Missing Person: Michelle Vanek Last-contact date: September 24th, 2005 at about 1pm or 130pm The area where the MP was last seen: Minturn, Colorado near the summit of Mount Holy Cross in an area referred to as "the Bowl of Tears." Link to government source: NamUs MP
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Caucasian Sex: Female Age at time of disappearance: 35 years old Birthdate: Michelle Vanek was born between September 25th, 1969, and September 24th, 1970 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. Hair: Blond/strawberry Eyes: Blue Scar: None indicated Height/weight: 5'7" and 150 pounds BMI*: Michelle Vanek was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos: Michelle Vanek did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.
Michelle Vanek was last heard from on September 24th, 2005 when she was 35 years of age.
This individual has now been missing for about 16 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. The following Youtube video would be close to the area where she was last seen. The panoramic view in the video may, in fact, be of the whereabouts of her remains. It's a good video to watch for a moment before reading this blog post.
Reportedly, she was hiking with a friend named Eric Sawyer, she stopped to rest, Eric continued on, and then the friend was not able to find her later. This lost-hiker pattern can also be seen in the Olga Mauer case from several decades ago and the Celeste Hensley Greub case from the 1970s. In all three cases, a person who was with someone stopped to rest during a hike and was never seen again.
Eric and Michelle made mistakes while trying to hike to the summit of the 14k-foot mountain. They started off wrong and ended up taking a lengthier path than what was required. This may have been a reason why each of them ran out of water. Eric also left his lunch in his vehicle and his water purifier.
Michelle Vanek's disappearance made the newspapers. The first instance of journalism I found was on September 28th, 2005, four days after Vanek disappeared. This article downplayed the likelihood of foul play and played up the possibility that Vanek got lost. Note, the watch that is mentioned in the article below did not belong to the missing woman as per subsequent journalism.
28 Sep 2005, Wed The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado) Newspapers.com
There was a lot of area to cover in this lost-hiker search and there were many so-called nooks and crannies where someone might have taken shelter from the wind if lost and forced to overnight. That she was without water certainly doesn't speak well to her survival chances. Furthermore, there is a condition known as altitude sickness that she might have suffered from. This sickness can include weakness and sleepiness.
At the time, this case led to the largest search in Colorado state history. However, Michelle remains missing. There was a squatter in the area, one who refused to answer questions from Sherrif investigators. Also, there was a question as to whether some blood spatter that was found belonged to Michelle.
06 Dec 2005, Tue Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com
Michelle Vanek may have had the following articles when she disappeared: a red shirt, black tights, a black shirt, a baseball cap, and hiking boots. I think she also had ski poles and a small Camelback water pack.
Author:Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Michelle Vanek', 'DoeNetwork Michelle Vanek', 'Michelle Vanek missing person', 'what happened to Michelle Vanek', 'missing Minturn person', 'missing Colorado person', 'missing Minturn woman', 'missing Colorado woman', 'missing Minturn women', 'missing Colorado women', 'missing woman Minturn', 'missing woman Colorado', 'missing from Minturn', 'missing from Colorado', 'Minturn missing persons', 'Colorado missing persons', 'Michelle Vanek missing from Colorado', 'disappearance of Michelle Vanek', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Michelle Vanek']
"Kristofer Couture drove his vehicle from Alberta to the lower mainland in British Columbia to find work and had cut off ties from his family. Kristofer worked construction for a short period of time while living in his vehicle near Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Kristofer also frequented a gym in Burnaby, British Columbia. Kristofer was last seen leaving the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster, British Columbia on January 26, 2019. His unoccupied vehicle was seen the following day parked at the Elk Mountain Trail in Chilliwack, British Columbia. Kristofer was reported missing on May 17, 2019 and his vehicle was found parked at the same location."
Missing Person: Kristofer Shawn Couture Last-contact date: January 26th, 2019 The area where the MP was last seen: Chilliwack, British Columbia Link to government source: MP @ Canada's Missing
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Caucasian Sex: Male Age at time of disappearance: 25 years old Birthdate: Kristofer Shawn Couture was born between January 27th, 1993, and January 26th, 1994 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact. Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown Scar: Below left eye (not clear in picture) Height/weight: 5'8" according to a poster, 5'11" according to Canada's Missing; 194 pounds Tattoos: Kristofer Shawn Couture did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, then please post a remark at the end of this blog post on the matter.
Popular hashtag: This blog post is part of a "trail hiking series" of posts on this blog. In these cases, the missing people are mentioned in conjunction with a trail or hiking area in reference to their disappearances. This blog post also has "car found person missing" as a tag. This tag describes situations where a person's vehicle is found but the owner or driver remains unaccounted for.
Kristofer Shawn Couture, a missing person, was last heard from on January 26th, 2019 when he was 25 years old. According to Canada's Missing, he was last seen leaving a hospital in New Westminster, the Royal Columbian Hospital.
Couture's case has been mentioned in conjunction with a fitness center that he frequented. This was the Goodlife center at 3433 North Road in Burnaby. The trail that his car was found near in Chilliwack is called the Elk Thurston Trail.
His vehicle was found on January 27th but it was not moved until May 6th. PleaseBringMeHome.com reports that the vehicle had been broken into between January 27th and May 6th. It's possible that clues, in this case, were thus interfered with.
This individual has now been missing for about 2 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. According to AllTrails.com, the "Elk Mountain Trail to Thurston Mountain is a 14.6 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada that features a great forest setting and is rated as difficult."
If Kristofer Couture was using this trail on January 26th, 2019, then he was using it a little out season: "The trail is primarily used for hiking and running and is best used from July until October."
The following video was taken at the trail a few months after Kristofer's disappearance. His vehicle (2003 Saturn ION, light blue with Alberta plates) may, in fact, have been in the area as these Youtubers made their video. As you can see from the April 2019 video below, winter/spring hiking of this trail requires a willingness to brave difficult footing. Accordingly, someone who was hiking alone may have been partaking in a risky adventure.
