NE NE- Vernon Gunlicks, 50, Kearney, 6 July 1964

[chaddylex]

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The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

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Missing Person / NamUs #MP105768
Vernon Gunlicks, Male, White / Caucasian

Case Information​

Demographics​

Missing Age50 Years
Current Age109 Years
First Name Vernon
Middle Name--
Last Name Gunlicks
Nickname/Alias--

Sex Male
Height5' 9" - 5' 10" (69 - 70 Inches)
Weight190 lbs
Race / Ethnicity White / Caucasian

Circumstances​

Date of Last Contact July 6, 1964
NamUs Case Created July 19, 2023

Last Known Location​

Location Kearney, Nebraska 68847
County Buffalo County
Missing From Tribal Land No
Primary Residence on Tribal Land--

Circumstances of Disappearance On July 6, 1964 about 9:00 a.m. Mr. Gunlicks drove to the local bowling alley and was never seen after that point. Vernon Gunlicks vehicle was located later that evening parked across the street from the bowling alley.

Physical Description​

Hair Color Brown
Head Hair Description--
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Description--
Left Eye Color Blue
Right Eye Color Blue
Eye Description wears glasses

---

Distinctive Physical Features​

No Information Entered​

Clothing and Accessories​

Item
Description
Eyewear
glasses

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Looks like he was declared deceased.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Seek Vern Gunlicks The Kearney Police Department has been asked to find the whereabouts of Vern Gunlicks age 50 516 36th Kearney businessman who has been missing since Monday morning Mr Gunlicks was last seen in the downtown area about 10 am while en route to make some business calls He is about five feet 10 inches tall weighs 190 pounds has 'blue eyes wears glasses and has light hair.

 

[cenazoic]

On July 6, 1964 about 9:00 a.m. Mr. Gunlicks drove to the local bowling alley and was never seen after that point.

Things that make you go “hmm”:

1 - the newspapers of the time refer to him being dropped off near a bank by a ‘business friend/acquaintance, for example:

GunlicksFriend

Clipping found in The Lincoln Star published in Lincoln, Nebraska on 7/10/1964. GunlicksFriend

www.newspapers.com

2 - a man named Edward Smallcomb filed a $5k claim against the Gunlicks estate a year later (1 May 1965). That claim was deemed fraudulent:

GunlicksSmallcombclaim

Clipping found in Kearney Hub published in Kearney, Nebraska on 9/20/1965. GunlicksSmallcombclaim

www.newspapers.com

3 - Mr Smallcomb is referred to as ‘the proprietor of a ‘local bowling alley’.

4 - Smallcomb was found dead in September 1965 at the age of 58. While it sounds like he had a heart attack or something along those lines, police were investigating:

GunlicksSmallcimb

Clipping found in Evening World-Herald published in Omaha, Nebraska on 9/21/1965. GunlicksSmallcimb

www.newspapers.com

I wasn’t able to find the ultimate outcome of that investigation (in the papers), but hopefully someone else can!

 

[chaddylex]

Things that make you go “hmm”:

1 - the newspapers of the time refer to him being dropped off near a bank by a ‘business friend/acquaintance, for example:

GunlicksFriend

Clipping found in The Lincoln Star published in Lincoln, Nebraska on 7/10/1964. GunlicksFriend

www.newspapers.com

2 - a man named Edward Smallcomb filed a $5k claim against the Gunlicks estate a year later (1 May 1965). That claim was deemed fraudulent:

GunlicksSmallcombclaim

Clipping found in Kearney Hub published in Kearney, Nebraska on 9/20/1965. GunlicksSmallcombclaim

www.newspapers.com

3 - Mr Smallcomb is referred to as ‘the proprietor of a ‘local bowling alley’.

4 - Smallcomb was found dead in September 1965 at the age of 58. While it sounds like he had a heart attack or something along those lines, police were investigating:

GunlicksSmallcimb

Clipping found in Evening World-Herald published in Omaha, Nebraska on 9/21/1965. GunlicksSmallcimb

www.newspapers.com

I wasn’t able to find the ultimate outcome of that investigation (in the papers), but hopefully someone else can!

Great finds!
- seems to me that Smallcomb had something to do with Gunlick's disappearance.(maybe a money motive) I wish it would how Smallcomb's actual cause of death.

 

[Redsox3950]

That was my initial thought too. Although...I mean, lol, its the only plausible theory based on the very limited info we have. Any hog farms nearby?