Randall "Randy" Russ, the 56-year-old University of Cincinnati adjunct instructor, is missing since August 17 under mysterious circumstances. Russ, a resident of Dry Ridge, Ky., teaches basic computer classes at the Ohio College and is a retired veteran of 20 years.

"The fact that he loves to talk to people and he hasn't had any contact with us in two weeks? He's a talker he loves to talk to people," 22-year-old daughter Katie Russ said. "He's always cracking jokes... and that's what you're going to recognize is personality," wcpo reports.

His family said that Russ was supposed to take one of his friends to a doctor's appointment on Aug. 26. Surprised by his not showing up, that friend visited his Dry Ridge home and found the back door ajar and mails piled up.

Inside, Russ's pets, three dogs and a cat, hadn't been cared for a couple of weeks as animal hair and feces were spread throughout the home. Plus several items were missing including rifle, pistol and jewelry.

Connie Fetters, Russ's sister, said that he is not the kind of person who would have deliberately left his home in that shape.

"He had clothes in the washer that had not been put in the dryer," Fetters said. "It's not like he's packed up and left. He's a good-hearted person. He'd do anything in the world to help anybody in the world, and I'm just hoping that's not what got him in trouble."

Russ was last seen by a neighbour during the daytime of August 17. The computer science professor was wearing a plain shirt and jeans. He is 5-foot-10, 250 pounds, has brown eyes and short hair with a mixture of brown and gray.

"We're all here for him no matter what the situation is," Katie said. "We just want him home and we just want to know he's safe and that he's okay no matter what might be the reason he's gone. We just want him home."

Authorities ask anyone who may know Randall's whereabouts to call Kentucky State Police at 859-428-1212, or to email his daughter at katlaine11@hotmail.com.