Reviews of the Elk Thurston Mountain trail dated December 17th, 2018, and January 4th, 2019 both mention challenging if not dangerous conditions. Brittany Pawliuk reviewed the trail as follows about five weeks before Kristofer disappeared:
"Did this hike with my bestie today and I gotta say, waist deep snow is not a whole lot of fun to hike in, especially when you don’t have the proper gear! But it was an amazing experience, and an even more amazing view ☺️
We were hiking for a total of about 7 hours today. after you reach elk (which is straight ice on the way up be careful), it turns into knee high snow and then thigh high, and then waist high the closer you get to Thurston!! We made it within 1 km of Thurston and had to turn around due to the snow and not having proper gear and day light."
Furthermore, a review from about three weeks earlier mentioned carrying an "avalanche shovel." This reviewer claimed that spiked shoes were required for the trail in January of 2019.
Trail hiking will always present some dangers. In Kristofer's case, we have to wonder if he was lost in an avalanche. I'm not sure if all of these occurrences are documented but I am guessing that they are not. However, if someone finds a reference to an avalanche in the area at about the time of his disappearance then what would be interesting to note.
A hiking expert who seemed to know something about the Mount Thurston Trail made these statements at besthikesbc.ca:
"Disclaimer: Winter hiking (snowshoeing) involves significantly more risk than summer hiking. Hikers should be prepared with appropriate education, training and equipment for all possibilities, including but not limited to avalanches. A mistake such as going off trail, getting lost or injured can be far more dangerous in winter than summer. You are responsible for your own safety, and while I am happy to give my opinion on this website as to the avalanche risk of a specific hike, do not take this as fact and please do your own research. Everybody has different risk tolerances and mine might be different to yours."
In addition to the chance that Kristofer Couture fell victim to an avalanche, in my opinion, we have to wonder what it means for someone to go missing when they were last seen at a hospital. This is a venue where people often receive news that they don't necessarily want to hear. It's possible that Kristofer was despondent.
While I did read that many volunteers and family searched the trail and the area where Kristofer's vehicle was found, he was also a very fit individual as evidenced by his dedication to going to the gym. If he was really fit, then he could have gone deep into the woods. That would serve to make the search area for this missing person quite large.
The time of day that he was last seen is also relevant in this case, however, I couldn't find it. I note that on January 26th, 2019, the sunset in Chilliwack was at about 453pm.
As for similar cases at this blog, Kristofer's case reminded me of the case of Wynn Lindsey. Lindsey disappeared in Hawaii in 2015. He was a really fit individual whose car was found near a trailhead. The two cases are not related but I do like comparing and contrasting similar cases as food for thought.
Please share this article to social media using hashtags that are related to where the missing person went missing from, which is Chilliwack, British Columbia.
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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Kristofer Shawn Couture', 'DoeNetwork Kristofer Shawn Couture', 'Kristofer Shawn Couture missing person', 'what happened to Kristofer Shawn Couture', 'missing Chilliwack person', 'missing British Columbia person', 'missing Chilliwack man', 'missing British Columbia man', 'missing Chilliwack men', 'missing British Columbia men', 'missing man Chilliwack', 'missing man British Columbia', 'missing from Chilliwack', 'missing from British Columbia', 'Chilliwack missing persons', 'British Columbia missing persons', 'Kristofer Shawn Couture missing from British Columbia', 'disappearance of Kristofer Shawn Couture', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Kristofer Shawn Couture']
"Celeste went missing in the year 1976. She went hiking in the Big Horns with a group of people. She elected to take a break near the trailhead and when the group came back, she was gone."
Missing Person: Celeste Hensley Greub
Last-contact date: August 10th, 1976 before 5pm
22 Aug 1976, Sun Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com
The area where the MP was last seen: Kaycee, Wyoming in the Cloud Peak Primitive Area of the Big Horn Mountains
Ethnicity: Caucasian Sex: Female Age at time of disappearance: 20 years old Birthdate: December 3rd, 1955 (I think) Hair: Not known Eyes: Not known Scar: No scars known Height/weight: 5'2" and weighs 115-120 pounds Tattoos: Celeste Hensley did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles.
The NamUs profile, at the time of writing, was not complete for Celeste Hensley. It was missing the date of the disappearance and her body dimensions. For the record, the missing person was 5'2" and 115 to 120 pounds and I think she went missing on August 10th, 1976. The earliest journalism I found covering this case was from Tuesday, August 17th, 1976 and it said that she went missing the previous Tuesday.
17 Aug 1976, Tue Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com
This individual has now been missing for about 45 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. If you are researching this individual's background, then she was described as being "of Casper" in many news articles so focus on Casper, Wyoming. On Ancestry, I think she is Wyma Celeste Hensley born on December 3rd, 1955 in Montana.
What stands out with this case, at least at first glance, is that she was having marital problems at the time of her disappearance. However, I had trouble picturing her husband disappearing her given the remote location that she went missing in.
She was a part of a trio of female backpackers: two went to climb a peak while Celeste elected to rest. When the two peak-climbers returned to collect Celeste, they found that she was gone. I don't think the husband could go into the backcountry and lay in wait for her because it seemed that her decision to separate from the group was a random thing at a hard-to-predict location. There was an insinuation in some media coverage that she might have wanted to disappear because she was described as "distraught."
One interesting point that I read in the journalism was that the search area was very challenging. One searcher said there were canyons or drop-offs near where she went missing that you could drop cars into.
19 Aug 1976, Thu Casper Star-Tribune (Casper, Wyoming) Newspapers.com
This case had some similarities to another case I did research on in the past. Despite occurring 42 years earlier, the case of Olga Mauer has a lot in common with the case of Celeste Hensley Greub. Both Mauer and Hensley-Greub disappeared under similar circumstances.
