1968 cold case: Police still searching for Maryland boy who went missing over 55 years ago

CALVERT COUNTY, Md. - Maryland State Police say they are still searching for leads in the case of a boy who went missing from Calvert County more than 50 years ago. 

On Dec. 26, 1968, 10-year-old Bob Boyes was walking home from a friend's house on Wash Hance Road in Port Republic with his pet deer. Police say the deer made it back to Boyes’ home, but the little boy was never seen again. 

"I’ll forever remember the response from the search team that Bobby disappeared in thin air, without a trace," said Joy Lee, Boyes’ younger sister, who was just 3 years old when he disappeared. "How does that happen? Walking home from the neighbor’s house with his pet deer. His deer comes home but without him."

Maryland State Police were called to investigate the shocking disappearance and hundreds of volunteers joined the search for Boyes, combing the area where he was last seen by foot and air. 

Eventually, detectives ran out of leads and the case went cold. 

In 2021, Detective Sergeant Kemery Hunt took over the investigation. He’s hoping renewed attention on the case will spark new leads from the public

"We’ve delved into this case deeply, and our plan of attack was to knock on every door that we can," Detective Sergeant Hunt said. "The original investigators also poured a tremendous amount of time into this case, but it’s just a puzzle that can’t be solved."

Boyes’ sister is hoping the pieces can be put into place, so she can finally know what happened to her older brother all those years ago. 

"Deep down, I know, someone knows something, but time is ticking," Lee said. "I’m pleading to anyone who may know anything to reach out to local authorities."

Anyone with information that could help investigators find Boyes is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Hunt at 410-535-1400 or kemery.hunt@maryland.gov.