Family, friends beg public for help in disappearance of Randy Chugg

Friends and family of a Jefferson City man have a plea for him to come home. Randy Chugg’s belongings were found on the Missouri River Bridge on Dec. 12.

Jefferson City police are investigating the incident as a suicide, but Chugg’s family told ABC 17 News Sunday that a suicide doesn’t make sense. They said Chugg had too much going for him.

They’ve started a social media campaign to get tips and maybe help find him.

“It’s just not the same anymore,” said Eric Waldrop, a friend and co-worker of Randy Chugg.

Chugg worked at The Ink Sling Tattoo shop on Industrial Boulevard in Jefferson City.

Residents of an apartment complex at Berry Street and W. McCarty told ABC 17 News they saw Chugg at the complex often visiting his girlfriend. One resident said he saw Chugg run out of the apartment the day he went missing.

“I’m still in shock,” Waldrop said. “I don’t get to come in and see him anymore. Randy…I’d sit and have conversations with him for hours.”

The family did not go on camera, but a close family friend told ABC 17 News they are absolutely distraught.

“All of his family, all of his friends, their world has essentially stopped and then collapsed, and they are watching life go on and they have no answers, and Randy is gone,” said family friend Karen Willingham.

The family is urging anyone who may have seen him on the bridge on the afternoon of Dec. 12 to call police because it could help the investigation.

“Somebody had to have seen him up there at that time,” said David Sherwood, also a friend and co-worker of Randy Chugg.

He also had a message for Chugg himself.

“Randy, if you’re out there man, and you see this, come home man,” Sherwood said.

If anyone has any information regarding the whereabouts of Randy Chugg, they can anonymously report information to Jefferson City police at 573-659-TIPS.