Reportedly, both women were in the backcountry and voluntarily separated from their companion(s)
When the companion(s) returned, they found the woman was not where they expected her
Enormous searches were conducted
Neither Mauer nor Greub has been heard from or seen since
Coincidentally, both of the disappearances were in the state of Wyoming
My opinion on both cases is the same. Mauer and Grueb probably each got bored of waiting and decided to try and venture back alone. Some kind of mishap happened during this time. The route into the backcountry doesn't look the same when it's played in reverse so getting lost in the forest is a possibility. Additionally, there are wild animals out there. As always, suicide and abduction can't be discounted.
When it comes to finding Greub, it should be noted that a huge search effort was funded by the family. However, there were areas that were not deemed searchable. Jane Does found in the Big Horn Mountains near Buffalo, Wyoming might be Greub but all Websleuths have to compare with at this point is a height of 5'2".
Please, take a moment to share this blog post on social media using hashtags relevant to the missing person's area. Also, please include the website hashtag #MPCSL.
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 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Celeste Hensley', 'DoeNetwork Celeste Hensley', 'Celeste Hensley missing person', 'what happened to Celeste Hensley', 'missing Kaycee person', 'missing Wyoming person', 'missing Kaycee woman', 'missing Wyoming woman', 'missing Kaycee women', 'missing Wyoming women', 'missing woman Kaycee', 'missing woman Wyoming', 'missing from Kaycee', 'missing from Wyoming', 'Kaycee missing persons', 'Wyoming missing persons', 'Celeste Hensley missing from Wyoming', 'disappearance of Celeste Hensley', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Celeste Hensley']
"Thomas was last seen walking with family members on a trail in Arroyo Seco Canyon. Thomas ran ahead to the family vehicle and when his family members arrived at the vehicle the child was not there."
Missing Person: Thomas Eldon Bowman Last-contact date: March 23rd, 1957 at about 5pm
This could be disputed as there were witnesses that claimed to have seen him later than the time mentioned above. However, March 23rd, 1957 at about 5pm is a non-challenged sighting time.
The area where the MP was last seen: Altadena, California near the Arroyo Seca Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains above Devil's Gate Dam. Link to government source: NamUs MP
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Caucasian Sex: Male Age at time of disappearance: 8 years old Birthdate: Thomas Eldon Bowman was born between March 24th, 1948, and March 23rd, 1949 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact. Hair: Blond/strawberry Eyes: Brown Scar: No scars known Height/weight: 4'0" and 50 pounds
Thomas Eldon Bowman, a missing person, was last seen on March 23rd, 1957 when he was 8 years old. This missing person case is a part of a series of cases that I decided to group together that are unified by the theme of hiking or trails. Thomas was last seen on a hiking trail.
What happened, according to the early journalism, is that he was part of a six-person hiking excursion that included his father, Eldon Bowman, and "four youngsters." Thomas "became separated" from the group, he was not found before dusk, and then the father summoned the authorities to help. The area that the boy was lost was in is the San Gabriel Mountains above Devil's Gate Dam. Below is the earliest journalism I found that mentioned the missing boy.
24 Mar 1957, Sun The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) Newspapers.com
This individual has now been missing for about 64 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. There was a lot of journalism in this case for the weeks that followed the disappearance. This case went from being a lost child-hiker to an expected abduction. Furthermore, someone tried to extort the father.
The clothing was a clue in this case. One witness said he saw Thomas Eldon Bowman in the company of a dirty/transient man. Thomas had a Davy Crockett belt buckle, a t-shirt, and jeans. The belt buckle was described by the ten-year-old witness who thought he saw Thomas.
When I read the NamUs description, this seemed like a parking-lot abduction. I didn't come across anything in the journalism that made me think otherwise. There was a ruddy transient who was known to hang around in the area of the parking lot. He was seen the night that the child disappeared but was not seen in the area afterward.
26 Mar 1957, Tue News-Pilot (San Pedro, California) Newspapers.com
This case is a little different than most of the missing person cases that are associated with trail hiking. Thomas's disappearance has a little more to do with the parking lot than the trail in my opinion.
Furthermore, many missing trail hikers are adults that, I think, usually face dangers while hiking or they hike in an unsafe manner (ie. alone). However, Thomas is a young minor who, according to the prevailing theory, was likely abducted. If anything, the case reminds me of the disappearance of Trenny Gibson, however, even that case is very different.
Thomas Eldon Bowman had the following distinctive characteristic: 'missing two teeth.' This characteristic of his would only be relevant if he died close to the time of his abduction. If he aged at all then it stands to reason that his teeth would have matured in kind.
You can click the "trail hiking series" hashtag at the end of this blog post to bring up all the missing person cases profiled on this website that have something to do with nature trails or nature hiking.
Author:@UncoolNegated on Twitter
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
@UncoolNegated on Twitter 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Thomas Eldon Bowman', 'DoeNetwork Thomas Eldon Bowman', 'Thomas Eldon Bowman missing person', 'what happened to Thomas Eldon Bowman', 'missing Altadena person', 'missing California person', 'missing Altadena man', 'missing California man', 'missing Altadena men', 'missing California men', 'missing man Altadena', 'missing man California', 'missing from Altadena', 'missing from California', 'Altadena missing persons', 'California missing persons', 'Thomas Eldon Bowman missing from California', 'disappearance of Thomas Eldon Bowman', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Thomas Eldon Bowman']
On July 2nd, 1975, at approximately 8:30 pm, Michelle returned to her residence and left shortly after. Her bicycle was later located near her home at the intersection of John and Dominion Street, Moncton.
Missing Person: Michelle Lise Wedge Last-contact date: July 2nd, 1975 (Wednesday) The area where the MP was last seen: Moncton, New Brunswick Link to government source: MP @ Canada's Missing
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: White/Caucasian Sex: Female Age at time of disappearance: 7 years old Birthdate: December 1st, 1967 Hair: Blonde Eyes: Brown Scar: No scars known Height/weight: 4'0"
Michelle Lise Wedge was last heard from on July 2nd, 1975 when she was 7 years of age. As of July 2025, this person will have been missing for 50 years.
