James Lamar Tidwell Jr.

Tidwell, circa 2012; Tidwell's 1979 Ford F100 pickup truck

  • Missing Since 02/15/2012
  • Missing From Mount Enterprise, Texas
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 06/22/1953 (70)
  • Age 58 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'3, 175 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A tan work shirt and blue jeans.
  • Associated Vehicle(s) White 1979 Ford F100 pickup truck (accounted for)
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Gray hair, green eyes. Tidwell's nickname is Jimmy. He wears eyeglasses, but these were left behind.

Details of Disappearance

Tidwell was last seen in Mount Enterprise, Texas on February 15, 2012. His boss last saw him at 5:30 a.m. that day, after he finished working the night shift. He had been working for an electrical company in Longview, Texas for about ten years, and he and his wife lived in a cabin they were building on a ten-acre plot in Mount Enterprise.

Tidwell was supposed to come back to work in the afternoon to do some overtime, but he never showed up. When his boss called his house and spoke to his wife, she said he was asleep and refused to wake him.

On February 20, Tidwell's boss became concerned about his uncharacteristic absence from work and asked the police to do a welfare check, but no one was able to find him. On February 28, the authorities tried again and still couldn't find Tidwell, and his boss filed a missing persons report. His wife said gave inconsistent statements as to when or where she last saw him.

On February 29, Tidwell's white 1979 Ford F100 pickup truck was found abandoned at the intersection of FM 95 and State Highway 315, about five miles from his home. A photo of the truck is posted with this case summary. It had been parked at the roadside for at least a day, and possibly since the day his boss last saw him. His glasses were lying on the seat of the truck, but his cellular phone, wallet and keys were missing. There was no sign of him at the scene.

Tidwell's sister does not believe her brother left of his own accord; she thinks foul play was involved in his disappearance. His case remains unsolved.

Investigating Agency

  • Rusk County Sheriff's Office 903-657-3581

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated September 8, 2021; casefile added.