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298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP118850) and 9 other sources
In 1979, a 16-year-old girl named Pem Michelle Yates-Briggs left her home in Oregon City, Oregon. She was born on March 31, 1963. Pem, a white female with blonde hair and brown eyes, stood between 5'3' and 5'6' and weighed between 110 and 125 pounds. She had a distinctive cleft chin and a crooked front tooth. Pem embarked on a journey to California with the intention of finding her father. The last known communication from anyone regarding her whereabouts came on June 1, 1979, when a police department in California contacted her mother. The police inquired whether Pem had permission to be in California, to which her mother affirmed she did. This was the final indication of Pem's location.

For reasons that remain unclear, Pem Michelle Yates-Briggs was not officially reported as a missing person until March of 2024, a staggering 45 years after she was last heard from. The circumstances surrounding this significant delay in reporting are not publicly detailed. The lack of an immediate investigation has undoubtedly complicated the efforts to piece together the timeline of her disappearance and uncover what happened to her after that final phone call. The case is being handled by the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office in Oregon.

The passage of over four decades has left a cold trail, with many questions and few answers. The specific police department in California that contacted her mother remains unknown, which is a critical piece of information that could have provided a more precise last known location. It is also not publicly known how she was traveling. The case of Pem Michelle Yates-Briggs is a deeply troubling one, highlighting the vulnerability of a young person and the painful uncertainty that can linger for a family for decades. The investigation, now active after a long period of dormancy, faces the immense challenge of solving a mystery that is nearly half a century old.

Last Seen: Jun 1, 1979

Possible Unidentified Matches (3)

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.

82%Moderate
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 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%11 mi away, same state
TimingFound 14 years after last seen
Height 100%5'4" vs 5'3"–5'6"
Weight 94%140 lb vs 110–125 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
78%Possible
Jane Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9936
Jane Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9936 • Found Oct 18, 1994
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 72%Est. 35–55 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%11 mi away, same state
TimingFound 15 years after last seen
Height 100%5'6" vs 5'3"–5'6"
Weight 100%130 lb vs 110–125 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
Jane Doe — Washington - unidentified case UP10449
Jane Doe — Washington
UP10449 • Found May 14, 1991
View case
Sex ✓Female
Age 100%Est. 20–29 vs 16 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 87%57 mi away
TimingFound 12 years after last seen
Height 68%5'0" vs 5'3"–5'6"
Weight 100%115 lb vs 110–125 lb

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.