What stands out with this case is that one witness reported seeing a young girl get in a vehicle on the evening of Michelle's disappearance. This happened at the intersection where Michelle is thought to have disappeared.
Furthermore, some witnesses provided a description of a man they saw speaking to the missing child. Please read the snipped newspaper article below. The man was thought to be in his last 30s, dark complexion, black hair, a scar on the right side of his face, and he had a "strange voice."
The missing person was wearing shorts, stockings, sandals (size 3), and a red-and-white checkered shirt. These articles of clothing may be associated with a Jane Doe either now or in the future. If you come across a Jane Doe with these particulars, then be sure to cross-reference the case details.
I did not find a ton of media coverage of this case, however, there was a little. For instance, there was a CBC article on the topic online in 2019.
However, this article didn't mention the description of the suspect. There was a picture of the bicycle that she had with her the night she disappeared.
Furthermore, police involved with the investigation stated that they were looking at the case as a criminal case. They have details that they are not making public.
Some of the details of this case remind me of the case of Michael Dunahee, who went missing in Victoria, BC in 1991. While there are stark differences in both cases there is a suggestion that the missing child was lured into a vehicle. Also, in both cases the witnesses to the potential abduction were children.
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 (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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Michelle Lise Wedge', 'DoeNetwork Michelle Lise Wedge', 'Michelle Lise Wedge missing person', 'what happened to Michelle Lise Wedge', 'missing Moncton person', 'missing New Brunswick person', 'missing Moncton woman', 'missing New Brunswick woman', 'missing Moncton women', 'missing New Brunswick women', 'missing woman Moncton', 'missing woman New Brunswick', 'missing from Moncton', 'missing from New Brunswick', 'Moncton missing persons', 'New Brunswick missing persons', 'Michelle Lise Wedge missing from New Brunswick', 'disappearance of Michelle Lise Wedge', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Michelle Lise Wedge']
The Disappearance of Jesse Glen Pinegar: An Unsolved Mystery
Details from Utah's Department of Public Safety**:
"Jesse Glen Pinegar flew to Hawaii from his home in Orem, Utah for a vacation in January 2008. He hiked into the Kalalau Valley and set up a campsite five miles from the trailhead. He stayed in contact with his family by cellular phone. His family last heard from him on March 24, 2008. He told them he was going to take one last hike before coming back home to attend a family event. He has never been seen again. After his disappearance, another hiker found Pinegar’s campsite abandoned with all his personal belongings, including his clothing, camping equipment and iPod, only his wallet, cellular phone and backpack were missing. His case remains unsolved."
Key Details of Jesse Glen Pinegar’s Missing Person Case
Missing Person: Jesse Glen Pinegar Last-contact date: March 24th, 2008 The area where the MP was last seen: Waiahuakua Valley, Hawaii, likely near the Hanakoa Stream on the Kalalau Trail. Link to government source: NamUs MP
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: White/Caucasian Sex: Male Age at time of disappearance: 22 years old Birthdate: October 28th, 1985 Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown Scar: No scars known Height/weight: 5'6" to 6'2" and 170 to 185 pounds Tattoos: This missing person might be identifiable through his tattoos. Please note that he had the following: Celtic Tree of Life, right shoulder, includes only the tree, not the green border. Celtic Boar on his left side.
18 Feb 2021, Thu Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Georgia) Newspapers.com
Timeline of Jesse Glen Pinegar’s Last Known Moments
Jesse Glen Pinegar, a missing person, was last heard from on March 24th, 2008 when he was 22 years old.
This individual was missing for about 13 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. However, as of 2025, he has been missing for 17 years.
This individual was from Orem, Utah. He was reported missing on April 13th, 2008. That was 20 days after he made a final phone call to his family advising that he was going hiking.
One thing that I noticed while researching this case was that NamUs and CharleyProject gave different heights for the individual. NamUs has him at 5'7" at the taller range and CharleyProject had him at 6'2".
I listed the entire range and decided not to include BMI in this case. Meanwhile, a news source said he was 6'1" so it seems no one knows his exact height.
Of course, if he is found as a John Doe, then having his height correct could definitely help ahead of DNA testing (which can take a very long time to conduct).
02 May 2008, Fri The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com
This individual appeared to be an avid hiker and nature enthusiast. In his last contact, he indicated that he was going to take "one last hike" before he planned to return to Utah.
That phrase is quoted from NamUs and it's unclear if he used the term verbatim. There are dark undertones with the use of the statement, hinting at suicide in respect to the fact that he has now been unaccounted for since 2008. However, it could also be that he had grandiose plans for his last hike as well, which may have included greater risks as he knew he might not be in the area again.
He is thought to have had his wallet, his backpack, and his cell phone with him during this last hike. Other items he owned were found at a campsite by another hiker. Jesse had been in Hawaii since January 2008.
Exploring the Kalalau Trail: Jesse’s Last Hike
The sources on this missing person case all stated that his campsite was five miles from a trailhead. I believe that trailhead was the Kalalau Trail.
This trail is one that you can 'drop down' on using Google Maps. When I look at the five-mile point, it seems that it was very close to Hanakoa Stream. I did find a newspaper article that said this stream was the five-mile point on the trail. A stream would certainly be a strategic spot to set up camp.
Accordingly, I wondered if this stream was Jesse Pinegar's source of freshwater as he camped. If so, then it should be noted that this stream is known for flash flooding and disappearing people.
Take a moment to read the articles snipped below as they highlight how dangerous this area is.
24 Jan 1980, Thu The Honolulu Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com
10 Aug 2014, Sun Honolulu Star-Advertiser (Honolulu, Hawaii) Newspapers.com
There are a lot of missing hikers in the world or missing people that were associated with hiking trails in the events that preceded their disappearances. Perhaps the most famous missing hiker is Paula Jean Welden, missing since 1945 from Bennington, Vermont, and well-covered in this blog.
My understanding of the Jesse Pinegar case was that he was pretty familiar with the area despite the fact that he was from out of state. That's the impression that I got from reading about his case. I think the fact that he set up camp indicates that he was in the area for at least a short time.
