James Tidwell

Status:

Open

Jurisdiction:

Rusk County Sheriffs Office Tx (TX)

Missing From:

Mount Enterprise, Texas

Summary:

James Lamar Tidwell Jr., 58, was a white male electrician from Mount Enterprise, Texas who disappeared on February 15, 2012, after completing a night shift at Flanders Electric in Longview. His abandoned truck was found five miles from his home on February 29, 2012. The case remains unsolved, though investigators suspect possible involvement by serial killer Israel Keyes, who was arrested in March 2012.

Vital Statistics

Circumstances of Disappearance:

On February 15, 2012, Tidwell completed his overnight shift at Flanders Electric in Longview, Texas, and clocked out at 5:30 a.m. His employer called his home that afternoon to offer him overtime work, but Tidwell's wife, Carol, said he was asleep and refused to wake him. Tidwell did not report to work that afternoon, which was uncharacteristic of him. On February 20, his employer became concerned about his absence and requested a welfare check from the Rusk County Sheriff's Office, but officers could not locate him. On February 28, the employer called again, and Tidwell was reported missing. On February 29, 2012, Tidwell's white 1979 Ford F100 pickup truck was discovered abandoned at the intersection of FM 95 and State Highway 315, approximately five miles from his residence. His eyeglasses were found on the seat of the truck, but his cellular phone, wallet, and keys were missing. No signs of him were found at the scene.

Additional Details:

Tidwell's wife provided inconsistent statements about when she last saw him. She initially told investigators she last saw her husband on February 24, four days before he was reported missing, and claimed she had been staying with family in Nacogdoches while their cabin was under construction. Investigators found inconsistencies in her account regarding whether she spoke to or saw her husband on specific dates. A five-mile radius search of the wooded area surrounding his home in March 2012 yielded no results. Investigators connected Tidwell's disappearance to serial killer Israel Keyes, who was arrested in Texas in March 2012 for the murder of Samantha Koenig in Alaska. Keyes was in Texas from February 12-18, 2012, with a rental vehicle that logged 2,847 miles. He robbed a bank in Azle, Texas on February 16 while wearing a hard hat and a wig made of human hair that resembled Tidwell's appearance. A Walmart receipt dated February 17, 2012, placed Keyes in Jacksonville, Texas (30 miles from Mount Enterprise), where he purchased a shovel, air freshener spray, and lubricant. Tidwell also owned a construction helmet that disappeared with him. Investigators suspected Keyes' rental vehicle became stuck in a muddy rural area near Cleburne, Texas. However, Keyes committed suicide in his jail cell on December 2, 2012, before providing a complete confession. The Rusk County Sheriff's Office has stated that Tidwell's wife was never charged and, to their knowledge, had nothing to do with his disappearance, though family members suspect she knows more than she has disclosed. A reward of $3,000 was initially offered, increased to $5,000 in 2014, and doubled to $6,000 in April 2018. The case remains unsolved as of the latest available information.

Case Last Updated:

Apr 24, 2026