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Carson Casteel Missing Person Case

Last seen in Blountville, Tennessee on Jul 15, 1980

Victim Details

May 28, 2015

Jan 5, 2024

Carson

Casteel

72

26

67 inches

68 inches

135 lbs

140 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

Jul 15, 1980

Blountville

Tennessee

Sullivan County

No

24017

Sullivan County Sheriff's Office

Blountville

Tennessee

Sullivan County

37617

John Raymond

Detective

140 Blountville By-Pass, Tennessee

4232797500

County

Law Enforcement

www.scsotn.com

008141659

Jul 15, 1980

Sullivan County Sheriff's Office

Brown

Blue

Blue

No

Oct 16, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP28853) and 2 other sources
In the summer of 1980, a young man named Carson Jerome Casteel, age 26, vanished from his home in Blountville, Tennessee. He was last seen on July 15, a day that would mark the beginning of a long and unsettling mystery for his family and the community. Carson was a white male with brown hair and blue eyes, standing approximately 5'7' to 5'8' tall and weighing around 135 pounds. A distinguishing feature was a scar on his left shoulder. His disappearance was made all the more alarming by the state of his residence; it had been burglarized, suggesting a potentially violent encounter connected to his vanishing.

The circumstances surrounding Carson's disappearance remain distressingly vague. Following his last sighting, there has been a complete absence of communication from him. The investigation by the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office has been hampered by a lack of substantial leads over the decades. The burglary of his home is the most concrete piece of evidence, pointing towards a criminal element in his disappearance. It is known that an air conditioner was among the items stolen. Also missing was Carson's vehicle, a black 1979 Datsun 110. Despite these details, the sequence of events that led to Carson's disappearance and what transpired in his home is unknown.

The case of Carson Casteel is classified as an endangered missing person, a reflection of the sinister undertones of the burglary and the prolonged lack of contact. Over the years, law enforcement has continued to seek information from the public, hoping that someone might hold the key to unraveling this decades-old mystery. The passage of time has not diminished the hope of finding answers, and the case remains open. This enduring mystery serves as a somber reminder of a young man who disappeared from his life, leaving behind only questions and the lingering pain of the unknown for those who knew him.
Last Seen: Jul 15, 1980

Links to Additional Sources (2)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Carson Jerome Casteel - The Charley Project
  • TN - Carson Jerome Casteel, 26, Blountville, 15 Jul 1980

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (7)

    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.

    77%Possible
    John Doe — West Virginia
    UP14232 • Found Jul 11, 1980
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 89%Est. 27–35 vs 26
    Race 100%White
    Location 69%132 mi away
    TimingFound same day as last seen
    Height 100%5'9" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    Weight 69%175 lb vs 135–140 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Oakridge, North Carolina - unidentified case UP2646
    John Doe — Oakridge, North Carolina
    UP2646 • Found Feb 1, 1992
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 69%132 mi away
    TimingFound 12 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'9" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    Weight 100%143 lb vs 135–140 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    76%Possible
    John Doe — West Virginia
    UP14230 • Found Jun 26, 1988
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 88%Est. 20–25 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 72%113 mi away
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    Weight 100%140 lb vs 135–140 lb
    Hair 50%Blond vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Cincinnati, Ohio - unidentified case UP7739
    John Doe — Cincinnati, Ohio
    UP7739 • Found Oct 27, 1988
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 54%214 mi away
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    Weight 100%137 lb vs 135–140 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    76%Possible
    John Doe — Knoxville, Tennessee
    UP1574 • Found Sep 21, 1985
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 27–34 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 76%97 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 5 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'9" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    75%Possible
    John Doe — Atlanta, Georgia - unidentified case UP662
    John Doe — Atlanta, Georgia
    UP662 • Found Jun 19, 1986
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 25–40 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 53%224 mi away
    TimingFound 6 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    Weight 98%120 lb vs 135–140 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    75%Possible
    John Doe — Lexington, Kentucky
    UP85 • Found Apr 17, 1986
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 24–35 vs 26 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 63%159 mi away
    TimingFound 6 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"–5'8"
    Weight 100%140 lb vs 135–140 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.

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    Forum Posts (2)

    Hey everyone, I've been diving into the Carson Casteel case and can't stop wondering about the air... ...Read More
    11/14/2023
    I came across Carson Casteel’s case recently and something about it piqued my interest. It's odd... ...Read More
    06/10/2023

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