07/01/14: Josepf Zurnieden, 42, Minneapolis, MN

Joe Zurnieden
MISSING since 7/1/14

A Minneapolis father of two has been missing since early July.

Joe Zurnieden, 42, was last seen at his home in the Hiawatha neighborhood of south Minneapolis about 6 a.m. on July 1, 2014 when he left for work. A few hours later, his wife, Katy, spoke with him.

"I was talking to him. I was concerned that he didn't have a lunch with him that day, so I said, 'Let me know where you are and I'll bring you lunch. Me and the girls will bring you lunch,' and I didn't hear from him again," she recalled.

The van he was driving was located two days later near 26th Avenue and Marshall Street in northeast Minneapolis, but Joe has not returned home and hasn't been heard from since he was last seen. 

Joe's wife, Katy, told Fox 9 News that the disappearance is very out of character.

"It's not like him," Katy Zurnieden told Fox 9 News. "Not at all." She is worried that her husband may have fallen into the Mississippi River. 

"He goes for walks to clear his mind," she said. "He would say that he didn't want to do all of his work in his van. He liked to find beautiful spots to just think."

Searchers have looked for Zurnieden along the banks of the Missisippi River to no avail. 

Minneapolis police do not suspect follow play, but they are asking that anyone with information:

• Send a text to 847 411 (tip 411), enter MPD and the tip  or 
• Call the tipline at 612-692-TIPS (8477). All texts are anonymous.

Joe Zurnieden is white, 6 feet tall, 165 pounds with dark, receding hair.

If you would like to donate to the search effort, a trust account has been set up at Wells Fargo. Tax ID 47-6346506. You may stop in to any Wells Fargo location, transfer money from your Wells Fargo account, or mail a donation to:

Zurnieden Family Trust

P.O. Box 17112

Minneapolis, MN 55417

Sources:

Keller, Bill. (2014, July 8).  Missing: Joe Zurnieden last seen July 1, car found in NE Minneapolis. Myfoxtwincities.com. Accessed September 15, 2014 from:

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/25967318/missing-joe-zurnieden-last-seen-july-1-car-found-in-ne-minneapolis

Kare 11 Staff, KARE. (2014, August 21). Benefit for family of missing Minneapolis man. Kare11.com. Accessed September 15, 2014 from: http://www.kare11.com/story/news/local/2014/08/21/benefit-for-family-of-missing-minneapolis-man/14421773/

McKinney, Matt. (2014, August 20). "Jam for Joe" benefit to help family of missing Minneapolis man. Accessed September 15, 2014 from http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/272077601.htm.