PONCHATOULA — It’s been nearly a month since anyone last saw 43-year-old James Wood, and with no trace of him turning up despite extensive search efforts, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office says they’re growing increasingly concerned.

Wood was last seen on June 19 at the LA 22 Mart in Ponchatoula. Surveillance video from that day shows him dressed in all black, walking away from the store in the direction of Lee’s Landing.

Back at his home on River Road, deputies found his vehicle, keys, and other personal belongings untouched.

“James' situation is especially concerning because of the length of time,” said Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Gerald Sticker. “There has been no sign, no sighting of him.”

Since Wood vanished, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office has conducted multiple searches by air and on foot. Deputies have deployed drones equipped with infrared technology, scoured wooded areas with canines, and used helicopters in hopes of finding any clues.

“We swept the wooded area. Walk through the woods. We have canines and we have drone assets here at our sheriff's office, with the infrared that picks up heat signatures in the woods. So we have all those drone assets,” Sticker said. 

He says the silence around his disappearance is worrisome.

“We don't suspect foul play in this situation, however, you know we're worried that he may have been in some distress of some sort,” Sticker said.

Searching in Tangipahoa isn't easy, the parish is covered in thick woods and waterways, making efforts like this one difficult.

“It’s a very rural parish,” Sticker said. “It’s sparse and spread out, so it’s a lot of area for us to cover.”

Sticker says missing persons cases do happen, but they usually resolve quickly.

“This year, we’ve had about a dozen missing persons cases,” Sticker said. “Usually within a day or two, they turn back up,” Sticker said. 

Anyone with information about James Wood’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers.