12 Unsolved Missing Persons Cases in North American National Parks

This article includes 12 unsolved missing persons cases, all of whom disappeared in one of America’s National Parks.

There are 423 national park sites in the United States, with 63 of them including ‘national park’ in the name, such as Yosemite National Park.

As such, there are many crimes that happen as the areas involved are massive. The more serious ones are undertaken by Special Agents of the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (NPSISB).

The 12 unsolved missing persons cases listed below are currently being investigated by the NPSISB. If you have information on any of them then please contact the National Park Service.

James Pruitt

Missing from Rocky Mountain National Park

Disappeared on February 28, 2019

Image credit: NPS

Description: Pruitt was 70 years old when he went missing. White male, 5’06” tall, 150 pounds, blue eyes, and brown/gray hair. Believed to have been wearing a dark blue jacket, red/orange beanie style hat, blue jeans, and carrying a small camera bag with a Nikon Coolpix 900 camera.

Case Info: Pruitt left from the Glacier Gorge parking lot on February 28, 2019, for a day hike to an unknown destination. US Park Rangers located his vehicle on March 3, 2019, and determined that though it had been parked overnight, no backcountry permit was associated with it. Rangers contacted Pruitt’s family, who advised them that Pruitt had no intentions of staying overnight in the park, and they had last heard from him on February 28. The National Park Service initiated extensive search efforts in the area. Due to a lack of clues and extreme winter conditions, the search entered limited continuous operations on March 11, 2019. Additional coordinated search efforts were conducted on multiple occasions during the summer and fall of 2019.

Jonghyon Won

Missing from Grand Canyon National Park

Disappeared on September 17, 2017

Image credit: NPS

Description: Won was 45 years old at the time he went missing. Asian male, 5’07” tall, 121 pounds, brown eyes, black hair.

Case Info: A white Toyota Camry belonging to Jonghyon Won of Los Angeles, CA was found at Moran Point on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park on September 17, 2017. The vehicle was previously seen near the New Hance Trailhead. Won had no known plans in the area and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Peter Jackson

Missing from Yosemite National Park

Disappeared on September 17, 2016

Image credit: NPS

Description: Jackson was 74 years old at the time he went missing. White male, 5’10” tall, 155 pounds, blue eyes, gray hair and beard. Excellent physical condition. Carrying a royal blue Outdoor Products daypack.

Case Info: Jackson is believed to have gone for a day hike from his campsite at White Wolf Campground, but he did not return. He had sent a text message to his son saying that he was on his way to the park on September 17, 2016. His vehicle was found at the campground, and camping fees were paid through September 21, 2016. As of October 2, 2016, the search for Jackson was placed in continuous, limited mode. In August 2019, Jackson’s backpack was found in the Ackerson Meadow/Aspen Valley area on the west side of Yosemite National Park.

Floyd E. Roberts, III

Missing from Grand Canyon National Park

Disappeared on June 17, 2016

Image credit: NPS

Description: Roberts was 52 years old at the time he went missing. White male, 5’11” tall, 170 pounds, brown/grey hair and brown eyes. Last seen wearing a red long-sleeved shirt, blue denim jeans, multi-colored mesh Nike Free sneakers, large blue Lowe Alpine Contour backpack, and white-rimmed sunglasses with orange lenses. Carrying a daypack.

Case Info: Roberts became separated from companions during extreme heat conditions while starting a multi-day hike in a remote portion of western Grand Canyon on the Shivwits Plateau. The group planned a 9 day hike that would exit the canyon via Separation Canyon. He was last seen near Kelly Tank heading towards Trail Canyon/214 Mile Canyon (Shanley Spring area) towards the river but may have descended into 209 Mile Canyon. Following an intensive 6 day search effort the incident remains unresolved; the search for Roberts is in continuous, limited mode.

Morgan Heimer

Missing from Grand Canyon National Park

Disappeared on June 2, 2015

Image credit: NPS

Description: Heimer was 22 years old when he went missing. White male, 6’0” tall, 175 pounds, blond hair and blue eyes. Last seen wearing dark-colored Astral personal flotation device, a blue plaid long sleeve shirt, Chaco brand sandals, a maroon baseball cap, and brightly colored shorts. Carrying a purple water bottle.

