Joseph Chaffins remains both a missing person and a wanted man in Kosciusko County, Indiana. He disappeared on October 26, 2022, and despite years of investigation, authorities have still been unable to determine what happened to him.
Investigators have emphasized that the case has not gone cold, although the number of tips has decreased as time has passed and witnesses’ memories have faded.
In an effort to generate new information, authorities released a photograph of Chaffins taken just three days before he disappeared. The image shows him walking along the south side of Webster Lake.
Fishing was one of Chaffins’ favorite activities. According to Detective Sgt. Michael Fowler, investigators learned from his family that fishing was a hobby he particularly enjoyed.
It was reportedly one of the reasons Chaffins’ family moved from Kentucky to Kosciusko County when he was 18 years old.
Extensive Searches
Since Chaffins vanished, investigators have continued following leads that they believed could help locate him.
Authorities brought cadaver dogs to six separate locations while searching for possible evidence of his remains.
Investigators also searched properties where tips suggested Chaffins might have been buried. In some cases, excavators from the county highway department were brought in, and areas were dug with the property owners’ permission.
The search extended across different types of terrain, with investigators looking above ground as well as underground in an effort to determine what happened to him.
His Disappearance Followed Several Arrests
Chaffins disappeared during a year in which he had been arrested three times in Kosciusko County on serious felony-related charges.
In January 2022, he faced a charge of aggravated battery resulting in serious permanent disfigurement. In April, he was charged with theft, followed by an intimidation charge in May.
Despite those circumstances, his family reported him missing after he disappeared on October 26.
Investigators have continued to focus on finding him, regardless of what the final circumstances may prove to be.
Authorities have expressed hope that Chaffins is still alive and will eventually return to his family. At the same time, investigators have acknowledged the possibility that he may have died and that his remains could still be undiscovered.
For his family and everyone involved in the search, the priority remains the same: finding Joseph Chaffins and finally learning what happened to him.
Information Requested
Anyone who has information about Joseph Chaffins is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Mike Fowler at 574-265-2215 or 574-267-5667.
Tips can also be submitted to Michiana Crime Stoppers at 800-342-STOP (7867).