On the evening of June 8, 2002, 30-year-old Jeffrey Kolden disappeared from Morenci, Arizona, after an argument with his fiancée. He was last seen driving his blue 1985 Chevrolet C/K 1500 pickup truck. Kolden had left his residence around 10:00 p.m. and went to a local Circle K store where he purchased gasoline and beer. The last confirmed sighting of him was on Reservation Road, about half a mile south of Morenci, in an area known as the Morenci Corals, heading in the direction of the San Francisco River. At the time he went missing, he was wearing a white t-shirt with an American flag emblem, dark blue army fatigue pants, black combat boots, and a Diamondbacks baseball cap.
The day after he was last seen, June 9, 2002, Kolden's pickup truck was discovered in the San Francisco River. Despite the location of the truck, authorities indicated it was unlikely that he had drowned. A blue ice cooler and evidence of a campfire were found on the riverbank approximately 90 yards from his submerged vehicle. An extensive three-day search of the area involving ground crews and a helicopter yielded no further clues as to his whereabouts. Adding to the complexity of the situation, Kolden's wallet, checkbook, and a wristwatch were found in a different vehicle that had been borrowed by a friend the night he disappeared and was returned the following day. This meant he likely did not have these personal items with him when he vanished.
The investigation into Jeffrey Kolden's disappearance has explored various possibilities. At the time he went missing, his fiancée was pregnant, which led to initial speculation that he may have left voluntarily to avoid the responsibilities of fatherhood. However, his family and loved ones have firmly disputed this theory, stating that he was excited about becoming a father and was also looking forward to the upcoming elk hunting season. They do not believe he would have willingly walked away from his life. His bank account has remained untouched since his disappearance. Another detail that has been noted is that Kolden disappeared on the one-year anniversary of his fiancée's divorce from her ex-husband, a man whom Kolden was reportedly afraid of. His case remains an unsolved and suspicious missing person investigation.
Last Seen: Jun 08, 2002
