On a cold February day in 1963, 16-year-old Edward Dean Eskridge and his younger brother, Richard, set out for a day of rabbit hunting north of Green River, Wyoming. The brothers were in a small foreign car, traveling along a country road when they were involved in a crash about 29 miles from town. The events that followed would leave one brother deceased and the other vanishing into the harsh Wyoming wilderness, never to be seen again. When the boys failed to return home that evening, they were reported missing, prompting the start of a search.
Rescuers located the overturned vehicle and found Richard, who was seriously injured. Evidence at the scene suggested that Edward, likely believing it was the only way to save his brother, had made the difficult decision to leave him and set out on foot to find help.
He had reportedly pulled his brother from the wreck, covered him with his parka to shield him from the brutal elements, and built a fire to keep him warm before disappearing. Tragically, Richard succumbed to his injuries and died of pneumonia in a Rock Springs hospital five days later.
An extensive search for Edward was launched immediately, involving over 200 people, including the National Guard. For eleven grueling days, search parties scoured the rugged terrain, battling a winter storm and temperatures that plunged into the low teens. The severe weather conditions significantly hampered their efforts. The search for the missing teenager was so significant that it led to the formation of the Sweetwater County Search and Rescue organization. Despite the massive and dedicated effort, not a single trace of Edward Dean Eskridge was ever found. His disappearance remains one of Wyoming's most haunting and unresolved missing person cases. The overview of the case is a tragic story of a young man who, in a moment of crisis, acted heroically to save his brother, only to vanish without a trace into the unforgiving landscape, leaving a six-decade-long mystery in his wake.Last Seen: Feb 15, 1963
