VA VA - Rodney Kiser, 32, Hazel Mountain, 26 April 1990

I am kind of surprised Rodney has never been presented before -similar height, eye color, similar nose, missing from the east coast just a few states away from where BK was found. Rodney would be 52 today, putting him in BK's age range. What do you think?

http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/k/kiser_rodney.html

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/MissingPersons.shtm

I think your onto something with this one Jules, great possible match imo! BK's age regressed really match up. The nose, the chin shape, the eyebrows, right temple (their right), even the asymmetry of the ears. Both seem to have a higher right (their right) ear than their left.

Interesting background. I don't recall Mr. Kyles thoughts on guns... Odd too that there is no dna on file according to the state site. Age is a little off, but I am not that concerned about that. Someone missing for that long could have aged a little sooner and even with Mr. Kyles memory of standing outside a JH when Kennedy was assasinated, he could have been a younger child remember standing outside an older siblings school if he accompanied a parent to pick up an older sibling.


I'd definately look a lot closer at this one, maybe even submit honestly.

Thanks Cubby! I have tried to find something on him on ancestry, but have not come up with anything yet.

http://www.petf.org/Pro_Scholar.htm

I see some similarities in their faces.

I wonder since the CP says R Kiser was a former sheriff, would he have fingerprints on file and would BK's prints have been compared already? One thing that gives me pause is BK's memories about the Denver area (of course we can't be sure with BK's memories or know a positive timeline for when he may have been there), and there is no information about R Kiser having lived anywhere else (but I don't know if it's important to a missing person's case to report where they may have lived before?)

JMO and pre-coffee thoughts. Hope you all can understand my babbling. :blushing:

No babbling, LOL, very lucid! Good point about the fingerprints, and you are probably right. But if it were a small town sheriff, maybe not? BK's memories could be from after he went missing too, not before, or in the case of Indianapolis, perhaps he visited family there, not lived there? I think Boys Mum is right about the fingerprints though, so probably not him. I will try and contact LE on this, if people really think it warrants more of a look. In other links, it does appear that the family really thinks he was murdered. The drive from Dickinson County to Alexandria is about six hours, but it appears he never actually left his home area.

I thought I replied to this earlier, my post must have gone poof... or I got distracted and didn't finish.

The fingerprints, or lack of, don't concern me. They could have been lost, destroyed or simply not available for a number of reasons. The town could have had a flood or fire or something that destroyed them.

I would definately submit this one. His picture is too similiar to BK's age regressed. Even the curly hair thing doesn't concern me because hair can become thinner, less curly later in life.

This could be just me too, but even their right nostril shape is very similiar... both are imo. I know that may seem weird, but I try to look at the small things that are noticable to me.

Even the weight doesn't concern me. Someone could be a much lower weight at 20 than they would in their 50's.

This one has to be ruled out by the professionals, either DNA, dentals something.... it is just too close not to.

JMHO

I mentioned Rodney to Colleen Fitzpatrick, the forensic genealogist working on Mr. Kyles case since we were discussing other possibilities and she informed me they had looked at Rodney in the past and had ruled him out. She couldn't recall why, age, geographic area, or ?? but he was def. ruled out.

Thanks Cubby. Since you talk to Ms. Fitzpatrickl, what does she think? Does she think we are on the right track with the Powells, or has she already searched those avenues?

Cubby said:

I mentioned Rodney to Colleen Fitzpatrick, the forensic genealogist working on Mr. Kyles case since we were discussing other possibilities and she informed me they had looked at Rodney in the past and had ruled him out. She couldn't recall why, age, geographic area, or ?? but he was def. ruled out.

Click to expand...

I did not mention all the powells which have been presented here and I did not ask if she reads at WS. Honestly, I think there is so much discussion here it would be hard for someone like her to keep up with all the threads and all the posts. Especially coming into the thread midway through or later. It's difficult for anyone to play catch up at that point. (jmho)

When I contacted her about an unrelated case I mentioned she had talked with me previously regarding Mr. Kyles case to jog her memory in case she hadn't remembered me. When she replied regardimg the unrelated case she added she had some promising leads which once again did not pan out in Mr Kyles case, so I emailed back with the possible match and the info regarding the 32 thousand or so sitting unclaimed to a Powell in Indiana...

I think it is best to have many eyes, and many people working because I don't believe we are all working from the same theory kind of thing. I hope that makes sense, it gives us more idea's to bounce off each other.

The hair looks too kinky to be Benjaman

Rodney L. Kiser
Age in 1992, 34-35

Namus 1139

Age last seen 32
Date last seen April 26, 1990
Hazel Mountain Section, Dickenson Co, VA

Eyes Blue
Hair Brown/Auburn, curly
Height (inches) 70.0
Weight (pounds) 145.0

No DNA or dental

Rodney Kiser, was last seen on April 26, 1990.
Kiser lived on Hazel Mountain about 1/2 mile from the old fire tower. He lived off the main road in a mobile home.
Kiser worked in Trammel, not far from where he lived. He ran H&G Market, which was owned by his brother. Before he started running the store, Kiser had been a sheriff's deputy.

He owned property down the road from where he lived. On that land were another mobile home, in which he had once lived, a large old storage building and several inoperative cars.

Kiser collected many junk cars, and he spent a lot of time working on them, salvaging parts. So he visited the property often. He was headed in that direction when his sister last saw him.

When Kiser didn't return home and didn't show up to run his store, his family became worried.

