The search for Thomas Alonzo Gatlin III began after his family grew deeply concerned when he ceased his regular communication with them. At the time of his disappearance, he was experiencing homelessness and staying in various locations in Kahului on the island of Maui. Despite the instability of his situation, he made a point to call his sister every couple of days whenever he had access to a phone. It was during one of these conversations that he expressed a desire to return to his home state of Texas. However, contact abruptly stopped, and after a period of silence, he was reported missing, with the date of his disappearance noted as September 2, 2020. At that point, Thomas, who was 37 years old, was no longer just a man dreaming of going home, but a missing person whose loved ones were left waiting for a call that never came.
Following the report of his disappearance, official efforts to locate Thomas Gatlin were initiated. He was described as a Caucasian male, standing at 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing approximately 170 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. The Maui County Police Department was involved in the case, and his information was entered into national databases for missing persons, including NamUs under the case number MP85876. Despite these measures, the search for Thomas was fraught with challenges. With no fixed address and a transient lifestyle, establishing his last known whereabouts proved difficult for investigators. Public information about his case was circulated, but as time passed, no significant leads appeared to surface.
The case of Thomas Alonzo Gatlin III remains an open and unresolved matter, filled with unanswered questions. Years have passed since his last contact with his family, and there has been no reported sight or sound of him since. His loved ones are left in a painful state of limbo, holding onto hope while facing the distressing reality of his prolonged absence. This case is a somber overview of a man who, while facing personal hardships, maintained a connection to his family, a connection that was suddenly severed without explanation. His disappearance from Kahului, Maui, highlights the vulnerability of individuals experiencing homelessness and the profound difficulties in tracing their steps once they go missing, leaving a family to wonder what became of him and his expressed wish to return home.
Last Seen: Sep 2, 2020