Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
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 (MP36415) and 4 other sources
In the autumn of 1982, 53-year-old Paul Schuyler Coupey vanished, leaving behind a life and a family who continue to seek answers. He was last seen on November 9, 1982, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the time of his disappearance, it was suggested that he may have been en route to Aurora, Colorado. Paul was a man with a distinct appearance, standing at six feet tall with a slim build, black hair, and blue eyes. He wore a four-to-five-inch beard and a handlebar mustache. On the day he was last seen, he was dressed in tan pants, an unknown shirt, and a dark brown belt. He also wore a gold watch and was likely carrying a brown briefcase. His personal belongings, including his car and a Cessna 172 airplane he kept at an Albuquerque airport, also disappeared, adding to the mystery of his case.

The circumstances surrounding Paul's disappearance are shrouded in uncertainty, with very few leads to follow. He left his home in Norman, Oklahoma, and his last known location was in Albuquerque. From there, the trail goes cold. There has been no activity on his social security number since he went missing, indicating a complete and sudden halt to his known existence. The lack of communication and the simultaneous disappearance of his vehicle and airplane suggest a departure that was either abrupt and unplanned, or meticulously concealed. The investigation into his whereabouts has spanned decades, crossing state lines from Oklahoma to New Mexico and potentially into Colorado, yet has yielded no definitive answers.

The enduring silence in Paul Coupey's case has left a void in the lives of his loved ones. With no clear evidence of what transpired, his family has been left to grapple with endless possibilities. The Albuquerque Police Department's Cold Case Unit remains the point of contact for any information regarding his disappearance. Despite the passage of over four decades, the hope that someone, somewhere, holds a piece of information that could illuminate the events of November 1982 has not faded. His case serves as a somber reminder of the many individuals who vanish without a trace, leaving behind a legacy of unanswered questions and the enduring pain of not knowing. The overview of this case is one of a man who seemingly vanished into thin air, with his possessions also gone, leaving investigators with very little to go on.

Last Seen: Nov 9, 1982

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 — Albuquerque, New Mexico
UP8202 • Found Jan 4, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 53 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%Same area, same county
TimingFound 19 years after last seen
Height 68%5'9" vs 6'0"
Weight 100%138 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 60%Brown vs Black
Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
75%Possible
John Doe — Albuquerque, New Mexico
UP82535 • Found Jul 14, 2020
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 92%Est. 38–52 vs 53 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%2 mi away, same county
TimingFound 38 years after last seen
Height 84%6'2" vs 6'0"
Weight 99%160 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 10%Blond vs Black

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.