Found Deceased AL - Anthony Wilborn, 39, truck found with hood up, motor running, Phenix City, 21 Oct 2020

[GuyfromCanada]

PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WRBL) – The Phenix City Police Department is searching for a missing man. Police are asking for the public’s help in locating 39-year-old Anthony Wilborn.

Modsnip

Phenix City Police searching for missing man, Anthony Wilborn | WRBL

I wonder what evidence is there that someone was injured?

 

[PommyMommy]

PHENIX CITY, Ala. (WRBL) – The Phenix City Police Department is searching for a missing man. Police are asking for the public’s help in locating 39-year-old Anthony Wilborn.

Phenix City Police searching for missing man, Anthony Wilborn | WRBL

I wonder what evidence is there that someone was injured?

BBM

I'm going to guess blood. Type of injury (ie: gunshot, knife, etc.) unknown...

Prayers going up for Mr. Wilborn.

ETA: Map of Lonesome Pine Road near Chatman Road

 

[Tattarattat]

I am very worried for Anthony. I am hoping for an accidental injury while working on the truck and a good human taking him for medical care, however, I would suspect LE has contacted local medical facilities.

Phoenix City has had a reputation for shadiness in the past. I will see if I can find some sources to link.

 

[Filly]

That is scarry. Looks like he has a good career as well.

Hoping they find Mr. Wilborn. Prayers for his worried family.

 

[Tattarattat]

I’m restrained to a mobile phone currently, so linking is a bit inefficient. This source states crime rates higher than 84% of the remainder of the state. The population is between 36-37k and does include a good bit of military with Columbus, GA nearby.

Phenix City Crime Rates and Statistics - NeighborhoodScout


“With a crime rate of 43 per one thousand residents, Phenix City has one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes - from the smallest towns to the very largest cities. One's chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime here is one in 23. Within Alabama, more than 84% of the communities have a lower crime rate than Phenix City.”

I find this bit to be of note:

“importantly, we found that Phenix City has one of the highest rates of motor vehicle theft in the nation according to our analysis of FBI crime data. This is compared to communities of all sizes, from the smallest to the largest. In fact, your chance of getting your car stolen if you live in Phenix City is one in 234.”

 

[LadyL]

motor was running? did he take off running when he saw the cops coming or did someone kidnap him? maybe someone sabotaged his truck and then hurt him/kidnapped him while he was trying to figure it out

 

[PommyMommy]

motor was running? did he take off running when he saw the cops coming or did someone kidnap him? maybe someone sabotaged his truck and then hurt him/kidnapped him while he was trying to figure it out

If this article is correct, it seems that his family found the truck. MOO

Phenix City Police need public help to find missing man
According to the police department, Wilborn’s truck was found abandoned on Lonsome Pine Road near Chatman Road in Phenix City by family members later that morning.

 

[LadyL]

If this article is correct, it seems that his family found the truck. MOO

Phenix City Police need public help to find missing man
According to the police department, Wilborn’s truck was found abandoned on Lonsome Pine Road near Chatman Road in Phenix City by family members later that morning.

but upthread it says this:

When police found the truck, it was parked on the roadway, with its hood up, the motor running, and no one inside or around the vehicle.

Phenix City Police searching for missing man, Anthony Wilborn | WRBL

 

[LadyL]

so did family members find it, leave it running while waiting for the cops?
and who saw an injured person at the site?
this story is confusing

 

[Tattarattat]

ETA: Map of Lonesome Pine Road near Chatman Road

Using PommyMommy’s helpful link, I note a few things. Lonesome Pine Rd, as Chatman Rd intersects it, looks paved with a series of closely spaced homes(likely builder grade tract homes) with paved drives as it nears S Seale Rd to the north. There is a stretch of road going this direction that looks like trees on either side of the road, no homes. Conversely, as you head south, turning left from Chatman Rd, it appears the road eventually turns to a dirt road, with some homes, appearing to be mobile home in shape/size, placed in small groups close together. From my experience in the rural south, we often have several mobile homes on a plot of land, but not all of them are always occupied, so we cannot assume that if he was headed in this direction that as many witnesses might be available. There are also what appear to be several more tree lined areas along this route, AND what appears to be a large gravel/dirt excavation site. As Lonesome Pine heads south, it appears to change names a few times, ultimately back to Lonesome, and then intersects with Abercrombie, which also appears to be dirt. I wonder which direction and area the truck was located.

