Still no sign of Riemens

The search is still on for a local man who went missing more than a week ago. No trace of him has been found.
David Riemens, 60, who is an artist, stone mason and Watertown favorite, disappeared last Wednesday, Aug. 8, shortly after noon when he went to meet a man about a job. His vehicle was found in the parking lot of the Watertown Dollar General Store, but no sign of Riemens, or the man he may have been meeting about a stone mason job, have been found.

Jim Riemens and Wanda Bush, his siblings, are still in Wilson County desperately trying to find their brother. They traveled to Watertown from Michigan when word of their brother's disappearance reached them.

Riemens' friends and family suspect that Riemens got into another  vehicle at the Dollar General and left with another person or persons.
Thursday, a search dog was able to pick up Riemens' scent  in the driver's seat of his vehicle, but the scent died within eight feet. This seemed to confirm the theory that Riemens did leave in a second vehicle.
Jim is beyond frustrated about the situation and worried for his brother.
"Nothing has changed," he said. "We had the search and rescue dog come in yesterday to confirm there was no trail leading from the vehicle," he said.
There have been reports that Southeast K-9 Search and Rescue were planning a search for Saturday.
"I don't think that is going to happen," Jim said Friday, adding that anything that could be done with dogs is being done by Wilson County Search and Rescue dogs.
The Wilson County Sheriff's Department is still investigating despite the lack of clues.
"They were out checking any leads they can get. They tried to get fingerprints from his vehicle," Jim noted. "They are supposed to be meeting today with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to see what is the next step. They don't have a crime scene. They are concerned since there's someone missing - maybe two people missing."
Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe confirmed that members of his department are still working the case.  
"We're consulting with the TBI on the case," Ashe said.
He added that no one can come up with any reason for Riemens to leave his home without a word.
"We've done an extensive search," Ashe said. "This has happened before in the Statesville area. We were in the air looking for a suspect around the same time and we didn't see anything, but with the high foliage we could have missed something."
Ashe acknowledged that with every day that passes, the situation looks more grim.  
"The level of concern goes up everyday, and we've exhausted all avenues," he said, adding that by all accounts Riemens wouldn't just leave without telling someone. "This is not his habit and we're not any closer now than we were when he first went missing."
Both Riemens' siblings have to return to Michigan despite the fact their brother still has not be found.
"We're working on leaving today (Friday)," he said. "We're trying a few more things today, but it's gotten to the point we have to leave."
Anyone who saw David at the store, in a vehicle that day or who has any idea who he was meeting, is asked to call the Wilson County Sheriff's Department at 615-444-1412, the Watertown Police Department at 615-237-3326 or a hotline at 615-237-9099. Any bit of information could be what leads to his recovery.
As for his siblings, it's hard to keep up their hopes in the face of a complete lack of progress.
"We've just gotten nowhere," he concluded. "Frustrating? That doesn't quite hit it right."
Staff writer Mary Hinds may be reached at 444-3952, ext. 45 or via email at maryhinds@lebanondemocrat.com