John Christopher Terry

Terry, circa 2014; Tattoo on Terry's chest

  • Missing Since 10/17/2014
  • Missing From Hillsboro, Texas
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 03/01/1984 (40)
  • Age 30 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'9, 180 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A black t-shirt with "Gene's Auto Service" in red lettering on the front and back, blue jeans, tan work boots, a watch and a blue Dallas Cowboys baseball cap with the letter D in white embroidery on the front. Terry is wearing the hat in some of the photos above.
  • Associated Vehicle(s) Silver 2014 Jeep Compass with the Texas license plate number DLL1752 (accounted for)
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Terry had a thick brown beard at the time of his disappearance. He may use the first name Johan. He has a vertical scar running the length of his right ear, and a tattoo of the year "1984" on his upper chest just under his collarbone, and a tattoo of a tribal dragon running from the back of his neck to his left arm. A photo of Terry's chest tattoo is posted with this case summary.

Details of Disappearance

Terry was last seen driving away from the Wal-Mart store in Hillsboro, Texas on October 17, 2016. He had been running some errands after work and the Walmart was his last stop. He went in alone, bought pet food, then left and has never been heard from again.

The next day, his silver 2014 Jeep Compass with the Texas license plate number DLL1752 was found abandoned on Hill County Road 2346 in a remote area near Abbott, Texas. This is about 25 miles from his home.

The vehicle was low on gas, the keys were in the ignition and the windows were rolled down. Terry's work shirt and cigarettes were the front seat, and his cellular phone and the pet food he'd bought at Walmart was in the backseat, but his wallet was missing. Police don't believe he drove his vehicle to that location himself; they think someone may have parked the vehicle there to mislead the investigation.

There was no sign of Terry and no indications of foul play at the scene of the abandoned car, but authorities stated they'd found blood spattered on the front door of his house, a remote cabin on his father's property. He lived there with his two young sons; he was divorced from their mother.

One theory is that his case may be related to someone he bought a bed from. Terry was sleeping on the couch at the time of his disappearance, and had planned to purchase a bed for himself. Authorities haven't been able to determine who he was going to buy it from.

Although his family hopes he could still be alive, investigators believe foul play was involved and that he was a homicide victim.

Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 22, 2020; details of disappearance updated.