WELLS, Nev. -- A Nevada man traveling from Ohio back to his home in Reno three weeks ago never made it.
Family of 86-year-old Patrick Carnes say he vanished and they re in utter disbelief that he s missing.
Although Carnes, a World War II vet is 86, his family says mentally, he's sharp as a tack.
What happened? Where is he? He just vanished, said Patrick s son, Jim Carnes.
On April 12, Jim Carnes says his 86-year-old father and his beloved dog Lucky left from Toledo, Ohio, and headed home to Reno, Nevada.
On the night of April 13 Carnes was pulled over by Nevada Highway Patrol for a minor traffic infraction six miles outside of Wells, Nevada.A few minutes later, Carnes stopped to get gas in Wells.
That's the last time he was seen.His car was discovered at an exit 20 miles east of Winnemucca, but Carnes and his dog were nowhere to be found and an exhaustive search turned up nothing.
We just think there was foul play involved, we don't have any proof of that, but it's leading to that because where else would he be? said Jim Carnes.
Humboldt County Undersheriff Curtiss Kull agrees.
Our number one theory is in fact that something very bad happened to him at the hands of somebody, said Kull.
The disappearance of Carnes is the latest in a string of missing persons cases.
On March 2 Grant Moedl vanished while driving from Rexburg to Boise.
Two weeks later Albert and Rita Chretien, a Canadian couple, vanished.Their last known location was in Baker City, Oregon. Rita Chretien was found in Nevada onMarch 6 by hunters on ATVs, but Albert Chretien is still missing.
Kull says it's hard to say whether the three cases are linked, but the disappearances are eerily similar.
You're talking a month period of time for four people to just vanish, and if you also plot these out on a map, like I said, it really grabs your attention, said Kull.
Jim Carnes says he's trying to remain positive.
We're still very hopeful we're going to find him and he'll be fine, and Lucky, but as the days go on and nothing it's just very disturbing, said Jim Carnes.
Family members have checked with friends, local hospitals, police stations and dog pounds to see if there are any signs of Lucky, but so far nothing has turned up.
If you have information regarding Patrick Carnes you are urged to contact the Humboldt County Sheriff s Office at 775-623-6429.
For any other information regarding the Chretiens or Grant Moedl, you should contact your local law enforcement.
