In Bell County, deputies and worried family members are still searching for 24-year-old Austin Jay Davis, who has been missing since Nov. 19 after he was last seen at his home off Auction Barn Road, south of Belton. His family has not been able to reach him, and authorities have classified him as missing and endangered because he has autism and depression.
What officials say about the disappearance
According to KWTX, Davis was last seen on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at his home off Auction Barn Road, and his family has not been able to contact him since. KWTX also reports that Davis is not known to be in a vehicle, a detail that has shaped how search teams have canvassed nearby rural roads and surrounding properties on foot and by patrol.
Physical description and medical concerns
The Bell County Sheriff’s Office described Davis as a 24-year-old white male, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and roughly 210 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes, per KXXV. Local reports say Davis suffers from autism and depression, which prompted officials to classify him as endangered and raised concern about how easily he might be able to ask for help or communicate his location.
How to help
Anyone who believes they have seen Davis or who has information about where he might be is asked to call the Bell County Sheriff’s Office at 254-933-5412 or dial 911 in an emergency, according to the Bell County Sheriff's Office official site. The sheriff’s page also lists additional contact numbers and a mental-health unit for people who want to share tips or volunteer information to investigators.
Why time matters in searches involving autism
Public-health and advocacy organizations note that wandering and elopement are significant safety risks for people with autism; CDC data indicate that about half of children with autism have been observed to wander, and situations can turn dangerous quickly. The National Autism Association recommends that responders check nearby bodies of water early in a search and treat certain cases as high-risk, guidance that local teams often rely on when coordinating their efforts.
Family members and deputies are urging neighbors and the wider public to review any recent security or doorbell camera footage and to contact the sheriff’s office with anything that might help. Authorities have released a few additional operational details and are asking anyone with relevant information to call the numbers listed on the county site.
