The case of Devin Lee Gehlert, a 36-year-old man from Belle, Missouri, began in the summer of 2023. He was last seen on June 29, 2023, and the last communication from him was a text message to his mother the following day, in which he expressed that he felt he was being stalked. At the time of his disappearance, Gehlert was described as a white male with brown hair, brown eyes, a goatee, and numerous distinctive tattoos, including a teardrop on his face and full sleeves on both arms.
He was reported missing on July 5, 2023, prompting concern and immediate action from his family and the local community.
The days and years following Devin Gehlert's disappearance were marked by extensive search efforts and a persistent investigation. On July 6, 2023, friends and family gathered at a local park to search a wooded area, but their efforts yielded no clues. Over the next two years, law enforcement pursued dozens of leads and conducted numerous interviews. The search for Gehlert was comprehensive, involving the draining of a pond in Gasconade County and the use of advanced sonar to search another in Osage County, though neither of these measures produced results. Despite repeated searches of the woods near his home by volunteers and initial K9 units, no trace of him was found for a long time.
Regrettably, after more than two years of searching, the case came to a sad conclusion. On August 28, 2025, a coordinated operation involving the Maries County Sheriff's Office, the Belle Police Department, and specialized human-remains-detection K9 teams led to the discovery of human remains in a wooded area near Maries County Road 309. The remains were identified as Devin Gehlert through an ID found in his backpack and his distinctive tattoos. Authorities stated that no foul play was suspected, and an autopsy was scheduled to be performed. While this was not the outcome anyone had hoped for, the discovery brought a measure of closure to his family after a long and painful period of uncertainty. The extensive multi-agency effort, particularly the renewed push by specific officers and the use of specialized K9 units, was credited with finally locating him.Last Seen: Jun 30, 2023
