The person at the center of this case
Theodore Sander III
Missing Person · Open
49 years waiting · since 1977
Missing Person: Theodore Sander III
Justice for Theodore Sander III — the trail went cold in 1977, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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evidence
Lead #1No remains or personal effects were ever found despite the passage of decades—what happened to his belongings and body?
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clue
Lead #2As an experienced hiker, what circumstances could have caused him to not return from a routine hike?
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location
Lead #3Which hiking trails above Convict Lake did he likely take, and have those areas been thoroughly searched?
Theodore Sander III, a 47-year-old experienced hiker, disappeared on August 20, 1977, after parking his car at Convict Lake in Mono County, California and heading into the mountains. Despite search efforts, no remains or personal effects were ever recovered, leaving the cause of his disappearance unknown—whether accident, injury, or other circumstances. Nearly five decades later, the case remains open, and anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact the Mono County Sheriff-Coroner.
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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 #4Were there any weather conditions, injuries, or other factors on August 20, 1977 that might explain his disappearance?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP151953. Missing person: Theodore Sander III.
Last known contact: 1977-08-20 in Convict Lake, Mono, CA. Circumstances: On August 20th, 1977, Theodore Sander III went missing in the mountains above Convict Lake in Mono County, California.
At the time of his disappearance, he was 47 years old. He parked his car at Convict Lake early in the morning on August 20th, 1977 and presumably hiked up into the hills and never returned.
He was an experienced hiker, however he may have fallen or had some sort of accident while on his hike. No remains or personal effects were ever found.
Demographics: 47 years, Male, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 6 ft 1 in, 160 lbs, hair: Brown, eyes: Blue.
Clothing and accessories: Clothing: Possibly last wearing G.I. pants and blue windbreaker..
Investigating agency: Mono County Sheriff-Coroner | 25-569 | 2025-09-24.
Timeline of Events
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1977-08-20
early morningTheodore Sander III goes missing
Theodore Sander III parked his car at Convict Lake early in the morning and hiked into the mountains. He never returned.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:August 20, 1977 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:May 29, 2026
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Phone: 7609327549
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Case Information
Incident:August 20, 1977 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:May 29, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 7609327549
You can remain anonymous