Timothy Snyder Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Jun 21, 2024

Timothy

Snyder

48

25

70 inches

200 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

In the remote and often unforgiving landscape of Northwest Alaska, a young man vanished into the winter wilderness, leaving behind a mystery that has endured for years. On January 31, 2003, 25-year-old Timothy Mark Snyder was last seen in the small Iñupiat community of Selawik. An American Indian / Alaska Native male with black hair and brown eyes, Timothy was a resident of Kotzebue, a regional hub situated in the Northwest Arctic Borough. His last known movements placed him on a Polaris 500 RMK Short Track snowmobile, a common mode of transportation in a region where roads are scarce and the terrain is vast. His intended direction of travel was, and remains, unknown, a detail that has significantly hampered efforts to trace his path from the moment he disappeared. At the time he went missing, Timothy was reportedly dressed for the harsh arctic conditions. He wore a black windbreaker jacket, baggy jeans, and a baggy shirt, along with a face mask and goggles for protection against the elements. He was also carrying a black backpack, the contents of which are unknown. The community and authorities were alerted to his disappearance, and search efforts were launched to find him. Rescue teams from the area, along with Alaska State Troopers, scoured the vast and challenging landscape around Selawik and other local villages, hoping to find some trace of Timothy or his snowmobile. Despite the extensive searches of the area, no sign of Timothy Snyder was ever found. The search and rescue operations were met with little success, yielding no clues as to his whereabouts or what might have happened to him after he drove off on his snowmobile. The case eventually went cold, leaving his family and community without answers. The disappearance of Timothy Snyder is a story of profound loss and lingering uncertainty. With no evidence of his fate and his direction of travel unknown, the circumstances surrounding his vanishing remain a complete mystery. Decades later, his case continues to be a painful reminder of the dangers of the Alaskan wilderness and the deep void left behind when a loved one disappears without a trace.

Jan 31, 2003

Kotzebue

Alaska

Northwest Arctic Borough

No

77721

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

030007662

2003-01-31

Alaska State Troopers

na

Black

Brown

Brown

07/18/2026