Alan Douglas Visher Missing Since 1962 From a Hike in California's Kings Canyon National Park

Missing Person: Alan Douglas Visher

Details from a government source (might be paraphrased):

Alan Douglas Visher was last seen at approximately 2:00 PM on Wednesday, July 18th, 1962, at Dog Creek in Tehipite Valley, Kings Canyon National Park, California, after hiking with a Sierra Club group. He was part of a group of 50 hikers and was noticed missing at 7:00 PM when the group reached Simpson Meadow.

Anyone researching this case should note that his name was spelled "Allen" in a lot of newspaper journalism from the time of his disappearance. You need to research both Alan and Allen for keyword entry.

Last contact: Wednesday, July 18th, 1962, approximately 2:00 PM
Last location: Kings Canyon, California - Dog Creek, Tehipite Valley (area is described as east of Fresno in newspaper article, 18 miles north of Cedar Grove)

July 20, 1962. The Berkeley Gazette.

Age when Alan Douglas Visher disappeared: 12
DOB: Between July 19th, 1949, and July 18th, 1950
Sex: Male
Height in inches: 48–58
Weight in pounds (lbs): 75–100
BMI: 18.3–28.8 - Healthy to overweight based on the data that NamUs gives but the range is huge. In his pictures, he looks lean. Furthermore, hiking is a physical activity and I think that suggests reasonable fitness.
Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Hair color: Unknown
Eye Color: Unknown
Distinctive Features: No Information Entered
Link to Government Source: NamUs MP148200 (right-click to open)

Clothing Worn When Last Seen

Item	Description	Details	Source
Wide-brim straw hat	Straw hat	Wide-brimmed	NamUs
Shirt	Brownish shirt	No further details	NamUs
Jeans	Blue jeans	No further details	NamUs
Boots	Redwing boots	No further details	NamUs
Backpack	Backpack with sweater and food	No further details	Oakland Tribune, July 23, 1962

Unraveling the Mystery: Key Insights and Updates

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: August 21st, 2025

Alan Douglas Visher, a 12-year-old Caucasian male who vanished on Wednesday, July 18th, 1962, in Kings Canyon National Park, California, was last seen at approximately 2:00 PM that day. He was hiking with a Sierra Club group of 50 people near Dog Creek in Tehipite Valley. A part of a large group that included siblings and his mother, members of the hiking group noticed Alan missing by 7:00 PM when the group reached Simpson Meadow. 

He was last seen wearing a wide-brim straw hat, a brownish shirt, blue jeans, and Redwing boots. He was also carrying a backpack with a sweater and food. Despite a multi-agency search, no trace of Alan was found in the immediate aftermath of his disappearance. Nor has any trace of him turned up in the six decades since his disappearance.

The journalism from 1962 indicates that there was a large search for this missing youth. Rangers, helicopters, mountain climbers, and bloodhounds all assisted in search.

He went missing at an elevation of 6000 feet, meaning his chances of surviving just one night would be complicated. The hiking trip he was on was described as a 10-day trip, meaning the group would have the means to cope with night-time temperatures but Alan did not have much himself when he went missing. The youth had a sweater in his backpack but little more that would offer warmth with temperatures likely to dip to the 30s or 40s in that area (0C-10C) during the night. There was still a search going on as of July 22nd, 1962, but the journalism is pessimistic about his chances of being alive.

July 22nd, 1962. The Press Democrat.

Comparisons: Trenny Gibson and Others

In terms of similar cases, Alan Visher's disappearance reminded me the most of the disappearance of Trenny Gibson. She was a part of a large group hike when she went missing, just as Alan was.

I looked at numerous missing person cases a few years back where hiking was central to the person's disappearance. One of risk factors, of course, is a dangerous trail. Hiking alone is another significant factor and this can include hiking with a group  when the person separates from the group for a short time.

