Kristopher David Clarke, also known as “K.C.,” was 29 years old when he was last known to have contact on February 22, 2012, in New Town, North Dakota. NamUs lists him as missing from New Town, with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation identified as the investigating agency. He was a Washington native who had gone to North Dakota for work and was last sighted at his job at Blackstone Trucking in New Town.
At the time he disappeared, Kristopher was described as a White male with brown hair and brown eyes. Public missing-person listings describe him as approximately 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall and around 135 to 155 pounds. He had several distinguishing physical features, including linear scars on both legs, a scar on his left wrist, a scar on his stomach, and a scar on his left side extending toward his upper back. He also had pierced ears, including the lobes and upper ear, and one ear may have had a keloid scar from a piercing. Some sources note that he may have walked with a slight limp.
Kristopher’s disappearance became especially concerning because he did not simply lose contact after leaving the area; his vehicle was later found abandoned. Missing-person sources report that his white 2007 Chevrolet C/K 3500 pickup, bearing plate number AC63117, was located in Williston, North Dakota, months after he vanished. That discovery deepened fears for his safety, as there was still no confirmed sign of Kristopher himself.
The investigation later became connected to a federal murder-for-hire case involving James Henrikson, who operated in the North Dakota oil patch. Reporting from KREM stated that investigators believed Kristopher was killed because Henrikson thought he was going to start his own trucking company or take employees to a competing firm. KREM also reported that Timothy Suckow pleaded guilty to murder-for-hire and conspiracy in the separate killing of Doug Carlile and told the court that “the truth must be told,” including his involvement in Kristopher’s death.
In February 2016, a federal jury found Henrikson guilty in a case that included the murder-for-hire killings of Kristopher Clarke and Doug Carlile. News reports described Henrikson as the mastermind of a murder-for-hire scheme tied to business dealings in the Bakken oil fields. In May 2016, he was sentenced in federal court to life terms for the killings, with additional prison terms on other counts.
Despite the convictions and the information developed through the criminal case, Kristopher’s remains have not been recovered. The Associated Press reported that Clarke’s body had never been found, and later reporting on the case continued to note that his remains were still missing. For his family and those who care about him, that absence leaves a painful and unresolved part of the case: even after accountability in court, Kristopher has still not been brought home.Last Seen: Feb 22, 2012
