Man Left Home and Disappeared. His Body Was Found 2 Weeks Later in Remote Area of National Forest

A missing Iowa man was found dead in Arkansas more than two weeks after he disappeared.

Nicholas Collins, 22, was last seen on Dec. 19, 2025, according to a news release from the Tama County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).

Before he left his home in Garwin, Iowa, Collins left a note, according to a previous news release from the sheriff’s office, who believed at the time that he was headed to Gladbrook, a nearby city.

HIs phone was shut off and had no service as of Dec. 19, and his family said they had not seen or heard from him since that day.

Collins’ car was discovered in Arkansas at the Ozark National Forest in Johnson County — hours away from where he had last been seen — on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, authorities said.

The car, described by the TCSO as a 2012 Mini Cooper, was located “at the Arbaugh Trailhead on the Ozark Highlands Trail,” according to a separate news release from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) in Arkansas.

His body was found five days later “in a very steep, rugged and remote area of the Ozark National Forest” about 1.7 miles from the trailhead, according to the sheriff’s office.

Investigators later confirmed that Collins “died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

The TCSO stated there was “no indication of foul play” in connection with Collins’ death, but say an investigation is ongoing.

“This is a very difficult time for Nicholas’s family, and we ask everyone to respect their privacy as they grieve,” the TCSO said in its latest news release.

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“We thank all the agencies and volunteers for their part in the search, including local teams in Arkansas, federal law enforcement, and our staff in Tama County,” they added.

In a separate statement, NCSO Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said, in part, “I hate that this turned out like it did, but I am glad we are able to provide some answers to a family that has been without answers for what I can only imagine were a very long couple of weeks. Our prayers and condolences go out to them.”

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