More than a year after Kenyan visitor Reuben Waithaka mysteriously vanished in Alabama, authorities have unveiled a new billboard in a renewed effort to generate leads and keep the missing persons case in the public spotlight.
The billboard, donated by Alabama Cold Case Advocacy, is the latest move by the Calera Police Department as investigators continue searching for answers about what happened to the 72-year-old Kenyan man who disappeared just hours after arriving in the United States to attend his grandson’s graduation.
According to the police, the case remains active, while Waithaka’s family continues to hold onto hope that they can help locate him.
“I want to be hopeful; I really do. But sometimes I wonder, did he sit somewhere and fall asleep in the heat?” Emily Barua, the daughter of Waithaka, stated.
Reuben Waithaka Disappearance in Alabama
Reuben Waithaka arrived in Calera, Alabama, on May 14, 2025, with his wife, Elizabeth Barua, for the celebration of Byron Barua’s high school graduation.
According to family members, he arrived carrying sentimental gifts, including old family photographs and matching African-print shirts for his son and grandson to wear during the celebrations.
However, the family reunion was cut short almost immediately when relatives, upon arriving in Alabama, noticed that Waithaka appeared confused and unwell after the long international journey.
His son, Willington Barua, took him to Baptist Health Shelby Hospital in nearby Alabaster after concerns arose about his condition.
Further, the family emphasized that Waithaka had exhibited agitation and disorientation during the final leg of his flight from Frankfurt to Atlanta.
Although medical examinations, including a CT scan and bloodwork, reportedly showed no major abnormalities, he was discharged.
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Surveillance Cameras Footage on Waithaka’s Last Known Movements
On May 15, 2025, Waithaka had breakfast, rested briefly, and later stepped outside his son’s home in the Timberline neighborhood of Calera.
Doorbell camera footage captured him walking down the driveway at approximately 11:08 a.m. wearing khaki trousers, a blue-and-white checkered shirt, and black shoes.
Investigators later discovered that Waithaka received rides from two different motorists after leaving the neighborhood.
According to the investigating police, Reuben first approached a neighbor after mistakenly believing another house belonged to his son.
He was later offered a ride by a DoorDash driver, who dropped him off at a Speed Trac gas station along Highway 25.
Security cameras at the station recorded Waithaka entering the store shortly before noon, where he is said to have greeted a store employee, visited the restroom, and exited through a rear door. The store was the last confirmed sighting of the Kenyan, according to the police.
A resident later reported seeing a man matching Waithaka’s description entering the property of a nearby hunting club and heading toward a wooded area.
However, investigators were unable to verify the residents’ sighting of Waithaka conclusively.
Missing Kenyan Search in Alabama
Following the disappearance, Alabama law enforcement agencies deployed helicopters, drones, tracking dogs, and rescue teams in search of Waithaka in Calera.
Despite the massive effort, investigators found no sign of Waithaka. Authorities also checked hospitals, shelters, abandoned properties, transportation hubs, truck stops, and homeless outreach facilities while following hundreds of tips from across Alabama.
Police revealed that Waithaka had his Kenyan mobile phone with him when he disappeared, with his passport and visa left at his son’s home.
However, attempts to trace it proved difficult after records indicated the device’s last signal was registered in Frankfurt, Germany, suggesting it may have remained in airplane mode.
Throughout the investigation, Calera Police Chief David Hyche suggested that Waithaka may have been suffering from severe disorientation.
Further, the Investigators believed factors such as jet lag, unfamiliar surroundings, travel fatigue, and possible undiagnosed dementia could have contributed to the incident.
“Mr. Waithaka, we believe, might have had some touches of dementia. The amount of disorientation he might have been dealing with could have been extreme. We are dealing with someone unfamiliar with this area, from another country. He didn’t really have any means of support on him,” Calera Police Chief David Hyche explained.
Although no evidence of foul play has emerged, police did not rule out any possibility and continue to investigate all available leads.
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Family Plea for Information
On the first anniversary of the disappearance, Calera police held a press conference to reassure the family that the search remains ongoing.
Further, the Calera Police Foundation has also offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to his discovery.
According to the authority, the unveiling of the billboard is intended to keep Waithaka’s case visible and encourage anyone with information to come forward.
For the Barua family, the uncertainty remains painful.
Anyone with information about the disappearance of Reuben Waithaka is urged to contact the Calera Police Department at 205-668-3505 or call 911.
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