
The person at the center of this case
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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Why did contact cease after the 1991 Christmas card? Did family receive any other communications?
Wells Fargo bank account untouched for decades—could financial records reveal clues about his circumstances?
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.
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Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
Did the private detective uncover any leads or sightings that remain unexplored?
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Official wording
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.
Sam Frank McIlhaney Jr. disappeared sometime in the 1980s
Christmas card sent from El Paso, TX to an aunt and uncle; stated date is approximate
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.