Blood in the Bluegrass
Porchlight Files 002: Vanished in Floyd County: The Disappearance of Mitchell Manns
Originally aired: 11/28/25
On March 16th, 1990, thirty-eight-year-old Mitchell Manns was last seen at the Triangle Market in Martin, Kentucky. He was reportedly heading toward McDowell ARH Hospital, nearly ten miles away — but he never arrived.
No sightings, no belongings, no answers.
In this episode, we revisit that March afternoon in Floyd County and look at the conflicting early reports, his last confirmed moments, and the coordinated search efforts described in the Floyd County Times. We also explore the landscape of eastern Kentucky — the hills, the hollers, and the roads that shaped the search for Mitchell.
More than thirty-four years later, Mitchell remains missing. This episode remembers who he was and honors the community that tried to bring him home.
If you have information:
Kentucky State Police — Post 9 (Pikeville)
Phone: 606-433-7711
Sources:
Floyd County Times, March 21, 1990
Floyd County Times, March 23, 1990
NamUs (MP4930)
Public missing-person databases
Local geographic references and historical context
Music by: Zack Messick
Podcast by: Jessica Thacker
Series: Porchlight Files, a companion to Blood in the Bluegrass