In the late summer of 1979, a 28-year-old Vietnam veteran named Lawrence Scott Colton, also known as Larry, found himself adrift. He had been living in Jacksonville, Florida, but without a permanent home, he decided to travel to Midwest City, Oklahoma, to connect with family. On August 31, 1979, he arrived at his father's house, feeling unwell and hoping for a place to rest. Tragically, his request was denied, and he was turned away.
That was the last time he was definitively seen by his relatives. Lawrence, a white male with brown, shoulder-length wavy hair and hazel eyes, stood between 5'10' and 6'0' and weighed around 125 to 140 pounds. He often wore jeans and dark t-shirts, sometimes with flip-flops.
Lawrence's life leading up to his disappearance was marked by challenges. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had a history of drug dependency, for which he had been hospitalized in the past. He was a frequent patient at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. Despite these struggles, he had a life before he vanished, one that included service in the Army where a slight scoliosis was discovered. He had a small scar over his right eyebrow from a childhood accident and possibly burn marks on his back from shrapnel. After leaving his father's home, it is believed that Lawrence may have attempted to hitchhike back to the Jacksonville Beach area, a journey that could have taken him along Interstate 45 and Interstate 10. There were unconfirmed sightings of him along Interstate 10 and in eastern Texas.
Decades have passed since Lawrence Colton was last seen, and his case remains unsolved. Without a permanent address at the time of his disappearance, he was known to frequent the areas of Atlantic Boulevard and Girvin Road in Jacksonville when he was in Florida. The investigation into his disappearance is being handled by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in Florida. The lack of concrete leads and the passage of time have made the search for answers increasingly difficult. His family and friends have been left with unanswered questions about what happened to the young man who seemingly vanished after being turned away in a moment of need. The overview of this case paints a sad picture of a vulnerable individual who disappeared without a trace, leaving a void in the lives of those who knew him.Last Seen: Aug 31, 1979
