On the evening of February 28, 2006, 23-year-old Travis Roberson traveled from his home in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, to downtown Fayetteville to attend a Mardi Gras celebration. He was there with friends, enjoying what was meant to be a night of music, crowds, and celebration. At some point during the evening, Travis told the others he wasn’t feeling well and said he was going to walk back to the car to wait until everyone was ready to leave. When the rest of the group returned to the vehicle later that night, Travis was nowhere to be found. At first, there was no immediate panic. Friends assumed Travis may have met someone or found another way home, and that he would call to let them know what was going on. But hours passed, then days, and that call never came.
Travis’s family reported him missing to the Siloam Springs Police Department. Since Travis was last seen in downtown Fayetteville, police later said the case was transferred to the Fayetteville Police Department. What happened next would have long-lasting consequences. Due to a breakdown in communication between agencies, no one opened an active investigation into Travis’s disappearance. For years, each department believed the other was handling the case. In reality, no investigation was underway at all.
By the time the error was discovered, critical time had been lost. Leads had gone cold, evidence was gone, and memories had faded. Nearly twenty years later, Travis Roberson’s family is still searching for answers about what happened to him that night.
If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Travis Roberson, please contact the Siloam Springs Police Department at 479-524-4118.
