The person at the center of this case
Cynthia Marie Grotjohn
Missing Person · Open
29 years waiting · since 1996
Missing Person: Cynthia Marie Grotjohn
Justice for Cynthia Marie Grotjohn — the trail went cold in 1996, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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witness
Lead #1What did the resident at the NW Fernflat Road property observe or hear during those critical five minutes?
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evidence
Lead #2Why were her purse and jacket abandoned at the scene, and what did forensic examination reveal?
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location
Lead #3What terrain and conditions surrounded the stuck vehicle—could she have wandered into a dangerous area?
Cynthia Marie Grotjohn, a 35-year-old woman, disappeared on December 3, 1996, in Cornelius, Washington, after her car became stuck in mud on NW Fernflat Road. A resident offered to help retrieve her vehicle with a tractor, but when he returned just five minutes later, Grotjohn had vanished, leaving behind her purse and jacket. Despite three days of intensive search and rescue operations by sheriff's personnel, no trace of her has been found in nearly three decades.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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clue
Lead #4Were there any reported sightings or vehicle activity in the Cornelius area in the days following her disappearance?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP20761. Missing person: Cynthia Marie Grotjohn.
Last known contact: 1996-12-03 in Cornelius, Washington, OR. Circumstances: Cynthia Grotjon was last seen when a car she was driving became stuck in the driveway of a house on NW Fernflat Road.
A prson living at that address told Grotjohn to wait while he got a tractor to pull the car out of the mud. When he returned five minutes later, Gratjohn was gone.
She left behind her purse and jacket. Sheriff's personnel and SAR teams searched the area for 3 days and found no sign of Grotjohn.
Demographics: 35 years, Female, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 5 ft 9 in, 150 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Brown.
Clothing and accessories: Clothing: Flannel shirt, blue denim jeans; Footwear: Black loafers. Investigating agency: Washington County Sheriff's Office | 96-21118.
Timeline of Events
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1996-12-03
Cynthia Grotjohn disappears
Cynthia's car became stuck in mud in the driveway of a house on NW Fernflat Road. A resident told her to wait while he retrieved a tractor. When he returned approximately five minutes later, she was gone. Her purse and jacket were left behind.
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1996-12-03
Search and rescue operations begin
Sheriff's personnel and search and rescue teams conducted a three-day search of the area but found no sign of Cynthia Grotjohn.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:December 3, 1996
Last Updated:June 26, 2026
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Phone: 5038462700
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Case Information
Incident:December 3, 1996
Last Updated:June 26, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 5038462700
You can remain anonymous