Two Tampa Gay Men Missing Since December 20th Community’s Caution and Assistance is Requested
(Tampa, FL), Equality Florida 1/5/04 advised caution and requestd the community’s assistance as two local gay men are reported missing through the Holidays.

Jason Gellhouse (26) and Michael Wayne Wachholtz (also 26) both disappeared within 24 hours of each other around December 20th, 2003. Neither of the missing persons’ roommates nor family members have heard from them since that date.

Very little is currently known regarding the disappearances. Jason was last seen by a close friend at 2606, a gay bar in north Tampa, late Friday evening / Saturday morning December 20th. It is believed Jason may have left with two other men when the bar closed.

Michael worked at Bahama Breeze on the Courtney Campbell Causeway and was last seen by his roommate on Saturday evening at their home in Rocky Point, also on the Causeway. An eye witness reported talking to Michael late Saturday evening / Sunday morning when he requested a jump for his maroon Jeep Cherokee. The witness reported seeing Michael and a “couple of other guys” working on his vehicle around 3:30.

As these disappearances may have occurred only a mile or two apart, and both men may have been last seen with two unknown male individuals.

Equality Florida requests that anyone with information regarding these disappearances contact the Tampa Police Department Missing Persons Division’s Detective Deblock (813-276-356) or Detective Keith (813-276-3507).

As we gather reliable information, we will provide you with updates. In the mean time, please be particularly cautious about yourselves, your friends, and your surroundings. Be sure to introduce any new friends or acquaintances to your friends or the bartenders, before leaving any establishment with them. Do not allow your friends to leave with unknown individuals, especially without your knowing who they are leaving with and where they are going.