Harry Wesley Patton

In the winter of 1993, Harry Wesley Patton, a 42-year-old white man with a reputation that preceded him in Anoka County, Minnesota, vanished. A divorced father of five, Patton was known to law enforcement as an intimidating figure. Standing about 6-foot-1 and weighing around 185 pounds, he had a lengthy history of run-ins with the police. A self-employed mechanic, he was convicted in 1987 for kidnapping, robbing, and threatening a former employee he accused of stealing from him. He served time in Stillwater Prison until 1991 and was sent back three times for parole violations before his sentence expired in December 1992. Police described him as dominating his family, and one captain noted that when an officer spotted Harry Patton, "it was a noteworthy occasion."

The last confirmed sighting of Patton was on December 1, 1993, when he was seen by a sheriff's deputy. Around that same time, his 1976 white Dodge 4x4 pickup truck, equipped with a snowplow, was left in a parking lot at Anoka Technical College. As snow fell and the holidays passed, the truck sat unnoticed among the other vehicles on the busy campus. It remained there for approximately two months, its significance obscured by the daily churn of student life and the accumulating winter weather. Finally, on December 10, school officials reported the truck as abandoned.

The pickup was hauled to the North Star Towing company's lot in Anoka. Employees there traced the vehicle to Patton and mailed several notices to his last known address, but the letters went unanswered. The truck sat unclaimed until February 17, 1994. On that Thursday, while cleaning out the bed of the pickup, a tow company worker made a shocking discovery. Concealed under a pile of debris lay the body of Harry Wesley Patton. An autopsy would later determine that he had died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

The Anoka County Sheriff's Office launched a homicide investigation, case number 94-025524. Investigators believed Patton was likely killed sometime in mid-to-late December 1993. The two-month delay between his death and the discovery of his body created immense challenges. The crime scene, exposed to the elements in the back of the truck, was severely compromised, making it difficult to find and preserve forensic evidence. Key questions plagued detectives: Was Patton killed in the college parking lot, or was his truck simply left there after he was murdered elsewhere? The wide and uncertain timeline made it difficult to retrace his final movements and identify who he might have been with.

In the immediate aftermath, investigators worked to develop a motive. Given Patton's past, which included convictions for theft and cheating customers on car repairs, the list of potential enemies was long. A sheriff's captain acknowledged that many people had made complaints about Patton's intimidating behavior over the years. However, despite his reputation, police had not had significant problems with him since his final release from prison. No arrests were ever made, and no suspects were publicly named.

Decades have passed, but the case has not been forgotten. The Anoka County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Homicide Unit continues to seek answers. In February 2026, on the 32nd anniversary of the discovery of Patton's body, the department renewed its public appeal for information. Investigators noted the limitations of 1994-era forensic science and acknowledged that while modern techniques are applied when possible, they still need human context to solve the crime. They lack a quality photograph of Patton for public distribution and have asked anyone who knew him or has pictures to come forward.

The case remains a stark puzzle. Investigators hope that with the passage of time, relationships and loyalties may have shifted, making it possible for someone who holds a piece of the story to finally speak. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes that even a small, seemingly insignificant detail could be the key to understanding what happened to Harry Patton in the winter of 1993. The investigation is open and active. Anyone with information is urged to email the Anoka County Sheriff's Office at [email protected]. Tipsters can remain anonymous.