Found Deceased AR - Alan Buckels Sr, 63, Little Rock, vehicle found w/ groceries, 18 Dec 2020

[omgtjhappened]

Yep, that’s right. I had to use street view to remember which house he was. I “walked” from my old house to his house to get his address. Technology is amazing!

 

[ElementalLaura]

Welcome to Websleuths, @omgtjhappened! I’m sorry that troubling circumstances brought you here.

Since you know the missing person and his family, it would be great if you became a Verified Insider. Here’s the description of the process:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

Being a Verified Insider maintains your privacy and allows you to post more freely about the case without relying on media links to provide factual information.

Once again, welcome, and I hope Alan Buckels Sr. is located soon.

 

[omgtjhappened]

Welcome to Websleuths, @omgtjhappened! I’m sorry that troubling circumstances brought you here.

Since you know the missing person and his family, it would be great if you became a Verified Insider. Here’s the description of the process:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

Being a Verified Insider maintains your privacy and allows you to post more freely about the case without relying on media links to provide factual information.

Once again, welcome, and I hope Alan Buckels Sr. is located soon.

Thanks Laura, I sent an email during my lunch break just in case I needed to fill it out.

 

[heuristicsdepartment]

Added to NamUs:

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[Killie65]

Good gosh that river looks high! Certainly someone has an idea how Sr. had been lately. Was/is there a reason he could be depressed? Has suicide ever been part of a conversation with him? I wonder if they're going to search the river. I hope so. Why does a man go to the store to get fixings for tacos and then not return home with the ingredients?

This isn't meant to be funny but maybe he decided to fish for fish tacos. ??!! Wonder if he kept a fishing pole in the van.

His son said his dad was happy, and seeing as how he lives with him he likely had the best read on his dad's mental state.

 

[omgtjhappened]

His son said his dad was happy, and seeing as how he lives with him he likely had the best read on his dad's mental state.

He is a sweet guy, laid back, easy going just like his son. It’s really frustrating and I feel like the police isn’t doing as much as they should IMO.

 

[omgtjhappened]

Ok, so they said I wasn’t an insider just background info so here is what I know. Dec 18th Alan Jr confirmed Alan Sr was home and going to make Tacos. He left around 3pm which makes sense cause Edwards is like “up the street” from our/my old neighborhood. His daddy’s van was found on Monday but it had to have been there before since there is a photo of the van in the background on December 19th. They had to wait for dogs to come from another state which didn’t get there until January 4th but in the meantime the weather has been cold, windy, and rainy so that’s the theory of the dogs not being able to pick up a scent. Mr Buckels is a creature of habit but he is a prankster. So the reason Alan wasn’t worried too much is that he assumed his daddy was either playing a joke or taking care of one of Mr. Buckels’s siblings. Mr Buckels always took care of his siblings and was known to drop what he was doing to go over and help with whatever. So Alan assumed his dad just went to his aunt’s and he was on his own for dinner. (Here I am assuming because I didn’t ask him what he did for dinner but I asked him if his daddy was at home with him before going to store and he said home). On Sunday he reached out to his aunt and that’s when they put two and two together. (I love them but they really are kinda slow and this is why I wish I was there to be bossy).On Monday the van is found with his phone and groceries showing when he checked out and I thought someone said his wallet but don’t quote me on that. When I saw the area they were searching that is where I was sucked into the river as a teenager. I played soccer at Murray park and then we would fool around in the river. That mud can suck you in and the Arkansas river is a fast river in Little Rock. They tried to get some scuba company to help them but they are booked with other cases and now Alan is looking for anyone who has a boat with sonar.

