Penn Hills police were searching for 76-year-old Walter Jackson Sr. after he was reported missing on Tuesday, Nov. 10. Police said he has dementia and other medical conditions requiring medication he did not have with him. He has no cell phone and no access to a vehicle, according to the report.
According to WPXI, Jackson was reported missing from his home in the 100 block of Yosemite Drive in Penn Hills. Police describe him as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing around 250 pounds, with brown eyes, short grayish and black hair and a grayish beard. He is believed to be wearing a green army jacket and may be walking with a cane.
Police said Jackson may be in Penn Hills, Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood or the North Side. Penn Hills police and other public safety agencies asked residents in those areas to watch for someone matching his description.
Search Teams and Residents Asked to Help
The search included K9 teams and drones, WPXI reported. Police also asked residents to check yards, porches and other areas where someone might have rested or sought shelter, but only if it is safe to do so.
Police asked residents with home security or doorbell cameras to review footage from around 2 a.m. Tuesday onward for possible sightings. Anyone who sees someone matching Jackson’s description or has information about his whereabouts should call 911.
A Previous Penn Hills Search
Penn Hills police have previously searched for a missing person with a disability. In an earlier case, officers used K9 teams, drones and emergency services personnel to search for 26-year-old Milton Coore, who had autism and an intellectual disability. He was last seen around 5 a.m. in the 300 block of Austin Street near Universal Park and was found alive along Saltsburg Road, according to WPXI.
Dementia Wandering and Missing-Person Alerts
The Alzheimer’s Association says six in 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once, and many do so repeatedly. Pennsylvania State Police says the Missing Endangered Person Advisory system is intended to help recover missing people at special risk of harm or injury, with alerts sent to local media and law enforcement. These are general descriptions; they do not establish whether an advisory was issued in Jackson’s case.
A separate Pittsburgh-area search involved a 65-year-old with dementia who wandered from a care facility on Harts Run Road in O’Hara Township. CBS Pittsburgh reported that K-9 Ranger tracked the person about 2.4 miles from the facility; the person was found unhurt and returned there.
No update has been provided on Jackson's case beyond the initial search alert. Police continue to ask the public to report any possible sighting or information about his whereabouts straight to 911 rather than through other channels.
