Case Forms: Categorizing Missing People Into Patterns

By: Shane Lambert
Original publication date: September 30th, 2025

I’m excited to launch a new section for my blog posts that focus on Missing Persons cases. This will be called "Case Form," a subsection of my posts where I’ll delve into the structure of a missing persons case through a unique lens.

A "form" is like a form of an argument in logic, where there is a general outline covering an argument type. In my missing persons context, it will refer to a general category defined by the major details or recurring patterns that shape disappearances that may be unrelated but still provide insight into one another's case—such as the circumstances, locations, or key events involved. It will aim to be broad and yet concise: covering case details in a general way but not detailing too much criterion.

Using a Case Form, is the opposite of treating each case as unique. Rather this approach identifies broader frameworks, like a journey abroad or a sudden change in behavior, allowing us to group similar cases for deeper study and comparison.

It’s a way to organize the complexities of these mysteries into recognizable types, revealing insights into how and/or why people go missing. By exploring these forms, we can better understand common threads and spark curiosity about potential resolutions.

Furthermore, using forms can help relate solved cases to unsolved cases. I plan to list all the forms below with ambitions or revisiting the scores of cases from the past.

Case Forms Used at Missing Persons Commentary

Case Form A:

(1) Subject Travels Abroad
(2) Subject Does Not Check-in For Return Transportation

Example: Christine Linda Longino, unsolved as of the original publication date

The working hypothesis behind Case Form A would be that the failure to check-in for the return transportation is a big blue that something is amiss.

Case Form B:

(1) Subject (Woman) Last Seen By Husband

(2) Subject Argued With Husband at Last Sighting

Example: Jennifer Provencal, unsolved as of the original publication date.

The working hypothesis behind Case Form B is the confrontational aspect of the marriage had something to do with the disappearance. 

Case Form C:

(1) Subject Went Hiking With a Group

(2) Subject Separated From Group

Example: Alan Visher, unsolved as of the original publication date.

Case Form D:

(1) Subject Went Hiking Alone

(2) Subject Enters Dangerous Area

Example: Jesse Pinegar, unsolved as of the original publication date.

Case Form E:

(1) Subject (Female) is Driving Without Passengers

(2) Subject's Vehicle Breaks Down

Example: Robin Ann Graham, unsolved as of the original publication date.

Case Form F:

(1) Subject known/or and seen to be swept into flood waters or a river.
(2) Subject not seen again.

Example: Jeannetta Labelle, unsolved as of the original publication date.