In the winter of 1966, the life of 34-year-old Peter Bancarz, a Canadian citizen living near Sherwood, Oregon, took a mysterious and unsettling turn. On the afternoon of December 28th, neighbors saw Peter drive away from his home. Later that evening, what would be the last confirmed sighting of him occurred at approximately 11:30 p.m. as he left the Silver Skate Ice Arena in Portland after playing in a league hockey game.
In the days that followed, an unsettling quiet fell over Peter's life, a silence that would eventually stretch into decades, leaving behind a cold case that continues to perplex investigators and his family.
A few days after Peter was last seen, his neighbors observed his car parked in his driveway and an associate of his coming and going from the residence. It wasn't until April 15, 1967, that Peter's brother, after numerous failed attempts by the family to get in touch with him since the end of December, officially reported him as a missing person. When questioned by police, the associate claimed he had been at Peter's house on December 29, 1966, to work on Peter's car and that when he returned the next day, Peter was gone. The associate suggested that Peter had likely gone on an impromptu vacation to Hawaii and 'many other places' with friends from Canada.
This explanation, however, stood in stark contrast to the evidence found inside Peter's home. Investigators discovered his passport, luggage, clothing, and other personal travel items left behind, indicating that he had not planned for a trip. One theory that emerged was that Peter may have been robbed and murdered after withdrawing money from the bank to purchase a television, a purchase he never made. Though he is believed to be a victim of homicide, his body has never been found, and the circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unknown. The case of Peter Bancarz is a haunting reminder of a life interrupted, a story without a final chapter, and a family left with unanswered questions.Last Seen: Dec 28, 1966
