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'Missing' man was living in local mission By JILL BRISKEY A missing man, last seen by family members in October 1999, was "found" Wednesday at a local mission where he has been living for the past 18 months. Lester Samuel Randall, 62, was reported missing on Jan. 16, 2000, by his daughter, Teresa Randall of Rancho Cordova, Calif. Jackson County sheriff's deputies were told that Randall, who was reportedly manic depressive, was not taking his medication at the time of his disappearance. Wednesday, Medford Gospel Mission director Bill Gourley recognized Randall's picture in the Mail Tribune while reading a story highlighting unsolved missing adult cases in Jackson County. "We were a little surprised," Gourley said. "He wasn't missing. I guess family members didn't know he was here." Gourley called the sheriff's department, who then made contact with Randall. According to Detective Eric Fox, Randall was living with a brother in Talent before his disappearance. Fox said the family apparently had a "minor falling out" shortly before Randall vanished. "He's perfectly fine," Fox said. "He chose not to contact family or anybody who knows him." Before his disappearance, Detective Dan Hobbs said Teresa Randall spoke to her father while he was staying at a local motel on Oct. 20, 1999. Several days later, family members attempted to contact Randall at the motel but he had checked out. Reportedly, Randall hasn't contacted his family since that time. Following his disappearance, police were unable to find Randall's vehicle. Hobbs said that no information on Randall's car turned up in any police computer database following the disappearance. "We had no hits. The car hadn't been abandoned or involved in a wreck," Hobbs said. "That's kind of unusual." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.