Roy Whited is a beloved member of the community in Sparta, Tennessee.
He is a basketball coach at White County High School, and led the team to two state championships. He’s also the co-owner of a real estate and auction company.
Perhaps, what he is most known for, was being a pastor at DeRosset Church of Christ in Sparta, Tennessee. So when Roy didn’t show up to Sunday service on May 5, 2024, it was clear something was wrong.
Concerned, Roy’s neighbor Doug Watts — who is also a member of that church — went to check on him. Doug has a key to Roy’s house on Lovejoy Road, because he owns the property.
Doug says when he got there, something seemed off. “It just didn’t look right,” he told Dateline. “He’s not there and, you know, of course, the house wasn’t disturbed or tore up or anything like that.”
According to Doug, Roy’s truck was in the driveway, with the keys on the console. His cell phone was in the house charging.
Dateline spoke to Roy’s brother, Lynn Whited, who lives in Alabama. He says it was very unusual for Roy to go anywhere without his cell phone. “Being a realtor, he was always on his phone,” Lynn said.
Doug Watts reported Roy missing to the White County Sheriff’s Office that same day, May 5. A massive search effort was launched immediately.
“We had everybody that we could possibly find out searching for him. And he was nowhere -- nowhere to be found,” White County Sheriff, Steve Page, told Dateline. He says they used every resource at their disposal to search for Roy including drones, people on horseback, bloodhounds, and helicopters.
According to the sheriff, it was determined that Roy was last seen on Friday, May 3. His truck was seen pulling into his driveway around 3:30 p.m. by a nearby security camera.
Around 30 minutes to an hour later, a neighbor saw Roy walking down Lovejoy Road.
That is the last time anyone saw 64-year-old Roy Whited.
Lynn Whited says about a week prior to his brother’s disappearance, Roy mentioned to him that he was out of shape and was going to start walking again. “So what I figured was Friday, when he got home, [his phone] was dying. So he put it on the thing, and went for a walk,” he said.
Sheriff Page told Dateline he knows Roy personally and that he and his department are doing everything they can to bring Roy home. “Everybody that knew Roy liked him, and I just wish we could find something to bring him home,” he said.
“He was so joyful and he was just so --. I mean, he walked into a room and in five minutes, he knew everybody’s name in the room,” Roy’s brother said.
Roy’s neighbor echoed that sentiment. “I’ve known him about 10 years, personally, and [he’s] just outstanding,” Doug Watts said.
“Everyone in his church just loved him. I mean, he’s extremely missed there,” Lynn Whited said. “I just miss him. And it’s just --. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s broken my heart. I can’t sleep. I can’t.”
Sheriff Page says Roy’s case is “an ongoing investigation.” “We’re still looking. I mean, we’re exploring every lead. Anything that comes in, we exhaust it till there’s no more,” he said. “Right now, there’s still nothing. He’s vanished. We don’t know if it was against his will or if he just left. We have no idea.”
Roy is 5’11” and 175 pounds. He was 64 at the time of his disappearance. He would be 65 today. He was last seen walking on Lovejoy Road in a beige shirt and cowboy boots.
Anyone with information is asked to call the White County Sheriff’s Office at 931-836-2700.
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