KITTERY (WGME)-- A nearly four-decade old cold case could be cracked with your help.
The disappearance of a Kittery man has never been publicized like this, until now. But police are hopeful that by teaming up with a podcast they might finally know what happened to Reeves Johnson.
Reeves K. Johnson III, 31, was last seen at his job at Donnelly Manufacturing in Exeter, New Hampshire. That was on February 3, 1983.
"He was just one day just gone," said Kittery Police Department Detective Brian Cummer.
Cummer reopened the case just in the last few months.
"Talking to my chief I said, 'how much information should we put out there?' And he said, 'let it all out'. Because it is a [38-year old] case and we're just trying to generate some interest and some leads in this case," Cummer said.
It was picked up by the local paper, which is how true crime sleuth and 'Murder, She Told' podcast host Kristen Seavey heard about it.
"The story is just absolutely fascinating," said Seavey.
Earlier this month, she spent two days talking to Johnson's family and pouring over the entire file with police.
“Trying to understand everything that they have available for this case to create a special episode that can hopefully help get this story out there,” Seavey said.
Police say he, or someone involved in the case, made several expensive and out of character purchases-- even draining his bank account shortly after his disappearance.
"People said that they identified him but they weren't people who actually knew him," Seavey said.
By reopening the case, the police got a key piece of evidence. Johnson's last paycheck was sent to the Kittery post office.
Back in 1983, his parents staked it out hoping to find their son. They captured a single photo of a mystery man opening Johnson's post office box.
"For some reason that photo wasn't in the original police notes, the file, the family brought that photo in," Seavey said.
But the man in the photo blocked his face at the last second. For Cummer, he can only image the heartbreak Johnson's mom must have felt once the photo was developed.
"I think she had hopes that it would be a good photo that could be used," Cummer said.
The original police file has a number of holes, which are outlined in the podcast. The issues with the case have only been hurt by the passage of time since people may have passed away or things that were in the area, like Johnson’s house, are no longer there.
Both Seavey and Cummer hope someone can help.
"I want to get some answers for the family because I can't imagine what that would feel like," Cummer said.
The podcast episode is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts and other platforms.
If you think you have any information about the case or the man in the post office photo, you're asked to contact the Kittery police department right away.