Family seeks man who wanted to go 'off grid'

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The family of a man missing since 2011 with ties to Missouri and Oklahoma believes he may be in the Poplar Bluff area and is asking the community for help.

Richard Thomas McArthur, 37, also known as "Rick" and "Stone" was last seen Oct. 15, 2011, near Boley, Oklahoma, but once lived in the Poplar Bluff area and told family members he planned to return someday and "live off the grid."

McArthur suffered traumatic brain injuries in a 2008 ATV accident.

"Prior to his accident, Rick had always wanted to live off the grid. That was just his dream, to live out in the woods somewhere and be a hillbilly, so to speak. He wanted to do his own thing. That's the reason we are having such a difficult time finding him," family member Chris Vanlear said.

Vanlear said the accident caused McArthur to have to relearn to walk, talk and perform everyday tasks.

"I will never forget the phone call on his 30th birthday to tell us that Rick was in a coma and may not survive. But in my heart I knew that he would. Rick was always a fighter, but still I prayed. When we knew that Rick was going to survive the accident, we were told that he may have memory loss. We didn't know who or what he would remember, if anything at all," Vanlear said.

That accident led to McArthur's residency at Stepping Stone in 2011, the care facility near Boley that he apparently walked away from. He has not been seen since.

"We believe that he traveled back to Poplar Bluff on foot. Our last solid lead led us to believe that he is around Lake Wappapello. I have contacted the park rangers to see if we could email a flier for them to place around the area," Vanlear said.

McArthur also has ties to Denton, Texas. The family stayed in Montana and Kansas, as well. Vanlear said she hopes someone out there knows where McArthur is and can convince him to at least contact them.

"Family was so important to him, it was something that he dreamed of when he was younger. It breaks my heart to think that he feels like he is unwanted and unloved. That is the main reason that we have never given up searching for him, regardless of how many dead ends, or years that have passed. We will never lose faith," Vanlear said.

Anyone with information on McArthur's whereabouts is asked to contact the Vanlear family at 406-317-2188 or email searchingforrichardmcarthur@yahoo.com. A page has also been set up at facebook.com/bringrichardthomasmcarthurhome.