Ruben Primrose Wiggins

Wiggins, circa 1988

  • Missing Since 11/20/1988
  • Missing From Pitt County, North Carolina
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 09/25/1938 (85)
  • Age 50 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'10, 180 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A gray shirt, tan work pants, black boots and a gold watch with the initials "GP" on the face.
  • Associated Vehicle(s) Light blue 1978 Oldsmobile (accounted for)
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Gray hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance

Wiggins was last seen in Pitt County, North Carolina on November 20, 1988. At 10:30 a.m., he received a telephone call, and afterwards he acted fearful and refused to say who the call was from. A short time later, he left his house with $500 in cash and never returned.

He has never been heard from again. A month after his disappearance, his light blue 1978 Oldsmobile was found abandoned in a wooded area off Maple Cypress Road in Craven County, North Carolina. Wiggins often cut down trees for money, and he had three chainsaws in the trunk of his car at the time of his disappearance. When his vehicle was located, one of the chainsaws was missing.

According to his brother, Wiggins lived quietly and frugally. He never married or had any children, and worked for theĀ Georgia-Pacific Railroad for most of his adult life. His brother stated he also smoked marijuana and sometimes sold it.

His brother believes he was murdered and possibly cut up with the missing chainsaw and fed to pigs. He believes he who the assailants were; he thinks they were people whom Wiggins had known well and trusted. One of the suspects in his disappearance was killed in a car wreck shortly after Wiggins disappeared. The person's identity has never been released.

Foul play is suspected in Wiggins's disappearance, but little evidence is available in his case. He was declared legally dead in 2007.

Investigating Agency

  • Warren Police Department 330-394-2521

Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated March 26, 2018; clothing/jewelry description added, details of disappearance updated.