Description
- Name
- Jon David Ganz
- Age
- 49 when he went missing
born November 29, 1975 - Height, weight
- 5'10", about 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
- Highway Patrol
- Missing Person Alert (PDF)
The last few miles
Schematic, not to scale. Jon's car got stuck on Highway 160 west of Alton (1), was freed by deputies, then turned north on Highway 99 and got stuck again at Thomasville (2), a short walk from the Eleven Point River.
What happened that night
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.
What has been done
| Date | Search |
|---|---|
| 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.
(417) 778-6611Saw Jon in April 2025 and never spoke to police?
Call the Springfield Police Department and reference Jon Ganz.
417-864-1810Press and records
- Search continues for missing man following devastating floodingOzark Radio News · April 9, 2025 · first report
- Helicopters, kayaks search for man missing near river in ThomasvilleKOLR / OzarksFirst · April 11, 2025
- Search for Jon Ganz intensifies in Oregon CountyKOLR / OzarksFirst · April 16, 2025
- He Grew Obsessed With an AI Chatbot. Then He Vanished in the OzarksRolling Stone · October 2, 2025
- A Virginia Man Went Missing. Did He Suffer From "AI Psychosis"?Washingtonian · January 7, 2026
- Jon David GanzThe Charley Project · casefile
- MP141954NamUs · National Missing and Unidentified Persons System
- 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. Updates are posted on the Find Jon Ganz Facebook page and on TikTok at @find.jon.ganz. Sharing either one helps.