The story of a missing Houston couple took another turn Friday when Austin Police said they were investigating an individual who was with the couple the day the two were last heard from in April.
Austin Police Detective Jay Swann said Sidney Taylor, 35, and Krislyn Gibson, 35, arrived at a friend’s house in Austin on April 1 to attend a concert. They then contacted Harvey Cyphers, 50, who Taylor had allegedly known for several years.
Detective Swann said the trio went to a strip club called “The Landing Strip” and stayed until 2 a.m. when they were seen on surveillance video leaving the club. Police said the friend they were staying with called to check on them at 3 a.m. and Taylor told the friend they were with Cyphers.
Taylor and Gibson have not been seen since the morning of April 2. A few days later, Taylor’s 2010 Dodge Charger was found abandoned in midtown Houston and was towed for parking violations. Houston Police said the car had personal items inside a person wouldn’t leave behind in an abandoned car.
Swann said Cyphers voluntarily spoke to Austin Police detectives and provided a timeline of events from the night Taylor and Gibson were last seen. Austin Police said its investigation revealed that Cyphers was “untruthful” about his whereabouts in relation to the crime.
Detective Swann said cell phone records showed Cyphers’ phone went to Houston on April 2nd and placed him in the vicinity of where the Dodge Charger was recovered. The cell phone records also allegedly showed Cyphers called Megabus and then traveled back on the route Megabus uses for its Houston to Austin route.
APD said multiple department have helped serve 11 search warrants in the case and that all physical evidence is being processed by the DPS crime lab. Swann said detectives believe foul play was involved and believes the couple’s disappearance is criminal in nature.
APD asked anyone who may have seen Harvey Cyphers in the Houston area on April 2, 2016; rode the Megabus from Houston to Austin on the afternoon of April 2, 2016; or any other related information on the case to call APD homicide cold case at 512-974-5250 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS (8477).