AZ AZ - Gene Payne, 46, Avra Valley, 20 Aug 1994

Gene Payne...

...possibly the most bizarre disappearance of all. A 46-year-old anglo, 5-feet-7-inches, and 210 pounds, with light brown hair and blue eyes, Payne vanished August 20, 1994.

He lived in an Avra Valley mobile home with his wife Peggy and a 14-year-old son. Disabled and unable to work, Payne couldn't walk far. He was last seen leaving his house at about 7 a.m., on his way to feed the livestock. His mother lived right down the road, and he habitually fed her livestock as well.

Payne was on foot, wearing only shorts, shirt, hat and tennis shoes. He had no identification or money with him.

When he did not return, his family started searching. Eventually they called Sheriff's deputies.

No trace of Gene Payne has been found, despite extensive official searches, as well as those by family and friends. In this rural area, no one saw or heard anything unusual. No signs of struggle were found, no tire tracks, no screams, no footprints...nothing.

Peggy Payne still lives in the mobile home she shared with her husband, and she says she intends to stay right there in hopes of hearing something. She says she and Payne's mother go over the events of August 20 every day, trying to make some sense of it all. About the only thing they can think of, she says, is, "God beamed him up." She says she knows that sounds crazy, but there's really no explanation for his disappearance.

They've consulted a psychic, with no luck. Peggy Payne tries to stay in contact with the Sheriff's Department, but says not many of her calls are returned; she's unsure even about who is assigned to the case now.

She admits she became indignant when an investigator pointed out that all leads had been exhausted and then added, "After all, disappearing isn't a crime."

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