two tattoos: his name 'Harvey' on his upper right arm and the name 'Jerry' on his upper left arm. He was believed to be wearing a grey sweatshirt, white tennis shoes, a gold chain necklace with a Cadillac emblem, and a diamond cluster ring on his right hand.
The investigation into Harvey Kays's disappearance soon led authorities to suspect foul play. Despite the note he supposedly left, the lack of any contact with family or friends was deeply concerning. The passage of time with no sign of Kays or his vehicles only strengthened the belief that he had not left willingly. Investigators with the Kentucky State Police have since stated their belief that Harvey Kays was the victim of a homicide. This theory has become the prevailing view of law enforcement, though his remains have never been found. The case has been classified as an endangered missing person, and over the years, it has grown cold, leaving his loved ones without answers.
The mystery of what happened to Harvey Allen Kays has endured for decades, becoming one of Kentucky's many unsolved cases. Information about a main suspect, who reportedly ended up with Kays's two missing vehicles and passed away in June of 1989, has been mentioned in online discussions, attributed to Kays's son who is said to be a private investigator looking into his father's case. The case has been featured in various missing person databases and was even included in a deck of cold case playing cards distributed to generate new leads, with Kays being the 10 of spades. Despite these efforts, his case remains without a resolution. The Kentucky State Police Post 12 in Frankfort continues to hold the case file, a silent testament to a life that seemingly vanished without a trace, leaving behind only questions and a lingering sense of loss for his family.Last Seen: Dec 12, 1988
