The person at the center of this case
Thomas James Houghland
Missing Person · Open
48 years waiting · since 1978
Missing Person: Thomas James Houghland
Justice for Thomas James Houghland — the trail went cold in 1978, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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person
Lead #1What were the circumstances of Thomas being with his mother Norma and brother Richard on July 11, 1978?
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witness
Lead #2Did Norma Houghland and Richard Houghland provide detailed accounts of what happened that day, and are there other witnesses who saw Thomas?
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clue
Lead #3Why was there a 13-day delay between Thomas's disappearance and the police report on July 24, 1978?
Thomas James Houghland, a 5-year-old boy with strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes, disappeared on July 11, 1978, in Sacramento, California, while with his mother Norma and brother Richard. Nearly 50 years later, his fate remains unknown, and investigators have found no clear answers about what happened to him that day. Anyone with information about Thomas or his whereabouts is urged to contact the Sacramento 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.
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evidence
Lead #4What investigative steps were taken in 1978 and in subsequent decades to locate Thomas?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP33819. Missing person: Thomas James Houghland.
Last known contact: 1978-07-11 in Sacramento, Sacramento, CA. Circumstances: Thomas Houghland was last seen on July 11, 1978 with his mother Norma HOUGHLAND (NameUs record #33282) and brother Richard HOUGHLAND (NamUs record # 33817).
He was 5 years old at the time. Demographics: 5 years, Male, White / Caucasian.
Physical description: 3 ft 0 in, 40 lbs, hair: Blond/Strawberry, eyes: Brown. Investigating agency: Sacramento Police Department | 13-9171 | 1978-07-24.
Timeline of Events
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1978-07-11
Thomas Houghland Last Seen
5-year-old Thomas James Houghland was last seen on July 11, 1978, in Sacramento, California with his mother Norma Houghland and brother Richard Houghland.
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1978-07-24
Case Reported to Sacramento Police
The disappearance was reported to the Sacramento Police Department on July 24, 1978, thirteen days after Thomas was last seen.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:July 11, 1978
Last Updated:September 27, 2026
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Phone: 9168080560
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Case Information
Incident:July 11, 1978
Last Updated:September 27, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 9168080560
You can remain anonymous