Gerald DeBerry Missing Person Case

Dec 13, 2012

Mar 13, 2024

Gerald

DeBerry

67

53

66 inches

200 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the rugged wilderness of Alaska, a story of selflessness and mystery unfolded in October of 2011. Gerald "Jake" Alen DeBerry, a 53-year-old man from Fairbanks, vanished without a trace while participating in a search for a missing friend. On October 10, 2011, DeBerry joined family and friends in the White Mountains, an area approximately 70 miles north of Fairbanks, to look for a woman who had become separated from her group while riding four-wheelers. DeBerry, described as a Caucasian male with white/blonde hair, blue eyes, and bad eyesight, was an albino and had several scars on his chest, legs, face, and forehead. He was last seen wearing a thin jacket, blue jeans, hiking boots, glasses, a thin hat, and thin gloves, clothing considered insufficient for the cold overnight temperatures which had dropped into the teens. A member of his party had even given him an insulated flannel jacket after he mentioned he was getting very cold. The circumstances surrounding Gerald DeBerry's disappearance are as vast and unforgiving as the landscape in which he was last seen. He was part of a search party, a mission of hope for another, that tragically turned into his own mystery. The initial search for DeBerry was extensive, involving both air and ground efforts. Two trooper helicopters, two trooper planes, and military aircraft from Eielson and Elmendorf Air Force bases scoured the area from above, including a night-flying Pavehawk helicopter. The ground search was initially conducted by officials but was later continued solely by dedicated volunteers, friends, and family who organized a phenomenal effort to find him. Despite these exhaustive efforts, searchers were left frustrated as they were unable to locate either DeBerry or his four-wheeler. Authorities at the time expressed concern that he may have driven into a hole or a stream, which could have concealed the vehicle and carried him away. A significant amount of time would pass before any sign of DeBerry would surface. About a year after he went missing, his Yamaha Kodiak four-wheeler was discovered stuck in the tundra. The ATV was located near Faith Creek Mine, off the 69 Mile marker of the Steese Highway. This discovery, while providing a piece of the puzzle, did little to solve the ultimate question of what happened to Gerald DeBerry. The case grew cold, leaving his loved ones with unanswered questions. The initial belief by authorities was that the search had shifted from a rescue to a recovery mission, as they feared he had not survived the harsh conditions. The disappearance of Gerald DeBerry is a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the Alaskan wilderness and the profound sadness of a helper becoming the one who is lost. His case remains a difficult and unresolved chapter in the annals of missing persons in Alaska.

Oct 10, 2011

Fairbanks

Alaska

Fairbanks North Star Borough

No

2835

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

110101835

2011-10-10

Alaska State Troopers

White

Blue

Blue

No

07/17/2026