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Crime Solvers Central
295 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP4019) and 5 other sources
Ivan Barela, 15 years old, disappeared on November 2, 1986, from Ocean Beach in San Francisco, California. That day, he was with his family at the Vuarnet Pro-Am surfing tournament when he left them around 2:30 p.m. to walk his dog. Ivan never returned, and his dog was found shortly afterward, but there was no sign of Ivan.

Ivan had a history of running away from home, which initially raised suspicions. However, investigators later deemed his disappearance suspicious, considering he had no apparent reason to leave permanently. One theory is that he may have accidentally drowned in the bay, although no evidence has been found to confirm this.

At the time of his disappearance, Ivan was wearing swim trunks and cut-off gray Nike sweatpants. Despite extensive searches and investigations, no significant leads have emerged, and his case remains unsolved after decades. Age-progressed images have been released to help aid in the search for him.

Last Seen: Nov 2, 1986