Victor Dewight Shoemaker
Physical Description
Date of Birth: March 30, 1989
Height: 4'0"
Weight: 40 pounds
Hair Color: Blond/Strawberry Blond
Eye Color: Blue
Race/Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Nickname: J.R.
Clothing Worn When Last Seen
Red Bugs Bunny T-shirt
Red shorts
White sneakers (possibly X-Men or Nickelodeon-themed)
Victor Dewight Shoemaker Jr., lovingly called "J.R." by his family, was just five years old when he disappeared in Kirby, West Virginia, on May 1, 1994. That morning, he had been playing outside near his grandfather’s mobile home with two older cousins. The children had wandered into the wooded area around Short Mountain, a rugged stretch of land filled with thick forests and steep hills.
At some point around 8:30 a.m., J.R. told his cousins that he was hungry and was going to head back to the house on his own. He never made it there. Despite an intense search involving hundreds of volunteers, helicopters, search dogs, and divers, no trace of J.R. was ever found. The search efforts were made even more difficult by cold weather and heavy rain in the days following his disappearance.
Over time, authorities investigated various leads, including a report of a dark blue pickup truck seen in the area around the time J.R. went missing. However, no solid connection was ever made, and no evidence of foul play has been uncovered.
J.R.’s disappearance remains one of West Virginia’s most heartbreaking unsolved cases. Decades later, his family and the community continue to wait for answers.
What You Can Do
If you have any information about Victor Dewight Shoemaker Jr. or what happened to him, please contact:
West Virginia State Police at 304-822-3561
The FBI at 202-324-3000
Victor is listed in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) under case number MP6652.
Even after all these years, J.R.’s case remains open. His loved ones continue to hold onto hope that someone, somewhere, holds the key to bringing him home.
Behind the Scenes of the Project
Victor Shoemaker was just five years old when he disappeared, an age that makes the silence around his case feel even heavier.
On March 25, 2025, a FOIA request was submitted to the FBI in an effort to obtain any federal records that might exist. The response came back with a familiar refrain: no information could be released.
Given the West Virginia State Police’s policy of withholding details on open investigations, a FOIA request has not yet been submitted to their office. Still, Victor’s name remains on our list, and the moment a path forward appears, we’ll be ready to take it.
Some cases feel stalled before they begin but that doesn’t mean they’re forgotten