Overview

• Full name: Christopher Macky May
• Known as: Chris May
• Age at disappearance: 41
• Date last seen: January 2, 2019
• Last known location: Little Egypt Road (River View Avenue), Gilbert, West Virginia
• City: Gilbert
• County: Mingo County
• State: West Virginia
• Case classification: Missing person
• Current case status: Unresolved in the publicly available records reviewed
• NamUs reference: MP77455
• Distinguishing characteristics: Tattoo of lips on the right side of his neck, skull tattoo on his right forearm, and initials tattooed on his left ring finger

Main circumstances: Christopher was reportedly last seen by a neighbor near his Gilbert residence. His mother said he normally contacted her at least every other day, but his last telephone call to her was on January 1, 2019. Gilbert police and volunteer firefighters searched the area on January 6, but no confirmed explanation for his disappearance was established in the available reporting.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Christopher Macky May: The Unsolved 2019 Disappearance in Gilbert, West Virginia

Christopher “Chris” Macky May was 41 years old when he vanished from Gilbert, West Virginia, in January 2019. Last seen near his residence on Little Egypt Road, also known as River View Avenue, Christopher disappeared without a publicly established explanation, leaving his family searching for answers.

His parents, Macky and Carol May, appealed for help as local authorities conducted a search and residents shared missing-person notices. Years later, Christopher’s disappearance remains documented in missing-person resources, with no publicly verified resolution identified.

The case raises questions about what happened after Christopher was last seen, whether someone encountered him that day, and whether information still held by the public could help investigators determine his whereabouts.

Case Summary

• Full name: Christopher Macky May
• Known as: Chris May
• Age at disappearance: 41
• Date last seen: January 2, 2019
• Last known location: Little Egypt Road (River View Avenue), Gilbert, West Virginia
• City: Gilbert
• County: Mingo County
• State: West Virginia
• Case classification: Missing person
• Current case status: Unresolved in the publicly available records reviewed
• NamUs reference: MP77455
• Distinguishing characteristics: Tattoo of lips on the right side of his neck, skull tattoo on his right forearm, and initials tattooed on his left ring finger

Main circumstances: Christopher was reportedly last seen by a neighbor near his Gilbert residence. His mother said he normally contacted her at least every other day, but his last telephone call to her was on January 1, 2019. Gilbert police and volunteer firefighters searched the area on January 6, but no confirmed explanation for his disappearance was established in the available reporting.

Sources: Contemporaneous reporting reproduced on Websleuths; National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

Background: Who Was Christopher Macky May?

Christopher Macky May was a 41-year-old man living in Gilbert, a small community in Mingo County in southern West Virginia, when he disappeared in early 2019.

Public reporting identifies his parents as Macky and Carol May. Their statements after his disappearance provide some of the clearest available insight into his family relationships and communication habits.

Carol May explained that her son ordinarily called her at least every other day. His last known call to her occurred on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2019.

This interruption in regular contact became an important concern for his family.

Christopher was described in the initial missing-person reporting as approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing around 140 pounds, with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

He also had several distinctive tattoos that could help someone recognize him:

• A tattoo depicting lips on the right side of his neck.
• A skull tattoo on his right forearm.
• Initials reported as CCM and JLC on his left ring finger.

The clothing reported at the time of his disappearance consisted of a dark T-shirt and blue jeans.

These descriptions reflect the initial public reporting. Some secondary missing-person listings contain differing weight estimates, so the original description should not be treated as a definitive current physical profile.

Little additional verified biographical information, including Christopher’s employment history, daily routine, or activities immediately before his disappearance, was located in the available sources.

Source: Christopher May Missing-Person Discussion.

The Disappearance: January 2, 2019

Christopher was last reportedly seen on January 2, 2019, by a neighbor near his residence on Little Egypt Road, also identified as River View Avenue, in Gilbert.

The last-seen date is significant because some early missing-person awareness materials referenced January 3, 2019. The reporting describing the neighbor’s sighting, as well as later missing-person database information, identifies January 2 as the last-contact date.

