A local Jacksonville man is missing in Mexico.
62-year-old Robert Cantrell was last seen June 20 at the Cancun International Airport according to a law enforcement agency in Mexico.
Shortly after he arrived, his family says he made a very panicked phone call to his ex-wife saying his belongings were stolen and that he was trying to get back to Jacksonville.
Since that phone call to his ex-wife, Robert’s family came across a disturbing video of him on Facebook posted June 29.
Robert’s daughter Lauren Cantrell said he had traveled to Los Angeles last month and was supposed to get on a flight from there to Cancun June 18. He missed that flight, but the U.S. Embassy confirms to the family he arrived in Cancun June 20.
“We know that he made it to Cancun on the 20th. But his flight path makes like no sense whatsoever,” Lauren said.
Robert was meeting with a real estate agent to check out a property in Mexico but never showed for his appointment.
A video of Robert circulating on Facebook has Lauren concerned for his safety. He’s shown getting into an ambulance and was supposed to be taken to the US Embassy, according to the man recording the video.
“He doesn’t have a shirt on doesn’t have shoes, as reported in that video,” Lauren said. “He just, he couldn’t even speak in like coherent sentences. And the things that he was saying were just not true. His eyes looked like crazed. I think there’s something wrong. He also had like lesions on his body. That’s what it’s been described as in that group.”
Lauren said she’s filed a missing person’s report with LAPD. She also turned to a private investigator and Texas Equusearch, a search and recovery nonprofit, for help.
Kay Harvey, a search coordinator with Texas Equusearch, is handling Robert’s case.
“At this point, we feel like he’s in danger and it’s time to get in there and get some boots on the ground and try to get him located,” Harvey said.
Harvey said her goal is to find Robert and personally bring him back to Jacksonville.
“We were told he was last seen at the airport and then, you know, we’ve seen some videos since you know, that are a little disturbing,” Harvey said. “You know, so again, we’re not sure what facts are what you know, there’s a lot of different stories and a lot of information.”
Lauren wants this message to make it to her father….
“Just we love you, and we’re really scared. And we just want you to come home. So please, find a way to contact us or listen to people if they want to take you to the embassy. Get home safe.”
JSO tells News4JAX they are not currently involved in the missing person’s investigation because Robert went missing from LA.
If you know anything, or have seen Robert, call the Commission of Missing Persons for the State of Quintana Roo at (52) 998-881-7150 or contact Texas Equusearch at 281-309-9500.