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William Hokanson, Sr. Missing Person Case

Last seen in Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island on Mar 25, 1990

Victim Details

Jul 30, 2014

Jun 27, 2022

William

Hokanson, Sr.

80

44

67 inches

200 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

Mar 25, 1990

Atlantic Ocean

Rhode Island

Newport County

5567

Massachusetts State Police

New Bedford

Massachusetts

Bristol County

02740

888 Purchase St., Massachusetts

5089970711

State

Law Enforcement

2014-104-492

Massachusetts State Police

Brown

Blue

Blue

Oct 15, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP25525) and 5 other sources
On March 25, 1990, William "Hokey" Hokanson Sr., 44, and his 19-year-old son, William Jr., went missing during a fishing trip on their vessel, the *Sol-e-Mar*, in the Atlantic Ocean near Rhode Island. They set out from Fairhaven, Massachusetts, intending to fish off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. A brief, four-second distress call from William Jr. was received by the U.S. Coast Guard, but it was followed by a hoax call. This hoax misled the Coast Guard, causing a delay in the search effort. By the time the *Sol-e-Mar* was reported missing on March 29, it was too late to locate the men, and their vessel was later found sunken in the ocean without any sign of the Hokansons.

The Coast Guard conducted a three-day search before calling it off. Although some human remains were dredged up from the area in 1996, they could not be conclusively linked to the Hokansons through dental records. In 2014, the family officially reported them as missing in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) to facilitate ongoing efforts to identify remains through DNA comparison. Despite these efforts, the case remains unsolved, and no bodies have been recovered.

This tragedy also led to changes in maritime law. The Sol-e-Mar incident prompted the introduction of the Studds Act, which increased penalties for hoax distress calls, making it a federal crime punishable by up to ten years in prison.
Last Seen: Mar 25, 1990

Links to Additional Sources (5)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Missing Person / NamUs
  • 5509DMRI - William Hokanson
  • William Hokanson Jr. -- Lost Fishermen From the Port of New Bedford
  • DNA may hold key to identify those 'lost at sea' - fisherynation.com
  • 5508DMRI - William Hokanson, Sr. - Doe Network

    • 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.

    79%Possible
    John Doe — Somerville, Massachusetts - unidentified case UP14725
    John Doe — Somerville, Massachusetts
    UP14725 • Found Dec 13, 2009
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 44–46 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 86%63 mi away
    TimingFound 20 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%182 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    79%Possible
    John Doe — Bronx, New York - unidentified case UP8096
    John Doe — Bronx, New York
    UP8096 • Found Dec 19, 1990
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 85%Est. 30–50 vs 44
    Race 100%White
    Location 67%141 mi away
    TimingFound 9 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%185 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    78%Possible
    John Doe — Boston, Massachusetts - unidentified case UP15937
    John Doe — Boston, Massachusetts
    UP15937 • Found Jun 20, 2006
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 47 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 86%61 mi away
    TimingFound 16 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 46%133 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    78%Possible
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP8307
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP8307 • Found Jan 12, 1992
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 65%149 mi away
    TimingFound 22 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%189 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 30%Hazel vs Blue
    77%Possible
    John Doe — North Attleborough, Massachusetts - unidentified case UP15501
    John Doe — North Attleborough, Massachusetts
    UP15501 • Found Apr 11, 2007
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 94%33 mi away
    TimingFound 17 years after last seen
    Height 84%5'5" vs 5'7"
    Weight 73%153 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 70%Gray vs Brown
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Leominster, Massachusetts - unidentified case UP15942
    John Doe — Leominster, Massachusetts
    UP15942 • Found Jun 8, 2006
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 57 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 82%75 mi away
    TimingFound 16 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'6" vs 5'7"
    Weight 100%192 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Queens, New York - unidentified case UP5800
    John Doe — Queens, New York
    UP5800 • Found Dec 5, 2002
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 67%141 mi away
    TimingFound 13 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 89%169 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP6167
    John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
    UP6167 • Found Apr 26, 1998
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 45–55 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 65%151 mi away
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 59%142 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    77%Possible
    John Doe — Brooklyn, New York - unidentified case UP6883
    John Doe — Brooklyn, New York
    UP6883 • Found Sep 11, 1996
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 65%151 mi away
    TimingFound 6 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'8" vs 5'7"
    Weight 90%170 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
    Eyes 70%Gray vs Blue
    77%Possible
    John Doe — New York, New York - unidentified case UP7507
    John Doe — New York, New York
    UP7507 • Found Nov 8, 1991
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 44 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 65%149 mi away
    TimingFound 20 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'7" vs 5'7"
    Weight 90%170 lb vs 200 lb
    Hair 60%Black vs Brown
    Eyes 30%Hazel vs Blue

    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 (3)

    It's been years, yet the mystery of the Sol-e-Mar still haunts Maine's fishing communities. I’ve... ...Read More
    04/21/2024
    Hey all, just found something interesting while looking into the Hokanson case. There's been a lot... ...Read More
    12/23/2023
    Hey everyone, I’ve been thinking about the technical aspects of the Sol-e-Mar case and how things... ...Read More
    04/27/2023

    Other Missing Cases from Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island

    William Hokanson, Jr. missing person case in Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island

    William Hokanson, Jr.

    Missing: Mar 25, 1990
    On March 25, 1990, 19-year-old William "Billy" Hokanson, Jr. and his father, William "Hokey" ...Read More