Attempt to Match -- Nancy Lynn Jason (#MP13877) vs. #UP7477

By: Shane Lambert

Updated: July 17th, 2024

In this article, I am going to look at the missing person case of Nancy Lynn Jason, NamUs #MP13877, and compare it to the Jane Doe case of NamUs #UP7477. The goal is to evaluate the likelihood that they might be one and the same person.

On that matter, I will start with one of the Jane Doe's composite sketches and a couple of photos of the missing person. In my opinion, they do look alike, with striking similarities in hair parting, swarthy skin tone, and general features.

Composite sketch of Jane Doe #UP7477.

Nancy Lynn Jason.

Nancy Lynn Jason.

Next, I'll look to see if the circumstances of their cases match up. The timeline of the two cases must match up.

Nancy Lynn Jason vs Jane Doe UP7477

Firstly, Nancy Lynn Jason went missing when she was 18 years old in July of 1977. The Jane Doe was found on August 24th, 1982 in the trunk in a state park. She has been dubbed "The Cheerleader in the Trunk" accordingly. The first point, that the Jane Doe had to be found after the missing person was last seen, does check out. 

We can move on to the more complex points.

August 26th, 1982. The Baltimore Sun.

According to the NamUs profile for the Jane Doe, the "body may have been at that location for three or more years." The Jane Doe was thought to have died somewhere between 1972 and 1982. If we assume that Nancy Lynn Jason died at about the time of her disappearance in 1977, then her estimated date of death would overlay with the estimated date-of-death range of the Jane Doe.

Secondly, the sex and ethnicity between Nancy Lynn Jason and the Jane Doe match. They are both white females.

Thirdly, the distance between Nancy Lynn Jason's last-known location and the spot where the Jane Doe was discovered are reasonably close. Nancy was last seen in Bethesda, Maryland while the Jane Doe was found about 40 miles away in Frederick, Maryland.

Interestingly, Nancy's disappearance may have involved southbound hitchhiking toward Florida, as she was planning a trip there at the time of her disappearance. However, Frederick is northwest of Bethesda, not south, which complicates the idea of her being found along her intended route. It’s possible she was transported to Frederick after an incident near Bethesda.

Next, Nancy Lynn Jason had brown hair and so did the Jane Doe. The length of the hair and the parting point on the forehead appear to be similar in the photos of Nancy Lynn Jason and the composite sketch of Jane Doe, further supported by what looks like a shared swarthy skin tone and general facial features.

Lastly, the height between the two does not really match. Nancy was thought to be 5'7" while the Jane Doe was thought to be about 5'4". However, taking heights from human remains isn't an exact science when it comes to figuring out how tall the person was in life.

The discrepancy in the heights is small, and taken alone, it cannot be used to rule the two individuals out. You shrink after you die, so perhaps that the Jane Doe was shorter than Nancy Lynn Jason could be overstated.

The so called "Cheerleader in the Trunk" was found by mushroom foragers. She was in a steamer trunk in a park setting.

Comparison Chart: Nancy Lynn Jason vs. Jane Doe

Attribute	Nancy Lynn Jason (MP13877)	Jane Doe (UP7477)
Date	Last seen: July 17, 1977	Found: August 24, 1982; Est. death: 1972–1982
Location	Bethesda, Maryland	Frederick, Maryland (40 miles northwest)
Sex	Female	Female
Race	White/Caucasian	White/Caucasian
Age	18 years	Estimated 17–45 years
Height	5'7" (67 inches)	5'4" (64 inches, estimated)
Hair	Brown	Brown, medium-length
Circumstances	Hitchhiking, planning trip to Florida	Found in trunk, state park

Based on an analysis by Grok, an AI developed by xAI, there is a 40–55% chance that Nancy Lynn Jason and Jane Doe are the same person. This estimate accounts for the timeline overlap, matching demographics, and notable similarities in hair parting, swarthy skin tone, and general features between Nancy’s photos and Jane Doe’s composite sketch, balanced against the northwest location of Frederick versus Nancy’s southbound intent and the height discrepancy, which may reflect forensic imprecision.

Grok also stated that there was an implied match between Nancy's plan to hitchhike and an effort to conceal the Jane Doe. I did not quite understand what the AI meant when that was said. I took it to mean that when hitchhikers go missing, something clandestine is usually involved. Certainly, when a body is put into a trunk and disposed of in a park, something clandestine has happened. So perhaps the AI meant that there were matching circumstances between Nancy and the Jane Doe that way.

The Two Have Not Been Examined

The Jane Doe has numerous rule-outs listed at her profile but she has not been compared to Nancy Lynn Jason. Also, Nancy Lynn Jason has numerous rule-outs but she has not been compared to the Jane Doe. At this point, I think it's possible that they are one and the same person. I hope that they are looked at and, if they are not matched, at least they could be listed as rule-outs of one another.

