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Debra Vowell Missing Person Case

Last seen in San Diego, California on Jan 24, 1979

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Victim Details

Oct 27, 2012

Mar 18, 2020

Debra

Vowell

68

21

62 inches

107 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Jan 24, 1979

San Diego

California

San Diego County

92107

12547

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department-Monterey Park - Homicide Bureau

Monterey Park

California

Los Angeles County

91755

Tamar Abraham

Detective

1 Cupania Circle, California

3238905500

County

Law Enforcement

http://www.lasd.org/about_us.html

003-00067-3100-444

Oct 17, 2003

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department-Monterey Park - Homicide Bureau

Blond/Strawberry

Hazel

Hazel

Oct 15, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP17932) and 5 other sources
Debra Vowell, aged 21, disappeared on January 24, 1979, off the coast of San Diego, California. She was aboard a 41-foot fishing boat, the *Armistice*, along with her husband, Dennis Vowell, and a friend, Gary Newton. The trio was last seen as they set off on the boat, but they never returned. An extensive air and sea search by the United States Coast Guard, spanning from San Luis Obispo to Ensenada, Mexico, failed to locate the boat or any trace of the occupants.

Authorities later linked the *Armistice* to a large-scale marijuana smuggling organization, raising suspicions that the boat's disappearance could be connected to illegal activities. Two years after Debra went missing, her grandfather, a sergeant with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, received a late-night phone call. The voice on the line, which the grandfather believed to be Debra, said, "It's Debbie. I am trying to go to California." However, the call was abruptly disconnected, and no further contact has been made.

Despite the eerie phone call and the investigation into potential criminal connections, Debra, Dennis, Gary, and the boat remain missing, leaving the case unresolved after decades of investigation. Authorities reopened the case in 2003, and it is now considered part of a larger cold case investigation.
Last Seen: Jan 24, 1979

Links to Additional Sources (5)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Debra Lee Vowell | State of California - Department of Justice - CA.gov
  • Debra Lee Vowell - The Charley Project
  • 2206DFCA - Debra Lee Vowell - Doe Network
  • 10 Unsolved Cases of Disappearance at Sea - Unbelievable Facts
  • The strange case of Debra Lee Vowell

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Camp Pendleton, California
    UP62407 • Found Jan 3, 1982
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 16–25 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 92%40 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 3 years after last seen
    Height 100%4'11"–5'5" vs 5'2"
    79%Possible
    Jane Doe — San Diego, California
    UP120501 • Found Aug 28, 1988
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 96%27 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 10 years after last seen
    Height 100%4'11"–5'3" vs 5'2"
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Carlsbad, California - unidentified case UP128322
    Jane Doe — Carlsbad, California
    UP128322 • Found Aug 12, 2024
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 95%28 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 46 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'3" vs 5'2"
    Weight 100%111 lb vs 107 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 60%Brown vs Hazel
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — San Diego, California - unidentified case UP63965
    Jane Doe — San Diego, California
    UP63965 • Found Aug 26, 1981
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 21 when missing
    Race 60%Hispanic
    Location 99%12 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 3 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'2" vs 5'2"
    Weight 77%130 lb vs 107 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 60%Brown vs Hazel
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Lake Elsinore, California
    UP7045 • Found Feb 8, 1994
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 85%64 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 15 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'3" vs 5'2"
    Weight 77%130 lb vs 107 lb
    Hair 100%Blond vs Blond
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Corona Del Mar, California - unidentified case UP7669
    Jane Doe — Corona Del Mar, California
    UP7669 • Found May 14, 1989
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 84%69 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 10 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'2" vs 5'2"
    Weight 7%158 lb vs 107 lb
    Hair 100%Blond vs Blond
    Eyes 100%Hazel vs Hazel
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Malibu, California
    UP4369 • Found Aug 28, 1980
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 22–32 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 70%125 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 19 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'3" vs 5'2"
    Hair 100%Blond vs Blond
    78%Possible
    Jane Doe — Camp Pendleton South, California
    UP152658 • Found Sep 11, 2001
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 93%35 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 23 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'2" vs 5'2"
    Weight 86%125 lb vs 107 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 60%Brown vs Hazel
    77%Possible
    Jane Doe — El Cajon, California
    UP55892 • Found Jun 11, 2002
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 97%22 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 23 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'1"–5'4" vs 5'2"
    77%Possible
    Jane Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP4042 • Found Jun 10, 1988
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 21 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 74%107 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 9 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'2" vs 5'2"
    Weight 100%104 lb vs 107 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 60%Brown vs Hazel

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

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    Forum Posts (2)

    I’ve been diving deep into the disappearance of Debra Vowell and can’t stop thinking about that... ...Read More
    02/10/2024
    Has anyone else thought about the timing of the phone call Debra's grandfather received? It just... ...Read More
    11/26/2023

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