The person at the center of this case
Nan Cecile Dixon
Missing Person · Open
48 years waiting · since 1978
Missing Person: Nan Cecile Dixon
Justice for Nan Cecile Dixon — the trail went cold in 1978, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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vehicle
Lead #1Why did the Datsun appear to be deliberately driven over a rocky road into the ravine, and what caused the driver to leave the main road?
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timeline
Lead #2Why was the vehicle not found during earlier air and ground searches of the area, and what triggered its discovery four years later?
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evidence
Lead #3What forensic evidence was recovered from the vehicle, and were there any signs of foul play or accident?
Nan Cecile Dixon, a 73-year-old woman, disappeared on September 21, 1978, while driving from Grass Valley, California to Seven Troughs, Nevada to visit family—a journey that should have taken three hours. Her Datsun was discovered in November 1982 in a ravine near the Seven Troughs turnoff, showing signs of deliberate off-road driving with visible tire tracks leading down into the gulch. Despite the vehicle's discovery after four years, Nan's fate remains unknown, and investigators continue seeking information about what happened during that fateful drive.
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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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location
Lead #4Were there any witnesses who saw Nan or her vehicle on the route between Grass Valley and Seven Troughs on September 21, 1978?
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clue
Lead #5The vehicle had a half tank of gasoline and tires in reasonably good condition—what does this suggest about the circumstances of the crash?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP17992. Missing person: Nan Cecile Dixon.
Last known contact: 1978-09-22 in Lovelock, Pershing, NV. Circumstances: Nan Dixon was last seen in Grass Valley, California on September 21, 1978.
She was leaving for a nearly three-hour trip to visit family in Seven Troughs, Nevada, near Lovelock. She never arrived at her destination and her family reported her missing a short time later.
In November 1982, Nan Dixon's Datsun was found by coyote hunters in a ravine below the main road of the Seven Troughs turnoff. It had been discovered in an area that had been previously searched from the air and by ground.
The car appeared to have been deliberately driven over a rocky road and into the ravine. Tire tracks could be seen where it left the road and traversed down into the gulch.
The tires were badly scuffed from having been driven over the rocky road, but otherwise held air and were considered to be in reasonably good condition. The car also contained a half tank of gasoline.
Demographics: 73 years, Female, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 4 ft 10 in, 110 lbs, hair: Red/Auburn, eyes: Brown.
Investigating agency: Pershing County Sheriff's Office | PC-017933.
Timeline of Events
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1978-09-21
Last seen leaving Grass Valley
Nan Dixon was last seen in Grass Valley, California on September 21, 1978, departing for a nearly three-hour trip to Seven Troughs, Nevada.
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1978-09-22
Reported missing
Nan failed to arrive at her family's home in Seven Troughs and was reported missing shortly after.
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1982-11-01
Vehicle discovered
Nan's Datsun was found by coyote hunters in a ravine below the main road near the Seven Troughs turnoff, in an area previously searched from air and ground.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:September 21, 1978
Last Updated:September 26, 2026
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Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 7752732641
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Case Information
Incident:September 21, 1978
Last Updated:September 26, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 7752732641
You can remain anonymous