Harrod was last seen at his residence in the 500 block of Carnation Drive Placentia, California sometime between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. on July 27, 2009. His son-in-law went to the store and when he returned at 1:00 p.m., he found the front door locked, the housekeeper waiting on the porch, and Harrod missing. His wallet and keys disappeared with him, but he left behind his gold 1997 Toyota Camry.

Harrod got married on June 29, a month before his disappearance, and his new wife was supposed to move in with him, but he vanished before she arrived. The couple had met and become engaged in 1950, but they were separated when Harrod joined the military and eventually both of them married other people. They reconnected by telephone after their spouses died and then met in person, and decided to get married only six days later. Harrod's wife was packing up her belongings and preparing to leave her home in Missouri, and Harrod was preparing for her arrival and looking forward to it.

Authorities don't believe Harrod was harmed by a stranger, but they are unsure what caused his disappearance. He had no known medical conditions when he disappeared, although he did have some short-term memory problems like being unable to remember phone numbers. His family doesn't believe he would have left without warning. There has been no activity on Harrod's bank accounts or credit cards since he went missing. His hobbies include fishing and playing slot machines, and he left behind three daughters, a grandson and three great-grandchildren. His case remains unsolved and is classified as a possible homicide.