The person at the center of this case
Ray Burssie Collins
Missing Person · Open
38 years waiting · since 1987
Missing Person: Ray Burssie Collins
Justice for Ray Burssie Collins — the trail went cold in 1987, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Why did the companion take out a $25,000 life insurance policy on Collins before the trip, and what was his relationship with Collins?
📍
location
Lead #2Was Collins actually dropped at a bus station in Colorado Springs, or is this account fabricated?
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vehicle
Lead #3How did the companion come into possession of Collins' pickup truck, and what does forensic analysis of the vehicle reveal?
Ray Burssie Collins, a 57-year-old mineral collector from Florida, disappeared on July 31, 1987, while on a collecting trip in Colorado with two male friends. One companion returned Collins' pickup truck and claimed he had dropped Collins at a bus station in Colorado Springs to visit the Grand Canyon, but this account raised suspicions when it was discovered the same friend had taken out a $25,000 life insurance policy on Collins. Nearly four decades later, the circumstances of Collins' disappearance remain unclear, and investigators continue to seek information about what actually happened to him during that fateful trip.
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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.
⏰
timeline
Lead #4What happened during the days between Collins' disappearance and when his companion returned to Florida with the truck?
👤
person
Lead #5Where is the companion now, and what has he said about Collins' disappearance in subsequent interviews?
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 MP12001. Missing person: Ray Burssie Collins.
Last known contact: 1987-07-31 in Salida, Chaffee, CO. Circumstances: Collins, a resident of Winter Haven FL, was mineral collecting in CO with 2 male friends.
One returned to FL on a family emergency, then a few days later, the other returned driving Collins' pick-up truck. It was later discovered that that "friend" had taken out a $25,000 life insurance policy on Collins.
The "friend" said that Collins had wanted to go to the Grand Canyon, so he dropped him off at a bus station in Colorado Springs. Demographics: 57 years, Male, White / Caucasian.
Physical description: 5 ft 9 in, 150 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Blue. Clothing and accessories: Jewelry: Ring; gold with a green October birth stone.
Stone was oval with a Cabochon cut. The stone was encircled with a ring of tiny beads..
Investigating agency: Chaffee County Sheriff's Office | 87-2613.
Timeline of Events
👤
1987-07-31
Ray Burssie Collins goes missing
Collins was last known to be in Salida, Colorado during a mineral collecting trip with two male friends.
🚗
1987-08-04
Companion returns with Collins' truck
One of Collins' companions returned to Florida driving Collins' pickup truck, claiming Collins wanted to visit the Grand Canyon and was dropped at a bus station in Colorado Springs.
📋
1987-08-31
Life insurance policy discovered
It was discovered that the companion who returned Collins' truck had taken out a $25,000 life insurance policy on Collins.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:July 31, 1987
Last Updated:June 20, 2026
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Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 7195392596
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Case Information
Incident:July 31, 1987
Last Updated:June 20, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 7195392596
You can remain anonymous