Bought a car with an old title and now in dilema?

So here's the deal, I bought a car given the title, the contract of sale and had all the information of the person. This was only a $ 1,000 car (basically a junker) and a fairly simple process. MedlinePlus MedlinePlus I'll hand dmv in title with the intent to transfer to my name and instead I get my plates and title registration and a receipt. The DMV told me to get my title two weeks later in the mail. As was two weeks later I received a letter in the mail from them, never bothered to open and save it in the drawer and arrange for my title. I looked a few months later and realized that he had said he had an old title and had to receive the new, for the change of ownership. MedlinePlus MedlinePlus I try to call the guy I bought the car and his phone is disconnected, so go home and empty. I ask the neighbors and they say they have moved. I can not get the new title or find a way to communicate with man. I looked at his name everywhere and can not find it. So call the DMV and ask what to do in the situation and was told I could go to the Missouri circuit court with proof of purchase and title transfer receipt and must be able to make me a title approval. I go to the circuit court and I have said it is the job of the DMV to do this and do nothing with the titles. I call the DMV again and not even listening to me because they say it is not their problem and to go to court. I called several numbers, both the Court and DMV only referred to the other. I do not know what to do in this situation or in the car. MedlinePlus MedlinePlus Is my car? If I have nothing to do with it as I can not find the man who sold it to me. I am told that he was cheated, but the car is very nice and do not see why it would be worth giving me a bad title for a junker. You can not borrow at him or anything. MedlinePlus MedlinePlus What department should I go and who I can call that can make this right? Or I can go without the title, provided they are registered in my name?