Austin Kaleb Walls, an 18-year-old from the Knoxville, Tennessee area, was reported missing after traveling to New York, New York, on what was intended to be a vacation. The last contact with Walls was a conversation with his mother on October 16, 2025, at approximately 10:36 PM. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a white male, 5'10" tall, weighing around 140 pounds, with red/auburn hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a white shirt and black pants.
His mother filed a missing person report with the Knox County Sheriff's Office on October 24, 2025, after her repeated attempts to contact her son were unsuccessful. She was advised by the New York Police Department that a report could not be filed in New York since Walls was a resident of Tennessee and was only visiting the city. The investigation is being handled by the Knox County Sheriff's Office under case number 2510241554.
The circumstances surrounding Walls' disappearance became more concerning after his mother received a message on Facebook Messenger from an unknown individual's account. The message, purportedly from her son, requested that she answer. When she responded, she was met with a reply in Spanish from an unknown male. A co-worker of the mother, who is fluent in Spanish, communicated with this individual. He identified himself as a construction worker in New York City and claimed that he had allowed Walls to use his phone. He stated that Walls told him he had been robbed and no longer had his own phone. The construction worker also noted that Walls appeared to be confused and disoriented. His last known location was in the Bronx.Last Seen: Oct 16, 2025
