Donald James Cavanaugh, 63, was last seen March 1, 2005, in Ukiah, California. A native of Illinois, he had moved to California in 2004 to work on a horse ranch in Westport owned by his nephew, James DeNoyer. The ranch combined horse farming with marijuana cultivation.

Tensions reportedly developed between Cavanaugh and DeNoyer over money, personal disputes and concerns about the horses. In December 2004, Cavanaugh said he was taken to San Francisco International Airport, allegedly at gunpoint by DeNoyer, and left there without money or transportation. Weeks later he reached Plowshares shelter in Ukiah and told staff he planned to return to the ranch to retrieve his belongings and his dogs; that visit to Plowshares was the last confirmed sighting. He was reported missing in May 2005.

Investigators have linked Cavanaugh’s disappearance to that of David Neily, who vanished in 2006 after working on the same ranch. DeNoyer is described as a person of interest in both missing-person cases; no charges have been filed and foul play is suspected. Did anyone in the area around Westport or Ukiah know Cavanaugh, the ranch, or his dogs?