The disappearance of Corrie mcKeague

UPDATE: Investigators have just discovered that the weight of the lorry / trash car was more than originally estimated (previously thought to have been 11kg now known to be 100kg) indicating that Corrie McKeague could have indeed been picked up by the vehicle and taken to the landfill that his mother has been urging authorities to search. I believe that the route made by Corries phone correlates with the route the vehicle would have taken from the that spot he went missing. 

A search for his remains is currently in progress. (8th March 2017)

At the time I’m writing this post, Corrie McKeague, a 23 year old RAF gunner, has been missing for 4 months and 20 days. 

Although I’m generally interested in missing peoples cases and write about them here often, this case piqued my interest due to the fact that I used to pass through the area Corrie McKeague went missing almost daily by train at one point.  

He disappeared after a night out in Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, England, during the early hours of the morning. The last confirmed sighting of McKeague was recorded on a CCTV camera at exactly 3.25am on Brentgrovel Street. He appears slightly inebriated on the tape, as expected after a night out, which was confirmed by a bouncer at “Flex” nightclub, who had asked him to leave as he was too drunk. The bouncer stated that the 26 year old had not been behaving badly, however he was just simply too drunk to stay at the venue. His girlfriend, 21 year old April Oliver, was unknowingly pregnant at the time and on vacation in the US.

The CCTV trail shows that after leaving the club, Corrie went to his usual takeaway to order food and also briefly fell asleep in the doorway of a shop, which according to friends was something he did now and again when out drinking.

McKeague neglected to show up for work and was reported missing.

One possibility is that the missing man could have attempted to walk back to base which was 12 miles away from the point that he was last seen (it would have taken just under 3 hours for the average person to walk). This is not something that he had done before, however even if unlikely, it is still possible. IF McKeague attempted to walk back to base, it is not out of the realm of possibility that someone may have offered him a ride while driving past him on the isolated roads, and according to his mother, he would have probably accepted a lift from a stranger as well as offered one to someone if he was in the same position.  

Corrie’s Nokia Lumia cell phone is a point of interest in the case as on the same morning it travelled 12 miles North West in 28 minutes, which could only have been accomplished by vehicle. By 8:00am for whatever reason, the phone switched off.  The local police were said to have stopped a trash lorry that day, the phone was not found in the vehicle, nor was the missing man.

The back of the phone was, however, discovered later, but yielded no leads.

Despite a reward no one has come forward with information. The surrounding area, route he may have taken, towns between where he disappeared and where his cell phone last pinged and the woods on the route to the RAF base have all been searched and turned up nothing.

So what happened to Corrie McKeague?

Is it possible that he is a walk away? Most likely not. 
He had made no preparations, left behind a beloved pet and was not picked up on any CCTV, council or private. Obviously it is not impossible that he left of his own free will, but is it likely?

Was he kidnapped? This theory has been batted around due to the fact that Corrie was not picked up on any CCTV leaving on foot. Did he get into a car? Was he forced into one? It’s possible.

Did his job have anything to do with it?

Was he the victim of an accident, like being hit by a car while attempting to walk home?

Corrie is still missing.

A recent news report states that police are currently searching a landfill.

If you have any information, please do not hesitate to contact the relevant authority.