CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — John Forsyth was known as a hard-working doctor who cared deeply for his patients and often teased nurses in the emergency room to ease tension. He was a father of eight and newly engaged. He also co-founded a cryptocurrency business with his brother.
His sudden disappearance from a southwestern Missouri town last month — and the eventual discovery of his body in an Arkansas lake — has led those who knew him to wonder what happened to the man who seemed happier than he’d been for some time. A lack of information from law enforcement has only deepened the mystery, prompting amateur sleuths to espouse theories on Facebook.
“It’s like the world dropped on us; we’re just in shock” said his sister Tiffany Forsyth. “There’s a part of me that’s not quite sure this is real yet. I guess it comes in steps.”
Forsyth, 49, disappeared on May 21 from a parking area at a public swimming pool. His body, which had suffered an apparent gunshot wound, was found nine days later. An autopsy was done, but a report isn’t expected for at least two months. Law enforcement officers have released almost no details, except to say there is no danger to the public.
The doctor’s family is adamant that his death wasn’t a suicide: He had just recently become engaged, and his fiancee was pregnant.
Some true-crime followers on social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother, Richard Forsyth. Multiple other theories also have surfaced in a Facebook discussion group that has grown to more than 1,000 members. Posts in that group are now closed to public view.
Only 10 days before his disappearance, a judge had finalized Forsyth’s divorce — his second from the same woman. The split was amicable, according to family members and the ex-wife’s attorney, Ryan Ricketts, who said she was “devastated” by the doctor’s death.
Richard Forsyth said his brother was excited about his upcoming marriage and new child and had a plane ticket to go see one of his daughters.
“He said, ‘I can’t wait to introduce her to you. We’re going to have a wonderful life together. We’re all going to spend a lot of time together,’” Richard Forsyth said. “ … I hadn’t seen him that happy for a long time.”
Forsyth even texted his fiancee on the day of his disappearance, saying he would see her soon, according to his brother. The fiancee did not answer a social media request for an interview.
Alongside hopeful comments about his future life, however, John Forsyth had recently made cryptic remarks about possibly being in danger, his brother said, adding, “I think he crossed paths with some bad folks and he didn’t tell me about them.”
CONFLICTING INFORMATION
There has been some confusion about what happened near the public pool where John Forsyth was last seen in Cassville, 40 miles west of the Ozark Mountains tourist destination of Branson and about half a mile from a hospital where he worked. On May 21, the pool had yet to open for the summer season. Beaver Lake, a man-made reservoir used for recreation and where his body was found, is at least an hour’s drive away from Cassville, over twisty highways that snake through the Ozarks.
Initially, Richard Forsyth said security camera footage showed his brother getting into someone else’s vehicle. He now says the footage shows that a few minutes after the doctor parked his car, a white SUV arrived, then left shortly afterward. About 10 or 15 minutes after that, the doctor got out of his car and walked away, never to be seen alive again, Richard Forsyth said. Found inside his unlocked car were two cellphones, a laptop and important documents, he said.
So far, authorities have not publicly indicated whether they believe he was murdered, shot accidentally or took his own life. They have not said whether they found the gun that was used or whether the SUV was related to Forsyth’s disappearance.
