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Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP99071) and 7 other sources
In the spring of 1971, Lester Loran Petry was an 18-year-old student at the University of Minnesota, navigating his freshman year. A bright individual, he had been on the "A" honor roll at Atwater High School and was the recipient of a faculty scholarship. Standing at 5'9" and weighing around 120 pounds, he had brown hair and brown eyes. The last time anyone is known to have seen Lester was on April 18, 1971, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. From that day forward, his life, full of academic promise, became a long and unanswered question. No one has reported hearing from him since.

The circumstances surrounding Lester's disappearance are shrouded in uncertainty, with very few details available to the public or to the investigators who would handle his case over the ensuing decades. It is known that April 18, 1971, was a Sunday, a detail that deepens the mystery as he would not have been attending classes that day. There is no publicly available information about what he was last seen wearing, who he was with, or what his plans might have been. This lack of a clear timeline or starting point for an investigation has made the search for answers incredibly challenging for both law enforcement and his loved ones.

Decades have passed since Lester Petry vanished, and his case has grown cold, leaving a void of information. The Minneapolis Police Department has remained the agency of record for his disappearance. Despite the passage of time, his case remains open, a silent testament to a life interrupted. The lack of significant leads or any clear indication of his fate has left his family and community with lingering questions and a sense of unresolved loss. The overview of Lester's case is one of a sudden and unexplained absence, a young man with a promising future who seemingly vanished without a trace, leaving behind only memories and the enduring hope for answers.

Last Seen: Apr 18, 1971

Possible Unidentified Matches (5)

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.

80%Moderate
John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota
UP124186 • Found Sep 25, 1995
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Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 18 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%2 mi away, same county
TimingFound 24 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'9"
Weight 56%156 lb vs 120 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
79%Possible
John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota - unidentified case UP763
John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota
UP763 • Found Dec 16, 2003
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 18 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%1 mi away, same county
TimingFound 33 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'9"
Weight 100%131 lb vs 120 lb
Hair 100%Brown vs Brown
Eyes 0%Blue vs Brown
78%Possible
John Doe — Burnsville, Minnesota - unidentified case UP4743
John Doe — Burnsville, Minnesota
UP4743 • Found Aug 24, 2005
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–30 vs 18 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 99%14 mi away, same state
TimingFound 34 years after last seen
Height 68%5'6" vs 5'9"
Weight 100%123 lb vs 120 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
77%Possible
John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota - unidentified case UP154368
John Doe — Minneapolis, Minnesota
UP154368 • Found May 8, 1997
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 40–50 vs 18 when missing
Race 60%Hispanic
Location 100%2 mi away, same county
TimingFound 26 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'9"
Weight 100%128 lb vs 120 lb
Hair 60%Black vs Brown
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
75%Possible
John Doe — St Paul, Minnesota
UP148173 • Found May 23, 2025
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 18 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 100%9 mi away, same state
TimingFound 54 years after last seen
Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"
Weight 61%154 lb vs 120 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.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.