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302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on 6 sources
Jay Calvin Pringle, a 17-year-old resident of Medford, Oregon, was last seen on April 19, 1977, in Gardena, California. At the time of his disappearance, Pringle was on a trip to California with a 23-year-old friend, Robert Harry Kellogg. Pringle, who was a senior at Medford Senior High, had reportedly met Kellogg at a bus station in Medford where he worked. The two embarked on a road trip together in April 1977.

The circumstances surrounding Pringle's disappearance are based on the account of Kellogg, who was the last person to see him. According to Kellogg, he and Pringle got into an argument and separated in Gardena. Kellogg claimed that Pringle then left with an unknown individual. At the time he was last seen, Pringle was carrying a suitcase and a brown and green wool blanket. He was wearing an army jacket, pants, and a blue bandana or handkerchief around his head. He also wore gold-rimmed eyeglasses. Pringle had several distinguishing scars, including on his knees from a car accident, on his left elbow, above his left eye, and on his left calf.

After Pringle's disappearance, Kellogg traveled to Las Vegas and reportedly spent all of Pringle's money before returning to Medford alone. Jay's mother had given the money to Kellogg, believing he would be more responsible with it. She later successfully sued Kellogg in small claims court to have the money returned. Investigators have long considered Kellogg to be a person of interest in Pringle's disappearance and suspected his involvement, but a lack of evidence prevented any charges from being filed. Kellogg subsequently left Oregon during the police investigation and died in September 2011. Jay Calvin Pringle's case remains unsolved, and he has not been seen or heard from since 1977. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office in Oregon is the investigating agency.

Last Seen: Apr 19, 1977

Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

75%Possible
John Doe — Coronado, California
UP97678 • Found Sep 11, 1977
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 15–25 vs 17
Race 100%White
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 5 months after last seen
Weight 100%136 lb vs 150 lb

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.