Furthermore, he said in his last phone call that he was going for "one last hike." That suggests that he had taken multiple, if not numerous, hikes already in the area. I would say that the phrase has an ominous characteristic as well. It does strike me as strange that he should survive all of his previous hikes before disappearing on what he said would be his last.
The Dangers of Hiking Alone on the Kalalau Trail
But I decided to focus on the dangerous trail in this case. My research into the Kalalau Trail found that there are cases of missing people on it from time to time. However, in a couple of cases I looked at, the people were found. Hiking is never perfectly safe and hiking alone is a no-no according to hiking safety manuals.
05 Sep 2020, Sat The Garden Island (Lihue, Hawaii) Newspapers.com
My former blog is a hiking blog and I will say this: experienced hikers can suffer mishaps. That's especially the case for someone hiking alone as Jesse seems to have been. But, if we throw out suicide, my guess is that it wasn't hiking trails that disappeared Jesse but the ocean.
Could Rogue Waves Explain Jesse Pinegar’s Disappearance?
In my research of the area where he went missing, I understood that the beaches had instances of rogue waves. These kinds of waves are not tidal waves. However, they can claim people from beaches or rocks. They are random in the sense that their occurrences cannot really be predicted. If there are rogue waves known to affect the region, then it stands to reason that there can also be large waves.
Kami Vollendroff is an individual that's missing from Oregon whose case is covered in this blog. She and her friend were thought to have been claimed by a large wave as they walked beachside. It could happen to anyone that walks along the ocean side.
To investigate the chance that a large wave or rogue wave might have claimed Jesse, we do need to presume that his final hike before heading back to Utah would have been to the beach. I can think of no way of proving that.
However, Utah, his home, is inland and mountainous. Take it or leave it, but I think he's more likely to take one last look at the Pacific Ocean in Hawaii before heading back to Orem than do a mountain trail.
Why the Kalalau Trail Remains a Dangerous Mystery
I had another look at this case in March 2025. There had been another disappearance in the area, one that affected Lauren M. Cameron, a 32-year-old woman from Anchorage, Alaska.
She was at Hanakāpīʻai Beach on the Kalalau Trail in Kauai, Hawaii, and her disappearance serves to underline the enduring danger of the greater area.
On December 11th, 2024, around 3:00 PM, Kauai officials were alerted to a swimmer in distress at Hanakāpīʻai Beach, just two miles from the Kē‘ē Beach trailhead. Reports suggest Cameron entered the water, possibly to rinse off after a hike
But this was only to be swept away by powerful currents. That she was hiking and ended up lost to the ocean is a stark similarity to the theories that Pinegar, who was a hiker in the area, may have been claimed by the ocean.
Her boyfriend tossed a flotation device in a futile attempt to save her, and she was last seen in a blue bikini, clinging to rocks 100 yards west of the beach before vanishing into the surf. Unlike Pinegar, whose campsite was found abandoned with belongings intact, Cameron’s disappearance unfolded in real-time near the water, yet both cases point to the trail’s lethal mix of isolation and unpredictable coastal hazards.
Furthermore, the terms "Kalalau Trail" and "rogue wave" produced some hits in Newspaper.com's archive. Notably, a rogue wave made news in 2020 along the trail with people displaced due to its force. I think Jesse might have been affected by a large wave in 2008, even if it wasn't a rogue wave.
02 Jan 2020, Thu The Garden Island (Lihue, Hawaii) Newspapers.com
Furthermore, the Kalalau Trail, in my research, struck me as more dangerous than most trails. The area has steep and unstable surfaces that seem to lead to hazards below. In fact, this trail was named as a top-ten trail for danger in 2008 by Backpacker Magazine. That's the same year that Jesse went missing. It really seems that there are a dozen ways to meet danger on the Kalalau Trail. I recommend clicking and reading the snipped article below.
If Jesse was lost to the water, then the chances of finding him are remote. If he's in the forest, then it stands to reason that he'll eventually be found. However, one look at the following Youtube video and you will get a great idea of just how dangerous this trail is for hikers.
One source I found said that he had previously fractured his ankle and arm. Honestly, I don't like the source that much but it appeared to have copied and pasted a previous version of Jesse's NamUs profile. Bone fractures are important when comparing missing people to unidentified remains so they are worth noting.
If these kinds of mysteries or articles intrigue you, then be sure to bookmark this blog.
Author:S.K. Lambert (Blogger Hobbyist and Freelance Writer)
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
S.K. Lambert (Blogger Hobbyist and Freelance Writer) 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Jesse Glen Pinegar', 'DoeNetwork Jesse Glen Pinegar', 'Jesse Glen Pinegar missing person', 'what happened to Jesse Glen Pinegar', 'missing Waiahuakua Valley person', 'missing Hawaii person', 'missing Waiahuakua Valley man', 'missing Hawaii man', 'missing Waiahuakua Valley men', 'missing Hawaii men', 'missing man Waiahuakua Valley', 'missing man Hawaii', 'missing from Waiahuakua Valley', 'missing from Hawaii', 'Waiahuakua Valley missing persons', 'Hawaii missing persons', 'Jesse Glen Pinegar missing from Hawaii', 'disappearance of Jesse Glen Pinegar', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Jesse Glen Pinegar']
"On May 30, 1986, Edward Ludwig left his work site at Bow Valley Provincial Park, AB, to go boating on Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park, AB. Mr. Ludwig was despondent when he left. His vehicle was located at Lake Minnewanka, AB and an unoccupied boat was found floating on the lake."
Missing Person: Edward Konrad Ludwig Last-contact date: May 30th, 1986 (Friday) The area where the MP was last seen: The Lake Minnewanka area of Banff National Park, less than ten minutes driving north from the town of Banff. Link to government source: MP @ Canada's Missing
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Caucasian Sex: Male Age at time of disappearance: 27 years old Birthdate: Edward Konrad Ludwig was born between May 31st, 1958, and May 30th, 1959 based on his reported age at the last date of reported contact. Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown Scar: Chin Height/weight: 6'3" and 194 pounds BMI*: Edward Konrad Ludwig was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos: Edward Konrad Ludwig had no tattoos associated with his profiles.