Missing Trail Hikers -- Recognizing the Patterns

Author: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: April 7th, 2021

Introduction to Missing Trail Hikers

I have been looking at both NamUs and Canada's Missing databases for missing people for the last couple of weeks. In particular, I have been interested in missing person cases where a hiking trail is central to the disappearance. The tag I've associated with all blog posts at this site that have to do a trail and/or a missing hiker is "trail hiking series." You can find this hashtag at the end of this blog post. By clicking on it, you will bring up all the related articles.

When I first thought of the "trail hiking series," admittedly, I wanted to look at about 40 cases that involved trails and/or hiking. However, I have fallen short of that for the time being. Nonetheless, even in a small sample space of cases, I've been able to recognize a couple of distinct patterns with missing people whose case files are associated with nature trails and/or hiking. Please, have a look at the two patterns below that emerged as I studied several cases.

Lost Hikers: Recognizing the Patterns

Pattern #1: An unfit, unequipped, and solo hiker uses a dangerous trail. He or she is not heard from again but his or her vehicle is found at the trailhead or parking lot for the park or trail network.

I selected six cases where Pattern #1, as described above, fits quite well. However, missing person cases aren't made with a cookie cutter: there are deviations. The six bullet points below restate Pattern #1 and provide an area where I will discuss what I mean by each point. The cases that basically fit the pattern then follow.

(1) The missing person was not fit for the hike. 

• Unfit for a hike could describe someone who was obese, however, it could also mean someone who was injured, had a medical ailment, or needed medication.
• In the six cases I looked at, I recall individuals that were either obese by BMI, walked with a limp, had a heart condition, required medication for seizures, or were well out of their primes.
• Only two of the six missing persons that I looked at, David Barclay Miller and Paula Jean Welden, were seemingly fit individuals in the primes of their lives.
• But even in their cases, a question could be posed if their fitness levels were equal to the trail ahead: Miller, in particular, may have had to burden himself with a very heavy load of water.

(2) The missing person went on a dangerous trail or one that is considered difficult.

• In assessing the danger level of a trail, I relied on AllTrails.com. I also looked at videos of the trails taken by YouTube publishers. 
• What I found was that people who went missing on trails often used dangerous trails. 
• This might seem straightforward forward, but the point is still worth making: though hardly foolproof, it suggests that something accidental happened to them instead of something illegal.
• That's especially likely given the poor physical condition many of them were in.
• I recall one case where an individual hiked in an area that other hikers had deemed unsafe and avoided. I recall a trail that was exceptionally lengthy in one case.
• Also, I recall a multi-day trail through desert conditions. In another instance, I recall a missing person using a trail known for encroaching on steep edges that were often intersected with small waterfalls directly falling on the trail.

(3) This missing person hiked alone, even if he or she was seen by others or informed people of his or her plans. 

• The six cases I include all featured solo hikers. They may have been seen by other hikers or park staff, but none hiked in tandem or in groups.

(4) The missing person failed to supply himself or herself properly. 

• Not bringing water or food or adequate clothing is a significant reoccurrence in the missing person cases. All kinds of ailments can affect someone who doesn't have proper clothing for a hike. Not having enough water can lead to dizziness, confusion, and dehydration. It can also lead to reliance on water sources along the trail, which might cause fevers.

(5) The missing person's abandoned vehicle was found at the trailhead or the parking lot for the trail network.

• This was a significant reoccurrence in the selected missing persons cases involving hiking trails, however, it wasn't 100% pervasive. Paula Jean Welden's case didn't mention a car and that is significant. She was a hitchhiker and, of course, a disappearance due to that risky activity could be what caused her disappearance instead of a hiking-trail mishap.

(6) My opinion: the totality of the circumstances suggests a non-clandestine disappearance (ie. it seems more likely that a hiking accident happened than something criminal in nature). 

• Did the person disappear on purpose, by accident, or due to the criminal actions of someone else? That's always a question in a missing person case.
• However, when I read most of the cases, I did think that the people that disappeared were likely accident victims or victims of the elements as opposed to victims of criminals.
• Paula Jean Welden is a tough case in this regard: she was last seen on a hiking trail, but she had hitchhiked to the trail. There is a question if she tried to hitchhike home or if she got lost in the forest. She was, in fact, lost even before arriving at her chosen trailhead and it was nearly dusk.

