Cavet's mail carrier reported him missing in June 1996, she had not seen him since early that month and apparently neither had anyone else. He lead a reclusive lifestyle in 1996 and his mail carrier was the only person he spoke to regularly. His truck, which he bought three months before his disappearance, disappeared with him and has not been found. Records do not indicate that he sold it. Cavet's truck is described as a beige 1985 Ford pickup with dual rear wheels and a louvered steel protector over the back window. The proctector has three holes in it for vision. The truck's license plate number is B340220.

Cavet's family says it is uncharacteristic of him to leave without warning. He was very close to his pets, which included dogs, goats, and cats. Cavet normally took good care of them, but they were left unattended and without food and water when he vanished and were given over to the county animal control center. Investigators have searched Cavet's 40-acre property and found no indications of foul play or signs that he died there.

Cavet worked as a railroad bridge tender on the Intracoastal Waterway for more than thirty years; he retired in the early 1980s. He never married. His case remains unsolved.