Description
- Name
- Jon David Ganz
- Age
- 49 at the time of his disappearance; born November 29, 1975
- Height, weight
- 5'10", approximately 195 lbs
- Hair, eyes
- Brown hair, green-hazel eyes
- Last seen wearing
- Orange t-shirt, black sweatpants
- Vehicle
- Black 2013 Chevrolet Volt, found April 6, 2025, at the Thomasville Restaurant on Highway 99, with his wallet, keys, phone, luggage, and shoes inside
- NamUs case
- MP141954
- MSHP alert
- Missing Person Alert (PDF)
What has been reported
Drawn from news coverage and public casefiles. Times are approximate as reported.
- Jon left the rental he and Rachel were staying in while looking at homes in Springfield, Missouri, driving the Volt. Family described him as agitated and not himself.
- Rachel went to a Missouri State Highway Patrol office and was advised to file a missing-person report in Springfield, which she did.
- In rural Oregon County, Jon's car got stuck in the mud. Sheriff's deputies helped get it out and directed him toward a motel in West Plains. He never arrived.
- The car got stuck again about seven miles away, near the Thomasville Restaurant on Highway 99, a short distance from the Eleven Point River. A woman saw him get out and said he told her he was going to the river to wash up. This is the last reported sighting.
- Deputies found the Volt at the restaurant with his belongings inside. The Missouri State Highway Patrol issued a Missing Person Alert.
The area was under evacuation orders for extreme flooding that weekend, and the Eleven Point was well above normal.
Searches to date
| Date | What |
|---|---|
| Apr 6, 2025 | Highway Patrol Water Patrol boat; halted by flood debris |
| Apr 8 | Ground search once the water dropped |
| Apr 9 | Helicopter |
| Apr 10 | Kayaks |
| Apr 15–16 | Boats, search-and-rescue teams, cadaver dogs |
| Apr 17 | Helicopter, expanded downriver |
Agencies involved: Oregon County Sheriff's Office, Springfield Police Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, U.S. Forest Service. No trace of Jon has been found.
How to report
- Found something along the river? Do not move it. Note the location as precisely as you can and call the Oregon County Sheriff's Office at (417) 778-6611.
- Saw Jon in April 2025 and never spoke to police? Call the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 and reference Jon Ganz.
- Anything else Email tips@findjonganz.com. Credible information is passed to law enforcement.
- NamUs Tips can also be submitted on case MP141954.
Press and records
- Search continues for missing man following devastating flooding Ozark Radio News, April 9, 2025
- Helicopters, kayaks search for man missing near river in Thomasville KOLR / OzarksFirst, April 11, 2025
- Search for Jon Ganz intensifies in Oregon County KOLR / OzarksFirst, April 16, 2025
- He Grew Obsessed With an AI Chatbot. Then He Vanished in the Ozarks Rolling Stone, October 2, 2025
- A Virginia Man Went Missing. Did He Suffer From "AI Psychosis"? Washingtonian, January 7, 2026
- Jon David Ganz The Charley Project casefile
- MP141954 NamUs
- Missing Person Alert (PDF) Missouri State Highway Patrol
Support the search
The GoFundMe organized on Rachel's behalf funds search expenses: travel to Missouri, equipment, and dog teams.
Help Us Find Jon Ganz on GoFundMe