COURT HOUSE – Money talks, goes the well-known saying. For an anonymous Samaritan, however, it is hoped that money will get someone, just one guilt-ridden soul or one coincidental witness, to talk and end a 27-year mystery.
A ‘Favorite Son’ Disappears
Nov. 25, 1991, would be a day many in Del Haven will never forget. It was a cold, blustery day that started out with then 11-year-old Mark Himebaugh going to school and returning home only to rush out the door to take in the commotion caused by a large marsh fire close to his home.
The last known sighting of Himebaugh occurred at around 4:15 p.m. that day, as he entered Cape May County Park South with an unidentified white girl estimated to be about 10 years old.
The only remaining physical clue to Himebaugh’s disappearance was his left L.A. Gear sneaker found by volunteer searchers five hours later along a stretch of beach near his house.
An intense missing person search was conducted for a week involving U.S. Coast Guard helicopters, New Jersey State Police, local fire departments, and police officers, as well as hundreds of volunteers from the surrounding community.
The week became two weeks, became three, became four. Months began to accumulate and soon years.
For all that, nothing was found to hint at what had happened to Del Haven’s favorite son.
Heroes Known and Unknown
Officials with the Middle Township Police Department and their allies have never wavered in their dogged quest to find Himebaugh.
The ranks of the dedicated include former patrolman-turned-Prosecutor Office official Paul Loefflad, retired investigator Richard McHale, former K-9 officer Clay Simmons, newly-retired Cape May County Prosecutor Robert Taylor, former Cape May County Sheriff Gary Schaffer, and current Middle Township Police Chief Christopher Leusner, among a host of others.
Their work was to be augmented by two incredible acts of citizen involvement; one by a renowned celebrity sports hero and one by an unknown concerned individual.
A few years after Himebaugh’s disappearance, boxing legend Riddick Bowe stepped forward to offer a reward, via The Friends of Mark Himebaugh, to anyone providing information that located Himebaugh.
No useful information came forward, and the effort ended years later.
It was, however, an encouraging sign that concern for Himebaugh’s safety still existed.
Then, in 2011, during the 20th anniversary of the disappearance, an anonymous client, operating through Cape May attorney Brian McEwing, announced that they were posting a $10,000 reward to whoever provided information leading to the discovery of Himebaugh’s remains and $25,000 for leads that produced the safe return of the now-missing adult.
At the time of the announced rewards, Himebaugh’s mother, Maureen told The Herald:
“I just would like to say how very grateful and appreciative I am of this. It made me realize that this world is good. There are really good people. I hope that this will bring closure to the case.”
The Perseverance of Good
In speaking with McEwing about the reward recently, the attorney expressed to The Herald that his client wishes to make it known that the reward is not only still in effect but has grown with escrow.
To receive the reward, which is part of the Crime Stoppers program handled through the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office, McEwing encourages anyone with information regarding Mark Himebaugh’s disappearance to contact Middle Township Police at 609-465-8700 and/or the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-465-5323. Anonymous text messages can be sent to Tip411 (847411), or cmcsheriff.net (anonymous web tip on the main menu).
All it takes is for one solid clue and maybe the decades of being plagued by ‘the unknown’ will end for the Himebaugh family, and they and their town will finally be able to reunite with their long-absent son.
To contact Christopher Knoll, email cknoll@cmcherald.com.
Wildwood – So Liberals here on spout off, here's a REAL question for you.
Do you think it's appropriate for BLM to call for "Burning down the city" and "Black Vigilantes" because…
