Cold Case Files : Four years after his disapearance James Valdez remains an enigma to investigators

On the morning of June 9, 2021, a disagreement disrupted the quiet of Carefree Lane in Booneville, Arkansas. Forty-seven-year-old James Lubin Valdez, a White male standing between 5'9" and 5'10" and weighing approximately 200 to 220 pounds, left his residence abruptly following an argument.

James never returned, and no one has heard from him since.

James was believed to have been heading to Ozark reportedly to visit friends or family, yet he never made it. On June 20, nearly two weeks after he vanished, an acquaintance made a startling discovery. James’s vehicle--a familiar presence--was located near a swimming and bluff hole off Dry Creek Road in Sugar Grove, deep in the woods and remote from frequent traffic.

The area, nestled in Logan County, lies roughly 10 miles from his last known location. It was eerily quiet. No sign of James.

According to initial accounts, the vehicle’s condition raised questions. Though not officially documented, its location near both a cemetery and a place where James had previously lived evoked a sense of haunting familiarity.

The circumstances surrounding his disappearance--and the peculiar details of the car’s discovery--left investigators with a puzzle and his loved ones with heartache.

. A formal NamUs case (MP81844) was created on July 2, 2021, yet as of today, four years later, no definitive evidence has surfaced to clarify what happened to James on that June day. He would now be 51 years old.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of James Valdez, please contact Lieutenant Devan Nichols of the Booneville Police Department at (479) 675-3508. Reference Agency Case Number: 21-00261 when calling.