Abilene, Kansas is mourning the loss of Dominick Campbell, a 26-year-old man who had been missing since June 3 and was later found deceased in Solomon, Kansas.
The Abilene Police Department confirmed the death after deputies with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office responded on June 16 to a report of a body in the 200 block of West Fourth Street.
Deputies found a deceased man behind a former grain elevator. Police later identified him as Dominick Campbell.
The department said no foul play is suspected and that no additional information will be released at this time.
Campbell had been the focus of a missing person search for nearly two weeks, with family, friends and community members sharing information and trying to help bring him home.
The search drew concern across Abilene and nearby Kansas communities, especially after flyers described him as missing from the area and asked the public to help look for him.
Family asks for privacy after difficult search
As the search unfolded, Campbell’s family asked for privacy while they dealt with the weight of the situation.
A family message shared online said they were still waiting for full confirmation and identification before speaking publicly, but felt the need to address rumors that were spreading.
The family also thanked everyone who helped search for Dominick and shared information during the missing person effort.
That message reflected how painful the last several days had been for those closest to him.
The family said they had already dealt with more than enough hardship in recent months and did not want speculation to add to their grief.
Friends and community members responded with sympathy and prayers.
One commenter wrote, “Oh no. That breaks my heart. Thoughts and prayers to all the family and friends.”
Another said, “Please remember he is our family and we have dealt with more than enough in the last 6 months.”
Those reactions show how quickly a missing person case can become a community tragedy once the news turns from searching to grieving.
The flyer shared during the search said Campbell was 5 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighed 150 to 180 pounds, had black hair and brown eyes.
It also said he may have been in the Abilene area or possibly near Salina, Junction City, Manhattan or Topeka. His phone reportedly last pinged near New Cambria.
The flyer said he did not have a vehicle or anything with wheels, and may have been wearing a black T-shirt and black sweatpants.
Authorities asked anyone with information to contact the Abilene Police Department, Dickinson County Emergency Communications or the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.
For Abilene, the discovery brought a heartbreaking end to a search that many hoped would end differently.
Family and friends are now left with grief, questions and the task of honoring Dominick Campbell’s memory while the community tries to process the loss.
