Richard Mills Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Apr 22, 2024

Richard

Mills

36

14

73 inches

145 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

In the quiet, close-knit community of Kake, Alaska, the end of 2003 was marked by a profound loss that has endured for decades. On December 30, 2003, a 14-year-old boy named Richard David Mills, known to many as David, was with his father, Rick Mills, and a close family friend, Gery Davies. The group had gone out on a deer hunting trip in a 16-foot skiff near the north end of Kupreanof Island when a tragic boating accident occurred. At the time of his disappearance, Richard was described as being 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing approximately 145 pounds, with red or auburn hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing camouflage Carhartt bib overalls. Richard was an enrolled member of the Organized Village of Kake. The small boat the three were in capsized, casting them into the frigid Alaskan waters. In the wake of the accident, an extensive search was launched, but tragically, none of the three individuals were ever found. Richard, his father, and their friend are all presumed to have drowned in the incident. The community was left to grapple with the sudden and devastating loss of three of its members, a sorrow that was deeply felt in Kake and beyond. Memorial services were later held in both Juneau and Kake to honor the lives of Richard, his father, and their friend. The case of Richard Mills is a heartbreaking reminder of the inherent dangers of the sea, especially in the rugged and often unpredictable Alaskan wilderness. He was a young man, just a teenager, whose life was cut short in a sudden and unforeseen accident. The official record reflects the painful reality that Richard went missing and is presumed to be deceased following the boating accident. While the exact details of the capsizing may never be fully known, the outcome was a tragedy that took the lives of a son, a father, and a friend, leaving a lasting void in their community.

Dec 30, 2003

Juneau

Alaska

Juneau Borough

No

77336

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

040000187

2004-01-04

Alaska State Troopers

8610

Red/Auburn

Brown

Brown

07/08/2026