Lee Spencer Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Mar 09, 2024

Lee

Spencer

54

26

74 inches

165 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the remote and unforgiving waters of Alaska, a young man's life was abruptly interrupted, leaving a void of unanswered questions for his family and friends. On November 26, 1996, 26-year-old Lee Ellis Spencer, a male with brown hair and blue eyes, was working aboard the fishing vessel Tamra Dawn near Ketchikan, Alaska. It was on this day that a distress call reported the vessel was sinking in the Clarence Strait, approximately two miles from Point McCarty. The chilling news marked the last time anyone had contact with Lee, who was presumed to have drowned in the incident. The circumstances surrounding the sinking of the Tamra Dawn and the subsequent disappearance of its crew have left a lasting impact on the small maritime community. Lee was not alone on the vessel; he was accompanied by two other men, Brian Spencer and William Tyler, who also remain missing. The trio of fishermen faced the perils of the Alaskan seas together, and tragically, it is believed they met their fate together. Investigators have noted that Lee may have been wearing a dry suit at the time of the incident, a detail that offers a small glimpse into the final moments of that fateful day. Despite the passage of time, the case officially remains open, a testament to the enduring hope of finding answers. The disappearance of Lee Spencer, along with his fellow crewmen, serves as a somber reminder of the unpredictable and often dangerous nature of life at sea. The official presumption is that all three men were victims of a tragic drowning accident when the Tamra Dawn went down. The lack of any recovered remains or definitive evidence has left their families in a prolonged state of uncertainty. The case is a poignant illustration of how quickly a routine fishing trip can turn into a lasting mystery, leaving behind a legacy of loss and a community to grapple with the unknown. The Alaska State Troopers continue to hold the case file, a silent record of three lives vanished into the vast and unforgiving Alaskan waters.

Nov 26, 1996

Ketchikan

Alaska

Ketchikan Gateway Borough

No

77962

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

960080088

Alaska State Troopers

8799

Brown

Blue

Blue

06/26/2026