Friends of a Tifton man missing since Sunday are encouraging him or anyone who knows information about his whereabouts to call the Tifton Police Department.

Roger Ramirez, 30, was last seen around lunchtime Sunday, according to his girlfriend, Jessica Mendieta.

“He dropped me off at my house around 12:30 Sunday and drove my car to his house,” Mendieta said. “My mother and I went to Albany after I tried calling and texting him.”

Mendieta said she couldn’t reach Ramirez and when she and her mother returned from Albany, she went to his Wilson Avenue address and her car was parked there. She went into Ramirez’ house and saw that his cell phone, which might have been out of time, his money and the keys to her car were there. She said nothing was in disarray and it didn’t seem as if he had packed any clothes for a trip.

“I’ve been back since and nothing has changed,” Mendieta said.

Mendieta said she had called Greyhound bus lines and they have no record of Ramirez buying a ticket. She said she frequently calls local hotels and motels and Tift Regional Medical Center to see if Ramirez has been admitted.

“They are probably tired of me asking,” Mendieta said.

Mendieta said she and Ramirez, originally from New Jersey, had been dating for five years. He works at Ty Ty Nursery during the day and at Longhorn Steak House on weekend nights. Mendieta said she called Ramirez’ brother in New Jersey and he told her that the family had not heard from him.

Patrick Malcolm of Ty Ty Nursery said Ramirez “was a great employee.”

“He was one of the most competent people we’ve had in a long time,” Malcolm said. “This is not typical behavior for him.

“I knew him some time before he worked out here and I would see him outside of work. To think that he has vanished is disturbing to say the least.”

Malcolm said the last day Ramirez worked at the nursery was Nov. 26.

“He said he wouldn’t be in on Friday,” Malcolm said. “I hope he will call someone soon.”

Ramirez, who is Hispanic, is described as being approximately 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds. He has brown eyes, black hair and a goatee. He also has a scar on his left temple and left eyebrow. Mendieta said she last saw Ramirez wearing a red, long-sleeved pullover shirt, a red Carhartt cap and dark blue jeans.

Bryan Cavenaugh, a detective with the Tifton Police Department’s criminal investigation division, said that the department had entered Ramirez as a missing person on the Georgia Crime Information System.

“If he is out there, he needs to contact us and let us know something,” Cavenaugh said. “We encourage anyone who might have any information in the case to call and talk to an investigator here.”

The TPD’s telephone number is 382-3132.



To contact senior reporter Angie Thompson, call 382-4321.