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It has been a week since Tazewell resident Aaron Massengill climbed into his pickup truck for the last known time and drove into the night. The 28 year old’s lifeless body was found nearly six days later along Ferguson Ridge Road.

While the county mourns his passing, family and friends are asking ‘why?’

Sandy Clark, who spearheaded the massive volunteer search effort, took to her Facebook page to encourage anyone knowing the whereabouts of Massengill’s truck to call the authorities.

“Someone knows something. Please come forward (with the) option of anonymous and confidential,” reads the post, in part.

“There’s a lot to be said about country life and living in a small town. And how thousands of people came together to support the search of Aaron is what makes us proud to be in a small town USA. Going missing and stuff like this should not happen here.

“People choose to live here instead of a city to feel safe and I feel like our community has lost that now.”

Clark says that everyone who loved Aaron Massengill will never be the same.

“This tragedy has changed all of us and it’ll never ever be ok. Who we are as a small town community has changed forever. But, the good in this is how much this community came together in a time of need for one of our own.

“I will forever be grateful and truly appreciate everyone for all the support and love that was expressed in our search for Aaron. Broken hearts will never heal, but that’s okay. It was an honor to know and call Aaron a friend.”

Clark is urging the public to be on the lookout for Massengill’s vehicle, a 1991 black hard body Nissan pickup truck carrying the license plate #DBF-828.

Anyone with information about this case, has seen Massengill’s truck or witnessed suspicious activity in the Ferguson Ridge Road area of Tazewell during the week prior to Feb. 22 is encouraged to contact the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office at 423-626-3385 or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation at: 1-800-TBI-FIND. Or, log onto: www.tipstotbi@tn.gov.

A Facebook page called “Searching for Justice for Aaron Massengill” has been developed as well. The group page currently has 6,000 members.