
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, December 13, 1994                   TAG: 9412140031
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

MISSING MAN FOUND IN ROANOKE

When the man the staff later named John arrived at the Rescue Mission, he didn't know how he had ended up in Roanoke or why he had a weight-lifting belt in his knapsack.

"I must lift weights," John told Joy Sylvester Johnson, the mission's director of development, "but from the looks of me, it must not be working."

"He has a wonderful sense of humor," said Johnson, "and he's very kind."

That's why Johnson and the others at the mission were so pleased to see John's true identity returned to him, even if his memories are still hazy.

Monday night, after television news reported the discovery of a car belonging to a missing Maryland man, Rescue Mission residents immediately recognized the televised photograph.

"They came rushing down to tell me they saw John on TV," Johnson said.

"John" turned out to be Thomas Edward Knuth, a 25-year-old window washer from Silver Springs, Md.

He was reported missing Nov. 30 by his parents after he did not show up for work two days in a row.

Montgomery County, Md., police placed a description of Knuth and his light blue Hyndai on a nationwide missing-persons list.

For a week, police were unable to turn up any leads. Then, Sunday morning, Roanoke County police found an abandoned car - the Hyndai - on the side of U.S. 220 near Yellow Mountain Road.

Two Maryland investigators arrived Monday to search the car and hold a news conference.

Less than two hours after reporters left the Roanoke County Police Department, the police had found Knuth.

"What started out as very suspicious turned out as a happy ending," Roanoke County Detective Rick Moorer said.

Police had feared Knuth's disappearance could have been the result of foul play. Knuth is a responsible man who spent his days off with other members of his church, witnessing in his community, Montgomery County Cpl. E. O'Hara said.

After talking with Knuth, however, police believe no crime was committed. Knuth remembers nothing of the time between when he was in Maryland and when he found himself walking down U.S. 220. A paramedic who examined him found no cuts or bruises that might indicate a cause for a loss of memory.

"I spoke to his mother when we got [to the mission], and she immediately started to cry," Montgomery County Detective Jay Brown said. Knuth's parents were expected to arrive in Roanoke by midnight Monday.

by CNB