It was Tyler Goodrich's 36th birthday, and in his hometown of Bennett, Nebraska, that meant it was time for a party.

Good to see you again.

Good to see you.

There was an oreo cake, Tyler's favorite, and, of course, this. Happy birthday, dear Tylere happy birthday to you.

Love you, son.

This party was like any birthday celebration, except for one huge thing. The guest of honor wasn't there. Tyler Goodrich had disappeared five months earlier, on November 3, 2023. He's still missing, and the people he loves most of can't make any sense of it. Lonnie Goodrich is Tyler's father.

Every night before I go to bed, I stand at the window and I beg him for answers. I beg him to come home.

Tyler's sister, Felicia Nicholson, is struggling to adjust to this new reality.

I'm so frustrated and angry that somebody knows where Tyler is. Somebody knows something.

This disappearance has baffled investigators. It has also brought a community together.

People were making yard signs and printing flyers. You couldn't drive down a single street without on, and we do not. We know that he has not had any financials.As in any missing persons case. Investigators have formed theories. Could Tyler have decided to run off and start a new life? Did he fall while running in the dark and hurt himself? Had someone hurt him intentionally? Or what if Tyler was hit by a drunk driver who then panicked and hid his body? There is no proof of any one of those theories. Right now, that's all they are. And one particular search may offer another clue. Three weeks after Tyler disappeared, Felicia arranged for a dog handler to bring her scent tracking and trailing dogs to Marshall and Tyler's property. Marshall bagged up some of Tyler's belongings for the dogs to sniff, and off.They went on a very specific and erratic path. Both dogs separately stopped where the trail ended in almost the exact same spot.On the road, suggesting that maybe that's where Tyler got into a car.Right. Could be something was significant about that spot in the road for those dogs.Felicia says that spot is about a quarter mile from Marshall and Tyler's house. She also told us the sheriff's office does not consider the search credible because so much time had passed. I asked Lonnie if he has a theory. What do you think happened?I don't know. I wish I did. I would guess, you know, something happened along the road and a terrible mistake was made and somebody tried to cover it up and, you know, I have nothing to base it on. I don't. I don't know.Happy birthday, dear tiger. There's a video of Tyler's 36th birthday party on the family's let's find Tyler Facebook page. It was held at a church.First of all, thank you all for coming, anyone that's watching online. Thank you.Lonnie told us that for months after Tyler's disappearance, he was consumed with anger, but says he found some peace that day. He told everyone there that whoever is responsible for his son's disappearance, he forgives them.I want you to know, in God's house, I'm telling you, I forgive you. I just want my son back. I knew it would be on Facebook, and I wanted to get the message out.Lonnie says he doesn't know who exactly needed to hear that message.There is no one specific. I have no idea what happened to Tylerez. So it was a general forgiveness.These days, Rachel Barth, Tyler's take charge friend, is feeling lost.It's gotten to a point where it's just like, we don't know what to do. And so when I hear Tyler's name or see one of his posters, I just get really sad. And it's not that I'm giving up on my friend. I just am out of ideas, and I don't know what to do.Amanda Meyer used to speak with Tyler every day.He laughed all the time. So when somebody brings up Tyler, that's. That's all I can really think about anymore, is just his laugh.Felicia and Lonnie told me they no longer believe Tyler will be found alive. Lonnie says too many occasions his son would never miss have gone by with no word from him. Things like Christmas and family birthdays.When Tyler sent a card, there was always a separate message, and he poured his heart out. No matter what the card was for, I missed that.This was a man who was connected to his family, and he would. Even if you were walking away from his marriage, he wouldn't walk away from all of you.Never.Marshall was not present at that birthday party. He says Tyler's disappearance and its aftermath have created a bitter rift between the families. You think Tyler's family stoked some of that anger toward you on the Internet?Yes, I do. Um, maybe not intentionally at first.I asked Lami and Felicia about the speculation that has at times been posted on the Facebook group the family set up to find Tyler. It has more than 26,000 members. Some of that has been very, very difficult for Marshall and for the boys who have gotten some of that blowback from other students and other people. I wonder whether you regret that.I don't Facebook, so I've never made a public Facebook comment. I have never accused anyone. So honestly, I have no regrets because I cannot control what anybody else says. I have tried to make it clear in any message I've made that I am not pointing a finger at anyone because I don't know who to point a finger at.Yeah.Social media has been a blessing to Tyler's disappearance with giving us a way to gather volunteers and conduct searches. And there's multiple Facebook groups out there as well. One that's ran by family and friends, several that are not. And, yeah, the comments have been difficult.I know the one page is set up directly by the family, and they try to get any of that stuff off the page.This created a huge divide in what had been one family. You and Marshall are not speaking anymore.Yeah, there's very limited interaction.Tyler's family and Marshall do agree on one thing. They want his case to be solved. For now, Marshall says he's focused on raising their two sons while simultaneously holding on to hope.We talk about Tyler a lot. Tyler's the cook in the family. And so that has been an adjustment, I think, for all of us. They asked me to. To make scrambled eggs, and they. They said, make him how Tyler did. Well, I don't know what that is. So.You think he's still alive?I have to. There's nothing. There's nothing telling me that he's not. There's no proof saying he's not. So I'm going with that. Until somebody tells me 100% that that's not the case, I'm going with that.Tyler Goodrich's case is considered an active missing persons investigation. To solve it, deputies need leads to follow. Here's how you can help. Tyler is about six'one and 185 pounds. He has pale skin, a lot of freckles and red hair. At the time of his disappearance, he had a red beard. He has tattoos on his right calf and shin, and on the left side of his ribcage. On our website, you can see photos of Tyler and the video that investigators believe shows him running from his house the night of his disappearance. If you have any information on Tyler's whereabouts, please contact the Lancaster County Sheriff's office at 402-441-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 402475 3600. To learn more about other people we've covered in our missing in America series, go to datelinemissinginamerica.com. there you'll be able to submit cases you think we should cover in the future. Thanks for listening. See you Fridays on DateliNE on NBC. Missing in America is a production of Dateline and NBC News. Kate Vidic and Veronica Mazzeka are the producers of this episode. Brian Drew is the audio editor, Keani Reed is associate producer, Bradley Davis is senior producer, Paul Ryan is executive producer, and Liz Cole is senior executive producer.From NBC News audio sound mixing by Bob Mallory Bryson Barnes is head of audio production.

