When 21-year-old Thurlow Buchanan vanished in 1987, he left behind a family desperate for answers—and a trail that led to Houston.
Thurlow was a young man with a bright future ahead. He was attending plumbing school, inspired by a family member’s business.
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“We found out he was missing because he didn’t show up for class, and he never missed before,” said his sister, Sheryl Buchanan. “His instructor called to check in, and that’s when we realized something was wrong.”
It was November 9, 1987, when 21-year-old Thurlow Matt Buchanan was last seen leaving a friend’s apartment on Pinson Street in Fort Worth, Texas.
Thurlow’s family describes him as reliable and close-knit. He still lived at home with his mother, and his sister recalls how he always communicated his plans.
“If my mom wasn’t there, he would let me know where he was going. He wouldn’t leave town without saying something, so this was completely out of character,” Sheryl explained.
Three days after his disappearance, Thurlow’s pickup truck was found abandoned near the University of Houston campus, where his girlfriend attended school. The vehicle was parked at a bus station and later towed.
“We didn’t find out until a year later, when we got a notice about the vehicle being auctioned off,” Sheryl said. “It made no sense—why would his truck be there? It’s like someone knew his habits and used that against him.”
Despite the discovery of his truck, there were no signs of foul play and no indication of what might have happened to Thurlow. His girlfriend said she hadn’t seen him, and investigators were left with few leads.
Over the years, a mysterious letter and a voicemail surfaced but failed to yield any concrete information.
“We were told that someone sent a letter on his birthday one year,” Sheryl said. “Why on his birthday? The letter was reportedly from a female, but we’ve never been able to get more information about it.”
The disappearance of Thurlow has left an indelible mark on his family.
“It affected my mom and dad deeply,” Sheryl shared. “My dad passed away years ago, but I watched him gray very quickly after Thurlow disappeared. My mom is still deeply affected—his birthday and November, the last time we saw him, are very hard times for her.”
Even decades later, the family continues to hope for answers.
“He was a good person. He loved his family and was always there for us,” Sheryl said. “He had an uncle and cousin in plumbing, and he wanted to follow in their footsteps. He might even have a son out there—he claimed him and took care of him, but we don’t have DNA to confirm it.”
Thurlow Buchanan’s case remains open with the Fort Worth Police Department. If you have any information that might help bring answers to his family, please contact the Fort Worth Police Department at 817-392-4442.
Sheryl and her family remain hopeful that someone, somewhere, has the piece of the puzzle they need.
“We just want to know what happened to him,” she said. “It’s been 37 years, but we’re not giving up.”
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