No one has heard from Edward Konrad Ludwig since Friday, May 30th, 1986, when he was 27 years of age.
This individual has now been missing for about 39 years as of early 2025.
His car was found near Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park. This town is near the town of Banff and it is just 20 minutes or so driving west from Canmore, which is the town that Ludwig is missing from.
What stands out about this case is that he was reported to be "despondent" in his profile at Canada's Missing. Furthermore, his vehicle was found at Lake Minnewanka, and his empty "boat" was floating in the lake. The location of his boat, which was actually an inflatable raft according to journalism from 1986, is interesting because it really sounds like he fell in the lake or, perhaps, killed himself at the lake.
There was a search of the area with dogs and divers employed. The missing person was a park ranger whose father was a judge, so I think a very diligent search would have been performed.
Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake, meaning that it is fed by melting snow off of the caps of the mountains in the area. You do not go into Lake Minnewanka unless it's absolutely at the peak time of summer. Even then, you would only go in the lake for about a minute, and if you don't mind a chill afterward. The water is very cold at this lake, and on May 30th, the day in 1986 when he went missing, the water would have been absolutely frigid. Even if it was a warm day for the region, it's the melting snowcaps that flow into the lake, and the water would still be freezing.
I waded in this lake in the summer of 2020. My feet were hurting from the lake-water temperature in only minutes. I didn't enter the water fully. But I noticed that people who did enter the lake only waded for moments although it was the summertime. The following video is one I made at Lake Minnewanka that day. Notice, that I can't stop talking about how cold the lake is.
When I read the case details, I don't see his raft drifting out to the middle of the lake without him in it. Furthermore, I don't see someone going out with him and then pushing him in and swimming to shore. The lake is so cold that even short swims in May would be incredibly risky. Whether he fell in the lake by accident or attempted suicide, someone submerged in Lake Minnewanka would be at risk of hypothermia.
To me, suicide via Lake Minnewanka doesn't sound like a comfortable death. However, it is hard to look past Canada's Missing description that states that this individual was despondent for some reason.
Furthermore, I found no headlines mentioning suspected foul play in this case. Lastly, I lean toward suicide because this man was a park ranger and would have understood the risks of going out on the lake at that time of year. For sure, he would have been aware that he should not have entered the water if he cared about his health.
If a male drowns in a lake, then there is a known process that usually occurs. The individual sinks as water replaces oxygen in his body cavities. Then, the organisms that are still alive in the body continue to produce gases. These gases help bring the body to the surface. It's at this point when the body might be found and this initial process can take about a week. However, eventually, the gasses will be released and the body will sink -- perhaps for ages.
Women go through a similar process when they drown. However, extra body fat, especially in busty women, can help them float.
Finding Edward Ludwig now would mean staying open-minded to the possibility that any human remains found in the area are his. Due to how much time has passed since 1986, his body might not be intact.
Please, take a moment to share this blog post on social media using hashtags relevant to the missing person's area. Also, please include the website hashtag #MPCSL.
Author:@UncoolNegated on Twitter
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
@UncoolNegated on Twitter 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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 person Facebook Group', "Canada's Missing", 'CharleyProject.org Edward Konrad Ludwig', 'DoeNetwork Edward Konrad Ludwig', 'Edward Konrad Ludwig missing person', 'what happened to Edward Konrad Ludwig', 'missing Canmore person', 'missing Alberta person', 'missing Canmore man', 'missing Alberta man', 'missing Canmore men', 'missing Alberta men', 'missing man Canmore', 'missing man Alberta', 'missing from Canmore', 'missing from Alberta', 'Canmore missing persons', 'Alberta missing persons', 'Edward Konrad Ludwig missing from Alberta', 'disappearance of Edward Konrad Ludwig', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Edward Konrad Ludwig']
"De Qian Rang was last seen on April 20, 1992, in the Village of Elora, Ontario. At the time of her disappearance, De Qian and her husband operated the 'Abacus Restaurant', south of Elora. An extensive police investigation has failed to locate Mrs. Rang. Police suspect foul play in her disappearance."
Missing Person: De Qian Rang
Alias: Maria Rang (might be her Canadianized name as many immigrants do that) Last-contact date: April 20th, 1992 The area where the MP was last seen: Elora, Ontario Link to government source: MP @ Canada's Missing
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Asian Sex: Female Age at time of disappearance: 29 years old Birthdate: Deqian Rang was born between April 21st, 1962, and April 20th, 1963 based on her reported age at the last date of reported contact. Hair: Black, long Eyes: Brown Scar: None listed Height/weight: 5'4" and 110 pounds BMI*: Deqian Rang was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos: Deqian Rang did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, then please post a remark at the end of this blog post on the matter.
De Qian Rang has not been seen since April 20th, 1992 when she was 29 years old. Of the resource I consulted, the DoeNetwork page for this missing person had the best description of circumstances surrounding this disappearance. That site discussed "a stormy relationship" with her husband, "extramarital affairs," the husband not filing a report of her missing but friends having to do it instead, and the husband's arrest in 1993 followed by his acquittal in December 1994.
This individual has now been missing for about 29 years as of the original publication date of this blog post. I wasn't able to locate any newspaper coverage for this case, nor did the missing person produce a hit in Ancestry. However, those databases update from time to time. If you have access to the Elora Sentinel, then that might be where you get some hits.
The following Youtube video contains information about the case, including newspaper articles that aren't available with my memberships. The information in the video seems to be derived from the same source as the DoeNetwork description.
Author:Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. Disclaimer: To determine whether a person is missing or not, this site relies heavily on government sources. If you are described as missing when you are not, I recommend simply having your missing person report updated or removed. When that happens, updates at this site can follow.