Of course, some of the points above could appear and, I'm sure, have appeared as topics in safe-hiking guides. Concerning the first point, you should select a trail that's appropriate for your health and fitness. You should definitely hike in twos or at least use trails that are popular and unrisky if you are alone. You should also bring a lot of water for the trail and some high-calorie food, not to mention a change of clothes or something you can add on as a layer if you end up cold. 

The cases I looked at in developing the six points are as follows. For further details on any case, please follow the link.

Joseph Lee Wood Jr. -- Missing Since July 1999 From Washington

• A man with a heart condition went hiking at high altitude without food or water or adequate clothing. Hikers that saw him last said they turned around due to dangerous conditions, but Joseph seemed to trudge on into those dangerous conditions. His vehicle was found near the trailhead.

Jessie Hoover -- Missing Since May 1983 in Maine

• A middle-aged woman who needed daily medication targeted a multi-day hike without any kind of preparations.

Carol Marlene Ferguson -- Missing From Washington Since 2017

• An 83-year-old woman who may have had dementia went on a difficult trail. Her truck was found near the trailhead.

David Barclay Miller -- Missing in Arizona Since 1998

• A young man went on a multi-day hike in the desert. There was a question as to whether he had enough water. His vehicle was found.

Wayne Falconer Wikel -- Missing Since 1992 From Oregon

• A man approaching his middle-aged years had a limp from a leg injury. He went on a very difficult and dangerous trail that was nearly 30 miles in length. His vehicle was found at the trailhead.

Paula Jean Welden -- Missing Since 1945 From New Hampshire

• She hitchhiked to a trail and arrived just before dusk one evening in December without provisions or warming clothing. 

Pattern #2: A duo or larger group takes to the hiking trails. A woman within the duo or group decides to rest instead of partake in the entire hike. While she rests, others in her duo or larger group complete the hike. When they return to collect the resting woman, she is not there. Furthermore, she's never seen again and it's unclear if something clandestine is involved or if she fell victim to a hiking mishap.

This pattern can be summarized with the following points:

(1) The missing person is a woman. 

• In five of the six cases that I looked at that resembled this pattern, the missing person was a woman.

(2) The missing person is originally part of a duo or larger group that's on a hiking excursion.

• This was present in all cases. Usually, the missing person started out on a hike with a group. But in one case, the missing person started out on a camping excursion.

(3) The missing person voluntarily separates from the group.

• This happened in each case. The reasons for the separations vary, but the missing person stopping to take a rest is common. In another case, the missing person voluntarily went on a separate hike than the group from the origin point. In another case, the missing person had a different walking speed than the group, and that created drifting. In another case, a little boy ran ahead of the group perhaps in youthful excitement.

(4) The missing person is not seen again.

• In only one of the six cases was a trace of the missing person found. In another case, some reported hearing the missing person scream in the night of the forest, but this was not firmly established.

(5) The investigation includes some suspicion of others in the area.

• Abduction is pretty clear in two cases. In another case, it seems that something forceful happened to the missing person. In the three other cases, it could be a hiking mishap, but there are questions surrounding other people on the trail, whether they are members of the missing person's group or not.

As is the case with the first pattern, missing person cases aren't made with cookie cutters. However, the following cases are closely related to the five points above.

A Pattern of Lost Hikers: Many Similar Cases

Olga Mauger -- Missing Since 1934 in Wyoming

The cases of Olga Mauer, Michelle Vanek, and Celeste Hensley Greub are very similar cases. Starting with Mauer, she was in the backcountry with her new husband. They were not hiking enthusiasts but were using hiking trails to scout for wild game. The husband and Olga went out into the mountains and she tired and rested while he hiked to a mountain peak. When the husband returned, Olga was gone and was never seen again although someone in the search party reported hearing her night-time calls for help. The husband came under suspicion in the aftermath but was not charged.

Michelle Vanek -- Missing Since 2005 From Colorado

Michelle Vanek went hiking with a male friend (non-romantic). She stopped to rest while he continued to advance to a summit. When he returned to find her, she was missing and has not been seen again. In this case, there was not much suspicion directed toward the friend. However, this case did mention a transient-type of character that was in the backcountry at the time.

Celeste Hensley Greub -- Missing Since 1976 From Wyoming

Celeste Hensley Greub went hiking in Wyoming with two female friends. The two friends decided to climb a nearby mountain peak while Greub rested alone. When the two friends returned to collect Greub, she was gone and has not been seen since. This case did not involve much discussion of suspicion, however, there was an indication that she was in a troubled marriage and may have been despondent.

Rosemary Theresa Kunst -- Missing in California Since 2000

Rosemary Theresa Kunst went on a camping trip with a large group. Most of the members of this group departed out on a hike, while Theresa stayed at the camp. However, she decided to embark on a short hike from the camp. When the hikers in the large group returned to camp, they did not know where Rosemary was. Eventually, a search ensued and only a tuft of her hair was found entangled in the wild-brush.