on, and we do not. We know that he has not had any financials.

As in any missing persons case. Investigators have formed theories. Could Tyler have decided to run off and start a new life? Did he fall while running in the dark and hurt himself? Had someone hurt him intentionally? Or what if Tyler was hit by a drunk driver who then panicked and hid his body? There is no proof of any one of those theories. Right now, that's all they are. And one particular search may offer another clue. Three weeks after Tyler disappeared, Felicia arranged for a dog handler to bring her scent tracking and trailing dogs to Marshall and Tyler's property. Marshall bagged up some of Tyler's belongings for the dogs to sniff, and off.

They went on a very specific and erratic path. Both dogs separately stopped where the trail ended in almost the exact same spot.

On the road, suggesting that maybe that's where Tyler got into a car.

Right. Could be something was significant about that spot in the road for those dogs.

Felicia says that spot is about a quarter mile from Marshall and Tyler's house. She also told us the sheriff's office does not consider the search credible because so much time had passed. I asked Lonnie if he has a theory. What do you think happened?

I don't know. I wish I did. I would guess, you know, something happened along the road and a terrible mistake was made and somebody tried to cover it up and, you know, I have nothing to base it on. I don't. I don't know.

Happy birthday, dear tiger. There's a video of Tyler's 36th birthday party on the family's let's find Tyler Facebook page. It was held at a church.

First of all, thank you all for coming, anyone that's watching online. Thank you.

Lonnie told us that for months after Tyler's disappearance, he was consumed with anger, but says he found some peace that day. He told everyone there that whoever is responsible for his son's disappearance, he forgives them.

