More than three years after he went missing, Patrick Chapman has been found dec*eased in Wayne County, Missouri.
A human skull was found on October 13, 2023, lying in a creek bed east of Mill Spring. Three days later search crews found a pair of coveralls with a cell phone in the pocket, a pair of shoes, and a shirt.
The rest of the remains were found on the east side of the creek during a second search. The remains were later identified as belonging to Patrick Chapman.
Authorities say no foul play is suspected in Chapman’s de*ath.
Chapman went missing from Mill Spring, Missouri on May 10, 2020, after leaving a family friend’s house in the early morning hours.
At the time of his disappearance, Chapman was living in St. Charles, Missouri, and worked as a tow truck driver.
The Disappearance of Patrick Chapman
On May 10, 2020, Patrick Chapman sent a text message to his ex-wife saying “Happy Mother’s Day.” He said that he needed to use his son’s laptop because someone had taken money out of his account and he wasn’t able to access it on his mobile phone.
Later that morning, Chapman arrived at her house in St. Charles, Missouri, but got into an argument when his ex-wife assumed he was accusing their son of taking the money. Chapman subsequently left, reportedly upset and confused.
Around 10:00 pm Chapman arrived at a family friend’s house in Mill Spring, Missouri, about three hours away, where he intended to stay for the night.
On May 11, 2020, his friend woke up around 4:00 am to go to work, but Patrick was nowhere to be seen.
Patrick Chapman hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
On May 29, 2020, his vehicle, a Burgundy 1995 Ford Escort Wagon, was found abandoned on a four-wheeler path in a wooded area of Mark Twain National Forest, near Mill Spring Cemetery.
On May 30, 2020, the family friend filed a missing person’s report with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department when Patrick Chapman did not show up.
Investigation
Patrick Chapman’s vehicle was found in a rural part of the county with no cell service, less than two miles from where he was last seen in Mill Spring. The bumper showed severe damage and all four tires were flat.
Authorities found his wallet containing his identification, medication, and bank cards inside the vehicle, but the car keys and his cell phone were missing. According to his family, the vehicle was wiped clean of fingerprints and his wallet had no cash.
Multiple searches were conducted after Patrick disappeared, but no clues as to his whereabouts were found.
His family does not believe he would have left on his own, stating he would never leave his son.
