CA CA - Billy Maynard, 26, Weaverville, 11 Sept 1987

[Kat]

The Doe Network:
Case File 163DMCA

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/163dmca.html

Billy Lee Maynard
Missing since September 11, 1987 from Weaverville, Trinity County, California.
Classification: Missing



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Vital Statistics
•Date Of Birth: January 24, 1961
•Age at Time of Disappearance: 26 years old
•Height and Weight at Time of Disappearance: 5'8; 155 lbs.
•Distinguishing Characteristics: White male. Brown hair; hazel eyes. Maynard wears eyeglasses.
•Marks, Scars, Tattoos: Tattoo of a monkey on chest, April on middle of back, a red unknown tattoo on right forearm. He has a large scar on leg and a plastic knee.
•Dentals: Not available



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Circumstances of Disappearance
Maynard was last seen in Weaverville, California on September 11, 1987.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:

Trinity County Sheriff's Department
530-623-2611

Agency Case Number: 872901

NCIC Number: M-264564968
Please refer to this number when contacting any agency with information regarding this case.

Source Information:
California Department of Justice

http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/163dmca.html
No additional details.

Billy is not listed in NamUs at this time.

No archived articles found at this time.

Billy has been missing almost 23 years. Come home soon.

 

[DayLea]

The Charley Project: http://www.charleyproject.org/cases/m/maynard_billy.html

 

[burblestein]

I pulled an internet search for Billy, with no results. Perhaps some other websleuther can do better.

 

[burblestein]

Just noticed that The Charley Project states that Billy disappeared from a beach in Weaverville. The nearest large body of water in the vicinity is Trinity Lake, about 15 miles to the northeast. So where's the beach?

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I can add that the summer of 1987 was filled with forest fires in that region. I moved to that area three years later and the "Siege of '87" was fresh in everyone's minds.

Basically, a large lightning storm in late August ignited around 1600 wildfires in the northern California-southern Oregon forests.

I wonder if this fellow got caught in one? Maybe out backpacking solo?

Normally a burned area would be well trampled, between firefighters and then forestry folks over the next few years. But with such an intense season, there might have been lots of fires, especially in the Wilderness Areas, that were left alone to burn themselves out while the attention was put on the fires closest to towns and developments.

Just a thought.

ETA: just saw the post above me saying he disappeared from a beach. That might cancel my theory, oh well.

 

[burblestein]

Auntie, your theory seems more likely than disappearance from a Weaverville beach. Do you know if any of the fires were on/near Trinity Lake?

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Auntie, your theory seems more likely than disappearance from a Weaverville beach. Do you know if any of the fires were on/near Trinity Lake?

I don't know the details but I bet that information is sleuthable. But a fire at the lake would get lots of attention so my thinking was more if he was hiking somewhere in the back country where they didn't put many resources -- if he was caught by fire somewhere well-peopled I wouldn't assume he could go so many years without being found.

I suppose a similar/related idea might have to do with animals driven from their usual habitats by the fires -- but again to go so long without being found implies being somewhere rarely visited.

 

[burblestein]

If a hiker was menaced in the woods by an oncoming blaze, wouldn't he head for the nearest water with the idea of immersing himself?

 

[burblestein]

I googled for 1987 "Trinity fires". I found a graphic which seems to show that the fires that year burned down to the northern waterline of Trinity Lake. Coincidentally, Hwy 3 runs to the western end of the lake's north shore. However, when I clicked on the graphic with the aim of linking it here, I was redirected to the Coffee Creek Volunteer Fire Dept. That department just happens tobe located just east of the lake's north shore.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Yes it's possible, though Trinity Lake is a popular recreation place and would have been evacuated if necessary. And it's hard to imagine a body going unnoticed there for over 20 years. Maybe if he was in the water itself?

My thought of a backcountry hiker seems less plausible with a plastic knee...

All I know is it would have been extremely hectic that summer, and a missing person maybe didn't get the law enforcement attention it might have gotten at a quieter time.

 

[burblestein]

So here's an article about the fires, datelined the day before Billy Lee went missing: Optimism, Confidence Grow on Fire Lines

And if the fire burned down to the shoreline, where would a desperate person go? Why, into the water, of course.

And the bad knee just may be the reason he couldn't escape.

(Boy, are we far out on a shaky limb here...but still.)

 

[burblestein]

An update:

Trinity's missing

 

[Pennysmom1]

Billy Lee Maynard – The Charley Project

• 

Maynard, circa 1987

• Missing Since 09/11/1987
• Missing From Weaverville, California
• Classification Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Date of Birth 01/24/1961 (62)
• Age 26 years old
• Height and Weight 5'8, 155 pounds
• 
  
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Maynard may have a mustache, beard or a goatee. He wears eyeglasses. He has a large scar on one of his legs and an artifical knee. Maynard has a tattoo of a monkey on his chest as well as the name "April" tattooed on the center of his back. He has a red-colored tattoo on his right forearm.

Details of Disappearance​

Maynard was last seen at a beach in Weaverville, California on September 11, 1987. He has never been heard from again. Few details are available in Maynard's case.

Investigating Agency​

• Trinity County Sheriff's Department 530-623-2611

Source Information​

• California Attorney General's Office

Updated 1 time since October 12, 2004. Last updated May 3, 2005.