WA WA - Christopher Wells, 16, Seattle, 13 Dec 1972

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DOB: Mar 22, 1956
Age Now: 57
Missing: Dec 13, 1972
Missing From:
SEATTLE
WA
United States
Sex: Male
Race: White
Hair: Blonde
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5'7" (170cm)
Weight: 130lbs (59kg)

Both photos shown are of Christopher. The photo on the right was taken closer to the date he went missing. When Christopher was last seen, he had shoulder length hair that was light blonde.

NCMC1162629c1.jpg


NCMC1162629x1.jpg


http://www.missingkids.com/missingk...seNum=1162629&orgPrefix=NCMC&searchLang=en_US
 
I requested, and received, information about Christopher disappearance from Seattle Police. Like, over 60 pages of it?! Also previous juvenile semi-criminal problems he had had, including problems with a specific neighbour (so doing things to the neighbour’s place, neighbour’s kids doing stuff to their place), neighbor feud type of thing involving the whole family. But nothing incredibly serious. Christopher's family stated that the only person they could imagine that could want to do harm to Christopher was this neighbour, but that they did not feel he would actually do anything to him, just that he was the only person that really strongly disliked Christopher.

Will try to write up a summary, but there is a LOT of stuff to get through and the pages aren't actually in order. I'm really surprised they pulled through and gave me information - I had simply asked if there were any details of his disappearance, as there was nothing available online.

Other things: He had four older brothers, and also a sister. Here is the obituary of his father, who died in 1998 (http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19980916&slug=2772296), it lists Christopher in West Seattle I think because that was the last place he was known to be alive. At time of disappearance, we living with mother and stepfather. Chris was possibly involved in low-scale marijuana dealing. The police at the time did seem to take his disappearance pretty seriously, and it seems to have been worked on actively up until around 1977, at his mother's insistence he was apparently never classified as a runaway but immediately as missing, as she was convinced that he would not have run away. It's so much to get through!

He was last seen on the 13th of December, but reported missing on the 16th, between those two dates mother first thought he had neglected to call home (which she said had happened once or twice), and then called all relatives to see if he was with them. Then reported to police.

At the time of his disappearance, Christopher also had a billfold with his ID, and had a Washington driving permit.

Original report is that, on the 13th of December, Chris went out with his two best friends to Hiawatha Field House to play some pool. They then stopped at the 7-11 on Admiral Way (and Walker? it says), then parted company at around 21:00, and that was the last time anyone saw him. The friends, apparently, said that Chris was in a good mood and said he was going home and going to take a bath.

As a note, in later interviews one of the friends apparently said that Chris was actually in a bad mood all evening for some reason, but it wasn't clear why.


Chris's mother strongly believed that he would not run away. He did not appear at school in the following days. Christopher was a bad student, but he didn't skip school. According to his mother, he had been better with school and had not gotten in police trouble for about three years (this is accurate based on the juvenile record included). School confirms that they had no problems with Christopher.

Christopher was apparently doing drivers education (paid by his dad), and his mother & stepfather had promised him a car for Christmas if he passed driver's ed - Chris was very excited about this. He did not attend sessions after the disappearance date, but had been doing well.

Christopher's father was a merchant seaman and usually away, but at the time of his disappearance (and at other times) was staying at the same home as Christopher (with the mother & stepfather).


Other details:

His mother died in 1997.

Christopher was described as very careful, and very clean - almost to the point of being obsessed with being clean.
Fond of sports, and a bit of a leader with friends.
Sensitive, but not apt to confide about his problems with others
 
Futher (v detailed) description of what he was wearing on the night he disappeared:

Brown, real suede coat. Waist length, with brown collar
Navy blue t-shirt from Penney's, with 1 pocket
White Penny's undershirt t-shirt, medium-large size
Levi brand blue jeans w/ button front, size 28-28, slightly worn but in good shame. No holes or tears.
White long underwear, belonging to his stepfather who weighs 200lbs. Probably also wearing boxer shorts.
Probably 2 pairs of socks.
Black above-ankle boots.
Navy blue stocking cap
NO gloves, NO mittens
NO watch, ring, jewellery, nothing of that sort

Also carrying a cigarette lighter and possibly cigarettes, wallet (billfold?) with permit and possibly pictures of friends & family, but no money,
 
Another thing: later on, one of the two friends Chris has been with admitted that all three of them had been drinking while playing pool, and that Chris had been in a bad mood and picked a fight with some "outsiders", which ended up with them poking each other with the butt-end pool sticks, but no one was seriously hurt or anything. This friend could not remember what they had gone to 7-11 to buy.

