Overview

Missing: January 5, 2024

Last known public location: Black Gold Casino near the Montana-North Dakota border in Williams County, North Dakota.

Likely subsequent location: Shelton is believed to have returned to his residence in the Freedom Meadows area west of Williston near Highway 2 and 146th Avenue Northwest.

Key circumstances: Shelton disappeared while his phone, wallet, money, keys, clothing, shoes, dentures and other belongings remained behind. Investigators later obtained surveillance footage showing two vehicles stopping briefly outside his residence between approximately 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. on January 6. One or more people may have exited a vehicle, but investigators could not identify the vehicles or individuals from the footage.

Current status: Missing; case remains unresolved.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Roger Lee Shelton Missing From Williston, North Dakota: What Happened After His January 2024 Disappearance?

Roger Lee Shelton disappeared from western Williams County, North Dakota, in January 2024, leaving behind his phone, wallet, vehicle keys, clothing and other personal belongings. More than two years later, Shelton remains listed as missing, and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unexplained.

The case has drawn particular attention because of what investigators later discovered on surveillance footage: two vehicles stopped briefly outside Shelton’s residence during the early morning hours after his last known public sighting.

Roger Lee Shelton’s Last Known Movements

Roger Lee Shelton was 61 years old when he disappeared on January 5, 2024.

According to information released during the investigation, Shelton had traveled to Bismarck that day for a medical appointment. Family information states that he communicated that evening that he had made it back to the Williston area.

His last known public location was the Black Gold Casino near the Montana-North Dakota border on the evening of January 5.

Authorities believe Shelton may have returned afterward to his home in the Freedom Meadows subdivision west of Williston, near Highway 2 and 146th Avenue Northwest.

That apparent return home is important because numerous personal belongings were later found there.

Personal Belongings Left Inside the Home

When Shelton’s disappearance was discovered, circumstances inside his residence suggested he had not prepared to leave for an extended period.

His cellular phone, wallet, cash, credit cards, keys, clothing and shoes were left behind. His dentures were also reportedly still at the residence.

Family-provided information described additional details that made the scene unusual. The clothing Shelton had reportedly worn earlier on January 5 was found in the dryer. His everyday shoes were reportedly inside, and his phone was plugged into its charger.

Coffee had also been prepared.

There was no obvious indication of forced entry, and the home reportedly did not appear to have been burglarized or ransacked.

Shelton himself, however, was nowhere to be found.

Searches Begin Around Shelton’s Home

Authorities and family members began searching the area surrounding Shelton’s residence after his disappearance was reported.

On January 9, 2024, authorities conducted a search covering approximately five square miles in Judson Township. The effort included the Williams County Sheriff’s Office, Williston Police Department, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Williams County/Williston Emergency Management and private citizens.

The search did not locate Shelton.

Family members, friends and volunteers continued searching surrounding areas, including backroads, ditches and culverts.

Another community grid search took place on January 27. The following day, family members reportedly rented an airplane and searched the area from the air.

On January 30, authorities returned to the area around Shelton’s residence with assistance from the MHA Nation’s K-9 unit.

Again, investigators reported that no new information revealing Shelton’s location was discovered.

Investigators Examined Phone, Banking and Vehicle Records

Early in the investigation, the Williams County Sheriff’s Office said detectives were analyzing Shelton’s phone records, banking information and vehicles in an effort to determine what happened after his last known movements.

Shelton was also entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.

His case is identified as NamUs #MP114563.

The Williams County Sheriff’s Office case reference listed by family information is SO-IR2400056.

Surveillance Video Reveals Activity Outside Shelton’s Home

Months into the investigation, authorities publicly disclosed one of the case’s most significant developments.

Surveillance footage showed vehicle activity near Shelton’s residence between approximately 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. on January 6, 2024, the morning after he was last publicly seen.

According to investigators, two vehicles traveled through the Freedom Meadows subdivision and briefly stopped in front of Shelton’s house.

Authorities said one or more individuals may have exited a vehicle.

The footage was not clear enough for investigators to identify details about the vehicles or the people who may have been present.

The significance of those vehicles remains unknown publicly. Authorities have not publicly identified the occupants as suspects or stated that the vehicles were responsible for Shelton’s disappearance.

Why Roger Shelton’s Disappearance Remains Unusual

Several circumstances continue to make Shelton’s disappearance difficult to explain.

He apparently left behind the items most people would normally take if they intentionally planned to travel somewhere, including his wallet, identification, money, phone, vehicle keys and clothing.

His dentures were reportedly left behind as well.

The condition of his home also did not provide an obvious explanation. There were no reported signs of forced entry, and nothing appeared to have been stolen.

Meanwhile, the surveillance footage showing vehicles stopping outside the residence the following morning introduced another unanswered question.

Who was in those vehicles, why did they stop outside Shelton’s home, and whether their presence had anything to do with his disappearance remain publicly unresolved questions.

$50,000 Reward Offered for Information

A private group increased the reward connected with Shelton’s disappearance to $50,000 for credible information leading authorities to his whereabouts and safe return.

The reward had previously been reported as $10,000 earlier in the investigation.

Authorities have continued asking anyone who knows something about Shelton’s disappearance to contact the Williams County Sheriff’s Office.

Even information that may have seemed insignificant at the time could potentially help investigators reconstruct what happened during the critical period between Shelton’s last known movements on January 5 and the activity recorded outside his home the following morning.

Latest Status of the Roger Lee Shelton Investigation

As of August 2026, Roger Lee Shelton continues to appear in North Dakota’s active missing-person database, where the Williams County Sheriff’s Office remains listed as the investigating agency.

The Charley Project also lists Shelton as an endangered missing person and describes the case as unsolved. Its case file, last updated in December 2025, includes the January 6 surveillance activity involving the two vehicles.

No reliable public announcement located during a current review of the case indicates that Shelton has been found or that anyone has been arrested or charged in connection with his disappearance.

The publicly known evidence therefore leaves a narrow but unresolved sequence: Shelton was last publicly seen at the Black Gold Casino on January 5, investigators believe he later returned home, his belongings remained at the residence, and unidentified vehicle activity was recorded outside the home between 6:00 and 7:00 the following morning.

What happened to Roger Lee Shelton after that remains unknown.

Very Brief Case Summary

Missing: January 5, 2024

Last known public location: Black Gold Casino near the Montana-North Dakota border in Williams County, North Dakota.

Likely subsequent location: Shelton is believed to have returned to his residence in the Freedom Meadows area west of Williston near Highway 2 and 146th Avenue Northwest.

Key circumstances: Shelton disappeared while his phone, wallet, money, keys, clothing, shoes, dentures and other belongings remained behind. Investigators later obtained surveillance footage showing two vehicles stopping briefly outside his residence between approximately 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. on January 6. One or more people may have exited a vehicle, but investigators could not identify the vehicles or individuals from the footage.

Current status: Missing; case remains unresolved.