Found Deceased MO - William Mays, 35, Forsyth, 2 May 2015

The search continues for a missing man in the Ozarks. William Mays Jr. went missing from a group home in Forsyth on Saturday. Mays is mentally handicapped and off his medication.

"His persona was like a child. He was 6'8 but he was just a child, a gentle giant you might say," says Lynn Hamling.

Hamling runs a business down the street from the group home where Mays lived. lived. Hamling says she saw Mays just before noon on Saturday. She says Mays told her he was blowing off steam.

The group home where he lived, wouldn't talk on camera with us. But the assistant manager says problems started Friday night. She says there was a switch in May's medication and he wasn't reacting well to it.

They called for an ambulance, but he wasn't taken to the hospital because she says Mays didn't want to go. The next morning he signed out that he was going to leave the property, something staff say is not uncommon . He was supposed to come back in a couple of hours, but he never did.

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FORSYTH, Mo. -- Taney County officials are reminding the public to keep an eye out for a man missing from a group home in Forsyth a week ago.

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FORSYTH, Mo. - The search for a man that went missing from a group home, in Forsyth, is now entering its third week.

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Around the middle of the century plans were being made in Washington that would bring great change to the little town of Forsyth. Plans were being made for the construction of a dam (Bull Shoals) on the White River, approximately 80 miles below Forsyth. Two choices were left for the town; the town could be kept intact and moved to a new location and be reimbursed for its property or it could do nothing and cease to exist. After some speculation and uncertainty a plan of action was initiated. The city limits of Forsyth were extended 2 miles west of the old town site (now called Shadow Rock Park) .... In the early 1950s the town of Forsyth was moved to this location.

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KateB said:

William has been added to NamUs: https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/show/28811

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Human remains discovered over the weekend, below the Scenic View off of Y Highway in Forsyth, are believed to belong to a man missing since last summer.

Taney County Sheriff Jimmie Russell reports they believe the remains are those of 35-year-old William Mays, who walked away from a care facility on Y Highway near Forsyth on June 2nd, 2015.

The remains were discovered by Central Taney County Fire personnel on Saturday, February 20th. Russell says he requested the assistance of Central Taney County Fire Chief Chuck Allgood to search an area on Y Highway, approximately a mile and a half from where Mays was last seen. Crews located the remains over half way down the steep hillside, at the base of a tall bluff, approximately 80 yards from the water.

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Following is the complete press release from Taney County Sheriff Jimmie Russell:

On June 2, 2015 William Mays, 35 years old, walked away from a care facility on Y Highway near Forsyth. For several days we searched abandoned buildings and heavily timbered areas in the area for Mr. Mays but were unsuccessful in finding him. Press releases were sent out with his picture with no positive leads to Mr. Mays.

Approx. two weeks ago I learned that the Central Taney Co. Fire District had been training on rope assistance on steep grades. I contacted Central Fire Chief Chuck Allgood to see if they could assist with checking an area on Y Highway near Forsyth, Mo. This was an area that we had been unable to search on foot when Mr. Mays went missing. We had flown a helicopter over this area checking from the air with no success. (this is approx. 1 1/2 mile from where Mr. Mays was last seen.) Chief Allgood said they could set up a training session and check this area with the use of ropes.

On Feb. 20, 2016 the Central Taney Fire personnel checked the area off Y highway below the Scenic View. Over half way down the steep hillside, approx. 80 yards from the water, human remains were located. Taney County Deputies and Coroner Kevin Tweedy were taken into the area by boat by two members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Water Division. The scene was processed and all remains recovered. The remains were recovered from the base of a tall bluff area. Due to the condition of the remains a positive I.D. has not been made. We will be comparing dental records and possibly DNA, if needed, to those of Mr. Mays for a positive I.D. There are no indications of any criminal activity associated with the remains.

Jimmie Russell, Sheriff

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