In the winter of 2002, a family's life was forever changed. On January 9th, 30-year-old Brian Keith Lowery, a member of the Lumbee Tribe, went about his day in Lumberton, North Carolina, a day that would end with his unexplained disappearance. He had dropped off a tractor at his cousin's house on Russ Road and then began the walk to the home he shared with his parents, also on Russ Road, just off of Interstate 95.
He was last seen at approximately 3:00 p.m., standing near his family's mailbox. At the time, Brian, a Native American male with brown hair and blue eyes, was wearing a heavy camouflage-print jacket, a brown t-shirt, camouflage-print pants, and a baseball cap. He was described as being 6'2' and weighing around 135 pounds. A large scar across his abdomen was a notable distinguishing feature.
Concern mounted as the hours passed and Brian did not return home. By 6:00 p.m., just three hours after he was last seen, his parents reported him missing to the Robeson County Sheriff's Office. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance were immediately troubling. Brian was not only mentally disabled, but he also had serious health issues. He had received a liver transplant in 2001 and was dependent on a daily regimen of over a dozen anti-rejection medications to survive. Without these crucial medications, it was understood that he could not live for more than a week. This medical dependency added a layer of extreme urgency to the search for him.
Despite the pressing nature of his health conditions, the investigation into Brian's disappearance has yielded few answers over the years. Law enforcement officials have stated there is no evidence of foul play. One theory proposed by police is that Brian may have willingly gotten into a vehicle with someone he knew. They speculate that a medical emergency related to his liver condition could have occurred, causing his companion to panic. His parents have long believed their son is deceased. At the time he went missing, Brian was unemployed and did not own a vehicle, adding to the mystery of how he could have vanished from near his own home. The official investigation remains open, but without new leads, the case of Brian Keith Lowery's disappearance is an unresolved and sorrowful chapter in the community's history.Last Seen: Jan 9, 2002
