In this week's edition of "The Missing," we revisit the mysterious disappearance of Michael "Austin" Davis, a 26-year-old resident of Jacksonville, Florida, who went missing in June 2007.
"I received an email that Investigation Discovery is covering Missing Person cases," Austin's mother, Christy Davis, said in a recent email. She added, "Please let this serve as a request to include my son."
According to Christy, Austin disappeared on June 26, 2007, after getting into a cab at his sister's westside Jacksonville home. Earlier that day Austin had called into work and told his boss he would not be in. Austin's car had recently been impounded due to unpaid parking tickets he had received in Tallahassee. He said he wanted to settle the debt to get his car back. What happened next is not entirely clear; however, it was later discovered that the taxi took Austin to Jax Jewelry and Pawn Shop, at the intersection of 103rd Street and Blanding Boulevard, where he purchased a shotgun. Where he went from there remains a mystery.
"He has been suffering from depression and chronic pain and we believe this escalated after the arrest," Christy said. "Disappearing is not characteristic of Austin, but we don't know what the depression and pain may have led him to do."
Of further concern to Austin's family members was the fact that he left home without any personal belongings.
"He left home without taking things like his laptop computer (left turned on as if coming back to it), his backpack, his last paycheck from work, and a blank check from his father," Christy said, adding, "he could have had as much as $900-1200 in cash on him at the time of his disappearance."
Despite the lack of leads in the case, Austin's family remains dedicated to finding him. They have posted flyers, searched homeless shelters and hospitals, held rallies, and posted his photo and information on an Internet web site. The family also created a page devoted to Austin's case at MySpace.com.
Austin's mother describes him as 5 feet 8 inches, 180 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes, and a scar on his left cheek.
"His personality is very memorable," Christy said. "He likes people. He is very polite and friendly, and most people that meet him remember and like him."
Anyone with information in this case should call Detective Tony Cummings of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-2627.
If you are a family member of a missing loved one and have a case you would like covered here, contact me via e-mail. If you are a reader who would like to help, please spread the word about this blog so others can find us. The more people who see these stories the better chances someone might come forward with information.
