By Joe Johnson
The case of a Danielsville man who has been missing for nearly a month is now being investigated by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office said on June 5 that it was searching for 33-year-old Timothy “Timmy” Rowland, who went missing two weeks earlier.
According to a sheriff’s incident report, Rowland was last seen the afternoon of May 23 at the Dollar General store on North Avenue in Athens.
Family members think the Faye Carey Road man’s disappearance may have been due to foul play, but Madison County sheriff’s Capt. Jimmy Patton previously said, “We haven’t found any indications yet that foul play was involved.”
The case was being actively investigated, he said, and the deputy assigned to the case conducted interviews as recently as June 4.
Since that time, however, the case was transferred to Athens-Clarke County police because the disappearance occurred in their jurisdiction, according to Patton.
What makes Rowland’s disappearance disturbing to his family members was that he supposedly was last seen by a friend who drove with Rowland to the store and when he returned to the car Rowland was gone.
Additionally, it was unlike Rowland to be gone for an extended period of time without being in touch with family, especially his ailing mother, whom he would frequently call or text to check on her, according to Mike Whittington, who is married to the missing man’s mother.
“My wife and I have been desperately seeking information on the disappearance of her son,” Whittington told Classic City News. “We have been circulating posts throughout social media, without any answers and we suspect foul play.
“If there is anything anyone can do to help us find some answers from the public, we sure desperately need it. My wife can't sleep and looks for him every day,” he said.
Rowland is a slim, 6-foot-tall white male, with short, sandy blonde hair. He was last seen wearing red and green shorts and a black shirt.
When asked what ACCPD has done to locate Rowland, acting Public Information Assistant Kenneth Brooks this week said, “The investigation is ongoing. We are currently searching for Rowland. That’s all the information I have for you at this time. When we have more information, I know to send it to you."
Anyone with information on Rowland's whereabouts is encouraged to call ACCPD at (706) 613-3888.