A 75-year-old Birmingham man is missing after his vehicle was discovered empty on a Mississippi freeway, triggering a multi-state search and a Silver Alert. Lether Thompson's phone is reportedly not working, and a missing person report has been filed with Mississippi authorities as investigators try to piece together his final movements.
According to WBRC, Birmingham police say Thompson has been missing since Thursday, October 29, after he was last seen near the intersection of Division Avenue and 78th Street North in Birmingham. WDAM reported the same October 29 sighting, placing him at that same Birmingham intersection before he disappeared, according to WDAM.
Other reports place Thompson much farther from home the next day. Per WJTV, he was last seen on October 30 around 3:30 p.m. on Interstate 20 at or near mile marker 169 in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. Darkhorse Press offered a nearly identical account, reporting he was seen around 3:31 p.m. that same day at the same mile marker, walking in an unknown direction, according to Darkhorse Press. The dossier does not resolve how the Birmingham and Mississippi sightings fit together, and this article does not attempt to reconcile them.
Silver Alert Issued, Vehicle Found Empty
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued a Silver Alert for Thompson on behalf of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the station's report notes. Thompson's vehicle was found empty on a Mississippi freeway, and a missing person report was also filed with Mississippi authorities, per the same account.
Family members said Thompson suffers from a medical condition that may impair his judgment, adding urgency to the search. Complicating efforts to reach him, his phone is reportedly not working, leaving investigators and relatives without a direct line of communication.
Description and How to Help
Thompson is described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall and weighing about 230 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes, according to the same report. Birmingham police have asked the public for information about his whereabouts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Mississippi Highway Patrol at 601-512-0508 or call 911. People with information can also call Birmingham Police at (205) 328-9311.
