Jason Jesse Erthal, a 33-year-old White male, vanished from Oroville, California on October 11, 2006. He was last seen in the 20‑block of Sumi Court, a residential area in Oroville, and had been living part-time with a roommate in a trailer park located along Olive Highway near the Gold Country Casino. Erthal was described as approximately 5 ft 5 in tall, weighing around 140 lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. He had notable burn scars on both arms and several distinctive tattoos—including a tribal band on his right bicep, an eagle on his left shoulder, and a small "spitfire" smiley‑face design on his body.
On the day of his disappearance, Erthal and his roommate had a physical altercation. After the argument, Erthal walked away and did not return. Personal belongings, including his wallet and identification, were left behind at the trailer park. He had no vehicle, was unemployed at the time, and relied on walking or public transportation to get around.
Following his disappearance, his roommate died of an overdose about two weeks later. Concerned family members initiated a missing-person report on November 8, 2006, nearly one month after Jason was last seen. His mother has publicly stated that she believes Jason is likely deceased and that his remains may be somewhere in the local Oroville area.
Erthal was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, having served a four-year enlistment. At the time he vanished, he led a transient lifestyle—alternating stays between friends and the trailer park—and periodically visited Reno, Nevada. Just days before his disappearance, he reportedly called a distant relative expressing concerns about someone he knew, identified as John Ramos.
Although there have been occasional matches of his name and date of birth appearing in national firearms clearance databases—which could indicate someone attempted to use his identity to purchase firearms—no suspects have been formally identified in connection with his disappearance. Law enforcement considers foul play possible, and the case remains unsolved under the jurisdiction of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, reference case number C0615608.
Over the years, Erthal’s profile has been maintained on multiple missing-person platforms. The California Department of Justice lists him as missing since October 11, 2006, providing physical details such as height, weight, eye and hair color, with none of his clothing or other identifiers recorded as part of the public bulletin. The Charley Project and Missing Veterans networks offer further context about his background and living circumstances, though no substantive updates or breakthroughs have emerged in recent years.
To date, all efforts to locate Jason Erthal have yielded no confirmed sightings or contact. The Butte County Sheriff’s Office continues to list the case as active. Anyone with information is encouraged to reach out to the department and reference the official case number.
Last Seen: Oct 11, 2006
