GREAT FALLS — Today marks 30 years since 10-year old Zachary Ramsay disappeared while walking to school in Great Falls, Montana - a case that continues to haunt his family, friends, and the community.
On the morning of February 6, 1996, at about 7:30 a.m., Zachary made his way from his apartment through an alley across the street near the 400 block of Fourth Avenue North and Fourth Street North, headed for class at Whittier Elementary School. He never made it to school and was never seen again.
Melanie Murphy was Zachary's same age but attended a different school. They met at Gibson Park where they often hung out having snowball fights and confiding in each other.
Like many, she was drawn to his warm personality.
"He was funny. I think he was just, like a normal kid like every other kid around Great Falls and in this neighborhood," Murphy said. "I do remember his smile, and he just kind of was playful. He also was very pleasant."
Murphy said she was devastated to hear of Zachary's disappearance. When she saw fliers around town and his story on the news, she felt something horrible had happened and if it could happen to Zachary, it could happen to anyone.
The disappearance and search for Zachary Ramsay dominated the headlines.
Amy Lynn covered the case as a reporter for KRTV. She said at first, she thought it must have been a misunderstanding, but as time went by, she began to realize the gravity of the situation.
All the while, she was amazed at the calmness of Zachary's mother, Rachel Howard.
"Her faith that it's going to be okay. He's going to come home," Lynn said. "It was almost like she would reassure others."
Lynn says she was amazed at how the community banded together to search for Zachary, but for a young reporter it was a lesson that if a child abduction could happen in Great Falls, it could happen anywhere.
I reached out to the family of Zachary Ramsay for an interview request for this story. They respectfully declined but did provide the following statement:
"We, Zachary Ramsay's family, express our deep solidarity and support to the families who find themselves in similarly tragic situations. Zachary was a bright, funny, and artistic boy who is loved and missed to this very day. Our focus remains steadfast, and we maintain our unwavering belief and faith that we will be reunited with him."
Law enforcement officials say child abduction and missing child investigations have changed dramatically — with faster response, stronger coordination and new technology reshaping how cases are handled in the critical early hours.
Tom Wylie reports - watch the video here:
