Job Covey Wallace is a possibly armed Marine who was previously missing in Arizona while on leave from Camp Pendleton. At first, the story of his disappearance seemed to be a standard missing person’s case, with a website devoted to finding him called “Missing Marine” and a devastated family desperate for answers. He’s now been found.
“Lance Cpl. Wallace was taken into custody without incident by NCIS and local law enforcement tonight at a rest area in Navarro County, Texas,” said NCIS Marine Corps West Field Office Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thomas. “We offer our sincere gratitude to the local police departments in Texas and Arizona, as well as our federal partners, for their aid in bringing this to a safe resolution.”
It’s true that many people speak highly about Wallace’s character, with one man calling him a “good Marine” he would die for in a post shared by Wallace’s mom. Stacy Wallace, his mother, called him “a proud US Marine and loyal human being” in a Facebook post. “He was actively talking about prepping for his field exercise and asked me to make Turkey and pumpkin pies for thanksgiving this year. He seemed happy. He loves being a Marine. I cannot fathom him not making it to Camp Pendleton,” she wrote.
However, the website The Young Turks now says it has obtained internal FBI documents that provide a possible new surprising twist to the story; according to those documents, which you can read in full here, federal officials were concerned that Wallace could potentially pose a threat of violence because two unnamed sources accused him of wanting to travel to Mexico to “take out” cartel members and get rid of traffickers. Authorities have not confirmed that report.
Heavy wrote both Wallace’s mother and the Missing Marine Facebook page for comment on Wallace’s disappearance but also for response to The Young Turks’ article and document, which is dated September 18, 2019 (it’s not clear whether the FBI’s information has changed since then). “This was a false lead. The man who wrote this article ran with a lead that has been disputed by the FBI themselves,” was the message from an unidentified person received back from the Missing Marine page. Asked to provide documentation of where and how the FBI disputed the claim, the page didn’t respond again.
Asked whether The Young Turks article and documents in it were accurate and whether it was true that the missing Marine may possibly be at the border or searching for traffickers and cartels, Jill McCabe, Public Affairs Specialist with the FBI’s Phoenix office, responded to Heavy but said only: “We are assisting the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in their effort to find missing Marine, Lance Cpl. Wallace. We would refer further questions to NCIS, the lead investigative agency. They can be reached at: ncispublicaffairs@ncis.navy.mil.” Heavy then contacted that agency and specifically asked if authorities were disputing the account.
Job Wallace in a picture shared by the Missing Marine Facebook page.
“NCIS does not comment on or confirm details relating to ongoing investigations. Below is our official statement on the matter,” wrote back Jeff Houston, of NCIS public affairs. Houston included this quote:
“NCIS and our partners are working diligently to locate Lance Cpl. Wallace and bring him home safely,” said Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thomas of the NCIS Marine Corps West Field Office. “Anyone with information on his whereabouts is encouraged to contact NCIS or local law enforcement. Tips may be submitted anonymously using the NCIS Tips app, at www.ncis.navy.mil, or by calling (760) 840-5005.”
Wallace is a Marine Corps Lance Corporal.
Wallace’s family released a statement after he was found to ABC15:
“First and foremost, the family remains focused on supporting their son and that is their only concern right now – to be there for Job. The family’s energy is being spent on supporting Job as he goes through this process with NCIS and they are not commenting on any rumor or allegation that may have surfaced through social media or leaked to media. Job was unarmed when he met the NCIS agent near Dallas. NCIS reported the situation was handled without incident and to add to that, the agent remarked to the family how respectful and cooperative Job was – that everything was calm. When Job met NCIS near Dallas, he was about 6 hours from the Southern border, going northbound, and about an hour from where relatives live where the family now believes he was heading for.”
Here’s what you need to know:
1. The FBI Documents Accuse Wallace of Saying That He Wanted to ‘Get Rid of Child Traffickers at the Border’ & ‘Take Out’ Drug Cartels
Missing US soldier said he wanted to “take out” child traffickers and cartels at the border, per FBI doc leaked to me. Rifles, a shotgun and pistol belonging to him are missing. Here he is posing in front of Trump Tower.
