In the winter of 2004, a then 52-year-old gem and mineral dealer by the name of Charles 'Chuck' Simmons, a male, was last heard from on January 14 in Tucson, Arizona. A graduate of Northern Arizona University, Simmons had spent the majority of his life in Tucson and had just come back from a mining operation. His disappearance occurred just before the start of the annual Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, an event he was reportedly looking forward to.
Friends and family grew concerned when he failed to show up for several planned weekend activities, including a date with his girlfriend and a University of Arizona basketball game. There were no known physical or medical disabilities affecting Simmons at the time he went missing.
Three days after he was last heard from, on January 17, 2004, Simmons' Ford F-150 pickup truck was discovered abandoned. The vehicle was located in a tow-away zone across the street from a warehouse where Simmons and a business partner collected and sold semi-precious minerals. An inspection of the truck and the surrounding area revealed no signs of a struggle or any indication of what might have happened to its owner. Since the day he vanished, there has been no activity on any of Simmons' financial accounts, and he has no history of disappearing. Investigators with the Pima County Sheriff's Department suspect that foul play was involved in his disappearance.
The investigation into Charles Simmons's disappearance has continued over the years, though it remains unsolved. A significant point of focus for law enforcement has been the financial dealings of Simmons, who was known to be a trusting person and had loaned out considerable sums of money. Shortly before he went missing, he had sought legal advice on how to recover a substantial six-figure debt from an acquaintance. This individual was interviewed by police multiple times. Investigators also examined a van rented by this associate around the time of Simmons's disappearance and reportedly found a dried liquid inside. In January 2015, a tip led authorities to an abandoned mine shaft in Saguaro National Park, but an extensive search of the area yielded no new evidence. Despite the passage of time, the Pima County Sheriff's Department continues to classify his case as an active missing person investigation and follows up on any new leads that emerge.Last Seen: Jan 14, 2004
