Patrick F. Carnes

Find Patrick F. Carnes

Humboldt County, Nevada
Sheriff’s Office
Ed Kilgore, Sheriff

PRESS RELEASE

DATE: April 3, 2012

LOCATION: Humboldt County

TOPIC: Missing Persons Investigation (Patrick Carnes)

DETAILS: In April of 2011, 86 year old Patrick F. Carnes (Pat), a Reno resident, embarked on a trip to visit relatives in Ohio. After Pat concluded his visit, he began his trip back to Reno on April 12th. Pat traveled westbound on Interstate 80 in his dark green Subaru station wagon accompanied by his eight year old male Lab/Akita mixed breed dog, “Lucky”.

On Wednesday, April 13, 2011, at 9:00 pm, Pat was on the interstate nearing the town of Wells, Nevada. As Pat approached a Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper, who was at that time on a traffic stop of a tractor trailer rig, Pat failed to move over to the lane farthest away from the trooper. Because of this, the trooper left the stop that he was on and proceeded after Pat and his Subaru. Pat was eventually stopped and warned about the moving violation. During the conversation between Pat and the Trooper, Pat commented, “I’m only following him because he is going to Elko.” After viewing the trooper’s dash cam video, it appeared as if Pat was following directly behind a tractor trailer rig.

On the morning of the following day, Thursday, April 14, 2011, at just a few minutes before 6:00 am, a Mine employee, on the way to work, observed a car parked in an unusual location off of Interstate 80 at the Pumpernickel Valley off-ramp (exit 205). This individual then contacted the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office to report what she had seen.

Upon a deputy’s arrival, he observed the Subaru to be empty, slightly high centered and stuck in the sage brush. The deputy sheriff checked the license on the vehicle and also requested HCSO Dispatch to attempt to contact the registered owner (Pat Carnes) in Reno. The plate information came back clear and Reno P.D. reported that no one answered the registered owner’s phone.

Two days later, on Sunday, April 17th, the Subaru was still in the same location. HCSO Dispatch again contacted the Reno Police Department and asked them to respond to the owner’s residence to check his welfare. At the same time that the Reno P.D. officers arrived at the residence, so did two of Patrick Carnes’ sons. Upon talking with Carnes’ sons, it was learned that they were at his (Pat’s) apartment to see if he had arrived home from his Ohio trip, since they had not heard from him.

Based upon the discovery of Pat’s car in Humboldt County and the fact that he was not at his residence in Reno, a Missing/Endangered Person report was taken and Pat was entered into the National Crime Information computer.

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office then immediately began what would be several days of both ground and air searches in the area of the 205 exit at Pumpernickel Valley and I-80. Approximately 600 to 700 man hours were expended in this search. The search included canines, ATV’s, Jeeps, ground teams, and several aerial flights over the area.

Later searches were conducted during the summer that included the exploration (via camera equipment) of numerous mine shafts in the general area of where Pat Carnes’ vehicle was found.

The Sheriff’s Office has attempted to keep Pat’s disappearance in the media and therefore, hopefully, garner more tips related to this case. Pat’s case has been profiled on news channels in Reno and Las Vegas, as well as the Coast to Coast radio show (carried by KKOH radio in Reno). America’s Most Wanted also did a segment on this case during one of their new shows this past January. All of these outreaches have generated literally hundreds of tips which continue to be investigated. The Carnes family has also purchased billboard space along Interstate 80 in Golconda, featuring a photo of Pat as well as the Secret Witness phone number (775-623-6969). Humboldt County officials have also received assistance in this case from law enforcement personnel as far away as Illinois.

In March of 2006, a truck belonging to another Reno resident, Judith Casida – female adult, 62 years old – was also found parked and unoccupied off Interstate 80 at the 205 exit (Pumpernickel Valley). Mrs. Casida was also reported as a Missing and Endangered Person on a Washoe County Sheriff’s case. In this case, the Washoe Sheriff’s Office conducted the area search for Casida to no avail. As of this date, Mrs. Casida is still missing.

Both the Patrick Carnes and the Judith Casida cases are still open and active investigations. The Carnes case is being investigated by the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office and the Casida case by the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with any information, however slight, is greatly encouraged to contact the below listed numbers. It is the extreme desire of the investigators in both of these cases to bring answers to these families regarding the whereabouts of their loved ones.

Patrick Carnes Case:

The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
Undersheriff Curtiss C. Kull
h102@hcsonv.com
(775) 623-6419
Secret Witness (775) 623-6969

Judith Casida Case:

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office
Detective Kathleen Bishop
(775) 328-3320

Fliers with photos are available upon request

Releasing Authority:
Sheriff E.R. Kilgore

Release Written By:
Curtiss C. Kull Undersheriff
(775) 623-6419

 

Patrick F. Carnes and his 100-pound mixed breed dog Lucky vanished without a trace from I-80 in Nevada 20 miles east of Winnemucca Wednesday, April 13. Carnes was traveling from Ohio to his home in Reno. He was scheduled to return home Thursday, April 14. When he failed to arrive family members reported him missing. Police located his dark green Subaru abandoned near exit 205 along I-80. Missing from the vehicle were Carnes and Lucky as well as Carnes’s wallet. His checkbook and luggage remained in the vehicle

Carnes was last seen at a Flying J Travel Plaza in Wells, Nevada, April 13 around 9 p.m., 350 miles east of Reno. Carnes is a WWII Veteran in good health, and he often traveled with his dog. The 86-year-old white male has blue eyes, stands 5’11 and weighs 180 pounds. Carnes is balding and was wearing a Toledo Mud Hens baseball cap at the time of his disappearance. He is fair skinned and always wears his glasses.

Family members, including Carnes’s younger brother Jim Carnes – a retired Toledo Police detective, his son, nephew and dozens of family members, law enforcement and volunteers have searched tirelessly for Carnes but have not turned up any clues. It is thought he may have gotten a ride from someone traveling along I-80. A reward is being offered for any information about Carnes’s disappearance. Anyone with any information is urged to call Secret Witness at 775-322-4900. You can also contact Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at 775-623-6429 and ask for Undersheriff Curtiss Kull.

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