John Morrissey was last spotted two miles south of Margie on U. S. 71 - or about 45 miles southwest of International Falls in northern Minnesota. A sheriff's deputy had been dispatched to check on Morrissey when residents in the area reported that a man was sitting suspiciously in his car on the side of the road. When the deputy arrived, Morrissey refused any assistance. The officer returned a couple hours later and the man was gone. Morrissey had left his personal belongings and two dogs in the car. Morrissey grew up in St. Paul and attended St. Thomas Academy and the University of Minnesota. He worked in the construction industry and taught carpentry at St. Paul Technical Institute for 21 years. He was an active member of the Democratic Party and the Knights of Columbus. He left behind a wife, and six children.