Thomas Clyde O’daniel Missing Person Case

Jan 24, 2026

Jan 24, 2026

Thomas

Clyde O’daniel

97

29

5'10 - 6'0 inches

170 lbs

White

Male

In the spring of 1958, a 29-year-old man named Thomas Clyde O'Daniel, also known as Tom, vanished from Phoenix, Arizona. The last contact anyone had with him was on May 15, 1958, when he placed a phone call to his family. During the call, he mentioned his plan to hitchhike approximately 200 miles to Yuma, Arizona. Thomas was a white male with blond hair and green eyes, standing between 5'10" and 6'0" tall and weighing between 170 and 190 pounds. A distinct physical characteristic noted by those who knew him was the presence of skin tags behind his ears. After that final phone call, he was never seen or heard from again, leaving his family with unanswered questions. The circumstances surrounding Thomas O'Daniel's disappearance are exceptionally sparse, making the case a profound mystery. His stated intention was to travel to Yuma by hitchhiking, a common mode of transportation at the time. However, it remains unknown if he ever reached his destination or what might have happened to him along the way. The lack of available information has been a significant challenge for investigators and his family over the decades. The official report of his disappearance was not filed with the Phoenix Police Department until many years later, on January 25, 2013. Decades have passed since Thomas O'Daniel was last seen, and his case has grown cold with very few leads to follow. The official classification of his case is simply "Missing," and it remains an open investigation with the Phoenix Police Department. The vast expanse of time has compounded the difficulty of uncovering what happened to the young man who planned to hitch a ride to Yuma. The overview of the case is one of abrupt silence; a man in his late twenties made a phone call outlining his travel plans and then ceased all communication, leaving behind a mystery that has endured for over sixty years with almost no details to illuminate his fate.

May 15, 1958

Phoenix

Arizona

Phoenix

Phoenix Police Department

08/27/2026