CA CA - Robert Franco Rivera, 31, Oxnard, 9 Jan 1963

[Coffee56]

Robert Franco Rivera

• 

Rivera, circa 1963

• Missing Since01/09/1963
• Missing FromOxnard, California
• ClassificationMissing
• SexMale
• RaceHispanic
• Date of Birth06/15/1932 (88)
• Age31 years old
• Height and Weight5'6, 140 pounds
• Distinguishing CharacteristicsHispanic male. Black hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance
Rivera's family last heard from him sometime in 1963, when he sent them a letter. The return address was in the 1600 block of east Fifth Street in Oxnard, California. He has never been heard from again. The circumstances of his disappearance are unknown.
Investigating Agency

• Oxnard Police Department 805-385-7646

Source Information

• NamUs
• California Attorney General's Office

Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 2, 2011; date of birth added.

Robert Franco Rivera – The Charley Project

DNA and fingerprints available. No dental

Ventura County's Cold Cases: MISSING: Robert F. Rivera

 

[FOXINBOX]

Now, I'm especially interested in cases from this area and era, but I haven't hard of this poor man. Not a lot of information though, which is frustrating. In his photograph, what is his uniform, police, military?
Also, I've just realised the photograph is somewhat misleading, since he was 31 when he disappeared

 

[FOXINBOX]

Right. Firstly - There are no Rivieras registered to vote at this or any similar address in Los Angeles County 1955 to 1965, and there are no persons of similar names e.g. Frank, or Rivers registered to vote at this or similar address, same place, same time. And 1600 E 5th is a "lost" address, now somewhere under CA-34.
Secondly - I don't trust "last" letters. They are often sent to taunt or mislead relatives and police.
I respectfully suggest Robert's last resting place is somewhere along The Pacific Coast Highway [?] where 1600 E 5th used to be.

 

[FOXINBOX]

I respectfully suggest Robert's last resting place <Might Be> somewhere along The Pacific Coast Highway [?] where 1600 E 5th used to be.

There I go, jumping to conclusions, again...not that they're going to be diggin' it up on my say so

 

[Coffee56]

According to this site it’s 1608 E Fifth St. Could be a typo because this is the only place I’m seeing it but it’s currently a tow truck co back to 1991. Looking for info in 63.

Case | Robert F. Rivera

 

[Cimatico]

Restored images from Robert Franco Rivera – The Charley Project

 

[FOXINBOX]

1940 - There is a Robert Riviera living @ 133 S Hayes, Oxnard. There is an age discrepancy of 4-5 years, but it is possibly the right guy.

 

[FOXINBOX]

Or a better fit, from the Service Notices of the Pasadena Independent Monday 7 Sept 1959 "Pvt. Robert F Riviera, son of Mr & Mrs ... Riviera of ...Pasadena, is a rifleman with Co. B of the 46th Infantry of the Third Armored division in Kirsch Gons, Germany. He entered the Army in April 1958, and arrived in Germany last July."

 

[FOXINBOX]

Or a better fit, from the Service Notices of the Pasadena Independent Monday 7 Sept 1959 "Pvt. Robert F Riviera, son of Mr & Mrs ... Riviera of ...Pasadena, is a rifleman with Co. B of the 46th Infantry of the Third Armored division in Kirsch Gons, Germany. He entered the Army in April 1958, and arrived in Germany last July."

IF this is the right Robert, although I'm not that convinced, - then a quick browse through wikipedia military history reveals that his unit was known as "The Professionals", and so I'm expecting he had special skills. I doubt he would go missing unless he wanted to.

 

[StarrChance]

Or a better fit, from the Service Notices of the Pasadena Independent Monday 7 Sept 1959 "Pvt. Robert F Riviera, son of Mr & Mrs ... Riviera of ...Pasadena, is a rifleman with Co. B of the 46th Infantry of the Third Armored division in Kirsch Gons, Germany. He entered the Army in April 1958, and arrived in Germany last July."

There is a picture attached to that article, definitely not him. Can’t find any records so far...

 

[StarrChance]

Found this from Oxnard 1958
Could be a possible link?

 

[FOXINBOX]

The trouble is, there is so little information to start with, and we don't know how reliable it is. The photo is well...crappy. We don't know anything about his family...was the letter sent to his ma & pa, or was it a second cousin, twice removed...and location; were his family also in California, in which case, would he normally phone...

 

[FOXINBOX]

Found this from Oxnard 1958
Could be a possible link?

View attachment 269926

It's as good as any of the other results. Not only did this guy disappear, but it's like he never existed to start with.

 

[FOXINBOX]

The uniform in the picture, though I don't know what it is [I'm UK based] - don't people have to be US Citizens to don a uniform? I can't find this guy in censuses, school yearbooks or social security records, not anywhere. He must have been born stateside [or naturalized, and I've been through that lot too]

 

[FOXINBOX]

Looked for Grandma Felipa - 1940 census, in Oxnard, son R Chino b 1927...Robert Franco is still a ghost

 

[MadMcGoo]

I found Robert through a different thread, and we’ve noticed a discrepancy. NamUs AND California DOJ list his date of last contact as July 28, 1977, making him 45 years old when he disappeared. This greatly conflicts with the 1963 letter and date listed on all his other missing person reports; January 9, 1963.

• Robert Franco Rivera – The Charley Project

• The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

• Robert Franco Rivera

• Robert Franco Rivera - California Missing Person Directory

• http://www.missingveterans.com/1963/robert-franco-rivera/
  

 

[MadMcGoo]

Here is his birth info:

Name: Robert Franco
Date of Birth: 15 Jun 1932
Gender: Male
Birth County: Presidio
Mother's Name: Louisa Franco
Roll Number: 1932_0003
Birth Place: Marfa, Presidio, Texas, USA
Mother Birth Place: Shofta (Shafter), Texas
Mother Residence: Marfa, Texas

I can not attach photos at the moment, but here is the link if you have an Ancestry account.

Where the father’s information is to be written, all it has is “unknown” written across the entire half of the certificate. In the box marked “Legitimate”, it is written “no”. His mother lists 4 living children and 1 deceased.

 

[FOXINBOX]

Is Robert missing from Texas, not California?

 

[MadMcGoo]

I believe Louisa (Eloisa) Franco, who died in 1963, was married to Gregorio Rivera, who died in 1928, before Robert and his sister Rebecca were born. Her marital status on the 1940 census shows ‘widowed’. It has her as head of household, along with 4 kids (Roberto, Rebecca, Raul/Paul, and Roman...all Riveras) and a lodger in Marfa, Texas. They mostly kept roots in Texas, in and around El Paso especially.

I found an obituary for Paul Rivera:
February 15, 1992, Paul Rivera of Howard County, son of the late Gregorio and Eloisa “Franco” Rivera of Shafter, Texas[...]

Rebecca seems alive and well.
Roman, I believe may have died in 1973.
Robert...I have nooo clue where he could be.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Is Robert missing from Texas, not California?

I’m guessing because the last letter they received was from California, that’s what they’re going based on. That’s just speculation on my part though. I’m still searching for records for him though.