The detective that had conducted the interviews with both of the friends, then notes that he believes the two boys are not exactly lying, but simplifying the events of that evening. Detective notes that he thinks that the boys are sticking to a specific version of events and not elaborating further so that they don't accidentally forget what they've already said, and so that they don't accidentally give differing accounts from one another.

This same friend notes that Chris would be really unlikely to hitch-hike or approach a stranger in a car, unless maybe the stranger was asking where he could get some marijuana. However, the friend denies that Chris sold marijuana himself.

All friends (not only the two he had been with but others as well) interviewed think that something bad had happened to Chris and that he must be dead, as he had no reason to run away and it was really out of character and made no sense.

There were various unconfirmed sightings of Chris - around Seattle, in California, in Vancouver - but none seemed particularly reliable.
 
Another thing: later on, one of the two friends Chris has been with admitted that all three of them had been drinking while playing pool, and that Chris had been in a bad mood and picked a fight with some "outsiders", which ended up with them poking each other with the butt-end pool sticks, but no one was seriously hurt or anything. This friend could not remember what they had gone to 7-11 to buy.

The detective that had conducted the interviews with both of the friends, then notes that he believes the two boys are not exactly lying, but simplifying the events of that evening. Detective notes that he thinks that the boys are sticking to a specific version of events and not elaborating further so that they don't accidentally forget what they've already said, and so that they don't accidentally give differing accounts from one another.

This same friend notes that Chris would be really unlikely to hitch-hike or approach a stranger in a car, unless maybe the stranger was asking where he could get some marijuana. However, the friend denies that Chris sold marijuana himself.

All friends (not only the two he had been with but others as well) interviewed think that something bad had happened to Chris and that he must be dead, as he had no reason to run away and it was really out of character and made no sense.

There were various unconfirmed sightings of Chris - around Seattle, in California, in Vancouver - but none seemed particularly reliable.

Thanks for all this information!!!

If only LE in all other missing persons jurisdictions were this helpful with sending information to those requesting it. Kudos to you and to all who helped with this!

It sounds like if Chris was in a fight, this COULD be related to his disappearance. I agree with LE that the friends may be simplifying the story, not necessarily making them guilty. It sounds like if any were suspects at the time, that they were all interviewed and potentially cleared. Is that what you get from reading the report?

I wonder though why most friends would remember Chris being in a good mood that night, but the other friend saying he was in a bad mood? Could Chris, being high and/or intoxicated, have picked a fight with the wrong person and was killed likely that night? If he was killed, was his body hidden to orchestrate a cover-up? Were the "outsiders" actually the friends he was with at the time? (The comment about a fight with outsiders not true?) Were the "outsiders" REALLY outsiders and one or more of them was responsible for what happened to Chris? If the friends or "outsiders" were involved, could they have come up with a simplified version of events to cover up for Chris' disappearance, or possibly death?

It sounds like Chris did not leave on his own.

This new evidence report is a HUGE find! Thanks again!

Satch
 
Thanks for all this information!!!

If only LE in all other missing persons jurisdictions were this helpful with sending information to those requesting it. Kudos to you and to all who helped with this!

It sounds like if Chris was in a fight, this COULD be related to his disappearance. I agree with LE that the friends may be simplifying the story, not necessarily making them guilty. It sounds like if any were suspects at the time, that they were all interviewed and potentially cleared. Is that what you get from reading the report?