This case is a little different from the five summary points. Rosemary didn't separate from the hikers that she was on a hike with. Rather, she went on a different hike than what her fellow-campers went on. Furthermore, there was a trace of her as the hair that was found was tested to be hers. The circumstances seemed suspicious to me because I think the hair being yanked from her head, even by wild-brush, suggests that something forceful was happening to her.

Trenny Gibson - Missing Since 1976 in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Trenny Gibson went on a school field trip with her classmates to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The trip involved taking an out-and-back trail. During this trip, she became isolated on the trail from her classmates. I got the impression this had to do with her having a different walking speed over a long trail. Sometime during this isolated time, Trenny disappeared and has not been seen again. This is a case that has involved plenty of suspicion against a classmate, suspicion that I've felt was not warranted. Bloodhounds that tracked Trenny's movements lead to a roadside disappearance off of the trail. One prevailing guess is that she was abducted by a stranger, possibly at knifepoint or gunpoint.

Thomas Eldon Bowman -- Missing in California Since 1957 

Thomas Eldon Bowman is the only male in this list. A young minor, he was hiking on a family outing and became separated from the group when he ran ahead to the parking lot toward the end of the outing. He has not been seen since. He was thought to have been a kidnapping victim as opposed to the victim of a hiking-trail accident.

Bobby Lee Rodriguez -- Missing Since September 2019 in Idaho

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

"Update: Investigation discovered that subject purchased items that appeared to be camping related and then was dropped off near the Wagonhammer RV park and hiking trails in Lemhi County, Idaho. This occurred around the beginning of October, 2019. 

Original: Went to Europe and it is unknown if he ever returned to the United States, he told the reporting party he wasn't coming back to Arkansas but would either move to California or Colorado but hasn't been communicated with since September 30th."

Missing Person: Bobby Lee Rodriguez
Last-contact date: September 30th, 2019
The area where the MP was last seen: North Fork, Idaho
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Hispanic/Latino
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 25 years old
Birthdate: Bobby Lee Rodriguez was born between September 31st, 1993, and September 30th, 1994 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Scar:
Height/weight: 5'9" to 5'11" and 200 to 220 pounds
BMI*: This individual was obese by BMI standards at the time of his disappearance.
Tattoos: Bobby Lee Rodriguez did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Bobby Lee Rodriguez, a missing person, was last heard from on September 30th, 2019 when he was 25 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 2 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. While this case is associated with Idaho, I think the missing person was of the Springdale, Arkansas area.

This might be categorized as a missing tourist. According to the NamUs description, he purchased some camping supplies in Idaho. His case has been affiliated with hiking trails, however, I'm not sure which network he went into. There are not a lot of details in this case. I found a Youtube video of the area that was uploaded in June 2020. Not really sure when it was shot but you can get an idea of the area.

When people have been missing for a short time, then the details regarding their disappearances are more likely to be updated. Be sure to check the news for regular updates regarding this case.

What stands out with this case is that he had a bracelet with his name on it. If this individual suffered a hiking mishap (ie. nothing clandestine happened to him) and his remains are found, it stands to reason he will still have the bracelet on his wrist. That could make him easier to identify.

Bobby Lee Rodriguez may have had the following articles when he disappeared: a black backpack, a black watch, and a bracelet with his name. These are items that can be looked at in relation to any discovered John Does on the trail that he was thought to have been on.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is North Fork, Idaho.

Author: Shane Lambert

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of April 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Bobby Lee Rodriguez', 'DoeNetwork Bobby Lee Rodriguez', 'Bobby Lee Rodriguez missing person', 'what happened to Bobby Lee Rodriguez', 'missing North Fork person', 'missing Idaho person', 'missing North Fork man', 'missing Idaho man', 'missing North Fork men', 'missing Idaho men', 'missing man North Fork', 'missing man Idaho', 'missing from North Fork', 'missing from Idaho', 'North Fork missing persons', 'Idaho missing persons', 'Bobby Lee Rodriguez missing from Idaho', 'disappearance of Bobby Lee Rodriguez', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Bobby Lee Rodriguez']

Joseph Lee Wood Jr. -- Missing Since July 1999 From Washington

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Joseph Lee Wood Jr., a missing New York City book editor, was last seen hiking in Mt. Rainier National Park. He was thought to have been last seen near Comet Falls at about 3-4pm on July 8th, 1999. The MP's rental vehicle was recovered near the National Park Inn, at Longmire. This individual had a heart condition, when he was last seen he was only wearing light clothing, he had no survival gear, no coat, no food, and no water.

