Luther O. Boyt
Boyt, circa 2000
- Missing Since 11/26/2000
- Missing From Kansas City, Missouri
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Sex Male
- Race White
- Date of Birth 11/29/1940 (83)
- Age 59 years old
- Height and Weight 5'9, 230 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A dark-colored shirt, dark-colored sweatpants, a dark-colored jacket and sneakers.
- Associated Vehicle(s) Dark green four-door 1998 Nissan Infiniti Q45T (accounted for)
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Graying black hair, blue eyes. Boyt may have a mustache. His two upper front teeth angle towards each other. He wears eyeglasses.
Details of Disappearance
Boyt was raised in Bogalusa, Louisiana. He moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1966 and was employed at the city hall. Boyt retired from his position as director of vital statistics in 1989. He purchased a mansion on Janssen Place shortly thereafter and spent much of his free time purchasing antiques and traveling. His loved ones stated he hosted lavish parties at his home; some of these events had over 100 guests.
Boyt sold his residence during the summer of 2000. He arranged to continue living in the house until December 2000 and was preparing to move into an apartment in Kansas City in late November. Nearly all of Boyt's furniture had been relocated to his new residence on November 25. He spent most of that day assisting movers with his belongings. Boyt's friends said that the sale of his mansion was a bittersweet time for him personally, but he was apparently happy to be moving on in his life.
Boyt visited Buddies' Bar on Main Street in Kansas City during the evening of November 25. Friends said he was not a heavy drinker and had two to three glasses of wine during the course of the evening. Boyt was reportedly in good spirits and departed from the bar alone at approximately 2:30 a.m. on November 26, saying he was going to meet friends the next morning. He has never been heard from again.
The movers realized Boyt was not at the mansion when they arrived later in the morning to finish removing his furniture. Boyt's friends began searching for him and contacted his family in Louisiana. Boyt's wallet was found with all of his credit cards and casino cards intact. He gambled on occasion and his friends stated that he would have taken his casino cards if he planned to visit such an establishment to earn player points.
Boyt's dark green four-door 1998 Nissan Infiniti Q45T was discovered abandoned in Penn Valley Park near Liberty Memorial in Kansas City's Penn Valley Park on November 27, the day after he disappeared. There was no sign of him at the scene. The vehicle was locked and $360 in cash was found underneath one of the floor mats.
An ATM receipt showed Boyt had withdrawn the money from his account on the way to the bar. Boyt planned to pay the movers in cash and the majority of the money was inside his car. An extensive search of the area provided no clues as to Boyt's whereabouts.
Boyt's mother said that her son planned to return to Louisiana to assist his dying father in December 2000. His father died on November 29, three days after Boyt vanished and on Boyt's 60th birthday. His loved ones have stated that it is very uncharacteristic of Boyt to leave without warning.
Boyt is homosexual and some theorize that his orientation may have been a factor in his disappearance, but there is no evidence to support that claim. He did not associate with anyone near Penn Valley Park and it is unclear why Boyt's vehicle was discovered in that location. He was declared legally dead in 2007, but his case remains unsolved. Authorities suspect that foul play was involved in Boyt's case.
Investigating Agency
- Kansas City Police Department 816-234-5136
Updated 5 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated November 29, 2007; picture added.