The reward for information in the disappearance of Chance Englebert has now increased by a factor of ten.
Grandmother Linda Kluender is adding $200,000 to the $20,000 reward to help move the investigation forward.
She tells KNEB News the money came from a recent inheritance, and a discussion of what to do with it. “My husband said “Linda, you can buy anything you want,” and I said “Well, I don’t want anything…Well, I do want something, but I don’t think I can buy it.” And he said “Oh?” and I said “All I want is for Chance to be found, and for us to find out what happened to him.”
However, Kluender says the increase will only be offered for one year to Chance’s 30th birthday on Dec. 2 next year.
She says the family believes someone in the area knows something, and just hasn’t come forward, and knowing what happened would help bring the family peace of mind.
Digital billboards detailing the increased reward will be up outside the Uptown Scottsbluff mall the week of Dec. 18.
It’s been three years since the Moorcroft, Wyoming man went missing in Gering.
Englebert was last seen on surveillance video on July 6, 2019, confirming Chance walked north on 10th Street and then cut west through Terrytown.
His cell phone last pinged near a tower by Western Travel Terminal, and an incoherent text message was the last anybody had seen or heard from him.
Massive search efforts commenced several days later, but to no avail. Investigators say the case remains active, but there have not been any solid leads for authorities to find out what happened that fateful Saturday night.
If anybody has information on what happened to Chance Engelbert, please contact the Gering Police Department at 308-436-5088.
