Lovely had become separated from his family during a cross-country move. His family was riding in a large Ryder truck, and Lovely rode his burgundy or maroon 1978 Model 1100 Yamaha motorcycle. Lovely's family stopped every thirty miles to check on him. In Evanston, Wyoming, his family wanted to stop and he wanted to keep going. Later, Lovely called his aunt and claimed his motorcycle had broken down in Fort Bridger, Wyoming but that a "rough-looking" man with his own motorcycle had fixed it at Bingo Truck Stop. Lovely claimed to be afraid of the man. Nine days later, campers found Lovely's motorcycle in an isolated area off South Baxter Road. The keys were in it and it had half a tank of gasoline and was in running condition. An extensive search of the surrounding area turned up no sign of Lovely.