In the summer of 2008, a 51-year-old man named Robert Duane Lopeman vanished from Longview, Washington. The last confirmed contact with him was in August of that year, though he was not officially reported as a missing person until 2012, four years after he was last seen. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as a white male, standing 5'11' and weighing around 160 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes.
He had several distinguishing marks, including scars on his face, neck, right leg, right knee, and a finger on his right hand. He also had two tattoos: the word 'Reefer' on his right shoulder and 'BL Mania' on his upper right arm.
Robert had been residing in a small apartment in Longview prior to his disappearance. His disappearance occurred after he was released from Western State Hospital, a state-run psychiatric facility. He had been at the facility for eleven months following an arrest in September 2007 for disorderly conduct and intimidating a public servant. It is known that Robert dealt with mental illness, which had previously necessitated inpatient care, and he also had a history of drug abuse. The circumstances leading up to his disappearance remain largely unknown, and with the significant delay in reporting him missing, valuable time for gathering immediate leads was lost.
The passage of time has not brought answers in Robert Lopeman's case. With such a long period since his last known contact, details surrounding what might have happened to him are scarce. Law enforcement agencies, including the Longview Police Department and the Cowlitz County Sheriff's Department, have been involved in the investigation. Despite their efforts, his case remains unsolved. The considerable gap between his last known whereabouts and the official missing person report created significant challenges for the investigation from the outset. The lack of detailed information available to the public further complicates efforts to generate new leads, leaving his family and community without closure.Last Seen: Aug 1, 2008
