Among the 85 unsolved murders and missing persons cases on the Maine State Police website, is the name of Roger Day, 14, who disappeared on his way to the Fryeburg Fair.

For many Mainers, the Fryeburg Fair is a symbol of fall and a time for food and fun. The fair triggers a much different feeling for the family of Day.

“We were just talking, and he said, ‘I’m not going to school today. I’m gonna skip school and go to the fair,” said Day’s sister, Leigh Anne Weeks. “That was the last time I saw him.”

That was exactly 42 years and 26 days ago, but Weeks remembers it well.

Oct. 3, 1973 was a typical morning. Their mom left for work, Weeks said, and then she and her three siblings had breakfast before it was time to get on the school bus.

“I really don’t think he ever made it to the fair, to tell you the truth,” said Weeks.

According to state police, his dad reported him missing the next day.

“It’s been nothing,” said Weeks. “It’s like he was body-snatched; really there’s been no clues at all.”

As the case went cold, life went on. Weeks said their mom kept busy and their dad did the only thing he could.

“He went to the fair every year looking for him, thinking maybe he went off with the carnies and he’s there somewhere,” she said.

Weeks believes her brother is no longer alive.

“He just loved life,” she said.

But his fiery temper flared when it was time to do chores.

“He just would walk off and say, ‘Well, I got you do to it for me didn’t I?’” she said.

Weeks never knew of anyone who’d want to hurt Day, until some troubling information surfaced about 15 years ago.

“There was a pedophile that lived two or three houses down,” she said. “We didn’t even know it at the time.”

Weeks can’t help but think he had something to do with it, and that maybe it explains why Day’s behavior was causing some trouble at home.

She said her brother “had a strong personality, and he may have said to this man, ‘Look, I’m done with this and I’m gonna start telling.’”

State police won’t confirm any speculation since it’s still an open investigation.

Lt. Brian McDonough said the case was in the hands of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office up until five years ago.

“It’s an extremely old case, obviously a devastating case,” he said. “A 14-year-old just disappears and there’s no evidence, there’s no witnesses, there’s no information about what happened to him.”

State police searched a property on Route 25 in 2013. According to Weeks, that property belonged to the neighbor accused of various sexual assaults. She said police only found old animal bones.

Weeks knows answers may never come.

“God knows about where Roger is and what has happened and maybe he doesn’t want us to know,” she said. “Maybe he’s protecting us from the details.”

Roger Day would be getting ready to celebrate his 57th birthday next week.