The University of Nebraska at Kearney recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house to celebrate the reopening of Martin Hall after a major renovation.
The Aurora Police Department said Friday it has been able to confirm a sighting of Robert and Loveda Proctor, the couple missing since mid-January.
The department said video surveillance shows the Proctors at 1:02 a.m. on Jan. 12 at the Pump & Pantry on Highway 6 on the east side of Hastings.
“They were observed traveling west on Hwy 6 from this location,” the department said.
The couple went missing on Wednesday, Jan. 11.
The early Jan. 12 sighting is the newest to be confirmed, and the latest known whereabouts for the couple.
The couple’s granddaughter, Laci Fleming, said it’s exciting to hear about another sighting as the search continues.
“It’s also just another baby step towards the ultimate goal of finding them. So it’s very nerve-wracking as to where the next sighting will be,” she said.
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The video was captured early the next morning after they disappeared. Before they went missing, they went to the VA Medical Center in Grand Island and CHI Health St. Francis.
“So it’s still them trying to find their way home from the VA hospital and St. Francis,” Fleming said.
The Aurora Police Department was responsible for finding the footage.
Fleming urged people to “keep searching and check camera surveillance footage if you still have it available.” The family is “trying for anything we can,” she said.
Robert Proctor is 89. Loveda is 92.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the Aurora Police Department at 402-694-5815.
Timeline for Bob and Loveda Proctor
At 4:10 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, Bob and Loveda Proctor left their home. They proceeded to Aurora Co-op to fill up with gas in their blue 2007 Chrysler Pacifica at 4:19 p.m. and then left for Grand Island. Bob “felt like hell” so he had Veda take him to the Grand Island VA Medical Center, arriving there at 4:55 p.m. As Bob walked up to the VA hospital with the assistance of his walker, he was approached by a doctor who offered immediate care. Bob complained of pain, dizziness, weakness and that “everything felt dry.” Doctor reports Bob appears very weak, is pale/grayish in color and is slow to respond to questions. After assessment, determining Bob required emergency attention, they called 911.
The VA Medical Center closes at 5 p.m., so they decided to transfer Bob to the CHI Health St. Francis Emergency Room.
At 5:35 pm, Bob was transferred via ambulance and Veda was instructed to follow in her blue 2007 Chrysler Pacifica. Keep in mind, Veda has glaucoma and has a hard time seeing at night. Unfortunately, Veda wasn’t able to follow/keep up with the ambulance for unknown reasons and gets lost. She ends up going the opposite direction and seeking help on Vine Street. Thankfully a good Samaritan gives Veda directions to St. Francis ER.
Upon Veda’s arrival at St. Francis ER around 6:15 p.m., Bob complains of a cough and “nonproductive dry” (as stated by St. Francis ER). St. Francis says Bob’s diagnosis is an acute cough and notes no weakness but that Bob is adamant about going home. They then discharged Bob and allow him and Veda to leave at 8:04 p.m.
St. Francis states that they are aware that Veda has problems driving at night and got lost on her way to St. Francis from the VA Medical Center.
Veda attempts to drive the couple home in the dark and heads west on Faidley Avenue from St. Francis. Video footage shows Veda turns south on Webb Road around 8:15 p.m. They aimlessly drive around searching for Aurora. They reportedly arrive at a home in Giltner and ask for directions, specifically to Aurora, between 10 and 10:30 p.m. Please note it should take around 30 minutes to get from Grand Island to Giltner.
Video footage shows Bob and Veda arriving at a stop sign in Giltner at West 6 Road and South H Road. Veda turns south onto South H Road and arrives back at the stop sign around 10 minutes later. Fleming and her husband drove south on that road and discovered that at almost exactly five minutes, driving at Veda’s pace around 35-40 mph, the pavement ends and the road turns to gravel in all directions. This tells us that Veda knew not to take gravel at this time, according to Fleming. After Veda and Bob return to the stop sign after 10 minutes, they turn east on W 6 Road at 10:25 p.m.
It’s been reported that they stopped at another home outside of Giltner on West 6 Road. There is no video evidence to support this, but Fleming believes this happened.
