UNSOLVED DISAPPEARANCE: PATRICK CARNES

When an elderly World War II veteran and his loyal dog embark on a cross-country road trip, all goes smoothly until they reach The Big Lonely: a remote stretch of highway in the northern Nevada desert suspected to be a hunting ground for serial killers. The unexplained disappearance of man and dog launch an enormous search that yields nothing but mystery in this episode of Last Seen Alive.

Patrick Carnes disappeared on the night of April 13, 2011 in the northern Nevada desert and has yet to be found.

More than just a “coffee table with legs”, Lucky the Akita/Lab mix was Patrick’s best friend and loyal companion. Lucky went missing along with his owner.

Patrick served in the Navy Air Corps during WWII.

When he was stoped by the Nevada Highway Patrol officer, Patrick had been following this truck. Investigators believe its driver may know something–possibly everything–about what happened to Patrick, but it’s never been conclusively identified.

At approx. 9 PM on April 13, Patrick was stopped by a Nevada Highway Patrol officer and received a warning about a moving violation. This is the last known time that Patrick was seen alive.

Patrick’s car was discovered empty and high-centered in the sagebrush at I-80 Exit 205 early in the morning of April 14, 2011. How and why it got there remains a mystery.

Exit 205 is literally an exit to nowhere. Patrick’s vehicle was found abandoned there for reasons that remain unclear.

Judy Casida disappeared in 2006–five years before Patrick. Her vehicle was found abandoned at Exit 205, just like Patrick’s. She has yet to be found.

Sources mentioned in this episode:

Find Patrick Carnes (Family-Run Informational Site)

Patrick Carnes Missing–America’s Most Wanted Video Segment (Vimeo)

Elderly Man’s Disappearance Linked to Serial Killer? (KTNV)

I-Team: Is a Serial Killer Hunting Motorists in Northern Nevada? (8 News Now Las Vegas)

FBI Highway Serial Killings Initiative (Federal Bureau of Investigation)

Missing Reno Man May Have Stopped in Elko (Elko Daily)

Missing: Judith Ellen Casida (Charley Project)

Crime Victimization in Adults with Severe Mental Illness: Comparison with the National Crime Victimization Survey (National Center for Biotechnology Information)

Mentally Ill at Significant Risk of Becoming Murder Victims (MedScape)

Know something about Patrick or Judy’s disappearance? Say something! Your tip may mean everything to investigators and the families waiting for closure.