Family of missing Fort Wayne man still searching for answers four years later

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Fort Wayne’s NBC) - In the early morning hours of December 8th, Kevin Nguyen disappeared after leaving the Brass Rail in downtown Fort Wayne.

He was last seen on surveillance cameras at the Arby’s around the corner on Jefferson Boulevard, but what happened to him from there, no one knows.

Kevin’s father, Lance Yankey, was out of state when he heard the news that Kevin didn’t return home after his night out.

Yankey explains “My wife had called and said that Kevin didn’t return from going out the night before from Saturday night and we just thought well maybe he’s passed out in his car somewhere. Simple, easy peasy. By the end of the day, on that day, there were still no answers. He’s not answering his phone, not answering nothing. Can’t find him can’t track him. Nothing. I told her to call the police and get missing persons report going but that sort of went to no avail because he’s was an adult so it kind of don’t treat it like they normally should.”

Yankey says it took police a week to go to the bar and investigate.

He was told his son was accused of “messing with girls” that night, and if the accuser and the bar would have called police on him, like Yankey believes someone should have if the allegations were true, Kevin would still be alive.

“That is the biggest pet peeve. That they wouldn’t say nothing. They wouldn’t call the police, they wouldn’t and then waited for all of this to happen to say ok we’ll say something to the police after the holidays,” Yankey said. “I’m glad they were doing their holidays. They enjoy their holidays every year, but I don’t. My wife doesn’t. It’s a hard period.”

FULL INTERVIEW WITH LANCE YANKEY, PART 1

21Alive reached out to the FWPD detective assigned to the case to get more information about their investigation. Detective Brian Martin says police have searched for Kevin at the old GE factory, in areas surrounding the Brass Rail, have looked at surveillance video, and the fire department has helped search the river, but they haven’t received any useful information in a while.

The case has since been transferred to missing persons. So, while Martin is unsure when police last called the family, Yankey is upset because for him, it’s been too long

He says his last phone call from them was “about 2018. 2019 I think it was. That’s it.”

Yankey says now social media is helping lead the charge in searching for Kevin. TikToks, Podcasts, and the ‘Help Bring Kevin Nguyen Home’ Facebook page, doing what they can to find him.

FULL INTERVIEW WITH LANCE YANKEY, PART 2

“Everyday, it seems like I get a message across Facebook, whether it’s private or on his page, of little information here or there saying hey go look at this place or I’m hearing through the grapevine that go look at this place over here, and we have a little group that I’m with that that go and search these certain areas.” Yankey explained.

When asked how far he has gone to search for Kevin, Yankey said “I would say within a 20 mile radius of Fort Wayne and maybe some other places.”

Yankey says he’s thankful for everyone on social media and people who show up to the candlelight vigils for keeping Kevin in people’s minds, hoping he and his family can finally have some closure.

If you have any information about Kevin Nguyen’s disappearance, Martin says you’re asked to contact Detective Tara Noll at 260-427-1201.

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