I wonder though why most friends would remember Chris being in a good mood that night, but the other friend saying he was in a bad mood? Could Chris, being high and/or intoxicated, have picked a fight with the wrong person and was killed likely that night? If he was killed, was his body hidden to orchestrate a cover-up? Were the "outsiders" actually the friends he was with at the time? (The comment about a fight with outsiders not true?) Were the "outsiders" REALLY outsiders and one or more of them was responsible for what happened to Chris? If the friends or "outsiders" were involved, could they have come up with a simplified version of events to cover up for Chris' disappearance, or possibly death?

It sounds like Chris did not leave on his own.

This new evidence report is a HUGE find! Thanks again!

Satch

From what I've read, it looks like the police did look down a multiple avenues - interviewed the neighbour that had had problems with Christopher and his family, interviewed both friends he had been with, his parents, his siblings... It's all really unclear, the one thing I gather is that no one at any point believed he had run away, and all said that if he had gone off he would have been in touch with someone, and there was no one particular suspect or person of interest. The drug angle (if Christopher had been harmed by someone with drug connections) ended up withering up basically, as any connection beyond his smoking marijuana and having done speed once or twice couldn't be proven really. The original drug idea had come from another set of neighbours (the As). The As were the sort of people who kept binoculars by their windows, and the detective that spoke to them noted that they were eager to help, but might be a bit over zealous with their ideas. The As claimed that they had seen Christopher and his elder brother D communicating about drug dealing with a young man with the surname S (lets call him Young S). The As insisted that Young S was really heavily involved in drug distribution, but detective notes that Young S's criminal record really doesn't indicate that. However, no one else could really confirm this, and it later emerged that the As had a longstanding disagreement with the S family, and could have invented the connection between Young S and the Wells brothers.

But yeah, I'm really surprised by how much information they passed to me, I guess Seattle LE is very good about that sort of thing. Something to keep in mind for any other missing from Seattle cases.

As for the mood thing, I have reread to be sure, and it seems like Christopher was "in good spirits", not despondent or anything, when the boys parted. One of the boys (X) says that he had been in a bad mood earlier, whereas Y says that when they all parted, Chris was feeling the effects of the alcohol but was otherwise okay.

My theory is that X and Y were telling the truth, but concealing just how drunk and possibly high the three of them were. It was only at the interview, and not the original account of the disappearance, that one of the boys said that they had been drinking quite a bit.
 
I don't think I had read of this case before. Sadly it does sound like something happened to him that night.
 
From what I've read, it looks like the police did look down a multiple avenues - interviewed the neighbour that had had problems with Christopher and his family, interviewed both friends he had been with, his parents, his siblings... It's all really unclear, the one thing I gather is that no one at any point believed he had run away, and all said that if he had gone off he would have been in touch with someone, and there was no one particular suspect or person of interest. The drug angle (if Christopher had been harmed by someone with drug connections) ended up withering up basically, as any connection beyond his smoking marijuana and having done speed once or twice couldn't be proven really. The original drug idea had come from another set of neighbours (the As). The As were the sort of people who kept binoculars by their windows, and the detective that spoke to them noted that they were eager to help, but might be a bit over zealous with their ideas. The As claimed that they had seen Christopher and his elder brother D communicating about drug dealing with a young man with the surname S (lets call him Young S). The As insisted that Young S was really heavily involved in drug distribution, but detective notes that Young S's criminal record really doesn't indicate that. However, no one else could really confirm this, and it later emerged that the As had a longstanding disagreement with the S family, and could have invented the connection between Young S and the Wells brothers.

But yeah, I'm really surprised by how much information they passed to me, I guess Seattle LE is very good about that sort of thing. Something to keep in mind for any other missing from Seattle cases.

As for the mood thing, I have reread to be sure, and it seems like Christopher was "in good spirits", not despondent or anything, when the boys parted. One of the boys (X) says that he had been in a bad mood earlier, whereas Y says that when they all parted, Chris was feeling the effects of the alcohol but was otherwise okay.

My theory is that X and Y were telling the truth, but concealing just how drunk and possibly high the three of them were. It was only at the interview, and not the original account of the disappearance, that one of the boys said that they had been drinking quite a bit.

