We have a contract and seller has gone AWOL

[Hai T.]

Hello fellow BP'ers, I am new to BP but am not new to REI. One thing that I've never experienced in the last 17 years of doing REI is a seller that refuses to go to the closing table. I've got a fully executed contract and the seller has many liens on the property and owes a ton to the government. He didn't realize this when he signed the contract and will essentially be breaking even or even going into the red at closing. So he has decided to just abandon the property and I assume let the government take it. I am attempting to get my earnest money back but he's not cooperating and has fled the state. I've already spent money to have an appraisal and some other various expenses and am wondering if there is a way I can keep him from selling to someone else or if a court could possibly force him to sell to me? Just wondering if anyone has any experience as I'm not sure how this works in Missouri. I'm wondering if I could write up a mutual release in order to get my earnest money back while keeping him from selling to anyone else if he attempts to. Thanks in advance.