Vanished in the Dust: The Mystery of Chance Englebert

Chance Leslie Englebert (December 2, 1993 – disappeared July 6, 2019) was a devoted father, loving husband, and competitive cowboy with deep roots in the rodeo life. On a summer evening in Gering, Nebraska, Chance vanished without a trace after walking away from a family gathering. His disappearance left behind heartbreak, unanswered questions, and a legacy of love that refuses to fade. In this Dark Dialogue tribute, we remember Chance not for the mystery, but for the life he lived—grounded in family, faith, and fierce determination.

A Cowboy’s Heart

Chance was born in Edgemont, South Dakota, and raised in the nearby ranching communities that shaped his work ethic and character. Rodeo wasn’t just a pastime for Chance—it was a lifestyle. He competed in saddle bronc riding and other events with the kind of grit and grace that only comes from growing up in the dust and discipline of rural America. He attended Eastern Wyoming College on a rodeo scholarship and earned a degree in welding and diesel mechanics.

Those who knew him described Chance as humble, loyal, and quietly funny. He could fix almost anything with his hands, and he wasn’t afraid of hard work. But it was his role as a husband to Baylee and a father to their infant son that defined his greatest pride.

July 6, 2019: A Quiet Walk into Silence

Chance and Baylee had traveled to Gering, Nebraska, for a family gathering on her side. A misunderstanding or argument—accounts vary—led Chance to leave the home around 7:30 p.m., reportedly intending to walk back to their hotel or perhaps call a friend. Surveillance footage later captured him near intersections along 10th Street and Five Rocks Road, heading west. He was never seen again.

His last known communication was a short, confused phone call to a friend around 9 p.m. After that—silence. His cell phone went dark. No confirmed sightings. No evidence of foul play. Just a young father walking into the warm July night, vanishing along a well-lit but empty stretch of road. Search efforts, including drones, K-9 units, horseback teams, and law enforcement from multiple states, found nothing definitive.

Baylee’s Fight, the Family’s Faith

Baylee Englebert, now raising their son alone, has been unrelenting in her efforts to find answers. She continues to share Chance’s story across platforms and works closely with law enforcement, private investigators, and advocacy networks. Her voice has become a fixture in missing persons advocacy in the Midwest.

Chance’s parents, Dawn and Everett, have also been active, although tensions between family members have occasionally emerged in the public sphere. Despite differing views, all agree on one thing: Chance would never have walked away from his child. His disappearance is not a case of abandonment. It is a mystery in need of resolution.

A Community That Won’t Let Go

The disappearance of Chance Englebert shook not only Gering, but the larger rodeo and ranching communities across Nebraska, Wyoming, and South Dakota. Prayer circles, benefit rodeos, and search parties have kept his name alive. Posters still hang in storefront windows. Online groups—some helpful, others harmful—debate theories and timelines, but at the core remains a simple, urgent truth: Chance is still missing.

The National Center for Missing & Unidentified Persons continues to list Chance’s case, and law enforcement urges anyone with information to come forward. Over the years, tips have come and gone, some credible, others cruel hoaxes. But the search for answers continues—because families don’t stop searching, and neither do we.

The Man Behind the Mystery

At Dark Dialogue, we don’t reduce people to cold case files or Reddit threads. Chance Englebert was a father who kissed his baby’s forehead each morning. A husband who loved deeply, even through hard moments. A cowboy who rode with purpose and lived with humility.

We tell his story because someone out there knows something. And because in remembering Chance not just as a case—but as a man—we help ensure that hope outlives despair.

If you know anything about the disappearance of Chance Englebert, contact the Gering Police Department at (308) 436-5088, or submit anonymous tips to NCMEC or darkdialogue.com via our Adopt-a-Victim initiative.

Let’s keep Chance’s name on our lips and his memory in our hearts—until the dust finally settles and the truth comes home.