I thought that this must have happened with Alan Visher but scenarios are speculative. Reasons why someone might separate from a group during a hike has to do with pacing and the differences in hiking speed naturally creating separation between group members. Another reason might simply be someone going off trail for a short time to use the washroom.

But the mystery with Alan was that he was not found despite a huge search. That will bring in questions of abduction. This is a connection to the Trenny Gibson case, because abduction has been considered in conjunction with her disappearance despite the difficulties involved with abducting from a large group of hikers. It would be one on-the-spot abductor who is in the middle of a natural area and targets an isolated youth at the perfect time, seemingly with people all over the place.

There were rivers in the area and creeks. People who are known to have entered rivers before disappearing have remained lost for ages. I did wonder if that's what happened to Alan somehow. With little water, he would be dependent on waterflow to stay hydrated once lost and that creates the chance that he was swept away, which could explain why the large search failed.

I also think that missing hikers, who are facing hypothermia at night, put themselves in hiding spots inadvertently. Their main concern during the night would only be trying to stay warm -- not putting themselves in an obvious place to be found. I raised this point with the disappearance of Paula Jean Welden, a long-missing hiker in Vermont.

Furthermore, I watched a survival video years ago, the name of which now escapes me. But it recommended burying yourself in dirt to fight hypothermia during the night, if lost in the woods or a natural area. You can see how such an action could help prolong your struggle against the environment but it could also hide you from the people who are looking for you. If you succumbed to hypothermia after seeking an enclosed area or after burying yourself in foliage, then you would effectively have hidden yourself from your rescuers.

I think this missing person is only found through luck at this point. His Redwing boots are the item most likely to stand the test of time, in my opinion. But anyone finding them might not recognize the relevance unfortunately.

Grok's depiction of Redwing boots from the era and place.

David Carpenter: How Luck Helped the Trailside Killer Evade the FBI for Years

By: Shane Lambert
Original time of writing: March 3rd, 2025

YouTube Channel: The Infographics Show
Publication date: March 3rd, 2025
Episode: Why FBI FAILED To Catch The Trailside Killer Sooner

 

I recently stumbled across a gripping documentary on The Infographics Show titled "Why FBI FAILED To Catch The Trailside Killer Sooner." It dives into the chilling crimes of David Carpenter, a San Francisco serial killer who stalked lone hikers in the 1970s and ‘80s. At 94, he’s still alive in prison as of March 2025, yet his story remains oddly under-the-radar. What shocked me most? How a single eyewitness blunder – and a stroke of luck – threw the FBI off his trail for years. Here’s why this case deserves more attention – and how it echoes other infamous killers like the Zodiac.

 

The Trailside Killer, David Carpenter, targeted trail hikers, primarily women, in secluded San Francisco-area parks decades ago. With his death likely nearing due to age and incarceration, could new evidence still emerge? His crimes resurfaced in 2019 headlines at People magazine (Robyn Merrett/April 17th, 2019), revealing a survivor whose child became a TV celebrity – a twist The Infographics Show highlighted too.

 

I’d never heard of this San Francisco serial killer before, making this one of the best The Infographics Show episodes I’ve seen recently. Curious about the case? Watch the documentary below and share your thoughts!

 

Comparisons to Infamous Serial Killers

The 1960s and 1970s San Francisco Bay Area conjures thoughts of The Zodiac Killer, but The Infographics Show compared Carpenter to Edmund Kemper, Ted Bundy, and John Wayne Gacy. I’d argue his crimes align more with The Zodiac Killer and The Original Night Stalker (Joseph James DeAngelo).

 

Here’s why:

• Zodiac Killer: Both stalked victims in parks (e.g., Zodiac’s Lake Berryessa attack) using knives and guns.
• Original Night Stalker: Sexual motives drove Carpenter, mirroring DeAngelo’s escalation.

 

These parallels make Carpenter a haunting figure in true crime history.

