OR OR - Brian Page, 16, Salem, 12 Jan 1975

[CipherHuntingFamily]

I found out about this case through the “Runaway Train 25” music video by NCMEC! I’ve been glued to this case for the last hour now and want to cover this on my YouTube Channel in the future. Has there been any word on this VW that was found? Like this could be THE Bug!

Btw I live just outside of Portland now, despite my username, and I am familiar with the Salem area.

I have not heard anything from the Marion County Sheriff office. I teach at a small private school and am finished next week. I plan to borrow a friends kayak and paddle on over to where the chassis is located.
This case is very sad. No one looked for Brian then and no authorities are looking for him now. If I can find some any kind of identifying numbers on the VW that would either help rule it in or out.

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

I have not heard anything from the Marion County Sheriff office. I teach at a small private school and am finished next week. I plan to borrow a friends kayak and paddle on over to where the chassis is located.
This case is very sad. No one looked for Brian then and no authorities are looking for him now. If I can find some any kind of identifying numbers on the VW that would either help rule it in or out.

Super cool! If I’m free, would you like a tag along? I’d be happy to help with this case

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

Super cool! If I’m free, would you like a tag along? I’d be happy to help with this case

What’s the name of your YouTube channel?

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

What’s the name of your YouTube channel?

It’s under my name, Jason Futch. Here’s the link: www.facebook.com/jasonfutchtruecoldcase

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

I have not heard anything from the Marion County Sheriff office. I teach at a small private school and am finished next week. I plan to borrow a friends kayak and paddle on over to where the chassis is located.
This case is very sad. No one looked for Brian then and no authorities are looking for him now. If I can find some any kind of identifying numbers on the VW that would either help rule it in or out.

Did the kayak trip to look at the VW take place? Any news to share? TIA

 

[JasonFutchLakeCityFL]

Did the kayak trip to look at the VW take place? Any news to share? TIA

He never got back to me when I asked if I could join, so I don’t think it happened. I’m currently trying to find family members who may be willing to talk about Brian’s Case for my YouTube channel.

 

[chasizzler]

You could walk out to this spot and see if you could still locate it since you wouldn't need a kayak to get there. The video was taken 8 years ago though, and the chassis is light and in the open, probably visible from the highway 22 bridge. I checked a recent streetview from 2018 on multiple spots on highway 22 and couldn't locate it where the video was taken. That doesn't mean it's not there or that it hasn't moved up the river, where a kayak would be helpful in locating in. It's also possible it's still located on the Minto island and deposited further into the land from high water levels or somebody pulling it up.

It's quite a good lead. I was originally thinking of all the little lakes on State street when I heard that's where David was picked up, but judging where the car dealership was, the Willamette seems much more likely.

This Youtuber also found a VW bug in the Willamette in Portand in 2018 although there is not much information about it.

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

You could walk out to this spot and see if you could still locate it since you wouldn't need a kayak to get there. The video was taken 8 years ago though, and the chassis is light and in the open, probably visible from the highway 22 bridge. I checked a recent streetview from 2018 on multiple spots on highway 22 and couldn't locate it where the video was taken. That doesn't mean it's not there or that it hasn't moved up the river, where a kayak would be helpful in locating in. It's also possible it's still located on the Minto island and deposited further into the land from high water levels or somebody pulling it up.

It's quite a good lead. I was originally thinking of all the little lakes on State street when I heard that's where David was picked up, but judging where the car dealership was, the Willamette seems much more likely.

This Youtuber also found a VW bug in the Willamette in Portand in 2018 although there is not much information about it.

Thanks for this info. I was wondering why LE wouldn't have checked the VW in the Willamette for identifying information. Maybe they did and it wasn't reported in the media? I also wonder why it has never been removed from the river, along with other vehicles in the river. It seems strange to me that wrecked vehicles are not recovered. A few years ago, in Portland, I saw a wrecked motorcycle down an embankment. It was there over the period of a few days while I was visiting in the area. In OR, is recovering a wrecked vehicle solely the responsibility of the owner?

 

[chasizzler]

People who saw the chassis are probably just viewing it as some junk in the river, and not even as an actual car that might have a story behind it. I find it plausible that nobody has ever checked for a VIN or license plate number on it. If LE did check for this information, it would seem very odd for them to just leave it in the water.

If somebody is able to locate it, these are the places that the VIN would likely be found: "Under the back seat, stamped on the floor pan just forward of the transmission linkage access cover, On the chassis identification plate (a silver aluminum plate riveted in the trunk, near the spare tire)."

