On June 8, 1998, Marcus T. Rutledge left a voicemail on his girlfriend’s phone, telling her to call him back. That was the last time anybody ever heard from him.
Marcus, 23, was a senior at Tennessee State University, majoring in biology after switching it from computer science in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. Originally from Ypsilanti, Michigan, Marcus moved to Tennessee to pursue an education at his parents’ alma mater. He had a four-year-old son named Darius, who lived in Knoxville with his mother. In May, a few weeks before his disappearance, Marcus took his son to the zoo and made plans with the child's mother to throw a big carnival-themed birthday party for him in July, complete with rides and a clown. Marcus made regular trips back to Michigan to visit family, so much so that his parents left his room as-is when he was away.
When his girlfriend attempted to call him back on June 8, and Marcus didn’t answer, she knew something was wrong, so she notified his parents in Michigan and headed over to his home at 2741 Park Dale Drive in Nashville. Although nothing looked out of place or indicated he had planned to leave for an extended period of time, she found his dog locked in the bathroom with no food or water, aside from the toilet bowl. The dog had also torn the floor mat in the bathroom to pieces. According to his family, Marcus loved animals and would never have left his dog trapped in there. Also missing with Marcus was his red four-door 1995 Plymouth Neon with a Michigan license plate of PEX755.
The family called the police, fearing that their son had gotten into an accident and was stranded on the side of the road somewhere. As the hours turned into days and the days turned into weeks, it became apparent that wasn’t the case, though. About a month later, Marcus Rutledge’s ’95 Neon was found abandoned at the Riverwood Apartments at 7388 Cabot Drive in West Nashville, some twenty-one miles away from his duplex. Although the police found his car, there were no signs of Marcus or his possible whereabouts. The case quickly turned cold due to a lack of evidence, and the family was forced to explain to four-year-old Darius that his Daddy was gone.
Police believe Marcus was the victim of foul play, but no leads or evidence have surfaced in the twenty-two years since his disappearance.
Marcus was twenty-three years old, 6'0", 190 lbs., African American, and had brown eyes and short black hair.
Unanswered questions:
Where did Marcus work?
Did Marcus have a roommate in his two-bedroom duplex unit?
What friends, if any, were interviewed by police? The Tennessee articles mention he had 'just a few close friends' in the Nashville area.
Did Marcus have any connections with anyone in the area where his car was found?
Sources:
Official
Nashville > Home missing person case page for Marcus Rutledge:
Nashville > Police Department > Get Involved > Missing Persons > Marcus Rutledge
NamUs (MP26):
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Doe Network (3411DMTN):
3411DMTN - Marcus T. Rutledge
https://unresolvedmysteries.quora.c...phone-telling-her-to-call-him-back-That-was-t
