Authorities still searching for Franklin County man

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 29, 2006

NATCHEZ &8212; A 74-year-old Franklin County man who went missing Oct. 9 has still not been found, officials said.

The Franklin County Sheriff&8217;s Office is still searching for Juil Matthews, Sheriff James Newman said Wednesday.

Newman said Matthews travels between his home on Evans Road in Franklin County and on Timber Lake Road in Natchez, where his wife, Patricia Magee, lives. Matthews and Magee are separated.

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Matthews was last seen Oct. 11 in Meadville, Newman said. He was driving a red 1989 Mazda pickup truck with a disabled tag, Newman said.

&8220;We&8217;re trying to look at it from every angle right now,&8221; he said. &8220;He may have been headed back to Natchez. If anybody has seen the truck in the Natchez area around Oct. 11, please call the Franklin County Sheriff&8217;s Office.&8221;

Magee said she last talked with Matthews, who goes by J.L., on the phone on Oct. 6 and last saw him at his house on Sept. 25.

&8220;It&8217;s not like him to go somewhere unless he told somebody,&8221; Magee said. &8220;We&8217;ve got everybody looking.&8221;

Matthews is just over 6 feet tall, balding with gray hair and hazel eyes, officials said at the time he went missing.

He weighs roughly 120 pounds and often wore overalls, Magee said Wednesday.

Anyone with information should call the Franklin County Sheriff&8217;s Office at 601-384-2323 or the Adams County Sheriff&8217;s Office at 601-442-2752.