TBH, it would be quite lucky that this information would be available or that the car can even be located after the last sighting 8 years ago, but I think it's worth a shot.

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

Did the kayak trip to look at the VW take place? Any news to share? TIA

I haven't gone yet, I'm waiting for the Willamette River to drop in depth. I also had to help my mom clean out my grandma's house and we were under a deadline. I have more free time and have several options for viewing the VW chassis. My friend has a boat and as agreed to drop me off for about 20-30 minutes. A new kayak rental company now has a van at the marina and its only $35 for an all day rental.

I asked for email notifications but I don't seem to get them, I'm not avoiding this discussion at all, I'm determined to help find Brian, even if this isn't the VW chassis.

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

You could walk out to this spot and see if you could still locate it since you wouldn't need a kayak to get there. The video was taken 8 years ago though, and the chassis is light and in the open, probably visible from the highway 22 bridge. I checked a recent streetview from 2018 on multiple spots on highway 22 and couldn't locate it where the video was taken. That doesn't mean it's not there or that it hasn't moved up the river, where a kayak would be helpful in locating in. It's also possible it's still located on the Minto island and deposited further into the land from high water levels or somebody pulling it up.

It's quite a good lead. I was originally thinking of all the little lakes on State street when I heard that's where David was picked up, but judging where the car dealership was, the Willamette seems much more likely.

This Youtuber also found a VW bug in the Willamette in Portand in 2018 although there is not much information about it.

Unfortunately Salem has a large homeless population and the land that is behind the shore hides a large homeless camp. Its not safe for me to walk that alone or with a friend. The fastest and safest route is by water. I have several options for viewing the VW chassis. My friend has a boat and as agreed to drop me off for about 20-30 minutes. A new kayak rental company now has a van at the marina and its only $35 for an all day rental, which is a good option for needing more time at the site and since don't own my own kayak.

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

People who saw the chassis are probably just viewing it as some junk in the river, and not even as an actual car that might have a story behind it. I find it plausible that nobody has ever checked for a VIN or license plate number on it. If LE did check for this information, it would seem very odd for them to just leave it in the water.

If somebody is able to locate it, these are the places that the VIN would likely be found: "Under the back seat, stamped on the floor pan just forward of the transmission linkage access cover, On the chassis identification plate (a silver aluminum plate riveted in the trunk, near the spare tire)."

TBH, it would be quite lucky that this information would be available or that the car can even be located after the last sighting 8 years ago, but I think it's worth a shot.

I talked to a friend who has been on the water often for the last 40 years and he remembers the vw chassis further up river, which would be south of its current location, I find that really interesting. This would make sense why it wasn't discovered sooner by locals. I think its always been known to people who frequent the river but since Brian's case was never fully investigate or investigated properly at all, the general public didn't know to look for the vw chassis.

I was also able to find a picture of a couple taking a selfie with the vw chassis June 2018, so I know its still there. The river did get really high this winter and the shore line was way above normal, so its possible it could have moved, but I'm really hoping it didn't.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

I'm so annoyed that I can't correct my grammatical errors, thank you for looking past them.

 

[chasizzler]

Unfortunately Salem has a large homeless population and the land that is behind the shore hides a large homeless camp. Its not safe for me to walk that alone or with a friend. The fastest and safest route is by water. I have several options for viewing the VW chassis. My friend has a boat and as agreed to drop me off for about 20-30 minutes. A new kayak rental company now has a van at the marina and its only $35 for an all day rental, which is a good option for needing more time at the site and since don't own my own kayak.

Best of luck! I drove through Salem a couple times the last few weeks and was tempted to stop but didn't have the time. I didn't know that about the homeless camp. Hoping we can finally get some answers about this case after so long.

 

[chasizzler]

Somebody who lives in the area just sent me these photos from Minto island. They said they couldn't find any identifying information on it.

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

View attachment 193066 View attachment 193067

Somebody who lives in the area just sent me these photos from Minto island. They said they couldn't find any identifying information on it.

View attachment 193066 View attachment 193067

Somebody who lives in the area just sent me these photos from Minto island. They said they couldn't find any identifying information on it.

That car has been well documented and is not a vw bug. It sure is cool!

 

[chasizzler]

That car has been well documented and is not a vw bug. It sure is cool!

Thanks! I thought it looked different from the one earlier posted. I was talking about this case at a dinner and I was surprised when someone said they knew the bug and sent me those pics.

 

[Baconator22]

Has anybody been out there yet? Give me the suspected location or coordinates and I’ll get out there.

 

[CipherHuntingFamily]

I finally made it to the vw chassis. Not much is left. Going to document as much as possible.