Phouvuiay Thetsombandith, a 20-year-old Laotian man, was last seen on August 18, 1991, in San Diego, California. Phouvuiay had moved from Laos in 1989 to live with relatives and improve his English. On the day of his disappearance, he was walking in the 6000 block of Brooklyn Avenue when he was abducted by four or five men at gunpoint. The men forced him into a white or gray 1991 Buick Skylark. He left behind one of his shoes at the scene.
Phouvuiay's abduction was a case of mistaken identity. The perpetrator, Percyval Dryden, wrongly believed Phouvuiay was someone who had broken into his car the night before. Dryden was later convicted of Phouvuiay's murder and sentenced to 19 years to life in prison, but he has never disclosed the location of Phouvuiay's body. Despite Dryden's conviction, Phouvuiay's remains have never been found. His family, particularly his parents in Laos, continue to hope for the recovery of his body so they can provide him a proper burial in line with their Buddhist traditions.
Phouvuiay's case is classified as an endangered missing person, with foul play strongly suspected given the circumstances of his disappearance.Last Seen: Aug 18, 1991
