Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Search For Preacher Underway

Officials are looking for Pastor David Goodnight, who has been missing since Sunday morning, May 19.

According to Nevada County Sheriff Harold Vines, Goodnight's pickup, a 1996 Chevrolet, was last seen at his residence around 6:30 a.m. Sunday. Since this time, he said, the vehicle, and Goodnight, have been missing.

"We're treating it as a missing persons," Vines said of the incident. However, the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigator's Division and Nevada County Rescue Unit have been searching the Caney area, where Goodnight lived, since Sunday evening.

"He was supposed to preach at Morris Baptist Church Sunday," Vines said, "but never showed up. That's not like him.

"We've covered the area and backroads and have come up with nothing."

Vines said Goodnight's father came up from Pineville, La. to offer his assistance, but, so far, there are no signs of the pastor. Additionally, the parsonage has been examined and Vines said there were no signs of violence there.

Goodnight, 32, is a white male, about 6-3, weighing 200 pounds. He has short, sandy colored hair and hazel eyes.

His truck is hunter green with a short, wide wheel base. The license number of the Arkansas tags is ZEL-584.

Anyone with information concerning Goodnight can call the Nevada County Sheriff's Office at 887-2616. DRUG ARREST

A Buckner man was arrested Saturday for growing marijuana behind his home in Lafayette County, according to Vines.

Vines said he received information the suspect, Rodney Morris, was growing the illegal weed behind his residence and contacted Lafayette County Sheriff, John Kilgore.

Vines, Kilgore and members of the LCSO went to Morris' home, made the arrest and pulled the marijuana.

He was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance and as a felon in possession of a firearm. Morris was out on bail on drug charges at the time of the arrest, and has been convicted on drug charges in the past.