Body found in home of Dennis Day, original Mouseketeer missing for months

PHOENIX, Ore. -- Police in southern Oregon have found human remains at the home of Dennis Day, an original member of Disney's "The Mickey Mouse Club" who has been missing for months.

Phoenix, Oregon, police on Thursday asked death investigators from Medford to examine a body found in a home belonging to Day. Authorities have not identified the remains or released additional details.

Day, 76, was reported missing July 15 by his husband, Ernie Caswell, according to local newspaper The Oregonian.

Day's car was found at the Oregon coast on July 26. A missing person report said Day had "uncharacteristically" left his dog with a friend on the day he disappeared, a sentiment echoed by Cheri Workman, Day's neighbor of more than a quarter century.

"He loved his animals, he shared jokes over the fence," Workman said, adding that she has been feeding Day's pets since his disappearance.

Day was born in 1942. After moving to California, he began performing at age 6. When he was 10, he was among the first children hired for "The Mickey Mouse Club."

Day and his longtime partner Caswell moved to Oregon in the 1980s and married in Ashland in 2009. Caswell suffers from memory loss and was in the hospital when he reported Day missing.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of this station.