MISSING PERSON
CASE #: 1989-40
Donald Ray Fortson
Also Known As:
Don
Status:
Open
Date of Last Contact:
Date of Last Contact:
Jurisdiction:
Missing From:
Cleveland, Alabama
Related Cases:
Summary:
Donald Ray 'Don' Fortson, age 52, disappeared on November 3, 1998, from Cleveland, Alabama, along with his nephew Eddie Hazelrig. The two left home to check on an antique car and were last seen at a tire store on U.S. 231. Their vehicle was found burning on Warrior Valley Road that evening. Both men remain missing and foul play is suspected.
Vital Statistics
Circumstances of Disappearance:
On November 3, 1998, Donald Ray Fortson and his nephew Huey Edward 'Eddie' Hazelrig, who lived together in Cleveland, Alabama, completed a wallboard installation job and returned home by 3:30 p.m. After returning home, Hazelrig placed a long-distance call. The two men then left to check on one of the antique cars Hazelrig collected. They were last seen at a tire store on U.S. 231. They may have been carrying approximately $3,000 in cash. The men never returned home. That evening, police discovered Hazelrig's gray 1984 Isuzu pickup truck engulfed in flames along Warrior Valley Road just inside Etowah County. By the time the fire department responded, the vehicle had been completely destroyed. Authorities determined no one had been inside the truck when it was burned, and they did not find any blood, though the fire destroyed other potential evidence.
Additional Details:
The cases of Fortson and Hazelrig remain unsolved. Family members and investigators suspect foul play in both disappearances. In March 2020, a skeleton was found inside a recently sold home in Morris, Alabama, approximately a half-hour drive from Cleveland, though it is unclear whether it is connected to either case. Family members have offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case. Fortson is described as a humble man who years ago lost his daughter to murder. Hazelrig had never been convicted of a crime, while Fortson had only alcohol-related misdemeanor convictions. The Blount County Sheriff's Office has maintained an investigation file. The case was last updated in the Doe Network database in 2021.
Case Last Updated:
Timeline of Events
Left home to check on antique car; last seen at tire store on U.S. 231
Eddie Hazelrig placed long-distance call from home
Hazelrig's gray 1984 Isuzu pickup truck found burning on Warrior Valley Road in Etowah County
Completed wallboard job and returned home by 3:30 p.m.
Associated Persons
Mary Ann F. (Sister) - Deceased
Huey Edward H. (Nephew) - Missing
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Missing Person
Missing Person
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