Vanished on Short Mountain: The Unsolved Disappearance of Victor Shoemaker Jr.

 

In May of 1994, 5-year-old Victor Dewight Shoemaker Jr., known as J.R., disappeared from Kirby, West Virginia. He was visiting his grandfather with his family and was last seen playing in the woods behind his grandfather’s mobile home with his two older cousins, ages eight and nine.

That morning, the three boys had taken a BB gun into the woods to play. Victor, struggling to keep up, became hungry and wanted to head back home. His cousins refused to go with him, and Victor turned back alone. He never made it home—and he’s never been seen again.

Initially, the cousins gave investigators the wrong location where Victor was last seen. Later, they corrected their story, pointing to an abandoned trailer about half a mile from his grandfather’s home. Both boys took lie detector tests and play therapy exams specifically designed for children—and passed. One of their mothers also passed a polygraph, as did Victor’s father. Victor’s mother was not asked to take one. Since then, Victor’s family has had no contact with the cousins’ families.

Investigators have stated that foul play is not suspected in Victor’s case. The area where he disappeared—Short Mountain—is extremely rugged, with rocky terrain. In the days following his disappearance, temperatures dropped near freezing, and it rained for five consecutive days. Without shelter, it’s believed that Victor would not have survived. Yet his father insists that Victor knew the woods well and would not have gotten lost.

Adding to the mystery, a dark blue 1990 model pickup truck was seen near the area around the time Victor vanished. Police have never confirmed a connection, but they are still eager to speak with the driver.

Over 25 years later, Victor would now be 36 years old. Despite extensive searches and investigations, his disappearance remains unsolved. His family and authorities continue to hold out hope that someone, somewhere, knows what happened to him.

If you or anyone you know has any information about Victor, it could be the key to finally solving this decades-old mystery. Do you think Victor could have been found alive, or is this a tragic case of a child lost in the wilderness?