A girlfriend of Kiser's said he had left on a trip to Alexandria to visit his brother. But he never showed up at his brother's home in Alexandria.
His pickup was found on May 4, 1990, parked at his old place. Keys to the vehicle, a tan, 1983 Dodge Ram 150 pickup, were in the ignition, and the driver's window was partially rolled down. A small brown case was found under the seat. In the case was Kiser's checkbook, some cash and food stamps from his store deposit and a few other items. His gun, a .357 Magnum, which his family claims he always kept with him, was missing, however. It has never been found.

Traces of blood were found in a room built on the back of his old mobile home, but it was never determined if the blood belonged to Kiser. Money has never been withdrawn from Kiser's checking and savings accounts.

2 agencies investigating:
Dickenson County Sheriffs Office Sheriff Bobby Hammons 276-926-1600
Virginia State Police First Sgt. Roger M. Owens 276/762-2112
1-800-542-8716

Dickenson Co SO
276-926-1600
Case 90-84-02-0459

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/1139/0/

http://www.wcyb.com/news/-man-goes-...day-family-still-looking-for-answers/39228206

His sisters told News 5 they have thought he was dead from day one and they think someone knows what happened to their brother. They are just waiting for that person to come forward...

Dozens of other tips came in over the years, but Sheriff Hammons says the most common story, although never confirmed, was that Kiser was killed on the property he was last seen at and then taken to Bear Ridge and dropped into a cavity... Hammons says when they were investigating they interviewed three people who may have known what happened to Kiser, but those people are all dead now.

Documents from the sheriff's office say blood was found on the trailer parked next to Kiser's truck... Attempts to test what is left of the DNA have been unsuccessful. It also says evidence relating to his case have been lost since 1990.

Click to expand...

Rodney Kiser | Playing with Fire | Ep 197

Rodney L. Kiser – UNSOLVED APPALACHIA

Bumping..

Victim Information​

RODNEY L. KISER​

Gender:MaleHeight:5'10"Hair Color:BrownAge:33Race:WhiteWeight:145Eye Color:Brown

Case Details​

VIRGINIA STATE POLICE – DIVISION FOUR – CASE: 90-16242​

ABOUT THE CASE:​

On May 5, 1990 the family of Rodney Kiser reported him missing to the Dickenson County Sheriff's Office. The family advised deputies Rodney was last seen on April 26, 1990. Prior to reporting Rodney missing family members drove to property owned by Rodney, attempting to locate him. The property was located in Hazel Mountain Road in Dickenson County and consisted of a mobile home with a built on addition to the back of the home. The family discovered Rodney's Dodge pickup truck parked at the home, with keys in the ignition, keys to a convenience store he managed and his checkbook. The family also observed areas of blood in the rear addition of the home. Rodney's girlfriend reported to police he was leaving home, traveling to Alexandria, Virginia to visit his brother. NamUs #MP1139

Bumping

• 
• 
• 

Kiser, circa October 1980 (ten years prior to his disappearance); Kiser, circa 1990

• Missing Since 04/26/1990
• Missing From Hazel Mountain, Virginia
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 10/20/1957 (66)
• Age 32 years old
• Height and Weight 5'10, 145 pounds
• 
  
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A blue cap, an orange t-shirt and jeans.
• 
  
• Associated Vehicle(s) Tan 1983 Dodge Ram 150 pickup truck (accounted for)
• 
  
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Kiser may have a beard and mustache. His hair was collar- to shoulder-length at the time of his disappearance.

Details of Disappearance​

Kiser was last seen at his home in Hazel Mountain, Virginia on April 26, 1990. His girlfriend stated he had gone to his brother's Alexandria, Virginia home to hide some stolen cigarettes.

Kiser never arrived at his brother's house, and his brother had not been expecting him. He has never been heard from again. His family stated that although he might have sold stolen goods, he would not have hidden them in Alexandria, as he had many good hiding places closer to home.

At the time of his disappearance, Kiser lived in a mobile home close the homes of his mother and sister and not far from where he worked. He and his brother ran the H&G Market in Trammel, Virginia. He had no working telephone at his residence, but he still had phone service at his previous home and used the phone and took messages there.

His previous residence was down the road; a trailer, an old storage building and several junk cars were on the property. Kiser enjoyed working on old vehicles and salvaging their usable parts, so he visited the property often.

On May 4, several days after his disappearance, Kiser's tan 1983 Dodge Ram 150 pickup truck was found parked near his old residence. The keys were in the ignition and the driver's side window was partially rolled down. His family stated this was uncharacteristic of Kiser, as he never left the vehicle unlocked for even a short period of time.

Inside the truck were his checkbook, some cash, food stamps from his store deposit, and a small brown case. His .357 Magnum gun, which he normally carried at all times, was missing.

There appeared to be blood traces smeared on the inside of Kiser's old trailer near the rear entrance, but there was no sign of him or any weapon. It was never determined whether the blood was Kiser's.

Some of the evidence relating to Kiser's case has been lost in the years since 1990. Attempts to test what is left for DNA have been unsuccessful. His family believes he was murdered inside the trailer, but Kiser's remains have not been found. No one has ever been charged in connection with his disappearance.

Kiser is a former Dickenson County sheriff's deputy. There have been no withdrawals from his bank accounts since his disappearance. His brother pays the taxes on his land, and his mother collects his mail and saves it in case of his return. His case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency​

• Dickenson County Sheriff's Office 276-926-1600

Source Information​

• The Doe Network
• Virginia State Police
• The Town News
• WCYB 5

Updated 4 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 5, 2019; picture added.

April 26, 2020