The Young Turks has published what it says are exclusive, internal FBI documents that paint the missing person’s case in an entirely different light. The Young Turks is a left-wing news organization. The journalist who wrote the story, Ken Klippenstein, is a former Daily Beast reporter known for his investigative journalism.
The document bears the stamp of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is titled “Situational Information Report, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Potential Activity Alert, Phoenix Division.”
The document, which you can read in full on the TYT website, cites two unnamed sources for the information. It alleges that the alert was issued to “raise law enforcement’s awareness regarding USPER Job Wallace, who may pose a threat of violence towards law enforcement or civilians.”
The alert alleges that Wallace owns four weapons and they are missing: An ACR automatic rifle, a semi-automatic shotgun, a M14 rifle, and a Sig 9MM pistol. There is a warning on the alert that says it’s an information report, “not finally evaluated intelligence,” and thus it has yet to be “fully evaluated, integrated with other information, interpreted or analyzed.”
Missing Marine pageJob Covey Wallace.
The report alleges that on the evening of September 16, 2019, Wallace “claimed to be hearing voices and indicated he wanted to get rid of child traffickers at the border.” His vehicle was photographed on the 17th at the Fort Hancock Border Patrol checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas, but as of September 18, his vehicle had not traveled into or out of Mexico.
According to the report, Wallace recently gave away or abandoned “several valuable personal items recently” and cleared all his personal belongings from his room at Camp Pendleton. “Wallace indicated he has been dissatisfied with his life in the Marine Corps and had mentioned on multiple occasions his desire to travel to Mexico to ‘take out’ cartel members and traffickers,” the report alleges.
Klippenstein shared an Instagram photo that he says shows Wallace in front of Trump Tower and with weaponry. His Instagram page is privatized. His Facebook page just contains a couple, mundane older photos with no publicly visible political posts.
Lance Corporal Job Wallace “claimed to be hearing voices and indicated he wanted to get rid of child traffickers at the border,” per FBI. His car was recently spotted at a border patrol checkpoint.
Wallace appears to be a gun enthusiast, judging from his Instagram.
Here’s how the page looked on the evening of September 21, 2019:
Job Wallace Instagram page.
A few minutes later, it was updated to show a new profile picture. It’s not clear by whom.
Job Wallace Instagram page.
TYT further reported that Wallace’s Battalion was deployed at the border recently. Heavy has also reached out to the Surprise Police Department and comment will be added to this story if it’s received.
2. Wallace Vanished After a Leave From Camp Pendleton to Visit a Friend in Surprise, Arizona
A missing person’s poster for Job Wallace.
A missing person’s poster for Job Covey Wallace says that he is 20 years old, 6 foot 3 inches tall, weighs 215 pounds and has brown hair and green eyes.
He was last seen around 8:30 p.m. on September 16, 2019, “leaving a friend’s home in Surprise, AZ,” the poster says. He was wearing jeans, a blue-gray Colorado t-shirt with a small emblem on the left breast, brown leather slip-on shoes and he wears glasses. He was driving his 2004 4-door Silver Ford Explorer Sport Trac with Arizona license plate #CRF9682.
“Job was on his way back to Camp Pendleton on September 16, after a 3-day leave,” the poster says. “He stopped to see a friend in Surprise, AZ and what happened next is unknown. Job has not been heard from since and his cell phone is off.”
On September 17, 2019, his vehicle was spotted on surveillance video around 9 a.m. on I-10 near Fort Hancock, Texas. “It is unknown who was driving the vehicle because their face is covered in the picture,” the poster says. People with information should contact Detective Keri Hernandez with the City of Surprise Police Department.
On September 21, the Missing Marine Facebook page posted, “UPDATE: We have reasonably credible evidence that Job’s truck was spotted yesterday afternoon in the SE Dallas metro area. If you have friends/family in the part of the country, please share the information. Thank you all.”
