Who Was Keith Mann Meeting Before His Disappearance?

The Disappearance of Keith Mann Jr. [0:00]

• Keith Mann Jr., 20, disappeared the night before his fiancée was to move in.
• He had a new apartment, a good job, and was engaged.
• He told work friends he had a secret meeting just after midnight.

  "And then he's never seen again."

Mother's Day Discovery [1:15]

• Keith's parents, Greg and Debra, realized he was missing on Mother's Day 1997.
• His fiancée, Carrie, called asking if they had seen Keith.
• They last saw him Friday night, celebrating Carrie's graduation in Gainesville, Texas.

  "But they're almost certain that he got home safe because he had followed them back to Wichita Falls in his car."

The Mysterious Mustang [2:34]

• On Sunday morning, Greg and Debra noticed a red Ford Mustang in their church's parking lot, in Keith's usual spot.
• The car had dealership tags, and Keith worked at Ron Roberts' Ford dealership.
• The car was still there late Sunday afternoon, parked over an oil stain from Keith's previous car.

  "Now, this car wasn't Keith's, but this car had dealership tags on it."

A Locked Car and a Puzzling Trunk [3:44]

• Greg and Debra investigated the Mustang; the trunk was popped open but empty.
• A small panel was pushed out along the trunk's wall, but everything else looked clean.
• All car doors were locked, and they couldn't see much through the windows.

  "Now, Greg lifts the lid, but there's nothing inside."

Unanswered Questions and Police Indifference [4:55]

• Keith did not return home all day Sunday or night, and the Mustang remained unmoved.
• Greg reported Keith missing on Monday morning, but the responding officer was dismissive.
• The officer suggested Keith was young and would turn up, stating it "doesn't look like a crime scene."

  "Like, Keith's young. Just give him some time. You're worrying too early."

The Dealership Car and the Seat Position [6:00]

• Keith's parents contacted his work, Ron Roberts Ford, for information.
• A locksmith was needed to access the car; nothing helpful was found inside.
• A salesman from the dealership noted the seat was not moved back, which was unusual as Keith, at 5'7", typically adjusted it closer to the steering wheel.

  "I always have to move the seat back when Keith borrows a car because at 5'7", Keith usually sat with a seat pushed up closer to the steering wheel."

Blacked-Out Files and a Lingering Doubt [7:44]

• The dealership confirmed Keith borrowed the car, but detailed logs were heavily redacted in the FOIA request.
• The Mustang was returned to the dealership without forensic processing.
• Keith's parents doubted Keith was the last one to drive the car due to the seat position.

  "But there is real doubt in Greg and Deborah's minds that Keith was the last one to drive the car."

Keith's Last Known Movements [9:24]

• On Saturday night, Keith called Carrie at 9:40 p.m., mentioning plans to go out with coworker Chris and his girlfriend, Michelle.
• Around 10 p.m., Keith left his apartment to join Chris and Michelle in a black Nissan Pathfinder.
• They made several stops: a convenience store (confirmed by surveillance and receipt), McDonald's for dinner, and mudding behind Memorial Stadium.

  "Next, the three of them drove over to McDonald's to get some dinner before taking the Pathfinder out mudding for a little bit behind Memorial Stadium."

The Secret Meeting and Departure [11:35]

• Their last stop was a house party near Lake Wichita.
• Chris stated they left the party to get Keith back to his apartment by midnight for a 12:15 a.m. meeting.
• When Chris asked who Keith was meeting, Keith smiled and shrugged, leading Chris to believe it might be a romantic interest.

  "Apparently, Keith just smiled and, like, shrugged his shoulders."

The Car Wash and Final Drop-off [13:03]

• Before dropping Keith off, Chris and Michelle stopped at a car wash near Keith's apartment around 11:30 p.m.
• They dropped Keith off between 11:45 p.m. and 12:00 a.m., watching him walk towards his apartment but not seeing him enter.
• Chris passed a polygraph, but Michelle did not take one, a decision the podcast questions.

  "Both Chris and Michelle say that they watched Keith walk towards his apartment, but they didn't actually see him go in."

Cold Feet or Foul Play? [14:50]

• Keith's mother initially theorized he got cold feet about the engagement and Carrie moving in.
• However, Keith had two commission checks waiting at work on Monday and unwithdrawn money in his bank account.
• Detectives and his father, Greg, did not believe the cold feet theory.

  "So if you're going to go away on your own, money is a really helpful thing to, like, get you a head start."

Rumors and the Dealership Connection [16:04]

• Over 100 people were interviewed, yielding no helpful information.
• Rumors circulated about involvement with the Texas Mexican Mafia, drug deals gone wrong, or gambling.
• A recurring detail in rumors involves the Ron Roberts dealership, where a new location was being built.

  "And something that keeps getting thrown out, something that Keith's parents do believe, is that Keith is either buried there under concrete or buried somewhere else under concrete, somewhere around town."

Gary Price: A Person of Interest? [17:55]

• A recorded jail call from 2007 mentioned Gary Price, who formerly worked as a mechanic at Ron Roberts Ford.
• Gary Price had a history of robbery and assault convictions.
• Employees described him as dishonest with a quick temper, making him a person of interest.

  "This dude has a long rap sheet. It turns out Gary committed a couple of robberies at two different pharmacies, both in and around Wichita Falls."

Gary Price's Son, Jeremy [20:41]

• Gary Price claimed he left the dealership before Keith started and that his son, Jeremy, knew Keith.
• Jeremy worked in the mechanic stalls and Keith would talk to him frequently.
• Gary felt the Texas Rangers mishandled the investigation by focusing on him and not interviewing Jeremy.

  "He told our reporter, Taylor Day, that he actually left Ron Roberts Ford before Keith started working there."

A Search at an Old Car Wash [22:48]

• In 2021, police excavated a lot on Southwest Parkway, formerly an old car wash business.
• This location was half a mile from Keith's apartment and near where Chris mentioned washing the Pathfinder.
• Polaroids from before the demolition showed a new concrete slab, leading to the excavation.

  "And on Google Maps, if you look it up, you just see, like, a dirt lot with a broken down sign."

Unidentified Owner and Unanswered Questions [24:37]

• The property records for the car wash lot revealed an owner whose name did not ring a bell with Keith's family.
• Police stated this owner had no significance to the case.
• The identity of the person Keith was supposed to meet at 12:15 a.m. remains unknown and is considered a key question.

  "No, but to me, the unnamed person who should be a person of interest is whoever Keith was supposed to be meeting at 1215."

A Possible Clue from a Sister's Memory [26:00]

• Keith's sister recalled hearing a door slam around 1 a.m. in the direction of the church parking lot.
• This recollection, in hindsight, suggests the Mustang might have been left there then.
• The seat being pushed back implies someone other than Keith was driving.

  "And remember, the seat was pushed back, like, someone taller than Keith was driving."

The Search for Answers Continues [27:15]

• The family is seeking information from anyone who knew Keith, including classmates and coworkers.
• They have established a Missing Man Project website and Facebook page.
• Wichita Falls PD offers a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

  "So if you have any information that you want to share with the family, you can send them a message on the Missing Man Project website or their Facebook page."