Paul Kelley Missing Person Case

Mar 17, 2020

Nov 01, 2023

Paul

Kelley

66

38

74 inches

185 lbs

White / Caucasian

Male

In the vast and remote wilderness of Alaska, the story of Paul Woodworth Kelley's disappearance is a somber reminder of the unforgiving nature of the elements. On May 28, 1996, a then 38-year-old Paul was enjoying a boating trip on Wilson Lake, a body of water situated approximately 50 miles east of Ketchikan. He, along with three companions, was staying at a Forest Service cabin located near the southern end of the lake. The group was surrounded by the immense beauty of the Alaskan frontier, a setting that would soon become the backdrop for a lasting mystery. At some point during the day, Paul ventured out onto the lake alone in a skiff. This would be the last time he was ever seen. The circumstances leading to the discovery of Paul's absence were unsettling. His companions, after an unspecified period of time had passed without his return, began to worry. Their concern turned to alarm when they located the small boat he had taken out. The skiff was found empty, adrift, about an eighth of a mile from the sanctuary of their cabin. The vastness of the lake and the surrounding wilderness offered no immediate clues as to Paul's whereabouts. An initial search of the immediate area yielded nothing, and the hope of a simple explanation for his empty boat began to fade with the daylight. The tranquil beauty of Wilson Lake had taken on a somber and mysterious tone. In the days and weeks that followed, a more extensive search was undoubtedly launched, though specific details of the official search and rescue efforts are not widely publicized. The unforgiving and often unpredictable nature of the Alaskan wilderness presents significant challenges to any search operation. Despite these efforts, no trace of Paul Kelley was ever found. The prevailing theory, born from the circumstances of the empty skiff on the vast lake, is that he is presumed to have drowned in the cold waters of Wilson Lake. This presumption, however, offers little solace to those left behind, leaving them with the heavy burden of uncertainty. The case of Paul Kelley is a quiet but poignant file in the records of the Alaska State Troopers, a story of a man who ventured into the breathtaking Alaskan landscape and never returned, leaving behind a mystery as vast and deep as the lake itself.

May 28, 1996

Ketchikan

Alaska

Ketchikan Gateway Borough

No

77655

Alaska State Troopers

Anchorage

Alaska

Anchorage Borough

99507

Malia Miller

Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager

5700 East Tudor Road, Alaska

9072695511

State

Law Enforcement

960034448

Alaska State Troopers

8811

Brown

Brown

Brown

06/30/2026