Search For Missing Adairsville Man Enters Second Week

ADAIRSVILLE, GA — It's been nearly two weeks, and no one has seen or heard from the missing Adairsville man whose vehicle was found in a river in Pulaski County. That's according to the fiance of Kevin Patterson, who was last seen Jan. 23 in the middle Georgia city of Hawkinsville.

Crystal Campbell of Adairsville said she's even traveled to the county to gather clues about her fiance's disappearance, but still remains puzzled about these frightening turn of events. Campbell told Patch she has visited the area where the vehicle was last seen and has reviewed surveillance footage of a nearby convenience store. Neither of those actions have resulted in any leads in the case of Patterson's disappearance.

"There’s still no signs of him being found," she added.

According to the Facebook post created by family friend Stephanie Long, Patterson was supposed to visit his brother in the city but never arrived. The vehicle he was driving was found submerged in the Ocmulgee River.

WXIA-TV reported the doors and the trunk to Patterson's Toyota Avalon were open at the time of the discovery. Cameras in the area of the Mile Branch boat ramp where the vehicle was found showed the car rolling into the river and an unknown person walking into the woods nearby, the station added.

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Campbell also said she's been in regular contact with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office in connection to the case. Deputies spoke with occupants of three homes Patterson reportedly visited in Pulaski County, but those interviewees did not have any useful information that could help in the case, Campbell said.

However, Campbell added she has not been wholly satisfied with the agency's response in the case. She questioned why deputies did not request the assistance of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation when they found Patterson's vehicle in the river. Their perception, Campbell said, is that Patterson does not want to be found. She noted her fiance is on parole, and believes the sheriff's office is not taking his disappearance seriously because he has a criminal background.

"They are treating him (like) a criminal," she said, adding they do not see him as a missing person. "That's not how I'm treating it."

The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office did issue a be-on-the-lookout alert on social media. A Jan. 31 post indicates the BOLO was posted on Sheriff Danny Brannen's Facebook profile. As of Monday afternoon, his post has been shared more than 300 times. Patch has reached out to Sheriff Brannen and left a message for the investigator to return our call, but we have not heard back from those officials.

GBI spokesperson Nelly Miles told Patch the state agency has not been contacted by anyone from the sheriff's office requesting assistance in the search for Patterson.

Campbell stressed to Patch that Patterson's disappearance is unusual, as he is not the kind of person who would disappear without making contact with her or his mother. She last heard from Patterson between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Jan. 23. Campbell said Patterson told her he loved her and the children during their last conversation.

Speaking of family members, Patterson's disappearance has been hard on the couple's children, Campbell noted. The two older kids, who are 11 and 8 years old, are aware that Patterson's vehicle was found in the river. The two younger children, three-year-old twins, are asking her to "find daddy."

The Adairsville resident said she wants to get fliers made to spread the word about Patterson's disappearance. She also said she will continue to share his information on Facebook to keep his face on the minds of social media users.

"I don’t know what else I could do," she said.

Patterson is about 6 feet tall and weighs between 135 and 150 pounds. He has short brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information about Patterson's whereabouts is asked to contact the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office at (478) 783-1521 or the agency's tip line at (478) 783-9255.

Image via Pulaski County Sheriff's Office