John was last seen dropping his younger brother off at a school dance in Monroe City, Missouri at approximately 8:00 p.m. on February 17, 1968. He never picked up his brother after the dance and has never been heard from again. The next day, John's truck was found abandoned in an alley off of Main Street in Monroe City. His keys, coat and gloves were inside it. There were rumors after John's disappearance that he was killed in an altercation with a local boy, possibly a fight over a girl. John may have fallen and sustained a fatal head injury during the altercation, resulting in his death. His family has had a tombstone made for him; it sits in Palmyra Cemetery. His disappearance remains unsolved.