Zackery disappeared from his residence in Nampa, Idaho, on August 22, 2009. Shortly after midnight, he visited his mother’s home and appeared anxious but left without explaining what was bothering him. In the months leading up to his disappearance, Zackery stayed with a family friend, Javier Guillen Aguilar. In July 2009, Aguilar was charged with multiple counts of indecent conduct involving young boys, with the abuse occurring between 2000 and 2005. Zackery had provided the police with evidence against Aguilar, and a material witness warrant was issued for him in February 2010, but the police were never able to locate him. Later in 2010, Aguilar was convicted on multiple charges of indecent conduct and sentenced to 21 years in prison. Aguilar died while serving his sentence in 2014. While authorities believe Zackery may have left voluntarily, there is a concern for his safety because no one has seen or heard from him since his disappearance.