Uintah County sheriff's officials are continuing to follow leads in the case of a Gusher man missing for more than two months.
Wayne D. Ferguson, 59, was last seen at the Chuckwagon Cafe in Gusher on June 25. He was reported missing by his family July 4, according to Sheriff Lloyd Meacham."Right now we're leaning real heavy towards foul play. He lived alone and left his cat in the house and his dog chained up outside.
"Everyone who knew him says he would never leave his dog that way. Nothing was out of order. His car was parked in front, where he usually parks it."
Money may have played a part in Ferguson's disappearance. It appears he cashed a $3,000 Social Security check shortly before he disappeared, said Meacham.
"He was seen with a big wad of money he hadn't had previously. We have subpoenaed Social Security records to determine if the check had been cashed."
A recent search of cemeteries in Uintah County was prompted by a tip from a Colorado man, who claimed to have killed a man and buried him in a cemetery west of Vernal.
The search failed to turn up any clues to Ferguson's whereabouts, Meacham said. A search last weekend north of Neola by Ute Tribe Search and Rescue was also unsuccessful.
"Two detectives are working around the clock following up on leads, but so far we haven't had anything real concrete to beat the brush on."
Meacham said there have been about eight reports of sightings in the area. None of them has panned out.
A handwriting analyst is examining an unsigned letter in which someone claimed to have seen Ferguson passed out on the passenger side of a vehicle.
Ferguson has gray hair, is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to call the Uintah County sheriff's office, 789-2511.