Overview

Last seen: July 19, 2024
Location: Larry Lane area, Town of Burke, Dane County, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 62
Status: Missing; investigation remains active as of the latest official update located
NamUs: MP131166

Main circumstances: Ferrall was last seen leaving his residence on foot. A neighbor’s camera reportedly captured him several minutes later walking toward a dead-end roadway bordered by wooded areas, marshland and farm fields. He did not have access to a vehicle and was without his prescribed medications. Extensive searches have failed to locate him.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Paul Henslow Ferrall Missing in Wisconsin: What Happened and Where the Investigation Stands

Paul Henslow Ferrall disappeared from the Town of Burke in Dane County, Wisconsin, on July 19, 2024. More than two years later, investigators and his family are still seeking information that could explain where he went after leaving his residence on foot.

Ferrall, who was 62 when he disappeared, lived in the Madison area. Authorities initially classified him as a missing endangered adult because of concerns for his welfare and the fact that he apparently left without his prescribed medications.

Paul Ferrall’s Last Known Movements

Ferrall was last seen on Friday, July 19, 2024, in the area of Larry Lane in the Town of Burke.

Information published by Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy provides an additional detail about his movements: after walking away from his home, Ferrall was reportedly captured on a neighbor’s camera several minutes later. He appeared to be walking toward a dead-end portion of the roadway surrounded by wooded areas, marshland and farm fields.

No confirmed sighting of Ferrall after that point has been publicly reported.

Ferrall did not have access to a vehicle, although authorities said he was known to use ride-share services. He was also known to frequent downtown Madison.

What Paul Ferrall Was Wearing

Authorities described Ferrall as a white man approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing approximately 165 pounds.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office said he was last seen wearing blue jeans and a multicolored sweater. Wisconsin Missing Persons Advocacy has also reported descriptions of a blue-and-white shirt with a waist tie, possibly a robe.

He has been described as having graying or brown hair and hazel eyes.

Why Authorities Were Concerned

When the Dane County Sheriff’s Office publicly appealed for assistance on July 24, 2024, officials reported that Ferrall appeared to have left without his prescribed medication.

Friends and family were deeply concerned about his welfare.

Later reporting also described Ferrall as experiencing cognitive and physical disabilities, circumstances that added to the urgency of locating him.

The Search for Paul Ferrall

The area surrounding Ferrall’s last known location presented significant challenges to search teams.

Dane County Sheriff’s Office personnel, assisted by the Madison Police Department, searched near his residence using K-9 teams, drones, ATVs and personnel on foot. Fields, wooded areas and marshy terrain around his last known location were searched.

By late August 2024, approximately five weeks after Ferrall disappeared, authorities reported that they had not received a confirmed sighting or information establishing where he had gone.

Despite the searches, investigators found no publicly reported evidence establishing what happened to Ferrall.

Friends Mark His Birthday While the Search Continues

Ferrall’s 63rd birthday came just over a month after he disappeared.

Friends gathered at the Parthenon restaurant in Madison on August 24, 2024. The restaurant was described by authorities as Ferrall’s favorite.

The gathering occurred as friends and relatives continued hoping for information about his whereabouts.

Search Efforts Continued After the Initial Investigation

The disappearance did not become a closed case when the initial searches failed.

In July 2025, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office marked one year since Ferrall was last seen and again asked the public for information.

Officials said deputies had conducted several searches on foot through fields and wooded areas near his last known location during the days and weeks following his disappearance, but those searches produced no evidence or additional information.

Ferrall’s brother later told WMTV 15 News that investigators had also searched the area again after nearby cornfields were harvested.

His family urged people with rural property around Burke to examine wooded areas, garages, sheds and other places where something might have been overlooked.

One Year Missing With No New Leads

By July 2025, the investigation remained open, but authorities confirmed there were no new publicly reported leads.

Ferrall had also reportedly left his phone and wallet behind when he disappeared, according to reporting based on interviews with his family.

Those circumstances, combined with his lack of a vehicle and the difficult terrain surrounding his last known location, have left investigators and his family with few answers about what happened after he walked away.

Latest Investigation Information

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office issued another public appeal on July 14, 2026, shortly before the second anniversary of Ferrall’s disappearance.

Authorities confirmed that Ferrall was still missing and again asked anyone with information about his whereabouts or well-being to come forward.

The Sheriff’s Office reiterated that he was last seen on foot near Larry Lane in the Town of Burke on July 19, 2024. Officials also repeated that he had no access to a vehicle, was known to use ride-share services, frequented downtown Madison and did not have his prescribed medications when he disappeared.

At the time of the 2026 appeal, Ferrall would have been 64 years old.

No discovery, confirmed subsequent sighting or resolution of his disappearance was announced in that update.

What Happened to Paul Henslow Ferrall?

More than two years after Paul Henslow Ferrall walked away from his residence near Larry Lane, the central question remains unanswered.

Search teams have covered fields, woods and difficult marshy terrain. Investigators have returned to the area, and Ferrall’s family and friends have repeatedly appealed for information.

Yet there has been no publicly confirmed account explaining where Ferrall went after he was captured walking away from his residence.

The Dane County Sheriff’s Office continues to ask anyone who saw Ferrall, believes they may have seen someone matching his description, or has information about his whereabouts to contact authorities.

Even information that appeared insignificant at the time could potentially help investigators reconstruct his movements after July 19, 2024.