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Richard Buckman, Jr. missing person case profile photo

Richard Buckman, Jr. Missing Person Case

Last seen in Portland, Maine on May 27, 2000

Victim Details

Nov 8, 2018

May 17, 2024

Richard

Buckman, Jr.

45

19

73 inches

74 inches

180 lbs

190 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

May 27, 2000

Portland

Maine

Cumberland County

41739

Maine Marine Patrol - Augusta Headquarters

Augusta

Maine

Kennebec County

04333

21 State House Station, Maine

2076339595

State

Law Enforcement

00-0527

May 27, 2000

Maine Marine Patrol - Augusta Headquarters

10479

Black

Brown

Brown

Oct 8, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP53359) and 2 other sources
Richard W. Buckman, Jr. was 19 years old when he was last known to be in the Portland, Maine area on May 27, 2000. Public case information describes him as a White/Caucasian male with black hair and brown eyes, standing approximately 6 feet 1 inch to 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 180 to 190 pounds. He was reportedly wearing jeans and a T-shirt. His case is listed in NamUs as MP53359, and the available public record identifies the Maine Marine Patrol in Augusta as the investigating agency.

The circumstances point to a sudden maritime emergency rather than a disappearance on land. Richard was a passenger aboard a boat that capsized while those aboard were trying to reach shore off Boon Island, a remote and rocky island in the Gulf of Maine known for its exposed position and dangerous waters. Online case summaries connect Richard’s disappearance to the same boating accident involving Jason Power, another young man who was also reported missing from Portland on May 27, 2000. Jason Power’s case summary states that he was aboard a 16-foot recreational boat, that the boat sank as the group attempted to return to shore off Boon Island, and that two people made it to shore while Jason and Richard remained missing.

The loss was immediate and devastating: a day on the water became a survival struggle in cold, unforgiving coastal conditions. Boon Island itself is small, barren, and exposed, with a long history of violent seas and wrecks along its rocky shoreline, making the setting especially harsh for anyone trying to swim or survive after a capsize. The public records do not provide a detailed minute-by-minute account of the accident, the weather, or the search that followed, but they do preserve the central facts: Richard was one of the passengers, the vessel capsized, he attempted to swim to shore, and he has not been publicly listed as recovered in the case information reviewed.

Richard’s case remains part of Maine’s broader missing persons records, where state authorities direct the public to NamUs as the official national system used by Maine’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner to help track and manage missing person case files. The Maine State Police missing persons page also urges anyone with information about missing persons cases to contact law enforcement or the investigating agency, reflecting the enduring importance of even small details long after a person disappears. In Richard’s case, the record is brief but deeply human: a 19-year-old man from Maine, last known in Portland on May 27, 2000, went missing after a boat capsized off Boon Island; another passenger, Jason Power, disappeared in the same accident; two others reportedly survived; and the known public story remains one of a tragic marine incident, an unresolved recovery, and a family left with unanswered questions.
Last Seen: May 27, 2000

Links to Additional Sources (2)

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  • Missing Person / NamUs
  • Missing Richard Buckman, Jr. Location: Portland, Maine Last Seen ...

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    76%Possible
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP6071
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP6071 • Found Aug 8, 2000
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 16–20 vs 19
    Race 100%White
    Location 48%275 mi away
    TimingFound 2 months after last seen
    Height 84%5'11" vs 6'1"–6'2"
    Weight 94%156 lb vs 180–190 lb
    Hair 100%Black vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    75%Possible
    John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP5980
    John Doe — Queens, New York
    UP5980 • Found Sep 28, 2001
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 19 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 48%272 mi away
    TimingFound 16 months after last seen
    Height 100%6'0" vs 6'1"–6'2"
    Weight 81%226 lb vs 180–190 lb
    Hair 60%Brown vs Black
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (1)

    Hey everyone, I've been following the Boon Island incident, and something that's been on my mind is... ...Read More
    07/24/2024

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