In the spring of 1998, a 17-year-old male named Jondalar Joseph Washington vanished from his family's home in the rural community of St. Michael, Alaska. On May 19, the day he was last seen, Jondalar, an American Indian and Alaska Native of Yu'pik descent, left his residence with a. 20 gauge Winchester pump-action shotgun, a blue tarp, and a camouflage tarp. He was described as being 5'0' to 5'7' tall and weighing around 110 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
At the time of his disappearance, he was reportedly wearing a blue sweatshirt, a blue jacket, dark blue or black cotton pants, and a blue cap. A scar on his left hand was noted as a distinguishing physical feature.
The circumstances surrounding Jondalar's disappearance remain shrouded in uncertainty, with few details available in his case. It has been reported that he mentioned to classmates his intention to walk to Unalakleet after school. This journey would have involved a roughly 60-mile trek up the coast, across pan ice that connected the island to the mainland at that time of year. Tragically, this ice had melted away several weeks after Jondalar was last seen. The Alaska State Troopers were notified of his disappearance on May 21, 1998, and opened an investigation into the matter.
Over two decades have passed since Jondalar Washington was last seen, and his case remains an open and unresolved missing persons investigation. The Alaska State Troopers continue to list him as a missing person, and his case is included in national databases for the missing. The lack of clear evidence or new leads over the years has left his family and community with unanswered questions and a sense of profound loss. The overview of this case is one of a young man who seemingly vanished into the vast and unforgiving Alaskan wilderness, leaving behind only a few clues as to his intentions on that May day.Last Seen: May 19, 1998
