On August 2, 1996, 46-year-old John C. Hartenfeld embarked on a solo fishing trip to northern New Mexico or southern Colorado. He was last seen driving his beige or gray 1996 Toyota 4-Runner with New Mexico license plate 724-HYX. When he failed to return as expected, his family reported him missing.
In the days following his disappearance, there were unconfirmed sightings of Hartenfeld.
A waitress at Casa Valdez in Taos reported serving a man matching his description on August 5, who mentioned returning from a fishing trip near Angel Fire and Eagle Nest. Additionally, his credit card was used to purchase gasoline at the Colomex Chevron in Taos on August 6, raising concerns about his well-being.
Despite extensive search efforts, including a 10-member search-and-rescue team with a helicopter and cadaver dogs scouring a remote area near Amalia where his vehicle was found on October 19, 1996, no evidence of Hartenfeld's whereabouts was uncovered. The trail appeared to end near a road close to his vehicle's location.
As of November 2024, John Hartenfeld remains listed as a missing person by the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. His case is still open, and authorities continue to seek information regarding his disappearance. Last Seen: Aug 2, 1996
