Rodney Lynn Kiser
Kiser, circa October 1980 (ten years prior to his disappearance); Kiser, circa 1990
- Missing Since 04/26/1990
- Missing From Hazel Mountain, Virginia
- Classification Endangered Missing
- Sex Male
- Race White
- Date of Birth 10/20/1957 (66)
- Age 32 years old
- Height and Weight 5'10, 145 pounds
- Clothing/Jewelry Description A blue cap, an orange t-shirt and jeans.
- Associated Vehicle(s) Tan 1983 Dodge Ram 150 pickup truck (accounted for)
- Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Kiser may have a beard and mustache. His hair was collar- to shoulder-length at the time of his disappearance.
Details of Disappearance
Kiser was last seen at his home in Hazel Mountain, Virginia on April 26, 1990. His girlfriend stated he had gone to his brother's Alexandria, Virginia home to hide some stolen cigarettes.
Kiser never arrived at his brother's house, and his brother had not been expecting him. He has never been heard from again. His family stated that although he might have sold stolen goods, he would not have hidden them in Alexandria, as he had many good hiding places closer to home.
At the time of his disappearance, Kiser lived in a mobile home close the homes of his mother and sister and not far from where he worked. He and his brother ran the H&G Market in Trammel, Virginia. He had no working telephone at his residence, but he still had phone service at his previous home and used the phone and took messages there.
His previous residence was down the road; a trailer, an old storage building and several junk cars were on the property. Kiser enjoyed working on old vehicles and salvaging their usable parts, so he visited the property often.
On May 4, several days after his disappearance, Kiser's tan 1983 Dodge Ram 150 pickup truck was found parked near his old residence. The keys were in the ignition and the driver's side window was partially rolled down. His family stated this was uncharacteristic of Kiser, as he never left the vehicle unlocked for even a short period of time.
Inside the truck were his checkbook, some cash, food stamps from his store deposit, and a small brown case. His .357 Magnum gun, which he normally carried at all times, was missing.
There appeared to be blood traces smeared on the inside of Kiser's old trailer near the rear entrance, but there was no sign of him or any weapon. It was never determined whether the blood was Kiser's.
Some of the evidence relating to Kiser's case has been lost in the years since 1990. Attempts to test what is left for DNA have been unsuccessful. His family believes he was murdered inside the trailer, but Kiser's remains have not been found. No one has ever been charged in connection with his disappearance.
Kiser is a former Dickenson County sheriff's deputy. There have been no withdrawals from his bank accounts since his disappearance. His brother pays the taxes on his land, and his mother collects his mail and saves it in case of his return. His case remains unsolved.
Investigating Agency
- Dickenson County Sheriff's Office 276-926-1600
Source Information
Updated 4 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated January 5, 2019; picture added.