Case Info: Heimer was last seen on Tuesday, June 2, 2015 around Colorado River mile 213 near Pumpkin Springs. The search for Heimer is in continuous, limited mode.

Drake Kramer

Missing from Grand Canyon National Park

Disappeared on January 31, 2015

Image credit: NPS

Description: Kramer was 21 years old at the time he went missing. White male, 5’08” tall, 140 pounds, brown hair and blue eyes. Wears dark colored clothes and is known to wear a backwards ball cap or dark colored bandana on his head. Drove a silver Mazda 6 sedan to the park.

Case Info: Kramer was last seen at the Bright Angel Lodge and is believed to be suicidal. The search for Kramer is in continuous, limited mode.

Derek J. Lueking

Missing from Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Disappeared on March 17, 2012

Image credit: NPS

Description: Lueking was 24 years old at the time he went missing. White male, 5’11” tall, 220 pounds, green eyes, brown hair, short beard. Last seen wearing black track pants, white tennis shoes. Possibly had Real-tree camouflage rain gear with him and a small dark-colored day pack.

Case Info: Lueking was last seen leaving the Microtel Hotel on March 3, 2012, in Cherokee, North Carolina. His car was found parked in the lower lot of Newfound Gap at the North Carolina-Tennessee state line. Lueking’s direction of travel from Newfound Gap is unknown.

Adam Clayton Lyle Jones

Missing from Grand Canyon National Park

Disappeared on March 31, 2011

Image credit: NPS

Description: 23-year-old male, 5’07” tall, 140 pounds, blue eyes, light brown hair.

Case Info: Jones was last seen by family in Gulf Breeze, Florida on March 31, 2011. His vehicle was found in Grand Canyon National Park at the Grand Canyon Visitor Center (South Rim) on May 5, 2011.

George Penca

Missing from Yosemite National Park

Disappeared on June 17, 2011

Image credit: NPS

Description: Penca was 30 years old when he went missing. White male, 5’10” tall, 240 pounds, dark brown hair, blue eyes. Last seen wearing gray sweatpants with a white stripe down the leg, either a black T-shirt with “D & B” on the front or a black tank top, and gray/blue running shoes. He was carrying a blue cloth bag.

Case Info: Penca was hiking with a group when he became separated and went off by himself. He was last seen at about 2:40 pm on June 17, 2011 at the top of Upper Yosemite Falls.

Michael Ficery

Missing from Yosemite National Park

Disappeared on June 21, 2005

Image credit: NPS

Description: Ficery was 51 years old when he went missing. White male, 5’10” tall, 165 pounds, gray shoulder-length hair, gray beard, eyeglasses. Last seen wearing faded blue or blue-gray T-shirt, olive-green or khaki shorts, and a faded red or pink scarf.

Case Info: Ficery was reported to be hiking in the Tiltill Valley area of Yosemite National Park northeast of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

Ruthanne Ruppert

Missing from Yosemite National Park

Disappeared on August 14, 2000

Image credit: NPS

Description: Ruppert was 49 years old when she went missing. White female, 5’05” tall, 140 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes. Ruppert has a prosthetic eye.

Case Info: Ruppert was last seen in the Curry Village area or the Yosemite Medical Clinic at about noon on Monday, August 14, 2000. She was scheduled to go on a backpacking trip in the park but had to postpone trip due to an infection. She is believed to have gone on a day hike from Yosemite Falls to the Foresta area based on witness observation. Ruppert’s backpack was found in 2008 in the Fireplace Creek drainage, an area consistent with the hiking route from Yosemite Falls to Foresta.

Kieran Burke

Missing from Yosemite National Park

Disappeared on April 5, 2000

Image credit: NPS

Description: Burke was 45 years old when he went missing. White male from Ireland, 6’00” tall, 180 pounds, thinning black hair, blue eyes.

Case Info: Burke was last seen in the Curry Village area of Yosemite Valley at about 10:00 am on April 5, 2000. He is believed to have been preparing to start a hike.

12 unsolved missing persons cases

The above 12 unsolved missing persons cases are currently being investigated by the NPSISB. If you have information on any of them then please contact the National Park Service.