Account
Jan 28, 2026
Jan 28, 2026
Matthew
L. Hamilton
32
32
5'7 inches
130 lbs
White
Male
In the summer of 2020, a sense of unease settled over the community of Port Angeles, Washington, as a local man, 32-year-old Matthew L. Hamilton, vanished without a trace. On the evening of Monday, July 13th, Matthew, an experienced kayaker familiar with the local waters, embarked on what was supposed to be a routine three-hour trip. He set off from Freshwater Bay County Park with the intention of kayaking to Ediz Hook, where his father was waiting to pick him up. As the hours ticked by and Matthew did not arrive at his destination, concern mounted. His father, after waiting in vain, alerted the authorities in the early hours of the following morning, sparking an urgent search and rescue operation. The search for Matthew involved multiple agencies, including the U.S. Coast Guard and the Elwah Police Department, who deployed a helicopter, a response boat, and a full rescue team. The initial search efforts yielded a significant but heart-wrenching discovery. Matthew's car was found parked at the Freshwater Bay boat ramp where he had started his journey. Not far from there, searchers located his green kayak, his cell phone, and a bag clipped to the vessel. Ominously, his paddle was nowhere to be found. Investigators were able to get two pings from his cell phone in the area of the Lower Elwha River, which narrowed the search area but did not lead to his whereabouts. Matthew was reportedly wearing a black and white jacket, blue jeans, and boots, and was not wearing a life jacket at the time he went missing. Despite the extensive search and the discovery of his belongings, Matthew Hamilton was never found. The days that followed his disappearance were filled with anguish and uncertainty for his family and friends. While news reports from the time extensively covered the search for the missing kayaker in July 2020, some official sources have recorded his date of disappearance as July 13, 2023, creating a degree of ambiguity in the timeline of this tragic case. The lack of resolution has left a void in the lives of those who knew him, and his case remains a painful mystery. The official investigation provided few further details to the public, and with no subsequent updates on his whereabouts, the story of Matthew L. Hamilton's disappearance is one of a pleasant evening outing that turned into an enduring and sorrowful enigma.
Jul 13, 2020
Port Angeles
Washington
Port Angeles
Washington State Patrol Missing Persons Uni
800-543-5678
06/15/2026
