Richard Ray Barnett, a two-year-old boy, disappeared on August 31, 1982, from his grandparents' farm located north of Grangeville, Idaho. Richard had been staying at the farm for a couple of weeks with his father while his mother was in southern Idaho. The farm was a large egg and dairy operation where dozens of workers were present at the time. Richard was last seen sitting on a hay wagon in front of one of the chicken barns as the workers unloaded chickens.
Within 15 minutes of his last sighting, Richard was gone, and despite an immediate search, no clues emerged regarding his whereabouts.
An extensive four-day search involving over 250 volunteers and bloodhounds yielded no further evidence, though the dogs tracked his scent to a fence line before losing the trail. Richard’s grandparents, Waldo and Martha McChoard, were suspects for nearly two decades. They were believed to have possibly placed Richard in an underground adoption network due to their dislike of his mother. Martha's initial polygraph results were inconclusive, but in 2001, she passed a second polygraph and was cleared of suspicion. Another theory suggests that one of the farm’s workers may have abducted Richard, though no evidence supports this.
To this day, Richard has never been found, and his disappearance remains a mystery. His parents, who now live in Oregon, continue to search for answers.Last Seen: Aug 31, 1982