 

[omgtjhappened]

Ok, so they said I wasn’t an insider just background info so here is what I know. Dec 18th Alan Jr confirmed Alan Sr was home and going to make Tacos. He left around 3pm which makes sense cause Edwards is like “up the street” from our/my old neighborhood. His daddy’s van was found on Monday but it had to have been there before since there is a photo of the van in the background on December 19th. They had to wait for dogs to come from another state which didn’t get there until January 4th but in the meantime the weather has been cold, windy, and rainy so that’s the theory of the dogs not being able to pick up a scent. Mr Buckels is a creature of habit but he is a prankster. So the reason Alan wasn’t worried too much is that he assumed his daddy was either playing a joke or taking care of one of Mr. Buckels’s siblings. Mr Buckels always took care of his siblings and was known to drop what he was doing to go over and help with whatever. So Alan assumed his dad just went to his aunt’s and he was on his own for dinner. (Here I am assuming because I didn’t ask him what he did for dinner but I asked him if his daddy was at home with him before going to store and he said home). On Sunday he reached out to his aunt and that’s when they put two and two together. (I love them but they really are kinda slow and this is why I wish I was there to be bossy).On Monday the van is found with his phone and groceries showing when he checked out and I thought someone said his wallet but don’t quote me on that. When I saw the area they were searching that is where I was sucked into the river as a teenager. I played soccer at Murray park and then we would fool around in the river. That mud can suck you in and the Arkansas river is a fast river in Little Rock. They tried to get some scuba company to help them but they are booked with other cases and now Alan is looking for anyone who has a boat with sonar.

If Mr Buckels went into the water that day December 18th was 30 degrees and the high was like 54.

 

[NervousNellie]

Thanks for your insight, @omgtjhappened. I'm sorry for the circumstances that have brought you here, but we greatly appreciate local input.

 

[bykerladi]

But why would he go into the water with groceries in the car?

 

[Killie65]

I think it’s important to know was the park where his van was found on his normal route back to his house.
I asked in my previous post if it’s been shared the distance the park is from his home; I’m assuming it hasn’t been shared.
I also wondered if the park in which Sr’s van was found a place he would visit or if his van being there is out of character? <modsnip>

No, the park was not on his normal route home and not a place he ever frequented. His son Alan Jr. did however spend a lot of time at that spot & even has a memorial for his deceased mom down there by the dock.

 

[Killie65]

I wonder if the clothing update was based on the grocery store video.

Thanks for posting the location information above -- it's much easier to see now that the van was left in a parking lot vs the side of the road.

Yes, the clothing was updated from Edward's photo. The hoodie actually has a ServiceMasters Restore (his former employer) logo on the left chest area, the dark gray shirt is a Razorbacks shirt, and the shoes are dark brown Timberland's hiking boots. See newly released pic.

 

[Killie65]

Ok, so they said I wasn’t an insider just background info so here is what I know. Dec 18th Alan Jr confirmed Alan Sr was home and going to make Tacos. He left around 3pm which makes sense cause Edwards is like “up the street” from our/my old neighborhood. His daddy’s van was found on Monday but it had to have been there before since there is a photo of the van in the background on December 19th. They had to wait for dogs to come from another state which didn’t get there until January 4th but in the meantime the weather has been cold, windy, and rainy so that’s the theory of the dogs not being able to pick up a scent. Mr Buckels is a creature of habit but he is a prankster. So the reason Alan wasn’t worried too much is that he assumed his daddy was either playing a joke or taking care of one of Mr. Buckels’s siblings. Mr Buckels always took care of his siblings and was known to drop what he was doing to go over and help with whatever. So Alan assumed his dad just went to his aunt’s and he was on his own for dinner. (Here I am assuming because I didn’t ask him what he did for dinner but I asked him if his daddy was at home with him before going to store and he said home). On Sunday he reached out to his aunt and that’s when they put two and two together. (I love them but they really are kinda slow and this is why I wish I was there to be bossy).On Monday the van is found with his phone and groceries showing when he checked out and I thought someone said his wallet but don’t quote me on that. When I saw the area they were searching that is where I was sucked into the river as a teenager. I played soccer at Murray park and then we would fool around in the river. That mud can suck you in and the Arkansas river is a fast river in Little Rock. They tried to get some scuba company to help them but they are booked with other cases and now Alan is looking for anyone who has a boat with sonar.

