U.F.O.! Jim Sullivan's Disappearance

Jim (James Anthony) Sullivan

He was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who released two albums before he disappeared without a trace in New Mexico on March 6, 1975.
He was born on August 13, 1940.
He grew up in the Linda Vista area of San Diego, California.

He was a high school quarterback.
He "grew up in a government housing project.
He decided to play music after listening to local blues groups.
He married, and played guitar in a local rock band, the Survivors.

His wife worked at Capitol Records.

Sullivan wrote songs and performed in clubs in the Los Angeles area.
He became established at the Raft club in Malibu.
He became friends with Lee Majors, Lee Marvin, and Harry Dean Stanton.
He appeared in the movie Easy Rider.
He performed on the José Feliciano television show.
The album, U.F.O., was released in 1969, and featured his songs in a style blending folk, rock and country.

In 1972, he recorded a second album, Jim Sullivan.

Sullivan increasingly turned to alcohol and his marriage began to to fail.

Disappearance

On March 4, 1975 he travelled to Nashville, and try to find success there.
He drove alone from Los Angles in his Volkswagen Beetle. 

March 5, after being warned by a highway patrol over his driving, he checked into the La Mesa Motel in Santa Rosa, New Mexico. 

He did not sleep there, and left his key inside the room.

He bought vodka at the town store. 

He was seen the following day about 26 miles away, at a remote ranch owned by the Gennetti family. His car was later found abandoned at the ranch.

He was last seen walking away from it. 

The car contained Sullivan's money, papers, guitar, clothes, and a box of his unsold records.

He was never seen again.

Search parties failed to find any trace of him.