On a summer day, July 19, 1986, a 20-year-old man named Darold Allen Stryffeler went out on Hagg Lake in Gaston, Oregon, for a boat ride. He set off alone at about 4:00 in the afternoon. Darold, who lived on Northeast North Valley Road, was a young man with black hair and blue eyes. That day on the lake would be the last time anyone ever saw him. His disappearance launched a mystery that has remained unsolved for decades, leaving his family with unanswered questions and a permanent sense of
loss.
Later that evening, around 9:15 p.m., Darold's motorboat was discovered beached on the shore of the lake. The scene was quiet and perplexing. Inside the boat, the ignition had been turned off, but the tape player was still on, the cassette having played all the way through. His wallet was sitting on the seat and still contained $100. There was also alcohol found aboard the vessel. Of Darold himself, there was no sign. An immediate search of the area was conducted, but it yielded no clues as to his whereabouts.
The initial theory from authorities was that Darold, who was known to be a very poor swimmer, had likely fallen into the water and drowned, possibly after becoming intoxicated. However, as the weeks and months went on, his body never surfaced from the lake's waters. By November of that year, investigators began to express doubt that he was in the lake at all, stating that the chances were 'pretty slim'. His family has long held suspicions of foul play. They reported that Darold had been involved in an argument with some people on the shore earlier in the day, who were upset with him for throwing empty beer cans into the water. Police did find and interview these individuals, but ultimately concluded they were not involved in his disappearance. With no further leads, the case grew cold, leaving the strange circumstances of the empty, beached boat and the lingering questions from a family argument as the only remnants of Darold's last known hours. The official investigation remains open, a quiet file holding the story of a young man who vanished from a lake on a summer day.Last Seen: Jul 19, 1986
