John Johnson was 71 years old when he was reported missing in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 11, 1996. Online missing-person records identify him as a white male, 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 190 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. The Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse lists his last known contact as December 11, 1996, and directs anyone with information to contact the Des Moines Police Department or the Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse.
At the time he disappeared, Johnson was reportedly wearing clothing suited for cold Iowa weather: a black fur hat with earflaps, a brown tweed coat, a royal blue hooded sweatshirt, blue pants, and a belt. He also wore eyeglasses. These details are especially important because they may have helped distinguish him from others in the area at the time and could still be meaningful to anyone reviewing old memories, records, or evidence connected to December 1996.
The available public information about Johnson’s disappearance is limited. Sources do not provide a detailed account of where in Des Moines he was last seen, what he may have been doing that day, whether he was traveling on foot or by vehicle, or whether there were any immediate circumstances that raised concern. What is consistently reported is that he was an elderly man who vanished from Des Moines in Polk County and that his case has been classified as an endangered missing-person case.
Johnson was born on October 23, 1925, according to online case summaries, making him 71 at the time he was reported missing. The passage of time makes his case particularly painful: decades have passed since his family and community last had confirmed contact with him, and the sparse public record leaves many unanswered questions about what happened after December 11, 1996.
The Iowa Missing Person Information Clearinghouse continues to provide a public listing for John Johnson and asks that anyone with information reach out to the appropriate authorities. Even small details can matter in long-unsolved missing-person cases, especially when they concern sightings, conversations, old personal records, or memories from the time and place where the person was last known to be.Last Seen: Dec 11, 1996
