Liberty County residents remained concerned as the search continues for three missing men who have vanished under mysterious circumstances in recent months. Despite ongoing efforts, authorities have yet to uncover any new leads and are urgently appealing to the public for assistance in locating the missing individuals.
John Bradley Benford was last seen on May 18, 2024. The 59-year-old was traveling from Cleburne, Texas, to Splendora, Texas, when he disappeared. Surveillance footage captured Benford at a Chevron gas station in New Waverly on the day of his disappearance. Later that evening, his phone records placed him near SH 105 and US 59 in the Cleveland area around 11 p.m. However, since then, all activity on his phone, social media, and debit card has ceased.
At the time of Benford’s disappearance, severe flooding was affecting the region, raising concerns that his vehicle may have been swept off the road. Despite this theory, authorities have been unable to locate either Benford or his vehicle. Benford, who was in good health and did not suffer from any medical conditions, has not been in contact with his family since May 18, a situation they describe as highly unusual.
Less than a month after Benford went missing, John “Jug” Burch Jr., 48, was last seen on June 13 at the Kwik Mart located at FM 1409 and CR 402. Burch, known for riding a distinctive blue chopper-style bicycle with a motor kit attached, was a familiar sight in South Liberty County. His sudden disappearance has left his family and the local community deeply concerned.
Burch is described as a 5’11” white male, weighing 170 pounds, with short brown hair and brown eyes. He also has numerous tattoos on both arms and a small tattoo on his neck. A bike, believed to be Burch’s, was later discovered along the Trinity River at the US 90 bridge, prompting a search of the river by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens using sonar. The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) also deployed a drone to scan the area, but no trace of Burch was found.
The most recent case involves Ralph Dewayne Campbell, 65, who disappeared on August 1 from his home on SH 321 in Cleveland. Campbell, who reportedly has serious medical issues, was last seen walking in a ditch near his residence. Despite a thorough search conducted by Texas EquuSearch around his home, Campbell remains missing.
Campbell is described as a white male, 5-foot, 11-inches tall, with partially gray hair. He was last seen wearing camouflage shorts, a denim shirt with cut-off sleeves, and brown flip-flops. His recent release from the hospital and ongoing health concerns have heightened the urgency of the search efforts.
Capt. David Meyers, a spokesperson for the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, expressed the challenges investigators face in these cases, particularly when there is a lack of clear leads or a defined search area. He emphasized the importance of gathering accurate information before activating search and recovery organizations like Texas EquuSearch.
“In the case of John Benford, his last confirmed location was in New Waverly, but his phone later pinged in the Cleveland area. That’s a vast area, making it impractical to conduct a ground search without more specific information,” Meyers explained.
Despite the difficulties, investigators are committed to following up on any tips they receive. The families of the missing men, along with the community, are holding onto hope for their safe return.
Anyone with information about the whereabouts of John Bradley Benford, John “Jug” Burch Jr., or Ralph Dewayne Campbell is urged to contact the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office at 936-336-4500.
My husband and I have been friends with Jugg for well over 20 years and we are praying for him and his family.
There have been numerous men that have come up missing in Liberty county, specifically in the Cleveland area, including my father in law Clark Rogers who has been missing since 2012. Someone somewhere knows something!! This is just to weird!
It mite be a small town but to people go missing the transportation is found by a flooded area and a river bridge I say someone is trying to throw off the cops
or they are cops
Why haven’t there been any news on these men especially John burch but like always sheriff officer never due there job especially if it’s people that are considering poor right
Still dam the cops are stupid for real they haven’t got the picture about jug burch and who did it
There are a lot more than just these 4 look up missing Texas 40 along the Trinity river is treacherous just saying!!!!