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Kim Charleson Missing Person Case

Last seen in Cannon Beach, Oregon on Jan 7, 1976

Victim Details

Jan 3, 2017

Mar 11, 2024

Kim

Charleson

72

22

63 inches

65 inches

100 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Jan 7, 1976

Cannon Beach

Oregon

Clatsop County

No

25507

Cannon Beach Police Department

Cannon Beach

Oregon

Clatsop County

97110

Jason Schermerhorn

Chief

163 East Gower Avenue, Oregon

5034362811

Local

Law Enforcement

https://www.ci.cannon-beach.or.us/police

76-0016

Cannon Beach Police Department

Brown

Brown

Brown

Oct 5, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP36637) and 6 other sources
In the winter of 1976, a 22-year-old Canadian woman named Kim Charleson vanished from the small coastal city of Cannon Beach, Oregon. She was a student at the Cannon Beach Conference Center Bible School at the time she went missing. On January 7, 1976, Kim was last seen; what happened to her after that remains a mystery. When she disappeared, it is believed she was wearing a blue coat with a hood and dark blue pants. She was a white female, with brown hair and brown eyes, and may have worn glasses or contact lenses. It's also possible she had a small amount of Canadian currency with her.

Details surrounding the circumstances of her disappearance are sparse. It has been reported that Kim was unhappy at the school and had expressed a desire to her parents to return to her home in Canada, but they had not permitted her to do so. After she was last seen on that January day, she was not heard from again. The lack of information and leads has made the investigation into her disappearance particularly challenging for the Cannon Beach Police Department over the years.

Decades have passed since Kim Charleson was last seen, and her case has grown cold. Despite the passage of time, her case remains open and she is still listed as an endangered missing person. The official investigation, handled by the Cannon Beach Police Department, has yielded few answers, leaving her family and the community with unanswered questions. The overview of this case is one of a young woman who vanished without a clear explanation, with very limited information available to the public. The known facts are that she was a student away from her home country, reportedly unhappy, who disappeared, leaving behind only a brief description of her last known clothing and the lingering question of her fate.
Last Seen: Jan 7, 1976

Links to Additional Sources (6)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Kim Charleson - The Charley Project
  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP36637 | NamUs
  • Cold Cases - Kim Charleson Charleson, circa 1976 Missing ...
  • Kim Charleson | International Missing Persons Wiki - Fandom
  • KIM CHARLESON: Missing from Cannon Beach, OR - 7 Jan 1976
  • Missing student Kim Charleson age 22 1976 Cannon Beach ...

    • 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.

    77%Possible
    Jane Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9599
    Jane Doe — Portland, Oregon
    UP9599 • Found Sep 7, 1993
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 22 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 84%68 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 18 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'4" vs 5'3"–5'5"
    Weight 28%140 lb vs 100 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    Jane Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9936
    Jane Doe — Portland, Oregon
    UP9936 • Found Oct 18, 1994
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 85%Est. 35–55 vs 22 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 84%67 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 19 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'3"–5'5"
    Weight 56%130 lb vs 100 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    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 (3)

    I stumbled upon Kim Charleson's case, and I'm curious about the weather conditions on the day she... ...Read More
    04/17/2024
    Has anyone looked into whether Kim Charleson might have been traveling somewhere when she... ...Read More
    06/29/2023
    Hey everyone, I've been diving deep into the case of Kim Charleson lately, and something really... ...Read More
    06/20/2023

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