Childress was on an annual elk hunting trip with Shane Luey and Luey's young son, Shane Jr., in Tillamook County, Oregon on October 17, 2004. He was last seen at 4:30 p.m. that day at Tucca Creek Road and Boundary Road in the Tillamook National Forest. He was was carrying a rifle, a wallet, his car keys, half a pack of Marlboro cigarettes, and possibly a pocketknife at the time of his disappearance.

Childress became separated from his companions in the forest after they became lost trying to find their way back to camp. He walked into the brush alone, thinking he could find the camp by himself. The Lueys eventually made it to the rendezvous point, but Childress never arrived. All of his overnight gear was left behind at camp. He has never been heard from again and an extensive search turned up no clues as to his whereabouts.

At the time of his disappearance, Childress was employed as an industrial bridge painter and blaster. He enjoys hunting, fishing, and boating and he has two young children. The area where he vanished is very steep, rugged, brush-covered terrain with lots of gullies and fallen trees, and populated with wild animals including bears, cougars and coyotes. Foul play is not suspected in his disappearance; it is believed that Childress became lost or injured in the wilderness and died. His wife obtained a death certificate for him in 2006 based on that theory. She will now be able to sell their jointly owned property and collect Social Security benefits for their children.