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Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr.

The person at the center of this case

Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr.

Case
#1441
SourceNamus MissingUpdated May 19, 2026
El Paso Police Department
Missing Person · Open
34 years waiting · since 1991

Missing Person: Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr.

Justice for Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr. — the trail went cold in 1991, but the truth hasn't.

Start here

Key leads to think about

📞
contact
Lead #1

Why did contact cease after the 1991 Christmas card? Was Sam in distress or simply out of touch?

🔍
evidence
Lead #2

The untouched Wells Fargo bank account suggests Sam may not have survived or been unable to access funds—investigate account activity patterns.

👁️
witness
Lead #3

Family members and the private detective hired in subsequent years may have leads or observations worth revisiting.

Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr. disappeared in the 1980s and was last confirmed in contact with family via a Christmas card sent from El Paso, Texas in 1991. His Wells Fargo bank account has remained untouched for decades, and despite a private investigation by his family, his whereabouts remain unknown. Anyone with information about Sam's location or activities after 1991 is urged to contact the El Paso Police Department.

Case
#1441
SourceNamus MissingUpdated May 19, 2026
El Paso Police Department

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Official wording

Source Narrative

NamUs case MP34253. Missing person: Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr..

Last known contact: 1991-11-01 in El Paso, El Paso, TX. Circumstances: Last seen in 1980's.

Last contact was a Christmas card sent from El Paso TX to an aunt & uncle in 1991 (Stated Date LKA is approximate). He had a Wells Fargo bank account that has not been accessed in decades.

Family hired a private detective to find him, and were unsuccessful. Demographics: 46 years, Male, White / Caucasian.

Physical description: 5 ft 9 in, 100 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Hazel. Investigating agency: El Paso Police Department | 16-189146 | 2016-07-07.

Timeline of Events

👤
1980s

Disappearance Period

Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr. disappeared sometime in the 1980s.

👁️
1991-11-01

Last Contact

Last confirmed contact was a Christmas card sent from El Paso, TX to an aunt and uncle.

Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case

Case Information

Incident:Invalid Date
Last Updated:June 1, 2026

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Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.

Phone: 9158324400
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Case Information

Incident:Invalid Date
Last Updated:June 1, 2026

Have Information?

Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.

Phone: 9158324400
You can remain anonymous