|
Missing Joseph Michael Gutierrez 
Joseph, approximately 1983; Christopher Jedra Date reported missing : 09/03/1983 Missing location (approx) : Sanborn Township, Michigan Missing classification : Lost/Injured Missing Gender : Male Ethnicity : Hispanic DOB : 11/17/1967 (53) Age at the time of disappearance: 16 years old Height / Weight : 5'9, 150 - 180 pounds Description, clothing, jewerly and more : Either swimming trunks or cut-off jeans. Possibly carrying a pocketknife. Distinguishing characteristics, birthmarks, tattoos : Hispanic male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Joseph's nickname is Joey. He has a brown birthmark on the back of his thigh. Information on the case from local sources, may or may not be correct : Joseph was last seen in Sanborn Township, Michigan on September 3, 1983. He and his sixteen-year-old, friend Christopher Jedra, were dropped off by Christopher's parents for an overnight camping trip in the South Point area near Alpena, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Huron. The next day, when Christopher's parents arrived at the boys' campsite, they found it deserted. The tent was set up in the woods fifty feet from the shore, with the boys' t-shirts and underwear hanging on it. Their pants were on the ground outside the tent and their boots and unrolled sleeping bags were inside the tent. The boys' dog was tied to the tent; it had water but its food dish was empty. Joseph and Christopher had bought three cans of dog food with them, and had used only one. A photo of Christopher is posted with this case summary. His body was found floating half a mile offshore of North Point on September 19; Joseph was never located in spite of an extensive search. Authorities believe both boys drowned while trying to swim to Bird Island, half a mile offshore. Although the water is no more than twelve feet deep, Joseph isn't a good swimmer. Christopher was a student at Bishop Borgess High School at the time of his death; Joseph attended St. Florian High School. The boys, who both lived in Detroit, met each other through the Sea Cadets, a pre-Navy program. Joseph's body has never been located. Other information and links : ncy Michigan State Police 989-354-4101 September 2021 updates and sources A missing person is a person who has disappeared and whose status as alive or dead cannot be confirmed as their location and condition are not known. A person may go missing through a voluntary disappearance, or else due to an accident, crime, death in a location where they cannot be found (such as at sea), or many other reasons. In most parts of the world, a missing person will usually be found quickly. While criminal abductions are some of the most widely reported missing person cases, these account for only 2�5% of missing children in Europe. By contrast, some missing person cases remain unresolved for many years. Laws related to these cases are often complex since, in many jurisdictions, relatives and third parties may not deal with a person's assets until their death is considered proven by law and a formal death certificate issued. The situation, uncertainties, and lack of closure or a funeral resulting when a person goes missing may be extremely painful with long-lasting effects on family and friends. Several organizations seek to connect, share best practices, and disseminate information and imAge at the time of disappearance: s of missing children to improve the effectiveness of missing children investigations, including the International Commission on Missing Persons, the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC), as well as national organizations, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in the US, Missing People in the UK, Child Focus in Belgium, and The Smile of the Child in Greece. Find a Grave The Ludington Daily News The Detroit Free Press The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children October 12, 2004. June 9, 2019; DOB : added. |