The person at the center of this case
Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr.
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.
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Key leads to think about
📞
contact
Lead #1Why did contact cease after the 1991 Christmas card? Was the card mailed by Sam himself or someone else?
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evidence
Lead #2The inactive Wells Fargo bank account has not been accessed in decades—does this suggest foul play or voluntary disappearance?
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person
Lead #3What was Sam's condition and circumstances in the 1980s leading up to his disappearance?
Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr. disappeared in the 1980s and was last confirmed to have contact with family via a Christmas card sent from El Paso, Texas in 1991. Despite a private investigator's efforts and decades of investigation by the El Paso Police Department, his whereabouts remain unknown and no activity on his Wells Fargo bank account has been detected for years. Anyone with information about Sam's location or circumstances of his disappearance is urged to contact the El Paso Police Department.
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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.
👁️
witness
Lead #4Who received the 1991 Christmas card and what details do they recall about its contents or postmark?
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 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 during the 1980s
📞
1991-11-01
Last known contact
Christmas card sent from El Paso, TX to an aunt and uncle; stated date is approximate
🕵️
2016-07-07
Case filed with NamUs
El Paso Police Department formally documented case MP34253 with NamUs database
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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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