Account
Aug 04, 2010
Jan 08, 2024
Gary
Finck
74
53
70 inches
160 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
In the winter of 2004, a significant life change preceded the unsettling disappearance of 53-year-old Gary Dale Finck. A quiet man, Gary had recently moved to his family's cabin in the scenic, yet rural, area of Estacada, Oregon, following the recent passing of his mother. Before this move in late December 2003, he had been a long-time resident of the Washington Square area in Tigard. On January 29, 2004, Gary mentioned to his brother-in-law that he was going out for a walk from the Estacada cabin. He left that day and was never seen by his family again. At the time he went missing, it is believed he was wearing a yellow coat and possibly a baseball cap. Gary is a man who lives with developmental disabilities, including autism and epilepsy, which requires medication to manage seizures. Despite these challenges, he was self-sufficient and accustomed to a life of independence. He navigated his daily routines primarily by walking or utilizing public transportation, for which he had a bus pass. His life in Tigard had a predictable rhythm, which included attending a sheltered workshop in Hillsboro and visiting The Arc to get his spending money. After he vanished, concerned family and investigators noted that he did not return to these familiar places or routines. Authorities monitored his previous residence in Tigard, hoping he might return to the area he knew so well, but he never did. His speech could be loud and garbled, and at the time of his disappearance, he was unshaven with brown, potentially disheveled hair and blue eyes. In the weeks following Gary’s disappearance, a glimmer of hope emerged when two witnesses reported seeing him in the local area during February 2004. They stated that he appeared to be in good health. His sister has expressed a belief that he may have chosen to travel the area. However, due to his medical conditions and the lack of any contact, his case is considered one of an endangered missing person. The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office has investigated his disappearance, but the case has grown cold over the years. The abrupt departure from his established life, combined with his vulnerabilities, has left his family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss. The investigation into what happened to Gary Dale Finck remains open, a quiet and lingering mystery in the woods of Estacada.
Jan 29, 2004
Estacada
Oregon
Clackamas County
97023
No
8860
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Oregon City
Oregon
Clackamas County
97045
James White
Detective
2223 Kaen Road, Oregon
5037855000
County
Law Enforcement
2004-3763
2004-02-01
Clackamas County Sheriff's Office
Brown
Blue
Blue
05/30/2026