 

The Eyewitness Error That Stalled the Hunt – and Luck That Saved Him

Why did the FBI take so long to catch David Carpenter? The answer blends a flawed eyewitness account with sheer luck. Operating in secluded trails, Carpenter was spotted during an early murder by a hidden witness. Her description – a handsome young man – clashed with reality: Carpenter was nearly 50 and unremarkable-looking. This sent police chasing a phantom, while Carpenter’s ordinary appearance let him blend in, dodging suspicion time and again.

 

Eyewitness errors aren’t rare. Stress and distance can distort memory, as seen in cases like Ted Bundy’s, where his charm skewed perceptions. Studies show eyewitness accuracy drops under pressure – a lesson from Carpenter’s case that still resonates today. Luck only stretched so far, but it bought him years.

 

Trails Turned Deadly: Carpenter’s Hunting Grounds

Trail hiking is a recurring theme at Missing Persons Commentary. While Carpenter’s victims aren’t missing persons, his tactics – luring hikers to isolation – mirror risks I’ve explored in cases like Trenny Gibson’s 1976 disappearance. My trail hiking series [link] dives into such mysteries. Could serial killers explain some unsolved vanishings? Carpenter’s story suggests it’s possible.

 

For more on trail-related mysteries, check out my series on missing hikers here.

 

 

Have you heard of the Trailside Killer before? Let me know in the comments!

Bradford Bishop and Trenny Gibson: Both Associated with Smoky Mountains National Park in 1976

By: Shane Lambert

Original time of writing: November 27th, 2024
Minor update: January 22nd, 2025

I was reading about Bradford Bishop tonight, a man who spent much time on the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list. He is no longer on this list but that does not mean he was apprehended. He may remain at large at the time of writing but he would be at a very advanced age at this point if he was still alive. FBI images of Bishop are below, taken from their official website.

In this article, I will associate Bradford Bishop's known timeline with another unsolved mystery, Trenny Gibson's disappearance. Trenny is a missing person who disappeared as a teenager back in 1976. Her last-known location was not too far from Bradford Bishop's last-known location. There is a time gap to be aware of but I think the two cases should be thought of together.

Bishop allegedly killed five family members on March 1st, 1976. Even though his alleged crimes are almost fifty years old, he does still make the news occasionally. For instance, People.com published a piece on him as recently as December 2024 (Author: Christine Pelisek). A woman, who knew she was adopted, found out that she was Bishop's child.

After Bishop allegedly killed his five family members, his vehicle was found abandoned in Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee on March 18th, 1976. According to an episode of The Infographics Show (cited at the end), Bishop left dog biscuits in the car, a shotgun, an ax, a bloody blanket, and a shaving kit with his medication.

Bishop was considered an avid outdoorsman and both a camping and hiking enthusiast. Perhaps in agreement with this, his car was found in the park at an abandoned campground seventeen days after allegedly killing his family members. 

In my opinion, that his vehicle was found at an abandoned campground suggests that Bishop's short-term plans to elude authorities involved hiding in remote wilderness locations. That opinion has shaped a lot of what I write below. 

Trenny Gibson: Missing From Smoky Mountains National Park Since October 1976

While reading about Bishop, I wondered for a moment why I had a familiarity with Smoky Mountains National Park. I have never been there. Then I recalled that this was the park that Trenny Gibson had gone missing from. 

I wrote about her five years ago after reading about her case at a time when I was focusing on missing people and hiking trails. Gibson went missing on October 8th, 1976 while on a school field trip that involved hiking in Smoking Mountains National Park. As of the time of writing (November 27th, 2024), she is still missing.

Trenny also makes the news occasionally. WATE.com profiled her case in October 2024 (Hope McAlee).

There were just under seven months between March 18th, 1976 (the day Bishop's car was found), and October 8th, 1976 (the date Trenny went missing). That's a huge gap of time to associate the two respective events, the discovery of Bishop's station wagon and the date of Gibson's disappearance. 

However, Bishop was an avid hiker, camper, and outdoorsman. 