I want you to know, in God's house, I'm telling you, I forgive you. I just want my son back. I knew it would be on Facebook, and I wanted to get the message out.

Lonnie says he doesn't know who exactly needed to hear that message.

There is no one specific. I have no idea what happened to Tylerez. So it was a general forgiveness.

These days, Rachel Barth, Tyler's take charge friend, is feeling lost.

It's gotten to a point where it's just like, we don't know what to do. And so when I hear Tyler's name or see one of his posters, I just get really sad. And it's not that I'm giving up on my friend. I just am out of ideas, and I don't know what to do.

Amanda Meyer used to speak with Tyler every day.

He laughed all the time. So when somebody brings up Tyler, that's. That's all I can really think about anymore, is just his laugh.

Felicia and Lonnie told me they no longer believe Tyler will be found alive. Lonnie says too many occasions his son would never miss have gone by with no word from him. Things like Christmas and family birthdays.

When Tyler sent a card, there was always a separate message, and he poured his heart out. No matter what the card was for, I missed that.

This was a man who was connected to his family, and he would. Even if you were walking away from his marriage, he wouldn't walk away from all of you.

Never.

Marshall was not present at that birthday party. He says Tyler's disappearance and its aftermath have created a bitter rift between the families. You think Tyler's family stoked some of that anger toward you on the Internet?

Yes, I do. Um, maybe not intentionally at first.

I asked Lami and Felicia about the speculation that has at times been posted on the Facebook group the family set up to find Tyler. It has more than 26,000 members. Some of that has been very, very difficult for Marshall and for the boys who have gotten some of that blowback from other students and other people. I wonder whether you regret that.

I don't Facebook, so I've never made a public Facebook comment. I have never accused anyone. So honestly, I have no regrets because I cannot control what anybody else says. I have tried to make it clear in any message I've made that I am not pointing a finger at anyone because I don't know who to point a finger at.

Yeah.

Social media has been a blessing to Tyler's disappearance with giving us a way to gather volunteers and conduct searches. And there's multiple Facebook groups out there as well. One that's ran by family and friends, several that are not. And, yeah, the comments have been difficult.

I know the one page is set up directly by the family, and they try to get any of that stuff off the page.

This created a huge divide in what had been one family. You and Marshall are not speaking anymore.

Yeah, there's very limited interaction.

Tyler's family and Marshall do agree on one thing. They want his case to be solved. For now, Marshall says he's focused on raising their two sons while simultaneously holding on to hope.

We talk about Tyler a lot. Tyler's the cook in the family. And so that has been an adjustment, I think, for all of us. They asked me to. To make scrambled eggs, and they. They said, make him how Tyler did. Well, I don't know what that is. So.

You think he's still alive?

I have to. There's nothing. There's nothing telling me that he's not. There's no proof saying he's not. So I'm going with that. Until somebody tells me 100% that that's not the case, I'm going with that.

Tyler Goodrich's case is considered an active missing persons investigation. To solve it, deputies need leads to follow. Here's how you can help. Tyler is about six'one and 185 pounds. He has pale skin, a lot of freckles and red hair. At the time of his disappearance, he had a red beard. He has tattoos on his right calf and shin, and on the left side of his ribcage. On our website, you can see photos of Tyler and the video that investigators believe shows him running from his house the night of his disappearance. If you have any information on Tyler's whereabouts, please contact the Lancaster County Sheriff's office at 402-441-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 402475 3600. To learn more about other people we've covered in our missing in America series, go to datelinemissinginamerica.com. there you'll be able to submit cases you think we should cover in the future. Thanks for listening. See you Fridays on DateliNE on NBC. Missing in America is a production of Dateline and NBC News. Kate Vidic and Veronica Mazzeka are the producers of this episode. Brian Drew is the audio editor, Keani Reed is associate producer, Bradley Davis is senior producer, Paul Ryan is executive producer, and Liz Cole is senior executive producer.

From NBC News audio sound mixing by Bob Mallory Bryson Barnes is head of audio production.