Just a few tweaks to your post, his van was found on Tuesday 12/22, literally at the exact same time Alan Jr. was filing a missing persons report with LRPD. Jr.'s best friend Andy discovered the van at Murray Park.

The first calls to family were made on Monday evening, that is when they stressed the importance of filing a missing persons report which was filed the next day.

Scent dogs came out 18 days after Alan Sr. went missing, way too long from what I understand to have picked up any foot trail. Not really sure what the point was of running the bloodhound other than an exercise in showing the family "hey, look, we are finally doing something!" Search Dogs South could not run their HRD dog Gunner because LRPD told them it is a public park & "they can't shut it down." Gunner runs off lead and the handler said she would need assurance that no random dog was going to attack her dog or no car would hit it if it ran across the street. One would think the detective would have discussed all these logistics with the group before they came from Memphis, but who knows. On Tuesday this past week a local HRD dog was taken through the wooded area upstream from where the van was found; it tired after 1.5 hours and the search ceased with no findings.

 

[bykerladi]

Why did they wait 18 days? That's crazy!

 

[Razz]

No, the park was not on his normal route home and not a place he ever frequented. His son Alan Jr. did however spend a lot of time at that spot & even has a memorial for his deceased mom down there by the dock.

This is interesting. Did JR's mom spend a lot of time there or just Jr. Why put a memorial to his Mom there if it wasn't an important place to her.
Maybe Senior decided to drive by and see the memorial to his late wife.
How close is the memorial to where he parked? I'd like to see a pic of it if possible. Also, is the memorial close to the water?
Maybe he was down and out.
This I nothing of much importance but I was surprised (by looking at the still photo) that Senior wasn't wearing a ball cap...and that he had dark hair.

 

[Killie65]

Good gosh that river looks high! Certainly someone has an idea how Sr. had been lately. Was/is there a reason he could be depressed? Has suicide ever been part of a conversation with him? I wonder if they're going to search the river. I hope so. Why does a man go to the store to get fixings for tacos and then not return home with the ingredients?

This isn't meant to be funny but maybe he decided to fish for fish tacos. ??!! Wonder if he kept a fishing pole in the van.

I realize you were joking about the gone fishing for ingredients comment, but there actually was his fishing pole, tackle box and chair in the back of the van. Nevertheless, his son says that dad would not have any reason to be down at Murray Park and had not fished in a long time.

 

[Killie65]

did he meet someone in the park to buy or sell something? are there cameras in/around the park?

There is no evidence showing he planned to meet someone at MP. Phone records show data usage was for checking out news and sports sites. There are no cameras at MP. The closest cameras are at the Rebsamen northern maintenance facility (they were accidentally unplugged during this time) and at the Big Dam Bridge (cameras were rendered inoperable last year due to flooding and they are awaiting FEMA funding in order to replace them).

 

[Razz]

I realize you were joking about the gone fishing for ingredients comment, but there actually was his fishing pole, tackle box and chair in the back of the van. Nevertheless, his son says that dad would not have any reason to be down at Murray Park and had not fished in a long time.

Please see my comment to your post right above this about the son's memorial to his Mom.
Also, I wasn't totally joking about the fish tacos. It's a popular alternative to ground beef.

 

[Killie65]

It doesn't make logical sense, but I worked in mental health for a long time. I have seen many people do normal daily life things and the commit suicide in the middle of that. It doesn't mean thats the case here, but him buying groceries doesn't shut the option down, for me.

I agree. It isn't a rational act to go to the grocery store right before you kill yourself, but then again suicide is not a rational thing. I believe here it is a very real possibility that he committed suicide. The family however adamantly believes he would not have done so.

 

[Killie65]

But why would he go into the water with groceries in the car?

I think the only reason he would have gone into the water was to commit suicide. His son said dad was terrified of water because he couldn't swim.