Springfield family, friends continue to search for missing man
Justin Smith, 28, disappeared at the end of January.
Relatives and friends of a Springfield man continue to search for him and raise awareness of his disappear- ance.
Justin Smith, 28, was last seen on Jan. 29 in the 400 block of Linden Ave- nue, according to a post on Springfield police’s Facebook page. A relative who reported him missing said he left his job delivering food and didn’t return.
Smith is 5-foot-9 and 120 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and black shoes.
Springfield Sgt. James Byron said Thursday Smith was last seen after making a Doordash delivery to a woman at restaurant on East Main.
“Our goal is to bring Justin home. That is absolutely our number one goal, and that’s what we’re going to focus on,” Byron said.
Smith’s family and friends held a rally Thursday out- side of the police station to continue raising awareness about his disappearance. About 25 people showed up with signs and marched.
“We have discussed this (the rally) with the family. They’ve been gracious to tell us exactly what they’re looking for in this, but the biggest thing that they want is awareness. They just want this case to continue. If we keep the awareness going on, tips will continue to come in and we will exhaust those tips,” Byron said.
This missing persons case is still an “active and fluid” investigation, Byron said,
“We expect it to be a group of people who just want to keep this message going, and we support that,” Byron said before the rally.
Those who rallied Thursday chanted “Bring Justin Home” and some yelled up at inmates in the Clark County Jail to tell them where Smith is.
They also said rewards up to $6,700 are offered in the case.
Vehicles passing by those who marched for Smith downtown honked horns in support.
Byron said Springfield police continue to receive tips.
“We get them around the clock, and they’re forwarded to the investigations and to the officers that are on the street. Every tip we get is exhausted as far as we can take it,” he said.
Byron said there are pieces in the case they cannot talk about, which he said they’ve explained to the family.
The sergeant said police want the tips to continue, and he said anyone with information can call them 24 hours a day at 937-324-7716.