3. Wallace Joined the Marines Because He Felt It Was His ‘Duty to Serve His Country,’ His Mother Says
Job Covey Wallace
The Missing Marine Facebook page contains numerous updates about Wallace. There are also photos of him. “This was back when job graduated boot camp. He was so excited to show us around base and buy us dinner. Please come home,” the Missing Marine Facebook page said, posting the above photo.
Since he disappeared, Wallace’s mother, Stacy Wallace, has given interviews about her son to the news media. In one interview, with the Associated Press, she said that her son loved the Marines and was recently promoted.
He was excited to return to Camp Pendleton, she told the AP, adding, “He got into several colleges and missed scholarship opportunities just so that he could be a Marine, because he felt it was his duty to serve his country.”
Wallace’s mom added, “Please be on the lookout. Every eye matters, every share, every vehicle check, ever person matters in looking for him.” Heavy has reached out to Wallace’s mother for comment on the case and The Young Turks report, and comment will be added to this story if it is received.
Stacy Wallace wrote, “It has been over 96 hours since I last saw my son Job Wallace. He left a friends house headed to Camp Pendleton where he is stationed. He was future talking and happy. His last cell phone ping was in Arizona. He never showed up and when we searched his license plate number authorities spotted his vehicle on I-10 near Fort Hancock, Texas east of El Paso. Please like this page and help us find him. Every share, every like, every eye matters. Your help can bring him home safe. He is a proud US Marine and loyal human being. If you see him please tell him he is safe and everyone loves him.”
4. Wallace’s Mom Has Shared Positive Comments From People Who Know Wallace, Including One Who Called Him a ‘Good Marine’
Wallace’s mom has shared positive memories people have of her son on her Facebook page. She wrote that she had permission to share this one:
My Name is LCPL Ron Tilson. I was with your son in bootcamp. He and I were both injured. Job became my best friend. We were told that we were ‘insperable’ I miss talking to him everyday. He gave me his phone number when we were in bootcamp and to call him as soon as I can. We were together for 2 months in MRP and MRP2. I’m not sure if he ever mentioned me. I just found the post that he was missing and I shared the post. My own girlfriend knows how much Job means to me. And if there is anything I can do to help it will be my pleasure. Your right, Job is a good Marine. I would die for him. I’m so sorry you have to deal with your son being missing. I know he didnt run away. But I do want to know why he didnt show up to base. Again, I’m sorry that you have to deal with all of this. I hope Job comes back safe and sound. If anything comes up like he was seen in Texas or something. Please let me know. I would love to talk to him again.
His mom wrote on Facebook, “It has been 120 hours since I last saw my son. He mentioned that he would be moving barracks and going to train/pack. He laughed at his sister and smiled. Please bring him home. His principal called me to tell me what a good guy Job is. His friends still stand by their phones. All that matters is his safe return. He got a glimpse of hope last night/early morning that his truck plates were reported in Dallas. We need him home safe. Please help us.”
Another person who knows Job Wallace wrote on the Missing Marine Facebook page: “Job is an amazing young adult. Caring, gentle, respectful. Perceptive to needs and will help without you asking. He’s a good person. He’s a servant leader. A follower and a believer.”
5. Wallace Is From Surprise, Arizona & Went to a Local Prep School
Job Covey Wallace, in a photo shared on the Missing Marine page.
On Facebook, Wallace wrote that he “went to Imagine Prep” and is from Surprise, Arizona. His Instagram page profile reads, “Proud Texan. United States Marine. Machinegunner.”
In another anguished Facebook post, his mother wrote, “Job Wallace, my heart knows you are alive. I don’t know if you’re with a group, kidnapped, or if you ran away. I REFUSE to believe anything but that you’re alive. If you read this somehow or someway please know that we will never stop searching. The military has assured me they want to find you safe and no harm will come to you. Call the Glovers first if you don’t believe that, they have information for you.”
She added: “If you’ve been harmed we will get you help. Don’t be afraid to get help. Nothing is worth you being gone from us. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. If you’ve been kidnapped I will hunt them down before I die and bring justice. If you’re just in need of a break that is okay. No one will be angry with you. We will never stop looking for you. Call your friends, call family, call anyone, call 911. Please son. I love you. I talk to you every single minute…please hear me.”