Howard Bass Missing Person Case

Nov 05, 2019

Jan 11, 2024

Howard

Bass

85

41

74 inches

185 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the late summer of 1981, a sense of unease settled over the community of Soldotna, Alaska, with the disappearance of 41-year-old Howard Steedman Bass. A man known for his adventurous spirit, Howard had been living in the Becharof Lake area, dedicating his time to filming the majestic brown bears in their natural habitat. The last confirmed sighting of him by a friend was on August 7, 1981, at the Anchorage Airport. That same day, his credit card was used in Kodiak, marking the last financial transaction linked to him. Clad in an olive or green colored raincoat and pants, his quiet disappearance left a void and a string of unanswered questions for his loved ones and the authorities. The initial investigation into Howard's whereabouts uncovered a few perplexing clues. His vehicle was found abandoned at the Soldotna landfill, a discovery that only deepened the mystery. A witness came forward, reporting that they had seen Howard leaving the landfill area on foot. According to the witness, Howard mentioned that he had lost his keys and needed to get to Seldovia. This piece of information provided a potential direction for the search, yet it remained uncertain if he ever made it to his intended destination. The Alaska State Troopers opened an investigation into his disappearance on September 3, 1981, but the trail had already grown cold. Years have turned into decades, and the case of Howard Bass remains an unsolved and poignant mystery in Alaska's history of missing persons. Despite the passage of time, the core questions surrounding his disappearance persist. There is no indication that he ever secured transportation off of Kodiak Island, leaving his fate after the last credit card transaction a complete unknown. The account of him walking away from his abandoned car, coupled with his stated intention of reaching Seldovia, provides the last narrative of his known movements. Without further evidence or witnesses, the circumstances of what happened to Howard Bass after he was last seen remain speculative, leaving a family without answers and a community with the enduring memory of a man who ventured into the Alaskan wilderness and never returned.

Aug 07, 1981

Soldotna

Alaska

Kenai Peninsula Borough

Soldotna

No

66163

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

C81-4098

1981-09-03

Alaska State Troopers

na

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/18/2026