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Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP9848) and 1 other source
In the late winter of 1993, a family's life was forever changed by the unexplained disappearance of David Dar Gilchrist. At 30 years old, David was last seen in Steilacoom, Washington, on February 21, 1993. A resident of Pierce County, he was a man with brown hair that was possibly beginning to thin, and brown eyes. Standing between five feet five inches and five feet nine inches tall and weighing between 130 and 160 pounds, he may have worn a goatee at the time he went missing. The day he was last seen marked the beginning of a long and painful period of uncertainty for those who knew and loved him, as his whereabouts after that day became a complete mystery.

The official timeline of David's case began the day after his last known contact, when his father took the heartbreaking step of reporting him as a missing person to the authorities. This report initiated a case with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, and records indicate that the Lakewood Police Department also holds a file related to his disappearance. Despite the passage of time and the creation of official files, the specific details and circumstances surrounding the moment David went missing have never been made public. There is no information available regarding what he was wearing or what he was doing before he vanished, leaving a void of information that has persisted for decades.

The investigation into David Gilchrist's disappearance has yielded few public answers, and his case remains an unresolved and poignant mystery in Washington state. For years, his information has been listed in national missing persons databases in the hope that a new lead might emerge. The lack of available information in the public domain highlights the difficult nature of cold cases where leads have grown scarce over time. The overview of this case is one of profound and lingering questions: a 30-year-old man vanished, and decades later, his family and community are left without knowing what happened to him on that February day in 1993.

Last Seen: Feb 21, 1993

Links to Additional Sources (1)

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Possible Unidentified Matches (7)

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
John Doe — Seattle, Washington - unidentified case UP67767
John Doe — Seattle, Washington
UP67767 • Found Sep 6, 2001
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 25–45 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 94%33 mi away, same state
TimingFound 9 years after last seen
Height 100%5'5" vs 5'5"–5'9"
Weight 99%175 lb vs 130–160 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Issaquah, Washington - unidentified case UP8582
John Doe — Issaquah, Washington
UP8582 • Found Jan 15, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 18–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 93%36 mi away, same state
TimingFound 10 years after last seen
Height 100%5'3"–5'8" vs 5'5"–5'9"
78%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9988
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9988 • Found Jan 15, 1996
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 21–30 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 72%115 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'5"–5'9"
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Oregon - unidentified case UP9519
John Doe — Oregon
UP9519 • Found Nov 8, 1993
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 16–30 vs 30
Race 100%White
Location 71%120 mi away
TimingFound 9 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'5"–5'9"
76%Possible
John Doe — Seattle, Washington
UP87994 • Found Jun 14, 2021
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 21–44 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 94%32 mi away, same state
TimingFound 28 years after last seen
Height 100%5'7" vs 5'5"–5'9"
Weight 99%175 lb vs 130–160 lb
76%Possible
John Doe — Portland, Oregon - unidentified case UP9601
John Doe — Portland, Oregon
UP9601 • Found Oct 1, 1993
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–35 vs 30
Race 100%White
Location 72%115 mi away
TimingFound 7 months after last seen
Height 84%5'11" vs 5'5"–5'9"
75%Possible
John Doe — Tacoma, Washington
UP93227 • Found Jun 21, 2022
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 45–70 vs 30 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%9 mi away, same county
TimingFound 29 years after last seen
Height 84%5'3" vs 5'5"–5'9"
Weight 86%185 lb vs 130–160 lb
Hair 70%Gray vs Brown

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.

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