 

[PommyMommy]

but upthread it says this:

When police found the truck, it was parked on the roadway, with its hood up, the motor running, and no one inside or around the vehicle.

Phenix City Police searching for missing man, Anthony Wilborn | WRBL

Yep, I know. That's why I said "If..."

It may be that the family found it initially, and then the police "found it" which should have been described as "when the police responded." Or something.

Hopefully he is found safe and we don't even need clarification! MOO

 

[Tattarattat]

Truck found by family members is an interesting fact I didn’t catch the first read through! The wording around the police “finding” the truck struck me odd, too.

 

[TexLil]

Note: I'm not at all an auto mechanic sooo

Does a person with a car issue usually work on it with the engine running? I always thought you turned off the car before you put the hood up to work on it?

MOO

 

[Tattarattat]

Perhaps he corrected the issue and had just started the truck back up to test it out. One last visual on everything to ensure no spewing fluids, loose bits, etc, then shut the hood and head down the road. Except, something occurred before that could happen. If I were to attempt to stand in a criminal’s shoes, I’d think my best chance to storm a person was while they were distracted under a hood of a vehicle, perhaps even with the hood of the vehicle.

 

[Grammar]

Note: I'm not at all an auto mechanic sooo

Does a person with a car issue usually work on it with the engine running? I always thought you turned off the car before you put the hood up to work on it?

MOO

It depends on the problem. Was he trying to find out what the problem was? Often you need the vehicle running to figure out what’s wrong. Was it a problem he had encountered before that might need a slight adjustment?

 

[ErinC]

I wonder if he was trying to jump someone's battery. I cannot for the life of me remember the sequence of jumping a car right now, but somewhere in there is of course starting one's own car. And then maybe they assaulted him, pulled off the cables (their own car having in fact been in working order) and ran? He seems the sort of fellow who would have stopped to help someone out.

 

[Dnp2be]

I wonder if he wasn’t hit by another motorist while looking/Checking/fixing his truck. I don’t know the area at all but I do know I hear of people getting hit by other motorists while pulled over changing a tire all the time. In fact I heard about one earlier today where I live that was a hit and run initially.

The article states it was obvious someone was injured before they disappeared from the area. So I’m gonna assume there was a good amount of blood either on the truck or on the pavement near the truck. As someone said above, could have been an injury while trying to fix the truck as well. However the injury occurred I really hope he was taken to get medical care for the injury and his family can be notified soon. What a strange case

 

[LadyL]

I wonder if he wasn’t hit by another motorist while looking/Checking/fixing his truck. I don’t know the area at all but I do know I hear of people getting hit by other motorists while pulled over changing a tire all the time. In fact I heard about one earlier today where I live that was a hit and run initially.

The article states it was obvious someone was injured before they disappeared from the area. So I’m gonna assume there was a good amount of blood either on the truck or on the pavement near the truck. As someone said above, could have been an injury while trying to fix the truck as well. However the injury occurred I really hope he was taken to get medical care for the injury and his family can be notified soon. What a strange case

yes never thought of that
that's a good possibility

 

[GuyfromCanada]

No news.

 

[KatzEye]

Nothing new, but interview with Anthony's uncle sheds some light on why they think someone was injured.

Exclusive: Uncle pleads for answers in bizarre disappearance of Phenix City man | WRBL

Wilborn’s truck was left running, the hood was opened, but he was nowhere in sight. What’s even more disturbing for his family is what was left behind.

“I did see what looks like blood at the scene,” Tyner said. “But regardless of what the circumstances are, we’re hoping he’s still alive some place.”

A relative says she last saw him at 6 o’clock Wednesday morning.

A couple of hours later, a family member noticed his truck on Lonesome Pine Rd. near Chapman Rd. and called police.