MT MT - Daniel Thomas, 29, Missoula, 18 Dec 2012

I came across this case in an unidentified discussion and am not finding a thread for it.

https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/18920/24



After spending time with his family in Butte, MT, in late 2012, 29-yo Daniel Edward Thomas left to travel home to Portland, OR. He was last seen in Missoula on Dec 18, but never arrived in Portland. According to Namus, he was traveling with a friend in an unknown vehicle.

I couldn't help but notice some similarities to this case (was on Websleuths at one time but appears to have been deleted?):

http://billingsgazette.com/news/sta...cle_fc4053fc-a783-5d68-9151-10faf3894fee.html

Her skeletal remains and wrecked vehicle were found near Mullan, ID, after Daniel's disappearance. But both Dumontet and Thomas were travelling westward on the I90 corridor and were sighted in Butte (Dumontet had stopped for fuel), then in Missoula, before disappearing. According to this article (from before her remains were found), she was also accompanied by someone else in Missoula:

http://missoulian.com/news/local/mi...cle_ad3bd258-cc5f-11e1-a8ad-001a4bcf887a.html

Could just be coincidence, but both being in Butte, then in Missoula, and being accompanied by an unknown person, before disappearing, seems worth mentioning.

The other thing both those cases (and a couple of other missing persons cases as well) have in common is that after Missoula the highway enters difficult mountain terrain, with steep uphills, hairpin curves, scary dropoffs, and at the time of year Daniel left, probably frequent icy spots. It goes through Lookout Pass (altitude about 4700 feet) before dropping down to Mullan ID. There are many places where a vehicle can go off the road and leave no trace.

I grew up in Montana and we traveled that road several times. My heart was always in my throat until we got down. There are places where you can look out your window and see down several hundred feet. Straight down.

Here's an Idaho transportation department webcam that gives you an idea: http://lb.511.idaho.gov/idlb/mountainpasses/mountainpass.jsf?id=6

Daniel has been ruled out against UP14360 in Virginia.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

• 
• 

Thomas, circa 2012

• Missing Since 12/18/2012
• Missing From Missoula, Montana
• Classification Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 12/10/1983 (39)
• Age 29 years old
• Height and Weight 6'2, 200 pounds
• 
  
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A green Carhartt jacket, a shirt and dark-colored jeans.
• 
  
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Thomas's nickname is Dan.

Details of Disappearance​

Thomas was last seen in Missoula, Montana on December 18, 2012. He is originally from the Butte, Montana area, but had moved to Oregon. Thomas left Butte for Missoula, Montana, traveling in a friend's vehicle, on or around December 16. On the 18th he called to say he was on his way home to Oregon.

He apparently never arrived in Oregon and his cellular phone and credit cards haven't been used since December 18. He has never been heard from again. Few details are available in his case.

Investigating Agency​

• Butte/Silver Bow County Law Enforcement Division 406-497-1120

Source Information​

• Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse
• For the Missing: Pacific Northwest
• NamUs

Updated 2 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated July 21, 2016; middle name corrected, clothing/jewelry description added, details of disappearance updated