Mysterious Disappearance of Raymond Rupp Shrouded in Suspicion

In mid-August 2012, Raymond Rupp mysteriously disappeared from Palm Harbor, Florida. Rupp was last seen leaving his residence at Harbor Club Downs Condominiums on the 400 block of Alternate U.S. Highway 19 South to repair his computer, but he never returned or made contact again.

On August 21, the condominium complex management alerted the police due to a foul odor emanating from Rupp's unit. Tragically, the source was Rupp's Labrador Retriever, which had perished from thirst and starvation. Initially, authorities treated the case as an instance of animal abuse and neglect.

After Rupp failed to return home by September 15, the condo management informed the police, and concerned neighbors filed a missing person report. Later, on September 28, two of Rupp's checkbooks surfaced near a transit camp around U.S. 19 and Nebraska, roughly three miles from his home. Someone other than Rupp had attempted to cash checks from his account after his disappearance.

Rupp was known to occasionally provide shelter to homeless individuals, and his roommate, Robert "Bobby" Worden, had previously experienced homelessness. Following Rupp's disappearance, Worden relocated to Arkansas, where he was arrested in August 2015 on charges of grand theft and forgery for allegedly forging Rupp's checks.

Investigators are eager to identify and question one of Worden's acquaintances from Arkansas, who may possess information about Rupp's baffling disappearance. This person, a balding Caucasian male with some missing teeth, is distinguished by a shoulder tattoo depicting an eagle with wings resembling the U.S. flag. He was last seen with Worden at Ken's Stop-and-Shop in the 700 block of Broadway Street in Van Buren, Arkansas.

Rupp, who had impaired vision and no car, relied on others for transportation and rarely ventured far. According to neighbors, he adored his dog and would never have intentionally left it without provisions. Rupp had moved to Florida in 2009 and had a strained relationship with his family. His brother characterized him as a secretive person who often relocated without explaining his motives or destinations.

Rupp's case remains unsolved, and authorities consider his disappearance to be suspicious.