['CharleyProject.org Deqian Rang', 'DoeNetwork Deqian Rang', 'Deqian Rang missing person', 'what happened to Deqian Rang', 'missing Elora person', 'missing Ontario person', 'missing Elora woman', 'missing Ontario woman', 'missing Elora women', 'missing Ontario women', 'missing woman Elora', 'missing woman Ontario', 'missing from Elora', 'missing from Ontario', 'Elora missing persons', 'Ontario missing persons', 'Deqian Rang missing from Ontario', 'disappearance of Deqian Rang', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Deqian Rang']
Mr. Smith was last seen by his mother when he left home after having received a telephone call.
Missing Person: Austin Jay Smith Last-contact date: March 23rd, 1993 in the evening The area where the MP was last seen: El Monte, California with an indication that his former boss saw him at Rosemead High School in the auditorium Link to government source: NamUs MP
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: White or Caucasian Sex: Male Age at time of disappearance: 23 years old Birthdate: August 13th, 1969 Hair: Brown, shorter than collar-length Eyes: Blue Scar: None listed Height/weight: 5'6" and 140 pounds BMI*: Austin Jay Smith was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos: Austin Jay Smith did not have any tattoos associated with his profiles. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, then please post a remark at the end of this blog post on the matter.
Austin Jay Smith ("Jay") was last heard from on March 23rd, 1993 when he was 23 years of age.
This individual has now been missing for about 28 years as of the original publication date of this blog post.
I didn't find anything in the Newspaper.com archives for this missing person, however, his case made web-based news in March 2021 (CBS Los Angeles). Austin was an aspiring accountant, he still lived with his mother at the time of his disappearance, it was this residence that he left before never being seen since, and he had a business meeting. Originally investigated as a missing person case, this one was changed to a homicide investigation sometime between 1993 and 2013.
The CBS Los Angeles article indicates that there is a suspect in the case. The individual that Jay was going to a meeting with was a former employer and someone that Jay had blown a whistle on. The meat of this was that Jay had written a letter stating that the unnamed individual had rented out equipment and space that he did not own. The CBS Los Angeles article is definitely recommended reading for those interested in this case.
When it comes to finding Jay, the several items he was thought to have in his possession should be noted. These items can be cross-referenced against John Does. Note a keyring with several keys, a brown leather wallet with photos, ID, bank cards, a gray/yellow plaid shirt, a white muscle undershirt, gray dress pants, and gray dress shoes.
Furthermore, there was an indication that Jay might have been put in a barrel in the CBSLA article so human remains found in a barrel are important to note as well. A barrel was missing from the auditorium that Jay was known to have gone to. If you come across a news article or John Doe that was found in a barrel then think of cross-referencing the details of that case with this one.
The individual that is considered a suspect, in this case, was reportedly gone for two weeks. That could create a large search area, even national, in fact. Police believe that Austin was murdered the same day he disappeared.
Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities.
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 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. Disclaimer: Non-opinionated information at this site generally comes from government sources or police reports. Other sources may be used.
['CharleyProject.org Austin Jay Smith', 'DoeNetwork Austin Jay Smith', 'Austin Jay Smith missing person', 'what happened to Austin Jay Smith', 'missing El Monte person', 'missing California person', 'missing El Monte man', 'missing California man', 'missing El Monte men', 'missing California men', 'missing man El Monte', 'missing man California', 'missing from El Monte', 'missing from California', 'El Monte missing persons', 'California missing persons', 'Austin Jay Smith missing from California', 'disappearance of Austin Jay Smith', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Austin Jay Smith']
The case involves the disappearance of Wilda Cross, a record-setting competitive water skier who lived in Webster Parish and operated Cross jewelry store in Bossier City with her husband. State Police took over the investigation as a "cold case" sent to them by the Webster Parish Sheriff's Department. The Crosses were living in Sibley when she disappeared on March 23, 1992. "The last time she was seen was 7:30 that morning, and hasn't been seen since," State Police Trooper Phillip Krouse said. "It's almost like she fell off the face of the earth." Cross had been gone for three days when her husband told her family she had disappeared, Krouse said. The family contacted authorities. Krouse said Mrs. Cross has not contacted family members or friends since March 23, 1992. He's asking for friends with information about Cross to contact State Police.
Missing Person: Wilda Jean Cross Last-contact date: March 23rd, 1992 at 730 AM The area where the MP was last seen: Sibley, Louisiana Link to government source: NamUs MP
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Caucasian Sex: Female Age at time of disappearance: 39 years old Birthdate: February 24th, 1953 Hair: Sandy blond Eyes: Brown Scar: Right ear Height/weight: 5'3" and 140 pounds BMI*: Wilda Jean Cross was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos: Wilda Jean Cross had no tattoos associated with her profile.
Wilda Jean Cross has not been seen since March 23rd, 1992 when she was 39 years old.
This individual has now been missing for about 33 years as of 2025.
What stands out in this case is that she was having an affair at the time of her disappearance. The day she disappeared she was supposed to attend a marriage-counseling meeting to try and reconcile with her husband. The husband showed up to this meeting and Wilda did not. Three days later, the husband reported Wilda missing to the family who, in turn, reported her missing to the police.
I found what I believed to be her mailing address on Ancestry in 1992 to be RR 1 POB 499 which I am interpreting as Range Road 1 Post-office box 499 with a zip of 71073. That sounds like a roadside mailbox kind of address as opposed to her home address, which would be her last-known location in this case.
The missing person did not have any articles or items associated with her missing person's reports, at least of the sources that I consulted. Thank you for reading. If have any information about this case, consider contacting the authorities.
Author:Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. Disclaimer: To determine whether a person is missing or not, this site relies heavily on government sources. If you are described as missing when you are not, I recommend simply having your missing person report updated or removed. When that happens, updates at this site can follow.
Details from NamUs** (the time in the description below is disputed):
"21-year-old Lillian Rochelle Holmes went missing in Pasadena California on 3/22/1984.