I agree, especially with the last paragraph. It is very possible that the friends could have been telling the truth, maybe somewhat, or maybe not at all. The problem was, likely being very high and or very drunk, what they saw and or remembered that night, and their reflections of it, may have been so clouded by controlled substances, that it may be impossible to find out if what they say is true, or what really happened.

Satch
 
Here are all the sightings recorded, I'm going to give the date/time of the apparent sighting instead of the date/time it was reported.


19:00 on 21st December 1972, unknown person reports seeing missing juvenile hitchhiking N/B on 6 S. from S. State St. in Kirkland. Suspect wearing rain coat (clear plastic) and blue jeans.

17:30 on 21st December 1972, Mr. G of Maple Valley, reports picking up missing juvenile at the Maple Valley Grocery Store on the Maple Valley Highway. The suspect was hitchhiking and told Mr. G he was going to Enumclaw. Mr G only took him as far as the Maple Valley Highway where the dropped the suspect off. Boy was wearing a brown suede or leather jacket. He did not ever tell Mr G his name (boy was extremely polite).

10:00 on 2nd January 1973, Mrs C believes that she was Christopher in Lincoln [illegible] (word has an e in it?)

nighttime, 12th March 1973, a cab driver in Vancouver reports that Christopher was one of his fares. He picked him up at "Towns End" portion of town, at Gas Lite Tavern. The cabby took him to the street intersection of Favey and Broughtan; an area of many cheap hotels. The cabby said Christopher now has shoulder length hair, very light blond and was wearing a black "bomber" ski jacket with white fur collar.

16th February 1973, on the above date and time DWC (19) was hitchhiking in Downey, California and met a boy with Christopher's description who was also hitchhiking. This boy (white male, 5'6", blue coat (nylon jacket) with sleeping bag & suitcase) stated he was from the Seattle area & was in the area looking for his relatives (grandmother or aunt) living in Van Nuys, California. The reason DWC called in (on 14th of March 1973) was that he read the article concerning Christopher in the paper & observed the picture. (Please note that the picture in the article is the one of him with short hair).

Late January 1973 possibly the 29th, Mr B reports seeing white male about 15 years old with a slim built and dirty blond hair combed over to the side, "Beatles style". He was wearing dark blue Levi pants and an Air Force coat with large, light-colored fur collar. Subject was observed walking west-bound on bell street from 2nd Avenue, in the company of two older Indian males. Mr. B states both Indian males appeared to be intoxicated and were not detaining the subject in any way.

So there's all of them. None seem particularly likely to actually be Christopher to me, the last one especially doesn't actually fit his physical description...

In 1977, one of the friends Chris had been with was interviewed again. He stated the same as before, said that Christopher had been drunk that night but not incredibly so and could handle himself. This wasn't the friend that had told police about the fight in the pool hall, and he denied that there were outsiders involved at the pool hall. He stated that he didn't believe that Chris had run away, but couldn't think of any reason for foul play either.
 
Here are all the sightings recorded, I'm going to give the date/time of the apparent sighting instead of the date/time it was reported.


19:00 on 21st December 1972, unknown person reports seeing missing juvenile hitchhiking N/B on 6 S. from S. State St. in Kirkland. Suspect wearing rain coat (clear plastic) and blue jeans.

17:30 on 21st December 1972, Mr. G of Maple Valley, reports picking up missing juvenile at the Maple Valley Grocery Store on the Maple Valley Highway. The suspect was hitchhiking and told Mr. G he was going to Enumclaw. Mr G only took him as far as the Maple Valley Highway where the dropped the suspect off. Boy was wearing a brown suede or leather jacket. He did not ever tell Mr G his name (boy was extremely polite).

10:00 on 2nd January 1973, Mrs C believes that she was Christopher in Lincoln [illegible] (word has an e in it?)

nighttime, 12th March 1973, a cab driver in Vancouver reports that Christopher was one of his fares. He picked him up at "Towns End" portion of town, at Gas Lite Tavern. The cabby took him to the street intersection of Favey and Broughtan; an area of many cheap hotels. The cabby said Christopher now has shoulder length hair, very light blond and was wearing a black "bomber" ski jacket with white fur collar.

