On August 11, 2003, 50-year-old Bruce Victor Nilson was last seen by his family in Kennewick, Washington. A United States Marine veteran, Nilson was known to live a transient lifestyle, often traveling long distances on foot and by hitchhiking. His family was aware of his tendency to wander, but as time stretched on with no word, concern for his safety grew.
The circumstances surrounding his disappearance were initially scarce, leaving his loved ones and law enforcement with very few leads to follow. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is the primary investigating agency in his case.
Nilson's travels were believed to have taken him from Washington through Oregon and into southern California. There was also a possibility that his journey had extended into northern Mexico, south of the California border, and potentially through Utah. He had a known affinity for the Los Angeles and Burbank areas of California. For years, there was no contact from him. Then, a decade after his family last saw him, a brief and hopeful sign emerged. On July 5, 2013, Nilson contacted his brother by phone, stating he was calling from someone else's cell phone in California. This was the last time anyone is known to have heard from him. After this call, the trail went cold once more, leaving his family with unanswered questions.
Bruce Nilson is described as a white male, with sandy hair that he sometimes wore in a thin, short ponytail, and blue eyes. He stood between 5'10' and 6'0' tall and weighed between 160 and 180 pounds. Distinctive features include a scar of an unknown size on his left wrist and the fact that he was missing most of his teeth, with the remaining ones broken at the gum line. He was known to typically wear jeans, often appearing in dirty clothing, and was almost always seen wearing a hat. Over the years, he has been associated with numerous aliases, including the surnames Wilson, Simpson, Anderson, Clark, Collins, and Hilson, with various first names. The investigation into Bruce Nilson's disappearance remains open. Despite the passage of time, his family and law enforcement continue to hope for information that might shed light on his whereabouts and finally bring a resolution to his long and perplexing case.Last Seen: Aug 11, 2003
