Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
Steven Pearsall missing person case profile photo

Steven Pearsall Missing Person Case

Last seen in Lewiston, Idaho on Sep 14, 1982

Victim Details

May 27, 2009

Jan 12, 2024

Steven

Pearsall

79

35

71 inches

160 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

Sep 14, 1982

Lewiston

Idaho

Nez Perce County

No

20304

Lewiston Police Department

Lewiston

Idaho

Nez Perce County

83501

1224 F Street, Idaho

2087460171

Local

Law Enforcement

https://cityoflewiston.org/292/Police-Department

82-4015

Sep 16, 1982

Lewiston Police Department

7181

Brown

Brown

Brown

Oct 10, 2026


Area Last Seen:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP2071) and 11 other sources
On the night of September 14, 1982, 35-year-old Steven Pearsall vanished from Lewiston, Idaho. A former U.S. Air Force corporal, he was working as a janitor at the Lewiston Civic Theater. That evening, he asked a friend to drop him off at the theater, intending to do some laundry and practice his clarinet. He was never seen or heard from again. Left behind at the theater was his clarinet, an instrument he was not known to leave unattended. Additionally, his car remained parked at a friend's house and an uncashed paycheck was discovered in his apartment.

Pearsall's disappearance coincided with that of two other local youths, 21-year-old Kristina Nelson and her 18-year-old stepsister, Jacqueline "Brandy" Miller. The two women were last seen leaving their apartment, which was only a few blocks from Pearsall's, to go to a nearby grocery store. Their route would have taken them past the Lewiston Civic Theater. Nelson had previously worked as a janitor at the theater, and Pearsall had taken over the position after she quit. Due to their acquaintance with Pearsall, it is believed they may have stopped at the theater that night. Tragically, the remains of Nelson and Miller were discovered in a canyon in Kendrick, Idaho, nearly two years after they went missing, and their deaths were ruled homicides.

Authorities have long suspected a connection between Pearsall's disappearance and the murders of Nelson and Miller, believing all three were likely victims of the same individual. The prevailing theory is that Pearsall may have witnessed the abduction or murder of the two women and was subsequently killed to silence him. This series of events is also potentially linked to other local cold cases, including the 1979 disappearance of 12-year-old Christina White and the 1981 murder of University of Idaho student Kristin David. Law enforcement has indicated a person of interest in these cases, a man who was active at the Lewiston Civic Theater and was present on the night Pearsall, Nelson, and Miller disappeared. Despite multiple interviews, this individual has never been publicly identified and maintains his innocence. To date, no arrests have been made, and all the cases remain unsolved.
Last Seen: Sep 14, 1982

Links to Additional Sources (11)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Lewis–Clark Valley murders - Wikipedia
  • People Magazine Investigates: Inside Snake River Murders ...
  • Steven R. Pearsall - The Charley Project
  • Gruesome Discovery Made In An Idaho Cave Is Still Unexplained
  • Unsolved Disappearances
  • A String Of Disappearances In Rural Idaho Remain A Mystery Four ...
  • A Look into the Suspect in Christina White Disappearance - KLEW TV
  • Missing Person / NamUs
  • Her cousin was murdered – now she's hunting a serial killer
  • Idaho Cold Cases - Steven Pearsall has been missing ... - Facebook
  • Steven Pearsall - Never Found Never Forgotten - Apple Podcasts

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

    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.

    75%Possible
    John Doe — Wallace, Idaho - unidentified case UP5051
    John Doe — Wallace, Idaho
    UP5051 • Found Jun 18, 2002
    View case
    Sex ✓Male
    Age 87%Est. 57–67 vs 35 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 78%90 mi away, same state
    TimingFound 20 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'10" vs 5'11"
    Weight 89%185 lb vs 160 lb
    Hair 50%Red vs Brown
    Eyes 100%Brown 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.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

    Latest News

    View All

    Forum Posts (2)

    I’ve always found it puzzling how Steven's clarinet was left behind at the Civic Theater. It seems... ...Read More
    08/17/2024
    Has anyone else been curious about the significance of the clarinet being left behind in Steven... ...Read More
    03/23/2023

    Other Missing Cases from Lewiston, Idaho

    William Fredrick Wolf missing person case in Lewiston, Idaho

    William Fredrick Wolf

    Missing: Aug 8, 2023
    William Fredrick Wolf was reported missing from Lewiston, Idaho, with public missing-person listings ...Read More
    Richard Vollstedt missing person case in Lewiston, Idaho

    Richard Vollstedt

    Missing: Jul 1, 1994
    Richard Wayne Vollstedt Sr., a 67-year-old man, was last seen in Lewiston, Idaho, on July 1, 1994. ...Read More