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Facebook posts
Facebook posts
stated on September 23, 2024 in a Facebook post:

Photo shows missing couple Raymond Peterson and his wife, Sophie.

False

No, this isn’t a photo of a missing Texas couple

If your time is short

  • This photo shows a couple whose remains were discovered in September in California. viral Facebook posts are misusing the image,  claiming it shows another couple supposedly missing from states around the country.
See the sources for this fact-check

Recent Facebook posts have urged social media users to “flood” their feeds with a photo of a supposed missing couple. One such post said the pair had been last seen in Wise County, Texas. 

“FLOOD YOUR FEEDS ~ MISSING!” the Sept. 23 post said. “Our Dad, Raymond Peterson aged 80 drove out last night with our step mom Sophie and they still haven’t returned. They were last seen in #wisecounty He doesn’t know where he’s going, he has chronic memory loss. There is a silver alert activated on them. Please help bump this post so we can get them home safely”

This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads.)

That’s because it’s not a real missing persons case. 

Other Facebook posts featuring the same photo and narrative say Raymond Peterson and his wife Sophie were last seen in other places around the United States, such as “Northeast Montana.” The Wise County, Texas, post appeared on a “swap and shop” Facebook group page, and the Montana post on a “buy sell trade” group.

But the people in the photo aren’t the Petersons and they’re not missing. 

The photo shows Daniel Menard, 79, and Stephanie Menard, 73, who disappeared in August from a nudist resort in Colton, California. Authorities found their remains under the home of a neighbor, who was charged with two counts of murder. 

We rate claims this photo shows Raymond Peterson and his wife, Stephanie Menard, a couple missing from Texas, or any other state, False.

 

No, this isn’t a photo of a missing Texas couple

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on January 7, 2026 a press briefing

stated on January 14, 2026 a statement

Social Media
stated on February 14, 2026 social media posts



stated on January 20, 2026 an op-ed


Donald Trump
stated on February 3, 2026 remarks in the Oval Office


Social Media
stated on February 8, 2026 social media posts





Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
stated on stated on November 17, 2025 in remarks at George Washington University:

Donald Trump
stated on February 2, 2026 an interview with Dan Bongino