The person at the center of this case
Joseph Anthony Hale
Missing Person · Open
28 years waiting · since 1998
Missing Person: Joseph Anthony Hale
Justice for Joseph Anthony Hale — the trail went cold in 1998, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1Why was the vessel running in tight circles unmanned? Was the autopilot engaged or did something incapacitate the operator?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What was the condition of Joseph's hat and personal items recovered from the water? Could they indicate the time or manner of his disappearance?
👁️
witness
Lead #3Did anyone observe Joseph's vessel or activities on the water that afternoon before it was discovered?
Joseph Anthony Hale, a 23-year-old fisherman, disappeared on March 20, 1998, from waters near Redding, California, after dropping off his wife and son for an afternoon fishing trip. Deputies discovered his unmanned vessel circling in tight patterns with his hat and personal items in the water, suggesting a possible drowning or accident. Despite extensive investigation by the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, the circumstances of his disappearance remain unclear and the case remains open.
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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.
💡
clue
Lead #4Joseph's wife stated the boat had been running fine - were there any mechanical issues discovered during investigation?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP149907. Missing person: Joseph Anthony Hale.
Last known contact: 1998-03-20 in Redding, Shasta, CA. Circumstances: A report was received of a vessel turning tight circles with the operator slumped over the vessel.
When deputies arrived on scene, the vessel was still turning circles but there was no one aboard. Joseph's wife stated her husband dropped her and their son off and he went back out to continue fishing and asked her to pick him up at 18:00 hours.
She also said the boat had been running fine. Joseph's hat and personal item were retrieved from the water.
Demographics: 23 years, Male, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 5 ft 10 in, 155 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Brown.
Investigating agency: Shasta County Sheriff's Office | 98-07978 & 19S021205 | 1998-03-20.
Timeline of Events
👁️
1998-03-20
afternoonLast Contact
Joseph dropped off his wife and son and returned to the water to continue fishing
👤
1998-03-20
before 18:00Vessel Discovery
Deputies arrived to find Joseph's vessel turning in tight circles with no operator aboard; his hat and personal items were recovered from the water
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:March 20, 1998 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:July 25, 2026
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Phone: 5302456025
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Case Information
Incident:March 20, 1998 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:July 25, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 5302456025
You can remain anonymous