West Virginia man was supposed to make a drive to buy a vehicle in Ohio. Decades later he is still missing.
Jan. 11 2022, Published 2:13 p.m. ET
A West Virginia man sold his vehicle to a person in 2007 and then was supposed to make the five-hour drive to buy a new vehicle in Ohio. But he never arrived and police say he has been missing since.
On June 13, 2007, James Johansen was last seen in Fairlea, West Virginia, according to the West Virginia State Police. He just sold his only form of transportation, a Dodge Neon, to a local individual and was supposed to be en route to Akron, Ohio, to buy a new vehicle.
When Johansen left the purchaser’s home, the person said Johansen left with an unknown woman, police said. Johansen was in contact with an individual in Ohio and was getting ready for the trip.
That person was contacted by the West Virginia State Police and they said Johansen never made it to Ohio, officials said.
Johansen was a longtime resident of Lewisburg, West Virginia, police said. He was self-employed but did work out of the Cardinal Printing building in Fairlea. While he vanished, it did not appear that he was planning to disappear. Police said all of his belongings were left behind at his apartment.
According to The Charley Project, it was not like Johansen to leave without any kind of warning.
At the time of Johansen’s disappearance, Senior Trooper J.S. Syner told The Register-Herald, “We have no reason to believe there was any foul play and there are no arrest warrants out for Mr. Johansen.”
Johansen is about 5-feet-10-inches tall and weighs 160 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes, police said. He was wearing a camouflage t-shirt and pants on the day he went missing.
The case is still open and anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Johansen is asked to contact the West Virginia State Police Lewisburg Detachment at (304) 647-7600.
Become a Front Page Detective
Sign up to receive breaking
Front Page Detectives
news and exclusive investigations.