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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? Did family receive any other communications?

🔍
evidence
Lead #2

Wells Fargo bank account untouched for decades—could financial records reveal clues about his circumstances?

👤
person
Lead #3

What was Sam's employment, social connections, and lifestyle in El Paso during the late 1980s and early 1990s?

Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr. disappeared in the 1980s and was last confirmed in contact via a Christmas card sent from El Paso, Texas to family in 1991. Despite a private detective's efforts, his whereabouts remain unknown and his Wells Fargo bank account has gone untouched for decades. 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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More leads to consider

Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.

👁️
witness
Lead #4

Did the private detective uncover any leads or sightings that remain unexplored?

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 in the 1980s

📞
1991-11-01

Last Known Contact

Christmas card sent from El Paso, TX to an aunt and uncle; stated date is approximate

Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case

Case Information

Incident:Invalid Date
Last Updated:May 20, 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:May 20, 2026

Have Information?

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

Phone: 9158324400
You can remain anonymous