The available public information does not establish the precise time of the sighting.

It also does not establish whether Christopher was walking, traveling in a vehicle, meeting someone, or carrying personal belongings when he was last observed.

There is no sufficiently verified public account identifying his intended destination or explaining why he left the area.

What is documented is that Christopher did not resume his usual contact with his family.

As concern grew, his parents appealed for information about his whereabouts.

Carol May expressed the family’s determination to find him, saying:

“Chris, we love you and will not give up.”

Her words appeared in the early reporting circulated during the search for her son.

The family also used social media to spread awareness, with friends and community members sharing missing-person information.

These appeals reflected the family’s hope that someone might have seen Christopher or possessed information capable of explaining his disappearance.

Source: Gilbert Disappearance Reporting.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Gilbert Police Department’s Initial Investigation

The Gilbert Police Department was identified as the agency investigating Christopher’s disappearance in early 2019.

The department requested public assistance and circulated information about his physical appearance, clothing, tattoos, and last known location.

The original public appeal identified Gilbert Police Chief Nathan Glanden as a contact for information.

That identification is historical and does not establish the department’s current leadership or staffing.

Investigators asked that anyone with relevant information come forward, and the initial reporting indicated that tips would be examined confidentially.

January 6, 2019: Ground Search

On January 6, 2019, the Gilbert Police Department and Gilbert Volunteer Fire Department conducted a ground search around the area where Christopher had last been seen.

This is the earliest specifically dated search effort identified in the available case reporting.

The public account does not establish the precise boundaries of the search, the number of participants, or whether specialized equipment was used.

It also does not report a confirmed discovery explaining Christopher’s disappearance.

There is insufficient verified information to conclude whether additional searches occurred later, whether investigators searched nearby waterways, or whether other agencies participated in subsequent investigative operations.

Witness Information

The most important publicly reported witness information concerns the neighbor who reportedly saw Christopher near his residence on January 2.

The available account does not identify the neighbor or provide a detailed description of the circumstances surrounding the sighting.

No additional witness statement could be independently verified from the sources reviewed.

The existence of this reported sighting does not establish what happened afterward.

Physical and Forensic Evidence

No verified public investigative disclosure was located establishing that authorities recovered Christopher’s belongings, identified a crime scene, discovered relevant biological evidence, or obtained forensic results resolving the case.

Similarly, the available sources do not establish that DNA testing or investigative genetic genealogy has produced a case-specific breakthrough.

This does not mean investigators have never collected evidence or pursued forensic testing. It means those actions and results could not be substantiated through the publicly accessible material reviewed.

Missing-Person Database Records

Christopher’s case has been associated with NamUs missing-person reference MP77455, identifying him as Christopher Macky May and recording January 2, 2019, as his last-contact date.

NamUs is the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, a federal resource supporting missing-person and unidentified-person investigations.

His disappearance also appears in West Virginia-focused community missing-person resources, including the WV Missing Persons Project and StillMissing.us.

These listings help preserve public awareness, but community databases are not substitutes for official investigative findings.

Sources: NamUs Official Website; WV Missing Persons Project; StillMissing.us Case Database.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

Christopher’s disappearance remains unexplained in the publicly available information.

There is no verified basis for declaring that he was murdered, voluntarily disappeared, suffered an accident, or was abducted.

Each of those possibilities would require supporting evidence before it could be presented as an established explanation.

Did Christopher Leave Gilbert Voluntarily?

One unresolved question is whether Christopher intended to leave his neighborhood or the wider Gilbert area.

No verified public information establishes that he arranged transportation, planned a trip, or told anyone he intended to relocate.

Consequently, voluntary departure remains an unproven possibility rather than an established investigative conclusion.

Could an Accident Have Occurred?

An accidental injury or other emergency is another general possibility in an unexplained disappearance.

However, no publicly confirmed accident scene, medical emergency, or recovered remains have been linked to Christopher’s case in the reviewed sources.

