Missing People in Oregon: Past and Present

By: Mckenzie Gerdes                    

Illustrated by: Carla Cieza Espinoza                                                                                         

There are over 520,000 missing people in the United States right now. In Oregon specifically, there are 432 people missing. Oregon ranks 8th for the most missing people by state.

The Social Security Administration Handbook states that people are “presumed dead” if they have not “been heard from for seven years or more.” ABC News Journalist Julia Jacobo interviewed criminology experts and found that the first 72 hours of a person being declared missing are the most crucial in finding the person. The reason: the integrity of the investigative leads quickly diminish along with people’s memories of any sightings. Not only that, but it is very likely that the victim is in extreme danger and needs help fast.

Missing Person Cases from the Past

Perhaps one of the most infamous cases of a missing person from Oregon was in November of 1971, when a man named D.B. Cooper got on a Portland to Seattle flight, told the crew he had a bomb, and then told the pilot he demanded money and parachutes. The passengers got off safely in Seattle, but then the flight quickly took off for New Mexico with some of the crew, the pilot, and D.B. Cooper. Somewhere over Reno, Nevada, D.B. Cooper took the parachutes and the money he received, exited the back of the plane, and was never seen again. 

Another case that received significant media attention due to its unusual circumstances was the case of seven year old Kyron Horman, who disappeared after attending the science fair at his school in Portland. His step-mother, Terri Horman, was the last person to see him after driving him to school and taking his picture in front of his science fair project. This case remains unsolved, yet Terri Horman’s own attorneys labeled her as a suspect in the case.

The case of Allyson Watterson, who went missing on a hike with her boyfriend in December 2019, also caught the attention of a lot of local Oregonians. Human remains were eventually found on private property in North Plain, Oregon, in June of 2020, and were determined to belong to Watterson. Unfortunately, due to the 30 hours between Allyson Watterson going missing and actually being reported missing, it was difficult for law enforcement to find out what really happened. 

This is an important reminder that people should be reported missing immediately, and that there is no necessary “waiting time” to report a person. It is better to be safe than sorry, especially if there is a situation where someone could potentially be missing.

Missing Person Cases Now

But what about current missing person cases? In May 2021, Ralph Davis Brown, 76, got in his car and left his home in Cornelius, Oregon. He has dementia, and trouble finding his way around. Many signs were put up around the local area, but no leads were found. The family still hopes for answers as to where Ralph Brown went.

Recent missing people alerts are easily accessible on the Oregon Government's site. Reports include full names, physical descriptions, locations of last sighting, and dates reported missing. 

API provides pictures of the missing people posted along with concise descriptions of location and date. 

Another great resource for Oregonians who want to be aware of missing people reports, is the Facebook Missing Persons Blog for Oregon, which allows family members to share information, pictures, and even stories, to bring their missing loved ones home.

Illustrated by Carla Cieza Espinoza.