Robert Clifton Newell, also known as Robert C. Newell, Robert Clifton Newell Sr., and “Roby,” is listed as a missing man from Washington, District of Columbia. He was 64 years old when he was last known to have contact on December 24, 1974, and his case is recorded in NamUs as MP38318. Public listings identify his last known location as Washington, D.C.; one case profile specifically notes the Langdon Park area as his last known address. No resolution status is indicated in the provided case data, so this appears to remain an unresolved missing person case.
The available details suggest Robert was last seen on or about Christmas Eve in 1974. A Doe Network case summary, as quoted in indexed online results, states that he was seen carrying a red-and-green checked suitcase at about 7:00 p.m., and that people who saw him asked where he was going.
NamUs-linked information also notes that he walked with a noticeable limp, a detail that may have stood out to those who knew him or saw him around the time he disappeared.
Robert is described as a White/Caucasian male with brown eyes and brown hair, possibly dark and graying, with a receding and thinning hairline. He stood approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 190 to 200 pounds. Other identifying details include poor eyesight, often requiring glasses, a noticeable chin dimple, large ears, and a limp. Additional Doe Network-indexed information lists fingerprints and dental information as available, which may be important for comparison purposes in a long-term missing person investigation.
The case is associated with the DC Metropolitan Police Department, and NamUs identifies the matter as a published missing person case. The Metropolitan Police Department’s missing persons site directs missing-person case information to MPD at 727-9099 or the tip line by text at 50411; the same site explains that “critical missing person” cases can include people over age 65 or those whose circumstances suggest danger or vulnerability. Although Robert was listed as 64 in NamUs at the time of disappearance, his age, health-related identifying details, and the length of time since he vanished make the absence of answers especially painful for those connected to him.
Nearly five decades have passed since Robert Newell was last seen, leaving a sparse but important record: a Christmas Eve disappearance, a last known connection to the Langdon Park area of Washington, D.C., a red-and-green checked suitcase, and a set of physical identifiers that may still matter. Cases like Robert’s often depend on small memories, old records, family knowledge, or unidentified-person comparisons surfacing years later. Until confirmed information establishes what happened to him, his case remains a reminder that long-missing people are not just entries in a database, but loved ones whose families and communities deserve answers.Last Seen: Dec 24, 1974
