Overview

Missing: April 1, 2019

Last known area: Appleton, Wisconsin; his vehicle was later discovered near Highway 64 and Shadow Lake Road in the Town of Doty, Oconto County.

Age when missing: 22

Accompanied by: His white German Shepherd, Samantha.

Key circumstances: Nicholas and Samantha disappeared; his Ford Fusion was found in a forested area on April 18, 2019. Gear was reportedly outside the vehicle, and Samantha’s unclasped collar was found approximately half a mile away. Multiple searches have failed to locate them.

Current status: Missing. The Appleton Police Department said in 2026 that the investigation remains open and ongoing.

NamUs: MP58278.

Appleton Police case number: A19010228.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Nicholas Jeffrey Hietpas Missing Person Case: Wisconsin Disappearance Remains Unsolved

Nicholas Jeffrey Hietpas was 22 years old when he disappeared in Wisconsin on April 1, 2019. The Appleton man vanished along with his white German Shepherd, Samantha, and neither has been located. More than seven years later, the Appleton Police Department continues to investigate his disappearance and seek information from the public.

Last Seen: April 1, 2019

Nicholas Hietpas was last known to have contact with others on April 1, 2019. Official Wisconsin records list him as missing from Appleton, while other case summaries connect his disappearance to the Town of Doty in Oconto County, where his vehicle was later discovered.

At the time, Nicholas was described as a 22-year-old white male with brown hair and brown eyes, approximately 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall and weighing about 170 to 190 pounds. He has a distinctive tattoo on the inside of his left wrist resembling two squiggly uppercase letter Ys, with one inverted.

Nicholas was believed to be wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with green lettering, blue jeans and brown or mustard-colored work boots. His dog Samantha, a white female German Shepherd weighing approximately 65 pounds, disappeared with him.

Nicholas Hietpas’ Car Found in Oconto County

A major development occurred on April 18, 2019, when an ATV rider discovered Nicholas’ black 2012 Ford Fusion along a forest road in the Town of Doty, Oconto County. The vehicle was near Highway 64 and Shadow Lake Road, close to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

A tarp and other gear were reportedly found outside the vehicle. Samantha’s collar was later located approximately half a mile away. According to Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy, the collar appeared to have been unclasped rather than broken.

The location created another unanswered question. Nicholas was described as an outdoors-oriented person, but investigators publicly said there was no clear indication why he had traveled to this particular part of Oconto County.

Searches for Nicholas and Samantha

Law enforcement conducted multiple searches in the area surrounding the abandoned vehicle. Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy reports that deputies carried out three searches using dogs without locating Nicholas or Samantha.

The search effort later extended beyond the initial law-enforcement response. Michigan Backcountry Search and Rescue personnel conducted additional searches in and around the vast national forest area. Posts preserved in the Websleuths discussion of the case describe multi-day ground searches, tracking operations and later plans to examine a pond for possible evidence. These reports should be distinguished from official law-enforcement findings.

Despite the searches, neither Nicholas nor Samantha has been publicly reported found.

Questions Surrounding the Disappearance

The abandoned Ford Fusion remains one of the central pieces of the mystery. Nicholas was gone, Samantha was gone, gear was outside the vehicle, and Samantha’s collar was discovered some distance away.

These circumstances have prompted considerable public discussion and speculation over the years, particularly in online missing-person communities. However, speculation should not be confused with an investigative conclusion.

In reporting about the case one year after Nicholas disappeared, Appleton Police Detective Chad Riddle and then-Oconto County Sheriff Todd Skarban were quoted as saying there was nothing known to be suspicious about the disappearance at that time. The case continued to be treated as a missing-person investigation.

There is currently no publicly confirmed determination that Nicholas was the victim of a homicide or other crime.

Latest Investigation Information

The case remains active.

On the fifth anniversary of Nicholas’ disappearance in April 2024, the Appleton Police Department publicly reiterated that the investigation was ongoing and that investigators were still looking for assistance in finding him.

The most recent substantive public update located during research was published on April 2, 2026, seven years after Nicholas disappeared. According to Seehafer News, Appleton Police again stated that the investigation remains open and ongoing and continued asking the public for information concerning Nicholas’ disappearance or whereabouts. Detective Chad Riddle remained listed as the law-enforcement contact.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults also continues to list Nicholas as missing. Its current listing gives his age as 29 and identifies Appleton Police as the agency to contact with information.

No publicly confirmed discovery of Nicholas, Samantha, or remains associated with either was located in the current official records or recent reporting reviewed for this article.

Very Brief Case Summary

Missing: April 1, 2019

Last known area: Appleton, Wisconsin; his vehicle was later discovered near Highway 64 and Shadow Lake Road in the Town of Doty, Oconto County.

Age when missing: 22

Accompanied by: His white German Shepherd, Samantha.

Key circumstances: Nicholas and Samantha disappeared; his Ford Fusion was found in a forested area on April 18, 2019. Gear was reportedly outside the vehicle, and Samantha’s unclasped collar was found approximately half a mile away. Multiple searches have failed to locate them.

Current status: Missing. The Appleton Police Department said in 2026 that the investigation remains open and ongoing.

NamUs: MP58278.

Appleton Police case number: A19010228.