Keith Stelzer, a 17 year old senior at Quitman High School, went missing in the Bonita area of Meridian on November 9, 2021. Since then, his grandfather Don Hopkins has been diligently trying to make contact with him so that he can verify that he is safe and doing well.
“On the ninth, he went to his karate class at Black Eagle Martial Arts in Meridian. His sister Rose was in the truck waiting on him, and he went inside and came back out and told her that he had to go to the McDonald’s to use the bathroom because the bathroom in their building wasn’t working,” recalled Don. “He went around the building and jumped in an SUV with another individual and took off. The next morning, Rose found a note from him in the truck where he was apologizing to us for running away but that he was upset and was leaving until he could get some things straightened out.”
The vehicle Keith left in was an older model teal green SUV, and the other occupant of the vehicle was a white male. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing blue jeans, a green long sleeve Quitman Panther 2022 shirt, and is believed to have been wearing some red Nike sneakers. He did not have any money, a phone, or anything else other than what he was wearing on him at the time. Although Don and others have been searching the area, they have not found where Keith has gone.
“He was seen the next morning across the road from Black Eagle Martial Arts by one of his martial arts buddies over by Bonita Lake,” stated Don. “We searched around Bonita Lakes, but we’ve never found him. We don’t know for sure where he’s at.”
They have recently been contacted and passed information about someone seeing Keith, but he has since moved on from that location. Based on the tip he received, Keith has also changed his appearance and is traveling with two other individuals.
“I’ve had some reports since he’s been gone that he was seen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. There are three of them: Keith, another 17 year old, and an 18 year old,” explained Don. “I was told that they left the day before Thanksgiving because they could no longer stay at their friend’s house since Thanksgiving was coming up. I was told that all three of them changed their appearance. They are now in Goth type clothing, dressed in all black. They all died their hair jet black, and Keith has a jet black mustache. They all have a black choker style necklace they are wearing that is about an inch wide and covered in black Xes.”
His family is desperate to hear from him and just wants to talk to him and know that he is safe.
If anyone sees Keith or has any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the local law enforcement agency and have them go out and check on Keith and have him contact his grandfather.
