Overview

Missing: Gene Jacob Cloud Jr., also known as “Breezy”

Date Last Seen: January 25, 2012

Location: County Road O/Millston area, southern Jackson County near Black River Falls, Wisconsin

Age When Missing: 20

NamUs: MP21322

Circumstances: Gene’s vehicle entered a ditch on County Road O. A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy encountered him at approximately 7:05 a.m. Gene fled on foot into a wooded area. Witnesses later reported seeing him walking or attempting to flag down vehicles along County Road O. His family reported him missing two days later, and no confirmed public account has established what happened to him afterward.

Current Status: Missing. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse continues to list Gene and advertises a $25,000 reward.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Gene Jacob Cloud Jr. Missing Person Case: What Happened After He Disappeared Near Millston, Wisconsin?

Gene Jacob Cloud Jr., a 20-year-old member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, disappeared in Jackson County, Wisconsin, on January 25, 2012. More than fourteen years later, his whereabouts remain unknown, his case remains listed with Wisconsin authorities, and a $25,000 reward continues to be advertised for information in the case.

Gene, who was also known by the nickname “Breezy,” was approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 140 pounds when he disappeared. He had black hair and brown eyes. His date of birth is December 7, 1991.

The Morning Gene Cloud Jr. Disappeared

Gene was in the Black River Falls area before his disappearance. According to accounts compiled about the case, he had been staying near his pregnant girlfriend and was working toward completing his high school education so he could help support his growing family.

On the morning of January 25, 2012, Gene was driving on County Road O near Millston in southern Jackson County when the vehicle went into a ditch. A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy encountered the stranded vehicle at approximately 7:05 a.m.

The deputy initially did not know who the driver was. Historical reporting states that while the deputy was assisting at the scene, Gene went back toward the vehicle as though retrieving belongings and then ran into the nearby woods. Authorities subsequently determined that the vehicle was registered to the sister of Gene’s girlfriend and identified Gene as the person who had been driving it.

Reports indicate Gene had minor outstanding warrants at the time, which has been offered as a possible explanation for why he might have run from the deputy. That explains one possible reason for leaving the traffic encounter, but it does not explain why he seemingly disappeared afterward.

Witnesses Reported Seeing Gene on County Road O

The encounter with the deputy was apparently not necessarily the final sighting.

Witnesses subsequently reported seeing Gene walking or attempting to flag down vehicles on County Road O. Historical reporting also describes a motorist approaching the deputy and reporting that a person with a backpack was attempting to hitch a ride a short distance down the road. When the deputy went to investigate, that person could not be located.

The Wisconsin Clearinghouse currently summarizes the case by stating that Gene was last seen near the Millston area of southern Jackson County and was reportedly observed a short time later walking on Highway O. His whereabouts afterward remain unknown.

Gene Was Reported Missing Two Days Later

Gene’s family reported him missing on January 27, 2012, after relatives and friends realized he had not contacted them.

That lack of communication became particularly concerning because family and friends said Gene normally maintained contact through texting and Facebook. Historical reporting states that investigators also tried to follow a financial trail, but Gene was not receiving per-capita payments and reportedly did not have a bank account.

Later case summaries report that Gene did not resume using his cell phone or social-media accounts following his disappearance.

Searches in the Millston Area

Search efforts focused heavily on the area around County Road O and Millston.

Volunteer searchers reportedly followed footprints for miles through extremely deep snow. Tracking dogs were also used and reportedly followed Gene’s scent toward a roadway before losing the trail. This has left open the possibility that Gene reached a road after entering or traveling through the wooded area, although the available evidence does not establish what happened afterward.

Over the years, authorities received possible sightings or tips from Black River Falls, Wood County, Chetek and Turtle Lake. Historical Ho-Chunk reporting stated that those possible sightings could not be verified.

Family and Ho-Chunk Nation Continue the Search

The disappearance prompted continuing efforts from Gene’s family, friends and members of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

In 2013, Ho-Chunk Police Chief Earl Lemieux said plans were being made to hire a private investigator as another avenue for trying to locate Gene. The effort was connected with Ho-Chunk Nation procedures established for missing enrolled tribal members.

By 2015, renewed searches and awareness efforts were underway. Family members and supporters retraced Gene’s route with Jackson County authorities, while law enforcement said the case would remain open and leads would continue to be investigated.

A “Walk of Hope” was held in Black River Falls in March 2015. Another organized search was planned for the County Road O area near Millston, and a large billboard was constructed near Interstate 94 to keep Gene’s disappearance visible to motorists and the public.

American Indian Movement Joins Calls for Answers

Five years after Gene disappeared, his family and supporters sought assistance from the American Indian Movement.

In September 2017, AIM members joined family and friends in a march intended to bring renewed attention to the disappearance. Jackson County Sheriff Duane Waldera told WEAU at the time that the investigation had not been closed, but said limited information had caused the investigation to stall.

Family advocates publicly expressed frustration with how the investigation had progressed, while the Sheriff’s Department maintained that the case remained open. Those competing perspectives became part of the public history surrounding Gene’s disappearance.

Crime Stoppers Renews Attention to Gene’s Case

A significant public development came in May 2022, when Jackson County Crime Stoppers announced that it was assisting with Gene’s missing-person case.

Crime Stoppers again publicized the circumstances of January 25, 2012, including the vehicle entering the ditch, Gene’s encounter with a deputy, his flight into a wooded area and witness reports that he subsequently attempted to flag down vehicles on County Road O.

The organization also publicized a reward of up to $25,000 offered by the Ho-Chunk Nation for Gene’s return or recovery.

Latest Publicly Available Information

Gene Cloud Jr. remains listed by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults. The current state listing gives his missing date as January 25, 2012, lists Black River Falls as the location from which he disappeared and continues to display a $25,000 reward.

A Missing People in America case page was updated April 5, 2025 and continued to list Gene as missing from Jackson County. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse listing also remains publicly active in 2026.

No publicly verified announcement located through September 20, 2026 indicates that Gene has been found or that his disappearance has been resolved. Likewise, the publicly available sources reviewed for this article do not announce an arrest or publicly identify a suspect in connection with his disappearance.

Anyone with information should contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office or Jackson County Crime Stoppers. Even information that appeared insignificant at the time could potentially help investigators determine what happened after Gene was last seen along County Road O.

Very Brief Case Summary

Missing: Gene Jacob Cloud Jr., also known as “Breezy”

Date Last Seen: January 25, 2012

Location: County Road O/Millston area, southern Jackson County near Black River Falls, Wisconsin

Age When Missing: 20

NamUs: MP21322

Circumstances: Gene’s vehicle entered a ditch on County Road O. A Jackson County sheriff’s deputy encountered him at approximately 7:05 a.m. Gene fled on foot into a wooded area. Witnesses later reported seeing him walking or attempting to flag down vehicles along County Road O. His family reported him missing two days later, and no confirmed public account has established what happened to him afterward.

Current Status: Missing. The Wisconsin Clearinghouse continues to list Gene and advertises a $25,000 reward.