16th February 1973, on the above date and time DWC (19) was hitchhiking in Downey, California and met a boy with Christopher's description who was also hitchhiking. This boy (white male, 5'6", blue coat (nylon jacket) with sleeping bag & suitcase) stated he was from the Seattle area & was in the area looking for his relatives (grandmother or aunt) living in Van Nuys, California. The reason DWC called in (on 14th of March 1973) was that he read the article concerning Christopher in the paper & observed the picture. (Please note that the picture in the article is the one of him with short hair).

Late January 1973 possibly the 29th, Mr B reports seeing white male about 15 years old with a slim built and dirty blond hair combed over to the side, "Beatles style". He was wearing dark blue Levi pants and an Air Force coat with large, light-colored fur collar. Subject was observed walking west-bound on bell street from 2nd Avenue, in the company of two older Indian males. Mr. B states both Indian males appeared to be intoxicated and were not detaining the subject in any way.

So there's all of them. None seem particularly likely to actually be Christopher to me, the last one especially doesn't actually fit his physical description...

In 1977, one of the friends Chris had been with was interviewed again. He stated the same as before, said that Christopher had been drunk that night but not incredibly so and could handle himself. This wasn't the friend that had told police about the fight in the pool hall, and he denied that there were outsiders involved at the pool hall. He stated that he didn't believe that Chris had run away, but couldn't think of any reason for foul play either.

Thanks for the leads!

I think that the closest one that could be Chris, although very unlikely is description of suspect #2. I mean, just of the descriptions there. Do you think #2 is the closest?

Satch
 
Thanks for the leads!

I think that the closest one that could be Chris, although very unlikely is description of suspect #2. I mean, just of the descriptions there. Do you think #2 is the closest?

Satch

Yeah, off the description #2 seems like the only one that could have been him I think.
 
Yeah, off the description #2 seems like the only one that could have been him I think.

Suspect in description #2 who was hitchhiking told his pick up driver he was going to Enumclaw, WA. I checked Google Maps, this city is about 40 miles away from Seattle and takes a little less than an hour to drive to this location according to Google Maps:

http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-...a=X&ei=Z-g1UoHmIbPd4AOv04HoBw&ved=0CCwQ-A8wAA

Question is, did Chris or his family know anyone in or near Emunclaw, which might explain a motive for him to travel there? However, there is no evidence that Chris would just choose to run away.

Satch
 
16th February 1973, on the above date and time DWC (19) was hitchhiking in Downey, California and met a boy with Christopher's description who was also hitchhiking. This boy (white male, 5'6", blue coat (nylon jacket) with sleeping bag & suitcase) stated he was from the Seattle area & was in the area looking for his relatives (grandmother or aunt) living in Van Nuys, California. The reason DWC called in (on 14th of March 1973) was that he read the article concerning Christopher in the paper & observed the picture. (Please note that the picture in the article is the one of him with short hair).

There were probably a number of young men hitchhiking in the Downey area at that time who could be described that way. It's interesting that articles were written about Christopher's disappearance -- I didn't think the press really paid that much attention to missing person cases back then unless it was believed that they met with fowl play.
 
There were probably a number of young men hitchhiking in the Downey area at that time who could be described that way. It's interesting that articles were written about Christopher's disappearance -- I didn't think the press really paid that much attention to missing person cases back then unless it was believed that they met with fowl play.

There was at least one article, and I think some other coverage too. I agree, usually they didn't get much coverage because people assumed the person had left of their own free will. I think the difference is that Christopher's disappearance was classed as "missing juvenile" and not "runaway" from the very beginning, and his mother (who reported him missing) as well as everyone else interviewed insisted that he really would not have run away, that there was no reason for him to do so and no indication that he wanted to run away.
 
Bumping after a looong time. Still happy to forward the files I received to anyone else that gets very into the case.
 

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