The mother of a missing 26-year-old Canton man is pleading for help as police continue searching for her son, who disappeared under suspicious circumstances more than a week ago.
Ryan T. Godbey was last seen the night of Thursday, June 19, at Darlin’s Crew, a downtown LGBTQ+ nightclub. He was reported missing on Sunday, June 22, after family and friends grew increasingly concerned when he stopped responding to texts and calls.
His mother, Jackie Godbey, says the days since have been unbearable.
“This is a mother’s worst nightmare,” she told JMN. “We just want to bring him home. We want answers. We want him safe.”
Jackie said Ryan, who is epileptic, left behind his phone and hasn’t accessed his medication. His license and credit card were found days later near the Fulton Road exit by an ODOT worker, who turned the items over to police. The discovery only deepened her concern.
“I’m so thankful that the ODOT crew didn’t just toss those items aside,” she said. “They could’ve been overlooked, and then we’d have even less to go on.”
Canton Police Chief John Gabbard confirmed the investigation is being handled with “an increased sense of urgency,” though details have been limited as detectives continue their work.
“Based on a number of factors in this case, we are treating this with heightened concern,” Gabbard said. “We are asking anyone in the community who may know something — no matter how small — to come forward.”
According to Jackie, Ryan had recently asked his ex-boyfriend, who was still living with him, to move out by July 1. The two were parting ways but still sharing the apartment at the time of his disappearance.
“We did a wellness check when we couldn’t reach him. His place was empty. That’s when I knew something was really wrong,” Jackie said.
Jackie described Ryan as a bright light in the lives of those who knew him. He dresses as a man unless performing in drag and is well known in the LGBTQ+ community for his presence and spirit.
Community members have rallied around the family. Volunteers launched a Facebook page called Bring Ryan Home, where they’ve been organizing search parties and sharing updates. Tables were set up over the weekend with maps and resources for searchers.
“The support has been overwhelming,” Jackie said. “From the people who’ve searched for Ryan to the person who brought granola bars to keep volunteers going — I’ve felt love from every corner of this community.”
For now, search efforts have paused to allow investigators time to sort through the growing evidence and leads.
“We’re trusting the police to do their job,” Jackie said. “But if nothing breaks, we’ll be back out there. I’m not stopping until I find my son.”
Anyone with information is urged to call the Canton Police Communications Center at 330-649-5800 or the Detective Bureau at 330-489-3144. Tips can also be shared anonymously through Tip411 or Stark County Crime Stoppers. Visit www.cantonohio.gov/police for more.
The family has not created any fundraising pages, such as GoFundMe, related to Ryan’s disappearance. They urge the public to be cautious of scams and to report any unauthorized donation pages to authorities or the platform hosting them.
