Overview

• Full name: Richard Allen Rhyne
• Known aliases: Ricky and Tricky Rick
• Age at disappearance: 23
• Date of birth: October 17, 1953
• Date last seen: March 22, 1977
• Last known location: Angleton, Brazoria County, Texas
• Intended destination: His workplace in Freeport, Texas
• Case classification: Involuntary missing (Texas DPS); endangered missing (The Charley Project)
• Current status: Missing; unresolved
• Investigating agency: Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office
• Texas DPS reference number: M8712001
• Associated vehicle: Green 1969 Chevrolet pickup with a white top, gold passenger-side door and fender, and Texas license plate HR3152

Main circumstances: Richard was last seen leaving his residence to check his employment status. Neither his whereabouts nor the circumstances surrounding his disappearance have been publicly established.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Richard Allen Rhyne: The Unsolved 1977 Disappearance of a 23-Year-Old Man in Angleton, Texas

On March 22, 1977, 23-year-old Richard Allen Rhyne left his home in Angleton, Texas, intending to visit his workplace in nearby Freeport. He wanted to find out whether he still had a job. He was driving a distinctively colored 1969 Chevrolet pickup truck.

Richard never returned, and he has not been heard from since.

Nearly five decades later, his disappearance remains unresolved. The Texas Department of Public Safety classifies his case as involuntary, while The Charley Project lists him as endangered missing. Authorities have expressed concern that he may have been taken against his will, but the publicly available evidence does not establish what happened to him.

His case remains listed in the Texas Missing Persons Clearinghouse.

Case Summary

• Full name: Richard Allen Rhyne
• Known aliases: Ricky and Tricky Rick
• Age at disappearance: 23
• Date of birth: October 17, 1953
• Date last seen: March 22, 1977
• Last known location: Angleton, Brazoria County, Texas
• Intended destination: His workplace in Freeport, Texas
• Case classification: Involuntary missing (Texas DPS); endangered missing (The Charley Project)
• Current status: Missing; unresolved
• Investigating agency: Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office
• Texas DPS reference number: M8712001
• Associated vehicle: Green 1969 Chevrolet pickup with a white top, gold passenger-side door and fender, and Texas license plate HR3152

Main circumstances: Richard was last seen leaving his residence to check his employment status. Neither his whereabouts nor the circumstances surrounding his disappearance have been publicly established.

Sources: The Charley Project and Texas DPS Missing Person Bulletin.

Richard Allen Rhyne’s Background Before His Disappearance

Richard Allen Rhyne was born on October 17, 1953. At the time he disappeared, he was living in Angleton, a community in Brazoria County along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Public missing-person records identify him by the nicknames Ricky and Tricky Rick. He was described as a white man, approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 135 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He may have worn a mustache.

Richard had several distinguishing physical characteristics that could help investigators identify him. These included a small scar on his forehead between his eyes and a history of fractures involving his collarbone, left arm near the wrist, and the middle joint of his right middle finger.

An especially important detail was his medical history. Richard had epilepsy and required medication to manage his condition. This made his disappearance particularly concerning because his access to necessary medication after March 22, 1977, was unknown.

The available public profiles provide limited information about Richard’s personal life, relationships, and employment history. They do, however, establish that he was connected to a workplace in Freeport and was attempting to clarify his employment status when he disappeared.

Source: Richard Allen Rhyne – The Charley Project.

March 22, 1977: Richard Leaves Home

On March 22, 1977, Richard left his residence in Angleton. According to The Charley Project, he intended to stop at his workplace in Freeport to determine whether he was still employed there.

This was the last reported occasion on which he was seen.

The Texas Department of Public Safety describes the intended trip similarly, stating that Richard went to check whether he still had his job and was never seen again.

The available descriptions do not establish that Richard arrived at the workplace, spoke to an employer, or completed his intended errand. They also do not establish his precise route, departure time, or last confirmed contact.

These gaps matter because investigators cannot publicly reconstruct his movements beyond the information preserved in the missing-person records.

The Distinctive Chevrolet Pickup

Richard was driving a 1969 Chevrolet pickup truck. Its unusual combination of colors remains one of the most identifiable details associated with the case.

The vehicle was described as having:

• A green body
• A white top
• A gold passenger-side door and fender
• Texas license plate HR3152

The Charley Project identifies it as a Chevrolet 210 pickup.

The public case descriptions do not document a confirmed recovery of the vehicle. A Websleuths case discussion also reports that the pickup was never located, although that secondary account is not an official investigative finding.

The truck could be important to understanding Richard’s movements, but no verified public evidence establishes where it traveled after his disappearance.

Sources: Texas DPS Case Record and The Charley Project.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

Authorities Classify the Disappearance as Involuntary

The Texas Department of Public Safety lists Richard’s case as involuntary. The Charley Project reports that authorities believe he may have been taken against his will.

That concern is significant, but it must be distinguished from a confirmed abduction or homicide.

Neither public profile identifies a named suspect, documents a witnessed kidnapping, or establishes that Richard was killed. His disappearance therefore should not be described as a proven murder.

The classification indicates that authorities have treated the circumstances as concerning rather than assuming Richard voluntarily disappeared.

Physical Evidence and Forensic Information

The most important publicly documented identifying information includes Richard’s physical characteristics, medical history, and vehicle description.