Missing Person: Joseph Lee Wood Jr.
Last-contact date: July 8th, 1999 (Thursday), possibly between 3-4pm
The area where the MP was last seen: Mount Rainier National Park, Washington near Comet Falls
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Black
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 34 years old
Birthdate: Joseph Lee Wood Jr. was born between July 9th, 1964, and July 8th, 1965 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Black, had a beard
Eyes: Brown and wears glasses
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5'9" to 6'0" and 160 to 180 pounds
BMI*: Joseph Lee Wood Jr. was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Joseph Lee Wood Jr. did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Joseph Lee Wood Jr., a missing person, was last heard from on July 8th, 1999 when he was 34 years old. This individual has now been missing for about 22 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

There is a pretty good description of his disappearance in the Seattle Times archive at this link: Joseph Lee Wood Jr.'s disappearance (Jul 15, 1999 Dave Birkland, Arthur Santana Seattle Times Staff Reporters). In case that gets deleted in the future, I will make some bullet points from the article:

• He last-seen location was associated with the Comet Falls area of Mount Rainier
• He was heading toward a bridge that other hikers had deemed a little too risky to try and cross
• An entry-slip into the park was stamped for 12:29pm that day
• His disappearance was associated with the Rampart Ridge Trail
• The elevation he might have last been seen at was 4,800 feet

One detail that is mentioned in this case quite often is that he had a heart condition. However, what should be mentioned in conjunction with that is that he was at an elevation of 4,800 feet. The elevation of New York City is just 33 feet so he was at much thinner air that what he would normally be accustomed to. 

I don't know what Joseph's heart condition was but there are heart conditions where the heart will be exasperated due to the thinner air that you find at higher elevations. That the missing person was performing strenuous hiking to heights that he wasn't used to with a heart condition can't be ignored in this case.

Consider this medical advice from National Jewish Health:

"As more people travel to higher altitudes for recreation and adventure, high altitude and lower oxygen availability need to be considered. For most people this causes few problems, but for those with lung or heart disease, altitude can have a negative effect on health. Acute exposure to high altitude can affect the cardiovascular system by decreasing oxygen in the blood (acute hypoxia). It also increases demand on the heart, adrenaline release and pulmonary artery pressures."

Joseph wasn't at a super-high altitude but he was about 4,800 feet above what he would have been used to as a New York City resident. That he might have weakened in part from his heart condition as he ascended could increase the chances of a stumble or loss of balance. That he was described as heading toward a part of the hike that others had turned away from because it looks unsafe would also increase the chances of a fall. 

The following video is of the hike to Comet Falls as represented by a Youtuber. As you can see, the trail isn't routine. While Joseph disappeared in the height of summer, the reports are that there was an unusual amount of snow for the area at that time in 1999. Even melting snow produces hazards for footing. Furthermore, melting snow produces rushing water and higher levels in streams. I wondered if the bridge that the one hiker didn't want to cross for safety reasons was featured at the 6:50 mark of the video.

What I would suggest with Joseph Lee Wood Jr., is that he he fell at a steep point on the trail. This was an individual who was not prepared for this hike. That he wore light clothing and carried no water attests to inexperience. As he was a New Yorker, I wonder how much time he spent in the city in his life relative to the natural area of Mount Rainier.

He may have had the following articles when he disappeared: a bird book, binoculars, and wearing light clothing. These items may be associated with a matching John Doe from the Comet Falls area.

Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Mount Rainier National Park, Washington.

Author: Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of April 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Joseph Lee Wood Jr.', 'DoeNetwork Joseph Lee Wood Jr.', 'Joseph Lee Wood Jr. missing person', 'what happened to Joseph Lee Wood Jr.', 'missing Mount Rainier National Park person', 'missing Washington person', 'missing Mount Rainier National Park man', 'missing Washington man', 'missing Mount Rainier National Park men', 'missing Washington men', 'missing man Mount Rainier National Park', 'missing man Washington', 'missing from Mount Rainier National Park', 'missing from Washington', 'Mount Rainier National Park missing persons', 'Washington missing persons', 'Joseph Lee Wood Jr. missing from Washington', 'disappearance of Joseph Lee Wood Jr.', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Joseph Lee Wood Jr.']

William David Shannon -- Missing Since September 1995 in Washington state

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Left home in Salem, Oregon for a camping/hiking trip and never returned. Did not take medications for mental and medical problems. Vehicle found at the National Forest trailhead to Lake Angeline. An extensive search operation was unproductive. The vehicle was left at the trailhead and impounded by the US Forest Service.

Update: The original time of writing was April 3rd, 2021. The MP is still missing as of March 25th, 2025.

