MART, Texas — As an investigation into the disappearance and death of a 55-year old Waco man continues, a Central Texas family is grieving their loss.
Willie Rhodes' body was found on Thursday in a rural area of Limestone County, south of Mexia. Rhodes was reported missing on Monday after last being seen alive leaving work from a Waco CEFCO early Sunday morning.
"We hold a close bond. He means the world to me and my family," said Milton Cosby, Rhodes' cousin who grew up alongside him in Mart.
Cosby said his disappearance and death came as a shock to the family.
"The stress of trying to find him, praying that nothing bad had happened ... it's been really hard on us," Cosby said.
After Rhodes' disappearance, Waco Police Department alerted community members that he may be in "immediate danger".
Rhodes' vehicle was found several miles away in Coolidge.
Waco P.D., Limestone County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers are currently investigating the case. No new information was made available by the agencies on Friday.
Rhodes' family asks that people wait for answers from law enforcement before jumping to conclusions.
"It's a sad situation. I just wish everyone would let us mourn his death and everything," Cosby said. "Get off that Facebook with all these details about what took place here or took place there. If you don't know anything, just stay out of it."
Cosby described Rhodes as a "people person" that "lived life by his own rules".
"[We're] taking it pretty hard. All of us is mourning the loss of someone we truly loved," he said.
