Account
Mar 29, 2012
May 30, 2023
William
Shannon
76
47
76 inches
180 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the late summer of 1995, a sense of quiet concern began to grow among the family and friends of William David Shannon. A 47-year-old man from Salem, Oregon, William had embarked on what was intended to be a refreshing camping and hiking trip, a solitary adventure into the natural beauty of Washington. He was last seen on September 4, 1995, in the scenic area of Skykomish, a small town nestled in the Cascade Mountains. William, a man who required medication for both mental and medical conditions, had unfortunately left these vital treatments behind. This decision, coupled with the inherent risks of a wilderness excursion, cast a shadow of worry over his departure. The days turned into weeks with no word, and the silence from the mountains grew heavier with each passing day, marking the beginning of a long and painful period of uncertainty for those who knew and loved him. The discovery of William's vehicle, a 1991 blue Pontiac 2+2, offered the first tangible clue in the search, yet it provided little comfort. The car was found abandoned at a National Forest trailhead leading to the picturesque and remote Lake Angeline, a location that confirmed his arrival in the wilderness but offered no insight into his subsequent movements. The King County Sheriff's Office was notified, and an extensive and arduous search operation was launched in the rugged terrain surrounding the lake. Search and rescue teams, armed with hope and expertise, scoured the dense forests, steep inclines, and winding trails, looking for any sign of the missing hiker. Despite their exhaustive efforts, the vast and unforgiving landscape yielded no trace of William, and the search was ultimately unproductive, leaving a void of unanswered questions and deepening the mystery of his disappearance. The circumstances surrounding William Shannon's case remain shrouded in ambiguity. He vanished leaving behind his vehicle and essential medication, suggesting a departure that was perhaps not fully planned or considered. At the time he went missing, he was described as a white male, standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was believed to be wearing a t-shirt, long pants, and a baseball or golf-style cap, and he may have had on light-colored wire-frame glasses. He was also carrying a blue Jansport backpack, a common accessory for any hiker, yet one that in his case, became a poignant detail in a story without an ending. The official investigation, led by the King County Sheriff's Office, has remained open over the years, a silent testament to a life interrupted and a family left waiting. The case serves as a somber reminder of the fragility of life and the enduring pain of not knowing the fate of a loved one who seemingly walked into the wilderness and never returned.
Sep 04, 1995
Skykomish
Washington
King County
No
11596
King County Sheriff's Office
Seattle
Washington
King County
98104
Janet Gregory
Project Program Mgr 3
516 3rd Avenue Room W-150, Washington
2062964155
County
Law Enforcement
95-317203
1995-09-25
King County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Blue
Blue
06/24/2026