Not the actual vehicle. AI was prompted to generate a picture of the vehicle's likeness near a hiking trail. Shows a 1991 Pontiac 2x2 that's blue with Oregon plates.

Missing Person: William David Shannon
Last-contact date: September 4th, 1995 (this was Labor Day that year, a Monday)
The area where the MP was last seen: Skykomish, Washington
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 47 years old
Birthdate: William David Shannon was born between September 5th, 1947, and September 4th, 1948, based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.

Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Scar: None known

Height/weight: 6'4" and 180 pounds
BMI*: William David Shannon was in the normal range for BMI.

No photo found: If a photo can't be found, rely on BMI, height, weight, ethnicity, and other physical features to describe or picture the person. 

Tattoos: William David Shannon did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

William David Shannon was last heard from on September 4th, 1995, when he was 47 years of age. That was a Monday, and as the first Monday in September, it was also Labor Day in 1995. William David Shannon has now been missing for about 26 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

When it came to expanding details, this was a difficult case. I did not find a newspaper article that covered the missing person's disappearance. 

Sometimes, with a first name like William, selecting the proper keywords to search can be difficult. There's Will, Willy, Willie, Bill, Billy, Billie and then all the combinations that come with whether or not to use the middle name (ie. which could be "Dave" or "David"), just the middle initial, or to use first and last name alone. There are dozens of way this person might be named in media, if not using a strict first and last name combination.

William David Shannon: Limited Media Coverage

In the end, I felt like there were no newspaper articles on this disappearance in the Newspaper.com database. That may change in the future, so take a moment to double-check if you are reading this well after the publication date.

I did note that the individual did not have a photo included with his profile. When I encounter that situation, I usually attribute it to a lack of public interest in the case. Perhaps the hard-to-find newspaper coverage or web news source isn't too surprising.

When a missing person doesn't have a photo, researchers can try to find one at Ancestry.com or at Newspapers.com. I am convinced that William David Shannon has profile information at Ancestry, as his NamUs profile says he was from Salem, Oregon.

I found someone who was in the right birthdate range who had an exact name match at that website for Salem, Oregon. There might have been a Yearbook photo of him at the site, but I couldn't authenticate it as the missing person for sure. Furthermore, a photo of him in his 20s isn't great to use when he disappeared at the age of 47. 

This William David Shannon might be the same one as the missing person: his date of death is listed as September 23rd, 1995, which would be 19 days after the disappearance. It just might be that September 23rd was when someone filed a missing person report. Conversely, they could be different people, but there is a lot of overlap between the NamUs William David Shannon and the one at Ancestry.

Hiking Without Medication - Seems Odd

What stands out with this case is that this individual went hiking and/or camping without medications that he presumptively needed. That certainly doesn't bode well for his health and well-being.

The Lake Angeline area that is mentioned in the NamUs description appears to be a puny lake near Darrington, Washington. These were the coordinates I noted off of Google Maps for what looks like little more than a pond: 48.24182048327208, -121.54171666844462.

I wondered if his vehicle might have been parked on a road labelled as NF-2420, but I wasn't sure what I was looking at.

I have looked at a lot of cases involving missing hikers in the past. When the vehicle is found near the trailhead, then they should be presumed to be lost on the trail. Hikers who are rescued under these circumstances are usually rescued only if found within a week. That would suggest that this missing person is dead, something supported by his 30-year absence as of 2025.

Clothing and Possessions Associated with William David Shannon

Item	Description
Backpack	Blue Jansport backpack
T-shirt	Plain T-shirt (color not specified)
Pants	Long pants (color and material not specified)
Cap	Baseball or golf-type cap (color not specified)
Glasses	Light-colored wire-frame glasses

Note: These items were associated with William David Shannon at the time of his disappearance on September 4th, 1995. They may be linked to a John Doe or could become associated with one in the future as part of ongoing identification efforts.

Down and Out in the Canadian Rockies

A BLEAK GLIMPSE INTO RESORT TOWN LIFE FROM A WORKER'S PERSPECTIVE

Get your copy of this engaging ebook now

Available on Amazon for Kindle or as a physical copy

Buy Now (Canada) Buy Now (USA)

Tags that I've associated with this blog post are below. It's interesting to see what can connect unrelated cases. Click one of the tags to go to an article that is related to this one in some way, shape, or form.

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.

Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing person's case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org William David Shannon', 'DoeNetwork William David Shannon', 'William David Shannon missing person', 'what happened to William David Shannon', 'missing Skykomish person', 'missing Washington person', 'missing Skykomish man', 'missing Washington man', 'missing Skykomish men', 'missing Washington men', 'missing man Skykomish', 'missing man Washington', 'missing from Skykomish', 'missing from Washington', 'Skykomish missing persons', 'Washington missing persons', 'William David Shannon missing from Washington', 'disappearance of William David Shannon', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to William David Shannon']

Richard Kalani Vierra -- Missing in Hawaii Since 2014

Paraphrased details from government source**: 

Richard went hiking alone on Saturday, July 5th, 2014 at approximately 6:30am at the Kamaileuna Ridge Trail near his home. He called his mother at 11:30 am to say he was coming down. He has not been seen or heard from since.

From his Facebook profile.

Missing Person: Richard Kalani Vierra
Last-contact date: July 5th, 2014 at about 11:28am
The area where the MP was last seen: Waianae, Hawaii at Kaimaile Mountain trail near Maiu'u Entrance
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White or Caucasian
Sex: Male
Age at time of disappearance: 15 years old
Birthdate: Richard Kalani Vierra was born between July 6th, 1998, and July 5th, 1999 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown
Scar: None known
Height/weight: 5'5" and 120 pounds
BMI*: Richard Kalani Vierra was in the normal range for BMI.
Tattoos: Richard Kalani Vierra did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles.

Richard Kalani Vierra was last heard from on July 5th, 2014 when he was 15 years of age. I am sure I found his inactive Facebook account where there are a lot of pictures of him. In my opinion, the NamUs photo isn't a good one. He looked like a very athletic teenager that was successful for his age group in martial arts. This individual has now been missing for about 7 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

What stands out with this case is the phone call that the mother made to her son. He apparently hiked to a mountain summit and phoned to say he was on his way back home. This was the last contact from the missing minor. When she called him again at 12:15pm then the call went to voicemail.

It's possible, even probable, that he suffered a hiking accident in the 47 minutes between the two calls. If he did, then his location at the time of the first phone call and his hiking speed create the search area. This was not an easy or safe hike according to my research.

I saw a video that filmed a missing person poster of him. It said he was hiking the Kaimaile Mountain trail and may have used Maiu'u Road Entrance. I think this would be referring to the Kamaileunu Ridge Hike and that his entry point to the trail would have been at the following Google Map coordinates: 21.46178191468302, -158.1992668024058.

The trail is rated as difficult at AllTrails.com. One reviewer at the site had this to say:

We found that it went way off to the left, but got very dangerous being over the edge of a cliff without places to hold on. We decided it wasn't worth it and turned back. The way back was difficult finding proper foot placement and not slipping on the steep, sandy sections. It took us about 3 hours and 15 minutes to get up to 1000 feet and back. Definitely a fun challenge, not sure if we'd do it again. -- Taylor Key, writing in September 2020

Furthermore, this trail has made the news before because of hikers falling. The following newspaper article references the trail, a near-fatal accident that occurred on it in 2003, and crumbling rock as a hazard.

The man that fell had his fall broken by trees and so he was able to guide search-and-rescue to his whereabouts with his cellular phone. The impression I got in reading the article below is that the man might have been difficult to find without him being able to provide verbal guidance by cellular. It would be interesting if this dangerous area was the same area that Richard was in when he went missing. 

Minimally, I think the case in the article below should be a case study for trying to find Richard as it may highlight a particularly dangerous spot where someone who falls may end up concealed. This case may call for a double skill-set of an expert hiker that's familiar with the trail who also is skilled at operating drones with cameras.

07 Jan 2003, Tue The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com

Richard Kalani Vierra may have had the following articles when he disappeared: blue backpack, blue shirt, shorts, and shoes. These items can be used to try and match a missing person to a John Doe. You can follow the tweets from the author of this blog. Follow Shane Lambert at Twitter. 

Author: Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert, (Freelance Writer) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of April 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Whenever possible, government sources are preferred for getting the details of a missing persons case. However, any source that the article writer deems reputable may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Richard Kalani Vierra', 'DoeNetwork Richard Kalani Vierra', 'Richard Kalani Vierra missing person', 'what happened to Richard Kalani Vierra', 'missing Waianae person', 'missing Hawaii person', 'missing Waianae man', 'missing Hawaii man', 'missing Waianae men', 'missing Hawaii men', 'missing man Waianae', 'missing man Hawaii', 'missing from Waianae', 'missing from Hawaii', 'Waianae missing persons', 'Hawaii missing persons', 'Richard Kalani Vierra missing from Hawaii', 'disappearance of Richard Kalani Vierra', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Richard Kalani Vierra']

Jessie Hoover -- Missing Since May 1983 in Maine

Paraphrased details from government source**:  

Jesse Hoover was last seen on May 20, 1983 at the Baxter State Park Headquarters. Hoover traveled to Maine from Texas to hike the Appalachian Trail. She had no special equipment or knowledge to aid her while hiking. Jesse was reported missing on July 11, 1983 by her sister.

