Frank Alstrom III Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Oct 31, 2023

Frank

Alstrom III

40

14

62 inches

120 lbs

American Indian / Alaska Native

Male

In the autumn of 1998, a sense of unease settled over the community of Bethel, Alaska, with the disappearance of 14-year-old Frank Thomas Alstrom III. A young man of American Indian/Alaska Native descent, Frank was last seen on October 6th of that year. At the time he went missing, he was described as being 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing approximately 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. The last known clothing he was wearing consisted of a jacket with "Nautica" lettered in white on the back, black jeans, and white and black striped Adidas "T-Shoes". His disappearance has left a void in the hearts of his loved ones and the community, a space filled with unanswered questions and the enduring hope for resolution. The circumstances surrounding his vanishing are tied to a discovery on the water, marking the beginning of a long and painful mystery. The investigation into Frank's disappearance was initiated after a skiff he was known to be in was found adrift and unoccupied on October 6, 1998. It was reported that he was not wearing a life jacket, a detail that immediately raised significant concern for his safety, given the inherent dangers of Alaskan waters. The Alaska State Troopers took the lead on the case, facing the daunting task of searching for a missing teenager in the vast and often unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. The discovery of the empty boat painted a grim picture, suggesting an accident on the water, yet without a recovery, the exact sequence of events remains speculative. The lack of witnesses and the remote nature of the location complicated the initial search efforts, leaving investigators with few leads to follow. Over the years, the case of Frank Alstrom III has remained open, a persistent and somber reminder of a young life interrupted. Information about the specifics of the search and rescue operations that followed his disappearance is not widely publicized, but the commitment of law enforcement, including the Alaska Bureau of Investigation's Missing Persons Clearinghouse, to resolving such cases is unwavering. His case is listed among other unsolved disappearances in the region, a testament to the ongoing efforts to bring closure to families who have experienced such profound loss. The official report from the Alaska Department of Public Safety categorizes the circumstances of his disappearance as related to an environmental event, a classification that points to the perils of the natural world but does little to ease the uncertainty for those left behind. The overview of this case is one of sudden and unexplained loss, the kind that deeply affects a close-knit community and leaves a lasting legacy of sorrow and mystery. Without new information or evidence, the exact details of what happened to Frank Alstrom III on that October day remain unknown, his story a poignant part of the larger narrative of missing persons in Alaska.

Oct 06, 1998

Bethel

Alaska

Bethel Census Area

No

77210

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

980064137

Alaska State Troopers

Black

Brown

Brown

No

07/09/2026