In the late summer of 1999, a 29-year-old man named Joel Matthew Thompson was embarking on an adventure he had carefully planned. On August 31, 1999, he made a phone call to his father from St. Louis, Missouri. He explained that he was in the city visiting friends and gathering the last of his supplies for a long hiking trip. Joel's ambitious plan was to travel to the Portland, Oregon, area and from there, begin a journey south along the Pacific Crest Trail, which spans from the border of
Washington state down through California. Understanding the remote nature of his trek, he advised his father that it would likely be a couple of months before he would be in touch again. This conversation was the last time anyone is known to have heard from Joel.
As the weeks turned into several months, the lack of communication from Joel, which was initially expected, became a source of deep concern for his family. His father, holding onto the hope that Joel was simply off the grid as planned, began making inquiries once the two-month mark had long passed. When these initial efforts to locate his son proved fruitless, his father officially filed a missing persons report. At the time of his disappearance, Joel was described as a white male, standing between 5'7' and 5'10' and weighing between 170 and 180 pounds. He had brown, balding hair, blue eyes, and a brown beard and mustache. He was believed to be wearing size 32-34 jeans and brown hiking boots, and was equipped for his journey with a large backpack capable of holding fifty pounds, a pocket knife, a disposable lighter, and a disposable camera.
The investigation into Joel's disappearance has remained open for years, a quiet and painful mystery for his loved ones. Despite the passage of time, no trace of him has ever been found. There has been no activity on his accounts and no evidence to suggest what might have happened to him after that final phone call from St. Louis. The case is particularly perplexing because he seemed to vanish before his planned hike on the Pacific Crest Trail even began. The overview of this case is one of a man who was preparing for a significant personal journey, only to disappear without a trace. His communication with his father indicated his plans and a timeline for his absence, but the silence stretched far beyond what was expected, leaving his family with unanswered questions. Law enforcement agencies in several states, including Missouri, New York, and Oregon, have been involved in the investigation, but the lack of leads has left the case unsolved.Last Seen: Aug 31, 1999