There is no evidentiary basis for assigning this explanation greater weight than other possibilities.

Was Another Person Involved?

The possibility of third-party involvement cannot be determined from the available public record.

No verified law enforcement announcement was located naming a suspect or person of interest in Christopher’s disappearance.

No arrest, criminal charge, or court proceeding was verified as directly connected to his case.

It would therefore be inappropriate to identify or implicate any individual without reliable supporting evidence.

Questions That Remain Unanswered

Several questions continue to define the publicly known mystery:

• What was Christopher doing immediately before the reported January 2 sighting?
• Was anyone else with him or in contact with him that day?
• Did he leave Little Egypt Road on foot or by vehicle?
• Were there communications after his January 1 telephone call to his mother?
• Did anyone see him elsewhere in Mingo County after January 2?
• Does any previously unreported information exist that could clarify his movements?

These are unanswered questions, not evidence of any particular theory.

Latest Publicly Available Developments

September 2024: Continued Missing-Person Listing

On September 22, 2024, a contributor to the Websleuths discussion about Christopher noted that he was still listed as missing in NamUs.

The discussion included a reference to NamUs case MP77455.

This was a community observation about an existing database record, not an announcement of a new investigative discovery.

January 2025: Death of Christopher’s Mother

A significant development in the family’s history occurred on January 13, 2025, when Christopher’s mother, Carol Deloris May, died at age 77.

Her obituary, published through Mounts Funeral Home, identifies Christopher Macky May among the family members who had preceded her in death.

This creates an important distinction in the public record: Christopher’s family obituary describes him as deceased, while the missing-person listings reviewed do not establish when or how he died, whether remains were recovered, or whether authorities formally closed his disappearance investigation.

The obituary is credible evidence of the family’s published account, but it is not by itself a law enforcement confirmation of a death investigation’s findings.

No verified death date, cause of death, recovery announcement, or official case resolution was located. Accordingly, this article retains the missing-person classification rather than treating Christopher’s death or a homicide as officially established.

August 2025: Continued Community Awareness

On August 2, 2025, the existing Websleuths discussion received another post containing an image.

The accessible text does not establish that the image represented new evidence or a substantive investigative update.

It should therefore be understood as continued community discussion, not a confirmed breakthrough.

Status as of October 20, 2026

As of this review, no publicly confirmed recent investigative breakthrough was located involving Christopher Macky May.

Specifically, no verified announcement was found establishing an arrest, newly identified remains, a forensic identification, a genetic genealogy result, or an official closure of the investigation.

Christopher continues to appear in community missing-person listings, including StillMissing.us, which labels its record active. That website explicitly states that its information is community-maintained and is not an official law enforcement database.

The continued appearance of a missing-person listing is not conclusive proof that an investigation remains formally open. Likewise, an obituary reference is not sufficient to establish an official case disposition.

The most important outstanding issue is obtaining a current, authoritative determination from the investigating agency concerning Christopher’s legal and investigative status.

Conclusion: The Search for Answers About Christopher May

Christopher Macky May’s disappearance began with a reported sighting near his home in Gilbert on January 2, 2019.

His family quickly became concerned when he stopped communicating, and local authorities conducted a ground search within days.

The years that followed brought continued public awareness but little independently verified information about what happened to him.

The 2025 obituary for his mother adds a consequential piece of family history, although it does not explain the circumstances of Christopher’s disappearance or establish an official investigative resolution.

Anyone who saw Christopher around January 2, 2019, remembers unusual activity near Little Egypt Road, or possesses relevant communications or other information should contact the Gilbert Police Department.

The department’s publicly listed number is 304-664-9625. The Mingo County Sheriff’s Office can also be contacted at 304-235-0300, although its direct involvement in this investigation has not been independently established.

Even information that seemed insignificant at the time may help authorities clarify the chronology of Christopher’s final known movements.

For Christopher’s family and those who remember him, the central question remains what happened after he was last seen in Gilbert.