ALBIA – A July charity event is planned for an Albia, Iowa man who went missing without a trace nearly 38 years ago.

Harry Dennis Milligan, 21, vanished from Albia during the early morning hours of Sunday, July 1, 1984, after a night out with friends.

A “Light the Night Charity Event and Fun Ride” is set for Saturday, July 9, on the Albia Square’s north side, the Ottumwa Post reported June 16. The event features the following activities.

• The day will begin with the Harry Milligan Charity Bike Ride organized by Alex Weldon.
• A car show organized by John Carter begins at 2 p.m. with live music from Nashville artist Jake McVey to follow.
• There will also be a live auction with vendors set up on the square’s west side.

The event is open to the public, and everyone is welcome to attend a fun-filled day to help raise awareness and money towards the Harry Milligan Missing Reward Fund for any information leading to Harry’s whereabouts.

Chaos Divers

Harry Dennis Milligan (Courtesy Mark Milligan)

The Albia event comes on the heels of the latest entity to take up Harry Milligan’s missing persons case. 

A private Illinois-based dive team, Chaos Divers, spent the second week in June searching for clues on the missing Marine in and around Albia, WHO-TV reported June 15, 2022.

“This is something good that we can do,” Chaos Divers founder Jacob Grubbs told WHO-TV Channel 13. “We can get the sonar and try and help solve cold cases.”

The team specializes in finding vehicles underwater. Milligan’s 1977 maroon Pontiac Grand Prix has also never been seen since he went missing.

“In our work, we have brought ten people home,” Grubbs said.

Mark and Harry Milligan
(Courtesy Mark Milligan)

Chaos Divers team member Lindsay Bussick said the group went through 13 ponds, three reservoirs, Lake Miami, and Rathbun Lake.

Despite finding no traces of Milligan, his brother, Mark Milligan, said that even finding no answers provided answers on its own.

“It helped me ease my mind, because I may not know where he is, but I know where he’s not,” Mark Milligan said.

Mark Milligan, a longtime Ottumwa police officer, remains committed to finding his older brother.

“I know I’m going to find him someday,” Mark Milligan told WHO TV. “Whether that’s when I meet my maker or not, I know I’m not going to give up.”