A Websleuths discussion published in July 2023 states that dental records, fingerprints, and DNA are available in connection with the case. However, this statement comes from a community discussion and was not independently confirmed through a directly accessible official forensic record.

There is no verified public announcement establishing that genetic genealogy has been used to identify Richard’s remains, that a forensic match has resolved his disappearance, or that a particular individual has been linked to the case through DNA.

Likewise, no confirmed public search results, recovered personal belongings, or crime-scene findings were located in the reviewed case materials.

The absence of published information does not mean investigators never conducted searches or collected evidence. It means those activities cannot be described in detail without supporting documentation.

The Family’s Loss and the 1998 Obituary

One unusual detail appears in The Charley Project’s account of Richard’s family history.

Richard’s younger brother died in 1998. According to the profile, the brother’s obituary described Richard as having predeceased him.

This is a noteworthy historical reference, but an obituary’s wording is not equivalent to an official determination of death.

The publicly available account does not explain why Richard was described that way or establish that authorities had recovered his remains.

Accordingly, the obituary should not be interpreted as proof that Richard died before 1998 or that his missing-person investigation had been resolved.

Source: Richard Allen Rhyne – The Charley Project.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

Several possibilities remain relevant to understanding Richard’s disappearance. None has been established as the explanation.

Was Richard Taken Against His Will?

The possibility of an involuntary disappearance is supported by the official Texas DPS classification and The Charley Project’s account of investigators’ concerns.

However, the available records do not identify who might have been responsible, where an abduction could have occurred, or what evidence led investigators to consider that possibility.

No individual should be characterized as a suspect without verified investigative information.

Could a Medical Emergency Have Occurred?

Richard’s epilepsy is a documented medical condition. Because he required medication, his disappearance raised legitimate concerns about his health and safety.

A medical emergency is one possible scenario, but there is no publicly verified evidence showing that Richard experienced a seizure, became incapacitated, or was involved in an accident on March 22, 1977.

His medical history is relevant identifying and safety information, not proof of what happened.

What Happened to His Pickup Truck?

The Chevrolet remains an important unanswered part of the story.

Was Richard still driving it when he disappeared? Did he reach Freeport? Was the truck abandoned, concealed, or otherwise separated from him?

The public records do not provide definitive answers.

The unusual green, white, and gold paint combination, together with the historical license plate, could potentially help someone recognize the vehicle in an old photograph, record, or recollection.

Did Richard Reach His Workplace?

The publicly available accounts identify his intended destination but do not verify his arrival.

There is no confirmed public witness account establishing that Richard entered the workplace or met with an employer that day.

Until additional records or testimony emerge, his movements after leaving Angleton remain unknown.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

The reviewed records show that Richard’s disappearance continues to be documented by missing-person organizations and Texas authorities.

May 30, 2002: Texas DPS Photograph Record

Richard’s official Texas DPS missing-person bulletin displays May 30, 2002, as the date its photograph was updated.

This is a database photograph date, not evidence of a new investigative discovery in 2002.

The bulletin continues to identify his disappearance as involuntary and retains the details of his vehicle, medical condition, and last known circumstances.

March 25, 2016: The Charley Project Profile Update

The Charley Project records March 25, 2016, as its last profile update, noting that the details of Richard’s disappearance were updated.

This was a published case-profile revision. It should not be interpreted as an announcement of newly discovered evidence or a reopened investigation.

July 27, 2023: Community Awareness Discussion

A Websleuths discussion about Richard’s disappearance was opened on July 27, 2023.

The discussion repeated identifying details and case-reference information, helping preserve awareness of a disappearance dating back to 1977.

However, a community discussion is not an official police announcement, and the existence of the thread does not establish that investigators developed a new lead.

Status as of October 18, 2026

Richard remains listed as missing in the reviewed Texas DPS and Charley Project records.

No publicly confirmed recent investigative breakthroughs were located in the sources reviewed for this article. Specifically, no verified recent announcement was found concerning an arrest, criminal charge, identified remains, confirmed DNA match, or resolution of the case.

This does not rule out investigative activity that has not been publicly disclosed.

Sources: Texas DPS Bulletin, The Charley Project, and Websleuths Case Discussion.

Richard Allen Rhyne’s Disappearance Remains Unsolved

Richard Allen Rhyne was just 23 years old when he left his home in Angleton on March 22, 1977. What began as a trip to check on his employment became a disappearance that has remained unresolved for decades.

The known facts are limited but important: Richard intended to visit his workplace in Freeport, he was driving a distinctive Chevrolet pickup, and he had a medical condition requiring medication. Authorities subsequently classified his disappearance as involuntary.

What happened afterward remains unknown.

Anyone who remembers Richard, his workplace, the Chevrolet pickup, or events in the Angleton and Freeport areas around March 22, 1977, may possess information relevant to the investigation.

Even an observation that seemed unimportant at the time could help investigators clarify his final known movements.

People with information are encouraged to contact the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office or the Texas Department of Public Safety Missing Persons Clearinghouse. Tips should be shared directly with investigators rather than through public speculation.

Richard’s case remains a missing-person investigation, and the central question has never been answered: What happened to Richard Allen Rhyne after he left home on March 22, 1977?