Eric Ryan Veith

SEAVIEW — Eric Veith, 32 of Vancouver, was last seen in Seaview in the late hours of June 6, and his whereabouts thereafter remain a mystery to authorities and family members who desperately want answers.

His cousin, Kimberly James, has refused to give up hope that her lifelong best friend will be found safe and sound. She has created a Facebook page about his disappearance with approximately 140 followers.

Never returned

Veith’s disappearance has been a perplexing mystery since his last in-person sighting, when he dropped his beloved mixed-breed shepherd off at a neighbor’s house and ate breakfast. He was expected to return later in the day to pick her up but never did.

According to James, Veith later called his neighbor and informed him that he had hit his head on L Street and would not be returning. The call was the last time anyone heard from him. His phone allegedly was last pinged weeks later in Auburn, but nothing was found.

According to James, in the days following his disappearance, his car was discovered at the Eagles Nest Resort in Ilwaco, where security camera footage allegedly captured an image of him entering and exiting a storage shed.

Scams allege murder

Several theories have arisen over what might have happened to Veith, including kidnapping and murder. Social media messages to his family members alleging he was kidnapped and murdered have yielded no results. Authorities assessed them as likely scams.

“The ransom stuff happened to my aunt and uncle right after Eric went missing because I started posting on Facebook if [anyone] has information or see Eric call or text this number,” James said. “Someone started calling my aunt and said they had Eric, and if she wanted him back, they wanted this much money.”

Law enforcement determined that the contact was probably someone trying to extort money from the grieving family.

However, a Reddit post in honor of Veith turned up even more bizarre allegations that named potential suspects and a possible crime scene in Portland. That post pointed the finger at one of Veith’s good friends.

It alleges that Veith was lured to meet up with the suspects in Seaview, and he was kidnapped and taken to a Portland-area park off of “NW Newberry Road” or “Forest Park north.”

The poster claimed that the location was picked due to defunded law enforcement unable to catch the murders and, it being summertime, a body would decompose faster.

Case going nowhere?

Even though the leads are farfetched, James believes law enforcement should take all possibilities seriously. Along with other family members, she questions whether law enforcement is working hard enough on the case.

“Even if [the leads] are just a hoax or somebody posting on the internet for attention, like it was oddly specific and the people that were named in it do know Eric,” James said. “Anything is a possibility at this point, but nothing has been done about it.”

“The last time I spoke with [law enforcement] and [they] told me they hadn’t even heard of the Reddit post at all and I know for a fact that [they had] and that Eric’s mother mailed it to them and hand-delivered it to them,” she added.

Since the beginning of October, James said she has sent over 50 emails to the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office, in addition to efforts by other family members and countless phone calls. She said no one has responded to her and that the family is losing hope.

“Eric was my best friend growing up and is one of the most talented people I know,” James said. It has been completely swept under the rug. It’s so overwhelming, and my family is begging for help, and we aren’t getting anywhere, we aren’t getting any answers, and we aren’t getting any assistance.”

Veith has been missing for six months, and the case remains active. According to PCSO Chief Criminal Deputy Pat Matlock, the agency has no new leads and no new details to release.

“There is no reason he would just leave,” James said. “He doesn’t go anywhere without his dog; it’s not normal. He is a big family guy.”

Anyone with information regarding Veith’s whereabouts is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 360-875-9395.