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

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Erik Ekholm, an 83-year-old man from Bellingham, Washington, was last seen on March 12, 1986. At the time of his disappearance, Erik was reported to be 5'11" and 165 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes. His vehicle was discovered near Deception Pass, a well-known area for hiking and sightseeing in Washington State. Despite searches, no further clues have emerged regarding his whereabouts.

Ekholm, a former vice president at Georgia-Pacific's Puget Sound Division, was a p ...Read More
Last Seen: Mar 12, 1986

Links to Additional Sources (1)

See any mistakes? Let us know!

Victim Details

Sep 30, 2022

May 25, 2023

Erik

Ekholm

121

83

71 inches

165 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the late winter of 1986, an unsettling quiet fell over the life of Erik T. Ekholm, an 83-year-old man from Bellingham, Washington. On March 12th of that year, Erik was seen for the last time, leaving behind a life and a community that held him. His disappearance would become a lasting mystery for the city nestled in the Pacific Northwest. At five feet eleven inches tall and weighing around 165 pounds, with graying hair and hazel eyes, Erik was a familiar figure whose sudden absence was deeply felt. The initial facts were sparse, creating a puzzle with pieces that seemed to lead only to more questions. The primary and most alarming clue in the wake of his disappearance was the discovery of his vehicle. Found abandoned at Deception Pass, a dramatic and picturesque strait separating Whidbey Island and Fidalgo Island, the location added a somber and mysterious tone to the case. This significant landmark, known for its turbulent waters and sweeping bridge, offered no straightforward answers. The presence of his car at such a location, far from his home, suggested a journey with an unknown purpose and a final destination that remains elusive. What brought him to this specific, iconic spot remains a central and unanswered question in the investigation into what happened. The investigation, handled by the Bellingham Police Department, was left with a scarcity of information. Without witnesses to his final moments or any clear indication of his state of mind, the circumstances leading up to his disappearance are largely unknown. The discovery of his car at Deception Pass provided a geographical end point but no narrative of the events that transpired. Over the years, the case of Erik Ekholm has grown cold, a poignant reminder of a life interrupted. The lack of resolution has left a void for those who knew him and for the community at large, a story without an ending, suspended in the uncertainty of a March day in 1986.

Mar 12, 1986

Bellingham

Washington

Whatcom County

No

119638

Bellingham Police Department

Bellingham

Washington

Whatcom County

98225

505 Grand Avenue, Washington

3607788800

Local

Law Enforcement

86B06007

2003-03-25

Bellingham Police Department

Gray or Partially Gray

Hazel

Hazel

06/09/2026


Area Last Seen: