CA CA - Richard Lamson, 18, & Peter Bonick, 17, San Mateo, 22 Feb 1970

[Gardener1850]

[h=1]Richard Henry Lamson[/h]

• 

Lamson, circa 1970

• Missing Since 02/22/1970
• Missing From San Mateo, California
• Classification Missing
• Date of Birth 01/14/1952 (66)
• Age 18 years old
• Height and Weight 6'0, 185 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A coral-colored jacket, a gold-colored shirt, blue jeans and desert boots.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue eyes. Lamson's nickname is Rick.

[h=3]Details of Disappearance[/h] Lamson was last seen at his residence in San Mateo, California on February 22, 1970. His friend, Peter Bonick, disappeared at the same time. Authorities believe they left together. Few details are available in their cases. Neither of them have ever been heard from again.


[h=1]Peter Joseph Bonick[/h]

• 

Peter, circa 1970

• Missing Since 02/22/1970
• Missing From San Mateo, California
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Date of Birth 02/06/1953 (65)
• Age 17 years old
• Height and Weight 6'0, 175 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A beige or yellow shirt and blue jeans.
• Medical Conditions Peter suffers from scoliosis; as a result, one of his shoulder blades is larger and/or higher than the other.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Sandy blond hair, blue/green eyes. Peter's nickname is Pete. He has a chipped upper front tooth.

[h=3]Details of Disappearance[/h] Peter disappeared from his residence in the vicinity of the 2000 block of Ginnever Street in San Mateo, California during the morning hours of February 22, 1970. He was later seen hitchhiking on State Route 92, possibly en route to Half Moon Bay, California. Two friends reported seeing him a month later at the Mayfair Market. He has never been heard from again. Peter was staying at a children's home and was on a weekend pass when he disappeared.

Peter's friend, Richard Lamson, disappeared at the same time he did. Authorities believe they left together. Few details are available in their cases.

http://charleyproject.org/case/richard-henry-lamson

http://charleyproject.org/case/peter-joseph-bonick

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/20045/

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/19678/

 

[Bobby88]

According to the Whereabouts Still Unknown blog, Peter was allegedly seen by an old classmate at the San Mateo county fair in 1977:

Much more recently, a former classmate of Peter’s indicated that she’d been contacted by another classmate who claimed to have seen Peter at the San Mateo County Fair in 1977. According to the witness, he spotted Peter in the crowds, but did not think Peter would recognize him. However, they eventually ended up about four feet away from each other. Peter appeared to recognize this witness, and quickly turned and took off running. He was said to have had a shaved head at this time, but otherwise looked the same. This classmate also stated that Peter had worked for the same fair in the late 1960’s

If the man at the fair was in fact Peter (and I tend to believe that it was), what became of Richard? Granted, they weren't joined at the hip and if they actually ran away together, they could have easily parted ways during the seven-year interim. I just think it's weird that Richard, as far as is known, has not been seen since he vanished. I'm sure the police did little to look for him since he had just turned 18 and they had no real reason to apprehend him.

I'd like to know more about why they were at this children's home and more about their relationship. They apparently were friends before they went in, but for how long? Did they grow up together?

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

Richard's senior picture in the 1969 Hillsdale High School yearbook-


Peter's 1968 Hillsdale High School yearbook picture -


And in 1965, 12 year old Peter had a run in with the police (Oakland Tribune - Sept 25, 1965) -

 

[ohthatkatgirl]

There is an entry on the Charley Project blog, in which a user (who is friends with Peter's sister) gives information about Richard and Peter's disappearance and the later sightings.

Apparently Peter was only one week away from receiving an early diploma from the children's home that he and Richard (though Richard was no longer there) were in in the 1969-1970 period.

Missing teen boys

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bump.

 

[Bit of hope]

According to the Whereabouts Still Unknown blog, Peter was allegedly seen by an old classmate at the San Mateo county fair in 1977:



If the man at the fair was in fact Peter (and I tend to believe that it was), what became of Richard? Granted, they weren't joined at the hip and if they actually ran away together, they could have easily parted ways during the seven-year interim. I just think it's weird that Richard, as far as is known, has not been seen since he vanished. I'm sure the police did little to look for him since he had just turned 18 and they had no real reason to apprehend him.

I'd like to know more about why they were at this children's home and more about their relationship. They apparently were friends before they went in, but for how long? Did they grow up together?

Namus file give a different address/location for the both. I'm not sure they were both in the same children's home. There is info about this for Peter, but did you find this info for Richard?

 

[Bit of hope]

I found this information, sheds a little more light on the situation.....don't know if this is a 'valid' source. Peter Bonick & Richard Lamson

Peter Joseph Bonick, age 17, and Richard Henry Lamson, age 18, disappeared from San Mateo, California on February 22, 1970.

Peter was a resident of a children’s home in La Honda, California, but was on a weekend pass at his family home on Ginnever Street in San Mateo at the time of his disappearance. He and his friend, Richard Lamson, who was just barely an adult, vanished at the same time.

According to a witness, the two young men were seen hitchhiking on Highway 92 toward Half Moon Bay. There was another reported sighting of them at Mayfair Market in Half Moon Bay several months later. (Note: an alternate account is that only Peter was seen)

Much more recently, a former classmate of Peter’s indicated that she’d been contacted by another classmate who claimed to have seen Peter at the San Mateo County Fair in 1977. According to the witness, he spotted Peter in the crowds, but did not think Peter would recognize him. However, they eventually ended up about four feet away from each other. Peter appeared to recognize this witness, and quickly turned and took off running. He was said to have had a shaved head at this time, but otherwise looked the same. This classmate also stated that Peter had worked for the same fair in the late 1960’s.

There reportedly was one individual who stated that he had heard from them after their disappearance. According to a narrative written by Peter’s sibling, this individual was in jail at the time, and later committed suicide.

As far as I can tell, the circumstances of this communication are not known, but it’s curious.

If this person was in jail at the time, there wouldn’t have been a whole lot of ways that he could have been contacted by them. It could have been a letter, or a visit, both of which there would likely be a record of. The other possibility is that they, too, were in jail.

Both Peter and Richard had spent time in the boys home, and they were friends prior to being sent there. It’s believed that Richard had recently been released as he’d turned 18.

It’s unknown what happened to Peter and Richard, though it is believed that they disappeared together. Peter’s brother continues to search for him.

Sources:

The Charley Project

Charley Project Blog (comments)

 

[MadMcGoo]

• NamUs MP19678

Peter Joseph Bonick

Date of Last Contact: February 22, 1970
Missing From: San Mateo, San Mateo County, California
Sex: Male
Race / Ethnicity: White / Caucasian
Missing Age: 17 Years
Height: 6'0" (72 inches)
Weight: 175 lbs.
Hair Color: Light Brown
Eye Color: Hazel
Distinctive physical characteristics: Chipped upper front tooth and one of his shoulder blades is higher than the other
Clothing: Blue jeans, beige or yellow shirt
Circumstances of Disappearance: Peter was last seen on February 22, 1970. He was last seen traveling with a male companion.

38 Unidentified Person Exclusions
UP2991 06/26/1972 Custer OK
UP4547 08/09/1973 Harris TX
UP5212 11/09/1974 Will IL
UP10527 10/29/1991 San Mateo CA
UP2886 04/10/2007 Snohomish WA
UP5263 10/09/2008 Will IL
UP11287 12/10/2010 San Diego CA
UP11477 08/13/2010 San Diego CA
UP12854 05/23/2014 Cuyahoga OH
UP14513 09/28/2015 San Diego CA
(28 from Virginia)

 

[Diane Redfern]

I would like to know more about Richard, it's strange that we have so little info about him. Even if he was an orphan, there should be any type of records.
It's been speculated they join to the army (because of the shaved head); however, I think they would have resurfaced if that was the case. My theory is that they were gay; in those times (and sadly today), gay people had to face ostracism, rejection, threatens and even violence. Maybe they ran away to San Francisco, where gay community had a little bit more power (Castro Street).

 

[Bit of hope]

I would like to know more about Richard, it's strange that we have so little info about him. Even if he was an orphan, there should be any type of records.
It's been speculated they join to the army (because of the shaved head); however, I think they would have resurfaced if that was the case. My theory is that they were gay; in those times (and sadly today), gay people had to face ostracism, rejection, threatens and even violence. Maybe they ran away to San Francisco, where gay community had a little bit more power (Castro Street).

I couldn't find any documents on Richard's birth or who his parents were in FamilySearch.org. There is a Richard Nelson Lamson, with birth date 1/14/1952, born in Santa Cruz, CA with father's name Richard Charles Lamson. Same birth date, but I guess that's a coincidence.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I’ve been trying to find more on Rick. Nothing as of yet.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/354603707/?terms="Peter Joseph Bonick"&match=1
25 Sep 1965, 1 - Oakland Tribune at Newspapers.com



25 Sep 1965, 1 - The San Francisco Examiner at Newspapers.com

 

[MadMcGoo]

Rick’s high school photo posted upthread reminds me so much of this Doe. But I know that can’t be.

 

[Bit of hope]

Maybe Richard was a still not found "jumper" from the Golden Gate bridge. San Mateo has a bridge too, and lot's of the bodies from there end up in the SF bay. There is this John Doe...2416UMCA

 

[cheemsg]

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)
Is Peter possibly him? Quite a few things line up.

 

[elframo]

They have now been missing for 54 years.