‘Heartbreaking’: Missing 73-year-old man found dead nearly 400 miles away from home

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX/Gray News) - Family members in Texas say their loved one has been found dead after reporting him missing over the weekend.

A Silver Alert by the Texas Department of Public Safety was issued last Sunday for 73-year-old Troy Luce who was last seen on Saturday.

Luce’s family said they were worried about his safety as he had early signs of dementia.

Authorities said the 73-year-old’s credit card pinged at a gas station in Cross Plains, Texas, after he was reported missing.

His family said it gave them some hope knowing that he was still alive at that time. But they were also frustrated as he was so close to other family members who had just missed him.

“It made us feel so much better at that point,” Judd Luce, Troy Luce’s son, said.

Brittnee Johnson, Troy Luce’s granddaughter, added, “It’s frustrating and heartbreaking knowing he was in that area, and we had family so close that just couldn’t catch up.”

Authorities ended their missing person alert for Troy Luce, stating he was found in Midland, nearly 400 miles away from his home, on Tuesday night on a jogging path behind a shopping center.

Sadly, family members confirmed Troy Luce had died with his truck found stuck in the mud at a nearby oil rig site.

The Luce family said authorities believed dehydration and a heart attack may have led to his death.

Family members are working on arrangements to get him returned home and have set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the unexpected funeral-related costs.

“Let’s come together to show Troy’s family that they are not alone in their grief and that we stand with them, ready to extend our support during this challenging time,” organizer Sharyle Macik wrote.

Loved ones also shared that Troy Luce was a “beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend.”