ROCKINGHAM — The family of a man who hasn’t been seen in nearly a month has issued a plea to the community to help bring him home.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office on Friday published a letter on its Facebook page from Deborah Bailey Jackson, sister of 67-year-old Dennis Wayne Bailey.
According to the sheriff’s office, Bailey was last seen on Dec. 28 but wasn’t reported missing until Jan. 2. In the letter, Jackson says he has been missing since Dec. 30.
"He is cherished by many in our community and within our family, and his absence has left a profound void in our lives,” Jackson said. “We are reaching out to ask for your help in locating Dennis. If anyone has any information — no matter how small or seemingly insignificant — it could be the key to bringing him home.
“We understand that circumstances may be complicated, but we implore those who may have knowledge of his whereabouts, or who may have harmed him, to come forward,” Jackson continued. “Our love for Dennis drives us to seek closure. If he is no longer with us, we want to ensure he is brought to rest with the dignity and love he deserves.
“Please, if you have any information or can point us in the right direction, we urge you to speak up. You can reach out to us directly or contact the authorities.
“We appreciate your compassion in this difficult time and thank you for being a part of our extended family. Together, we can bring Dennis home.”
When Bailey was reported missing, the sheriff’s office said he was known to walk along Mizpah Road, southeast of Rockingham, and may have been wearing a black and red puffy jacket.
First responders from Richmond and Scotland counties helped in a search for Bailey after he was reported missing.
The sheriff’s office announced earlier this week that Richmond County Crime Stoppers and Sheriff Mark Gulledge are each offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to Bailey’s location. Added to the now $2,000 being offered by the family, the total reward is up to $5,000.
A total of $3,000 from Crime Stoppers and the sheriff is also being offered for information related to the search of Linda Ann McCuiston, who was last seen near her home on Country Canyon Drive near Cordova on Oct. 11, 2024. The sheriff’s office announced that evening that deputies and investigators had launched a search to find her. The wooded areas around her home were searched by deputies and search and rescue teams, as well as with a drone, on Sunday, Oct. 13, according to the sheriff’s office. Those searches were not successful. The alert with the N.C. Center for Missing Persons automatically cancels after 90 days, however McCuiston has yet to be found. McCuiston stands 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 125 pounds, according to a post from the N.C. Center for Missing Persons. However, a missing poster describes her as being 5 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing 115 pounds. She has shoulder-length black and gray hair and brown eyes and was reportedly last seen wearing a black shirt and dark pants, as well as a black toboggan on her head. Anyone with information on either case is encouraged to call 911 or use the P3 Tips app.
