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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 (MP25668) and 4 other sources
In the autumn of 1980, a sense of unease settled over a corner of Southeast Portland, Oregon, with the sudden disappearance of 30-year-old David Alden Jones. On October 26, a day that began like any other, David, a man with light blonde hair and blue eyes, set out to do his laundry and was never seen again. Standing at five feet ten inches and weighing around 145 pounds, he was a familiar presence in his neighborhood. His roommate grew concerned when David failed to return from his errand and subsequently did not show up for work, prompting a missing person report to be filed with the Portland Police Bureau. At the time of his disappearance, he was believed to be wearing worn blue jeans and a button-up shirt. The ordinary nature of his last known activity made his vanishing all the more unsettling for those who knew him.

The initial investigation into David's disappearance yielded few clues, leaving his family and friends in a state of perpetual uncertainty. The days turned into weeks, then months, and eventually years, with no sign of David or any information about his whereabouts. The case grew cold, a file among many others in the Portland Police Bureau's records, a testament to a life interrupted without explanation. Despite the passage of time, the case officially remains open, a lingering question in the minds of investigators and a persistent ache in the hearts of his loved ones. His physical description, including a beard and mustache, was circulated, but the details of what happened after he left to do his laundry remain a complete mystery.

Decades have passed since David Alden Jones was last seen, and the world has changed in countless ways, yet the core of his case remains the same: a man vanished without a trace. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance are sparse, with the only known fact being that he went to do laundry and never came back. This lack of information has made the investigation incredibly challenging, leaving a void where answers should be. The case serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring pain of not knowing. For David's family and the community he was a part of, his absence is a wound that has never fully healed, a story without an ending that continues to echo through the years.

Last Seen: Oct 26, 1980

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.

81%Moderate
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP11906
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP11906 • Found Jul 28, 1988
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 8 years after last seen
Height 84%5'8" vs 5'10"
Weight 99%160 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
80%Moderate
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP11907
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP11907 • Found Aug 25, 1989
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 84%5'8" vs 5'10"
Weight 99%160 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
79%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9988
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9988 • Found Jan 15, 1996
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 21–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 15 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
79%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9601
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9601 • Found Oct 1, 1993
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 13 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 5'10"
78%Possible
John Doe — Cannon Beach, Oregon - unidentified case UP10891
John Doe — Cannon Beach, Oregon
UP10891 • Found Sep 10, 1986
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 84%67 mi away, same state
TimingFound 6 years after last seen
Height 84%6'0" vs 5'10"
Weight 99%160 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 50%Red vs Blond
77%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9987
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9987 • Found Jun 6, 1997
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–40 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 17 years after last seen
Height 68%6'1" vs 5'10"
Weight 99%160 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
76%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP11873
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP11873 • Found May 3, 1989
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 36%5'5" vs 5'10"
Weight 99%130 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
75%Possible
John Doe — Oregon City, Oregon - unidentified case UP8058
John Doe — Oregon City, Oregon
UP8058 • Found Apr 20, 2002
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 40–60 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 98%16 mi away, same state
TimingFound 21 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'10"
75%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9989
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9989 • Found Jan 16, 1998
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 84%Est. 50–70 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%5 mi away, same county
TimingFound 17 years after last seen
Height 52%5'6" vs 5'10"
Weight 79%115 lb vs 145 lb
Hair 70%Gray vs Blond
Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
75%Possible
John Doe — Oregon - unidentified case UP9519
John Doe — Oregon
UP9519 • Found Nov 8, 1993
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 16–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 89%49 mi away, same state
TimingFound 13 years after last seen
Height 84%5'8" vs 5'10"

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.