Photo credit: Picture taken from Maine State Police website. Cropped and enhanced by RSS Flanagan on 11/21/2011.

Missing Person: Jessie Hoover

Last-contact date: May 20th, 1983
The area where the MP was last seen: Millinocket, Maine
Link to government source: NamUs MP 

VITAL DETAILS

Ethnicity: White/Caucasian
Sex: Female
Age at time of disappearance: 53 years old
Birthdate: June 13th, 1929
Hair: Gray or partially gray
Eyes: Blue
Scar: None listed
Height/weight: 5'8" and 240 to 250 pounds
BMI*: This individual was obese by BMI standards at the time of her disappearance.
Tattoos: Jessie Hoover did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.

Jessie Hoover was last heard from on May 20th, 1983 when she was 53 years of age. What stands out with this case to me is that she was going on a hiking trip that she was nowhere near prepared for. This individual has now been missing for about 38 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.

Apparently, she was planning to hike the Appalachian Trail with what could only be considered a haphazard plan. AllTrails.com describes this trail as extending from Maine to Georgia at a distance of 3,207 kilometers. This is a hike that would require planning, both in regard to what you bring with you and in regard to developing the fitness to carry what you need.

According to some sources, Jessie had a terrible plan for her hiking trip. For instance, CharleyProject stated this: "Hoover was going to climb Mount Katahdin on May 20, but park rangers refused to permit it because they felt she was unprepared. She was last seen at the trailhead of the 100-Mile Wilderness, the most remote stretch of the Appalachian Trail." The same source describes a woman who barely had any food with her. Meanwhile, the source below depicts a hiking plan in the same region by a different group of people. It shows what kind of planning in required for this trip, one that was once a 'rights of passage' journey for some Boy Scout youths.

22 Jun 1972, Thu The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) Newspapers.com

In addition to poor planning, there's also the question of Jessie's health. A newspaper source that will find below listed her as epileptic.

Additionally, her NamUs profile said she was 53 years old, up to 250 pounds, and just 5'8". When you plug those demographics into Body Mass Index calculators you get someone who is obese. At the age of 53, this wasn't an individual who had any hope of walking or hiking the Appalachian Trail or the 100-mile Wilderness trail.

In fact, I think a 250-pound 53-year old would have plenty of trouble with just a 10-mile trail. The plan, according to CharleyProject, was "to wire home for money and pick up her prescriptions as she passed through towns on the way." 

That plan sounds so fanciful that if all of it is taken at face value, then Jessie Hoover clearly wasn't in a strong place mentally from the start of her trip. This might have been suicide by hiking trail (ie. suicide by exposure).

This is a case, in my opinion, where Websleuths should be looking for a Jane Doe that didn't get too far up the 100-mile Wilderness trail. Jessie Hoover may have had the following articles when she disappeared: blue knapsack, blue jeans, blue shirt, and blue windbreaker. These items affiliated with a Jane Doe in that area should be compared to Jessie Hoover's case details.

In the sources I consulted, I found some inconsistencies with her middle name. CharleyProject listed it as Albertine but one newspaper source gave her the middle initial of "O." Some sources say she was 53 when she disappeared, others say 54. That may be due to the fact that her birthdate was close to the time she disappeared.

27 Jun 2009, Sat The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) Newspapers.com

Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities.

Author: Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada)

All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.

Shane Lambert (Vancouver, Canada) is not a Private Investigator, however, he is currently studying to be one as of March 2021.

If you like this blog, then you can join the affiliated Facebook group: MPC Facebook Group

Website hashtag: #MPCSL

*For BMI values, I use the UPPER or HIGHER ranges that are given for height and weight.
**Might not be the exact meaning that NamUs or Canada's Missing conveys. I improve upon their descriptions with my research.
Disclaimer: Non-opinionated information at this site generally comes from government sources or police reports. Other sources may be used.

['missing and murdered', 'Missing and murdered indigenous women', 'Shane Lambert Forsa', 'Shane Lambert Facebook', 'Missing person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Jessie Hoover', 'DoeNetwork Jessie Hoover', 'Jessie Hoover missing person', 'what happened to Jessie Hoover', 'missing Millinocket person', 'missing Maine person', 'missing Millinocket woman', 'missing Maine woman', 'missing Millinocket women', 'missing Maine women', 'missing woman Millinocket', 'missing woman Maine', 'missing from Millinocket', 'missing from Maine', 'Millinocket missing persons', 'Maine missing persons', 'Jessie Hoover missing from Maine', 'disappearance of Jessie Hoover', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Jessie Hoover']