
Sylvester J. Miller was found dead just outside of Sayer on July 27, 1956. He was thirty-five years old.
Sylvester was from Jetmore, Kansas and had traveled to Garden City, Kansas to conduct a business transaction. From there he disappeared and no one ever figured out how he came to be found in Sayer, which is over 200 miles away from Garden City. He was last seen and heard from on July 13th. Reportedly he had been called by someone wanting to do business with him from Garden City, however when he got to the business, no one knew what he was talking about. His vehicle would be found on July 21 in Great Bend, Kansas. On July 27th, Sylvester’s body would be found seven miles west of Sayer on the bank of the Red River. His body was partially covered with mud and sand.
An exact cause of death proved to be illusive, and never was determined, however, in a move that is a bit telling of the times, law enforcement theorized that Sylvester possibly died from food poisoning. That doesn’t account for his body being found 200 miles away from where he was last known to have been, or the fact that his vehicle was also found a great distance from his body.
Though no motive for the crime was ever publicly discussed, its probably safe to say that robbery was a pretty solid motive. Sylvester worked as a salesman and was known to carry large amounts of cash with him. To date, no one has been charged in the murder of Sylvester Miller.