The investigation into the disappearance of 18-year-old Caleb Diehl, who was last seen in Nocona on March 30, continues. Meanwhile, his part-time boss, Ricky Dale Howard, was arrested on an unrelated charge.
The mystery surrounding the missing teen continues to grow as investigators have found no sign of the teen who lives in Grapevine with his sister.
His mother, Tami Diehl, still resides in Nocona where Caleb often visited and worked part-time for Howard.
Tami Diehl filed a missing person’s report with Nocona Police on April 1. Caleb Diehl was last seen on March 30 borrowing a pickup truck belonging to Howard to go to another job.
The truck he borrowed reappeared two days later with its keys placed back on the proper hook at the business.
There has been an extensive search for the teenager as the Nocona Police was joined by the 97th District Attorney’s Office and the Texas Rangers.
Officials with the Center for Missing and Exploited Children came in two weeks after he went missing with rescue dogs searching four days at various locations Diehl was known to work and frequent.
Nocona Police Chief Kent Holcomb reported a crushed cell phone was found near the returned truck, but since it was thrown into the trash, it is unclear if it was Diehl’s, whose phone has not been used since March 30.
Howard, 53, was arrested May 18 on a warrant for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Justice of the Peace David Allen set bond at $4,000 and Howard was released from jail the next day.
Hughes said investigators spoke to Howard several times during the course of the Diehl investigation because it is believed he is one of the last people to have contact with the young man before he disappeared.
“Caleb worked for Howard and had access to all of Howard’s property.
