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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 (MP29842) and 3 other sources
In the autumn of 1987, the life of a 35-year-old man named Scott Petersen was unfolding in Las Vegas, Nevada. A father to two young daughters, both under the age of ten, his days were presumably filled with the typical rhythms of family and work. The city, known for its constant motion and transient population, held the promise of a future for him and his young family. However, this sense of normalcy was about to be irrevocably broken, leaving behind a void of information and decades of unanswered questions for those who knew and loved him. The family was known to be private, a trait that would later be reflected in the scarcity of public details surrounding the case.

The last day anyone is known to have had contact with Scott Petersen was November 4, 1987. On that day, he spoke with a friend and made plans for a lunch date. It was an ordinary arrangement, the kind made and kept countless times without a second thought. But this time was different. After that communication, Scott was never seen or heard from again. There were no public reports of foul play, no notes left behind, and no clear indications of what might have happened. He simply vanished, leaving a profound and lasting silence in his wake. The details surrounding his disappearance are exceptionally sparse, a frustrating reality for a family left to wonder what became of him.

In the years and decades that followed, the case of Scott Petersen grew cold. His two daughters were left to grow up with only speculation about their father's fate. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department lists his case among its cold case missing persons, a silent testament to a life interrupted. With very few details available to the public, the investigation has remained without significant leads. The overview of this case is one of quiet, unresolved loss. A man in the prime of his life disappeared after a simple conversation about lunch, leaving behind a family and a mystery that has endured for decades, marked by a painful lack of information and closure.

Last Seen: Nov 4, 1987

Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

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.

78%Possible
John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada
UP275 • Found Jun 12, 1995
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Sex ✓Male
Age 83%Est. 45–55 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 84%6'2" vs 6'4"
Weight 100%150 lb vs 150–250 lb
78%Possible
John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada
UP308 • Found Jun 1, 1989
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–39 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%3 mi away, same county
TimingFound 19 months after last seen
Height 36%5'11" vs 6'4"
Weight 100%223 lb vs 150–250 lb
77%Possible
John Doe — Boulder City, Nevada
UP269 • Found Jul 7, 1996
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 97%22 mi away, same county
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 52%6'0" vs 6'4"
Weight 100%140 lb vs 150–250 lb
77%Possible
John Doe — North Las Vegas, Nevada - unidentified case UP297
John Doe — North Las Vegas, Nevada
UP297 • Found Oct 13, 1991
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%3 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
75%Possible
John Doe — Nevada
UP15980 • Found Jul 13, 2016
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%7 mi away, same county
TimingFound 29 years after last seen
Height 75%5'7"–6'2" vs 6'4"
75%Possible
John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada
UP231 • Found Feb 25, 2005
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Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 25–50 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 17 years after last seen
Height 68%6'1" vs 6'4"
Weight 100%181 lb vs 150–250 lb
75%Possible
John Doe — Las Vegas, Nevada
UP258 • Found Mar 29, 1998
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%7 mi away, same county
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
75%Possible
John Doe — California
UP4094 • Found Feb 28, 1988
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–45 vs 35
Race 100%White
Location 52%228 mi away
TimingFound 4 months after last seen
Height 100%6'3" vs 6'4"
Weight 100%196 lb vs 150–250 lb
75%Possible
John Doe — Nevada
UP9102 • Found Oct 18, 1987
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–45 vs 35
Race 100%White
Location 100%7 mi away, same county
TimingFound same day as last seen
Height 0%5'8" vs 6'4"
Weight 100%135 lb vs 150–250 lb
75%Possible
John Doe — Henderson, Nevada
UP135976 • Found Nov 17, 2024
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 58–72 vs 35 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%12 mi away, same county
TimingFound 37 years after last seen
Height 84%5'10"–6'2" vs 6'4"

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.

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