Boyd Dale Stearns, a 38-year-old white male, was reported missing by his wife on September 4, 1979. He was a contractor who left for work that morning but never returned. His pickup truck was later found by a hunter in the woods on Dirlam Road in rural Wood County on September 21, 1979. The hunter had noticed vehicle tracks in the soft ground on September 8th but didn't investigate further until he saw the truck again on September 20th.
Upon checking the truck, he found Stearns' name on paperwork and reported it to the sheriff's office.
On October 1, 1979, the partially decomposed body of Boyd Dale Stearns was discovered by a township worker mowing weeds along a creek bank near Greensburg Pike, a little over two miles south of Stearns' home on Sand Ridge Road near Bowling Green. His body was clad in his underwear and was found lying face down. An autopsy revealed that Stearns had been shot in the back, and a small bullet fragment was recovered from his body.
Despite extensive investigations, no arrests have been made, and the case remains unsolved. The Wood County Prosecutor's Office and the Wood County Sheriff's Office continue to seek information regarding this case. Anyone with additional information or questions is encouraged to submit a tip to the authorities.
The tragic and mysterious circumstances surrounding Boyd Dale Stearns' death have left his family and the community seeking answers for over four decades. The case is one of many cold cases that law enforcement agencies hope to solve with new leads or information from the public.
