On February 23, 1999, 23-year-old Shannon Clair LaBau was last seen in Helena, Montana. That morning, he informed his mother he was traveling with a friend to Townsend to look at a muscle car he was interested in buying. Security cameras at a Helena bank captured him at approximately 9:00 a.m. withdrawing several thousand dollars in cash, presumably for the vehicle purchase. He was expected to return to his home in Helena later that day but was never heard from again.
At the time of his disappearance, Shannon was described as being 6'3" and weighing around 240 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. He wore contact lenses and had several distinguishing marks, including an unfinished tattoo of a black dragon on his upper right arm, a faint vertical scar between his eyes, and a mole on his neck. He was believed to be wearing a light-colored t-shirt, a dark blue and white plaid flannel shirt, and blue jeans. His red 1976 Chevrolet truck also vanished and has not been recovered.
The circumstances surrounding Shannon's disappearance have been troubling for his family and investigators from the start. The friend who was reportedly last with him provided conflicting accounts of what transpired that day. In one version, he claimed to have dropped Shannon off near his apartment in downtown Helena, while in another, he stated Shannon got a ride to Butte because he was afraid of someone to whom he owed drug money. Authorities were never able to identify the supposed owner of the car Shannon intended to purchase. The investigation into his disappearance has been treated as a homicide, as evidence suggests Shannon did not leave voluntarily. He left behind a baby daughter whom he adored, and it was considered highly uncharacteristic for him to abandon his child. Additionally, he had an upcoming appointment to renew his prescription for contact lenses, which he was severely near-sighted without. Money remained in his bank account, his ATM card was never used again, and his final paychecks from his job as a cook were left uncollected.
Over the years, Shannon's family has continued to seek answers and closure. His mother, with whom he was very close, had him legally declared dead in 2007 before she passed away from cancer. The friend Shannon was with on the day he disappeared has remained a person of interest in the case, having a significant criminal history and offering inconsistent stories. Despite extensive searches and ongoing investigative efforts by the Helena Police Department, Shannon’s body has never been found, and no one has been charged in connection with his disappearance. His case remains an unsolved and painful mystery for his loved ones, who remember him as a fun-loving young man and hope to one day bring him home for a proper burial.Last Seen: Feb 23, 1999
