Columbus police issue statewide missing adult alert for 76-year-old man with dementia and hypertension

Statewide alert activated as search continues

Columbus police are searching for a 76-year-old man reported missing Wednesday afternoon, prompting a statewide Endangered Missing Adult Alert. Authorities said the man, identified as Garnett Davis, left his residence on Adirondack Avenue at about 3 p.m. on Wednesday and had not returned as of Thursday.

Police said Davis has dementia and high blood pressure and was believed to be without his medication, factors that elevated the case to an endangered-missing response. Under Ohio’s Endangered Missing Adult Alert criteria, an alert can be issued when law enforcement confirms a person is missing, the person is 65 or older or has a mental impairment, the situation poses a credible threat of immediate danger, and there is enough descriptive information for the alert to assist in locating them.

Description and last-known details released to the public

Police described Davis as 5 feet 11 inches tall and about 175 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a navy blue sweatsuit, an AEP brown wool jacket, and gray shoes.

Investigators said he may be traveling in a vehicle connected to the alert: a white 2015 Hyundai Sonata with Ohio license plate HGS9848. Police asked residents to be alert for both Davis and the vehicle.

How the alert system works in Ohio

Ohio’s Endangered Missing Adult Alert is designed to quickly expand public awareness when older adults or people with cognitive impairments go missing under circumstances believed to present an immediate safety risk. The program operates as a coordinated effort among law enforcement and state partners to rapidly distribute identifying information that can help locate the missing person.

Authorities emphasize that time is a critical factor in endangered-missing cases involving cognitive impairment, particularly when medical needs are involved.

What to do if you see the man or the vehicle

• Call 911 immediately if you see Garnett Davis or the white 2015 Hyundai Sonata with Ohio plate HGS9848.
• Contact the Columbus Police Department directly at (614) 645-4646 with information related to the alert.
• Do not attempt to intervene physically; focus on reporting the location and direction of travel if a vehicle is involved.

Police have not released additional details about where Davis may have been headed. The investigation remained active Thursday, with officers relying on public tips and any verified sightings to narrow search efforts.