Furthermore, presuming that he killed his five family members (as commonly assumed), he would have had a massive motive to hide from the law -- permanently. It is thought that Bishop blended in with the hikers in the area in the immediate aftermath of abandoning his vehicle.

For almost certain, Bishop would want to move away from his vehicle, knowing it would be a lead for the authorities as they searched for him. One has to wonder if he used whatever resources he had to set up a long-term camp in the national park in March 1976. However, a credible sighting of the wanted man was not made until some time later.

Bishop Seen in Sweden

The first credible sighting of Bradford Bishop after the deaths of his family members happened in July 1978, when someone who knew him claimed she saw him in Stockholm, Sweden. Admittedly, there is a big gap between the date of his station wagon's discovery in March 1976 and July 1978. But he could have stayed in the park for several months as there is no proof that he was anywhere else until more than two years later.

Could Bradford Bishop have kidnapped Trenny Gibson? The connection between Gibson and Bishop might be called tenuous. Certain things line up but not like a line of dominoes.

The scenario that I would like to suggest starts with Bishop preparing for a life on the lam after March 1st, 1976. This much is assumed about him by those who have written about his case.

We know that he ditched his car near Elkmont in March 1976. Then it's thought that he blended in with the hikers as he moved away from the station wagon. At this point, he would have little choice but to use his avid outdoorsman skills to hide in the park from authorities. This was not someone who could simply re-enter his life: in fact, if the allegations against him are true the statutes on the crimes will never expire.

Trenny Gibson: Missing While Hiking Separate From Her Classmates

When Trenny Gibson went missing, she was on a school excursion but she was hiking separately from her classmates. That she may have fallen on a difficult section of the trail has been suggested. It's a scenario that can't be discounted, even though she was never found despite a serious search. But many thought that she may have been lured and abducted. Some sources say that her scent was tracked to a roadside location, where it disappeared.

If Bradford Bishop was still in the park, he clearly had the nerve to commit an abduction. Furthermore, that he may still have been in the park cannot just be brushed aside. His car was found there and his alleged crimes were so major that he could likely never be free again if found, giving him a motive to hide out long term. Also, he had the outdoor skills and intelligence to survive as a camper long term.

What I think can be stated for certain is that he might have been in the area of Trenny Gibson on the day she disappeared. Also, Bishop, if the allegations against him are true, was capable of felonious acts.

On the other hand, one could argue that it would actually be stupid for Bishop to abduct Gibson. The ensuing search for her might simply reveal his own hiding spot. I think this is a counterpoint that needs to be addressed. 

In my opinion, if Bishop has anything to do with Gibson's disappearance, then it might just be from an accidental encounter. Trenny Gibson, for part of the school trip, had hiked alongside her classmates. My thoughts on her disappearance have always been that she chose to hike alone for a short time for one unflattering reason: she was planning to urinate off of the trail and didn't want any of her classmates around. Maybe, like the rest of us, she was a critic of outhouses.

When someone urinates near a hiking trail, I think they usually choose to go 10 to 20 yards away from the trail for privacy's sake. There's not much need to go much further. In the past, I've thought that Trenny simply picked an unlucky spot to do this with some kind of transient lurking not too far off of the trail. 

In this scenario, I wonder if that hypothetical transient was none other than Bradford Bishop. He's on the lam, he can't rejoin society, and his car was found in the park earlier in the year. If Trenny Gibson found his hiding spot while venturing 20 yards off the trail, then his motive for disappearing her is immense. Also, he would realize it's time to move on with search parties coming to look for her.

It is not that hard to explain why such search parties would not find his camp. I've worked on enough missing person cases to know that phrases like "we left no stone unturned" or "we scoured the area" are often fluff. You have to add the phrase "within budget" to each statement to form something true.

The Infographics Show and Bradford Bishop

Bradford Bishop's fight from justice was covered in an episode of The Infographics Show. In the episode, they include what was found in the car.

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.