R Taylor Missing Person Case

Dec 03, 2024

Dec 03, 2024

R

Taylor

85

37

71 inches

185 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the autumn of 1977, 37-year-old R. L. Taylor, a resident of Kodiak, Alaska, vanished into the unforgiving waters of the North Pacific. He was last seen on October 12, 1977, aboard the 34-foot fishing vessel, the UF 22, which he co-owned with his brother, Charles Taylor. The two brothers were together on the boat near Kodiak Island when they disappeared. The exact circumstances leading to their disappearance remain unknown, as there were no distress calls or immediate signs of trouble. The vast and often treacherous waters off the Alaskan coast became the last known location for the two men, leaving their families with unanswered questions and the start of a long and painful period of uncertainty. The hope for the safe return of R. L. and Charles Taylor began to fade as days turned into weeks with no sign of them or their vessel. The official report of their disappearance was filed with the Alaska State Troopers on October 22, 1977. For months, the case remained cold, with no new leads or discoveries to shed light on what might have transpired. It wasn't until nearly five months later, on March 2, 1978, that a breakthrough in the case occurred. The fishing vessel Columbia discovered the remains of the UF 22 on Aiaktalik Beach, located near the south end of Kodiak Island. This grim discovery confirmed that the boat had met a tragic end, but it provided no answers as to the fate of the two brothers who were aboard. The discovery of the wreckage of the UF 22 marked a sorrowful turning point in the investigation, but it did not bring closure to the Taylor family. No sign of R. L. or Charles Taylor was found with the remains of their boat. The brothers were presumed to have been lost at sea, their bodies never recovered from the frigid Alaskan waters. The case of their disappearance is a somber reminder of the perils faced by those who make their living on the sea. The lack of witnesses and the remote location of the incident have left the specific events of that day in October 1977 a mystery. The case officially remains a missing persons investigation, a cold file in the records of the Alaska State Troopers, and a source of enduring grief for the family who lost two of their own to the vast and unpredictable ocean.

Oct 12, 1977

Kodiak

Alaska

Kodiak Island Borough

Kodiak

No

159178

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

AK24121864

1977-10-22

Alaska State Troopers

Brown

Blue

Blue

07/10/2026