Lillian was last seen by her father when she left her Pasadena home at approximately 6:30 am on her way to start a new job demonstrating products at Robinsons in the Santa Anita Mall located in Arcadia, CA.
Lillian was last seen boarding an RTD bus in Pasadena carrying a blue dress over her shoulder. Lillian was never seen or heard from again.
It is believed that Lillian never made it to the new job at the mall but it is unknown where exactly she vanished along her journey between her home and the mall."
Missing Person: Lillian Rochelle Holmes Last-contact date: March 22nd, 1984 (Thursday) -- NamUs says she was seen at 630AM, another source says noon to 1pm The area where the MP was last seen: Pasadena, California at Lake Avenue and Rio Grande Street Link to government source: NamUs MP14475
VITAL DETAILS
Ethnicity: Black (described as a light-skinned mulatto) Sex: Female Age at time of disappearance: 21 years old Birthdate: January 23rd, 1963 Hair: Brown Eyes: Hazel Scar: None indicated Height/weight: 5'2" to 5'5" and 105 to 120 pounds BMI*: Lillian Rochelle Holmes was in the normal range for BMI. Tattoos: Lillian Rochelle Holmes did not have any tattoos associated with her profiles. If you know that the missing person did have tattoos, then please post a remark at the end of this blog post on the matter.
By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: March 22nd, 2021
Lillian Rochelle Holmes was last heard from on March 22nd, 1984 when she was 21 years of age.
This individual disappeared during her commute on what was her first day of a new job according to the NamUs description. She has been missing for about 41 years as of early 2025.
What stands out with this case to me was the fact that it was her first day at a new job. I considered the possibility that she was not entirely familiar with her commute. When I research modern routes, the trip between Pasadena and the mall should not have been complicated for Lillian. Evidently, things did not go as planned.
I found her in high school yearbooks from Pasadena in what would have been earlier times of her life. It's clear that she lived in the area for at least seven years prior to disappearing. She is in the 1978 Pasadena High School yearbook as a freshman. That picture is below but the one at the top of this article is from closer to the time she disappeared.
A search for journalism regarding this case failed when I used my membership at Newspapers.com. However, she was definitely covered somewhere as NamUs included an uncredited newspaper article in their profile. Apparently, this newspaper article wasn't in the newspapers that are included in the Newspaper.com database at the time of this article's research.
In reading below, you will note that the missing person had a blue dress in her possession that she had just gotten from the laundromat. The location of this laundromat would be interesting to learn. Also, the journalism indicates that she was last seen later in the day than what the NamUs description states.
I would like to credit this article to the source. If you know where it appeared, then please comment at the end of this blog post.
NamUs says she was last seen at 630AM by her father, whose name was Kenneth Holmes. However, the newspaper article clipped above says she was last seen between noon and 1pm by a bus passenger. There is a contradiction here to try and make sense of.
I think her day likely involved leaving home at 630AM, going to the cleaners, perhaps going for lunch, and then taking the bus from the laundromat to the mall where she was to start her job. That scenario is how I've made sense of the contradicting information in this case.
The following clippings are advertisements from the Robinson's store that she was going to work at. One of them may even have been the job that Lillian applied to as the timing is about right.
Sun, Feb 5, 1984 – 660 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com
Sun, Mar 4, 1984 – 613 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com
I think trying to trace her exact commute would be useful. What laundromat she used is one question in this case. Where she might have gone to lunch would be a point to note too, however, that seems difficult to figure out after all these years.
I'm picturing an abduction in this case because of how attractive Lillian was and the fact that I think she was showing up for work eager to make a good first impression in the type of job where looks mattered to the employer. Sales Associate or Product Display positions in department stores usually feature well-dressed and attractive women. That would also attract a lot of attention her way during her commute.
Abduction on a city bus is hard to do with a grown adult like Lillian. A commotion would create witnesses. The same could be said inside the mall. In my opinion, the part of her commute where she was most vulnerable would be the mall parking lot. That is my presumptive area of interest for where she might have been abducted.
Along these lines, a similar case would be that of Cindy Lee Mellin. She was a department store employee that was practically known to have been abducted in the parking lot of the mall where she worked. In Mellin's case, it happened during her commute as well but after her shift. Mellin's disappearance was 14 years earlier in 1970 and about 80 miles away in Ventura. Mellin was 19 and she a female. That's pretty close to the same demographics as Holmes.
These cases may be unrelated but, if you agree that the mall parking lot was the most dangerous park of Lillian's commute, then they do have some interesting similarities. If either missing person is to be found then certainly a lot of work remains to be done.
Author:Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths)
All articles are subject to editing after the original posting.
Shane Lambert (UncoolNegated on Websleuths) 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. **Text might be paraphrased. If taken verbatim, then grammar or spelling errors are not necessarily corrected from original sources. 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.
['CharleyProject.org Lillian Rochelle Holmes', 'DoeNetwork Lillian Rochelle Holmes', 'Lillian Rochelle Holmes missing person', 'what happened to Lillian Rochelle Holmes', 'missing Pasadena person', 'missing California person', 'missing Pasadena woman', 'missing California woman', 'missing Pasadena women', 'missing California women', 'missing woman Pasadena', 'missing woman California', 'missing from Pasadena', 'missing from California', 'Pasadena missing persons', 'California missing persons', 'Lillian Rochelle Holmes missing from California', 'disappearance of Lillian Rochelle Holmes', 'foul play', 'missing since', 'has not been seen', 'whereabouts of', 'missing person', 'missing persons database', 'theories', 'what happened to Lillian Rochelle Holmes']
28 Sep 2005, Wed The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colorado) Newspapers.com
There was a lot of area to cover in this lost-hiker search and there were many so-called nooks and crannies where someone might have taken shelter from the wind if lost and forced to overnight. That she was without water certainly doesn't speak well to her survival chances. Furthermore, there is a condition known as altitude sickness that she might have suffered from. This sickness can include weakness and sleepiness.
.jpg)
