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Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP39576) and 3 other sources
In the spring of 2017, 61-year-old Harland Stanley Rowland faced a period of instability in Yuma, Arizona. After being evicted from his residence in early April, his life became transient. He was a man with distinct features, including blue eyes, and hair that was graying and balding on top but long around the sides and back. He also had a noticeable large scar on the top of his head near his forehead from an aneurysm, and both of his ears were pierced. On April 10, 2017, Harland was last seen, marking the beginning of a long period of uncertainty for those who knew him. Standing between 5'7' and 5'9' and weighing between 165 and 180 pounds, he was a person of noticeable presence.

The circumstances leading up to Harland's disappearance paint a concerning picture. Before he was last seen, he entrusted his medications to a friend, a detail that suggests he may not have intended to be out of touch for long. Reports from that time place him in the company of two other individuals, camping in the River Ranch area. His appearance was further distinguished by a goatee and the glasses he wore. He also had a penchant for jewelry, specifically a large, horseshoe-shaped gold ring set with one large cut diamond and two smaller diamonds on each end. The Yuma County Sheriff's Office was formally alerted to his disappearance on June 5, 2017, and an official report was filed.

The investigation into Harland Rowland's disappearance was opened by the Yuma County Sheriff's Office under case number 2017-38966. Despite the passage of time, his case remains open, a lingering question in the desert landscape of Yuma County. The initial report and subsequent investigation have yet to yield definitive answers about his whereabouts or the events that transpired after he was last seen camping with two companions. The details of his eviction and his decision to leave his medication with a friend remain critical pieces of a puzzle that investigators and his loved ones are still trying to piece together. The case of Harland Rowland is a somber reminder of the many individuals who vanish, leaving behind a void of information and a community hoping for resolution.

Last Seen: Apr 10, 2017

Possible Unidentified Matches (5)

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.

79%Possible
John Doe — Menifee, California
UP100667 • Found Sep 9, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 58–72 vs 61 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 63%160 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'7"–5'9"
Weight 100%151 lb vs 165–180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
76%Possible
John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP17010
John Doe — Los Angeles, California
UP17010 • Found Jul 28, 2017
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–65 vs 61
Race 100%White
Location 52%230 mi away
TimingFound 4 months after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"–5'9"
Weight 100%182 lb vs 165–180 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
76%Possible
John Doe — Peoria, Arizona - unidentified case UP142022
John Doe — Peoria, Arizona
UP142022 • Found Feb 12, 2025
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 57–70 vs 61 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 64%157 mi away, same state
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'7"–5'9"
Weight 100%120–150 lb vs 165–180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
75%Possible
John Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP78168
John Doe — Los Angeles, California
UP78168 • Found Mar 19, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–65 vs 61 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 52%231 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5"–5'10" vs 5'7"–5'9"
Weight 100%140–160 lb vs 165–180 lb
Hair 100%Gray vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
75%Possible
John Doe — San Diego, California - unidentified case UP133256
John Doe — San Diego, California
UP133256 • Found Nov 3, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 94%Est. 50–60 vs 61 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 66%145 mi away
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'7"–5'9"
Weight 78%129 lb vs 165–180 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue

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.