CA CA - Farren Stanberry, 18, San Francisco, 24 Apr 1980

[Ciriii57]

Sup All?

Can we confirm, at least to the best of our knowledge how many F. Stanberry's resided in San Francisco around March-April 1980 in business and residential directories? We have an F. Stanberry connected with the Marriott. This could be the Marriott Hotel or other businesses owned by Marriott. We also have Farrren Stanberry's unpaid funds at Wells Fargo Bank.

How many Marriott Hotels were around Market Street? If "F. Stanberry "belongs to no other Stanberries beginning with F in San Francisco, than we have found where our Farren worked! The Marriott, or a company connected to that.

Satch

Hey @Satch we can confirm that only 1 Stanberry was living or renting a residential property in San Francisco.This was a waitress named P. Stanberry. Hotels and lodging houses etc. did not list all their residents in directories therefore we wouldn't know if there were other F Stanberrys at SF at the time. (though it's a very low likelihood)
We definitely know that the Wells Fargo account is our Farren's as he listed his address as the National Hotel si we know he was there.
Unfortunately there is no way to know if the Marriott paycheck for F Stanberry is Farren as the unclaimed property is for all of California and I think @Odyssey had said there were a couple of other F Stanberrys living in California. We don't even know when this unclaimed paycheck was from, but on balance of probability we can guess it may have been out Farren.

I personally have had no luck identifying what and where the Marriott Corporation businesses were. Its not helped by the fact that the company no longer exists as it was then. I think it would require going through the business listings for that time, I was unable to find these as the SF library said I had to go in person to view them... I'm afraid it's a bit too far!

 

[summergirl1]

It doesn't seem to be known for certain where he was working when he supposedly left for work. Or it has never been made public ( as is sometimes the case with investigations). If his uncle didn't find out until the 1990s where he worked, it may not have existed by then. Maybe even the roomates didn't know where he worked.

His family reported him missing in Oregon, but the report never reached the San Francisco police at the time so even it was known where he worked they never looked into it at the time as they didn't have the missing persons report. The fact his disappearence was never looked into locally at the time wasn't a good start to solving his case, that's for certain. If his uncle looked into his workplace in the 1990s, by then it may not have existed or or may have greatly changed. It seems like if his uncle knew where he worked he would have visited there in the 1990s ( as he did the hotel Farren was staying at) unless he felt unsafe doing so or something. There's no proof Farren's workplace was responsible for his disappearence, but it would certainly be interesting to know if he even arrived at work or mentioned going somewhere else afterwards or something.

 

[Satch]

It doesn't seem to be known for certain where he was working when he supposedly left for work. Or it has never been made public ( as is sometimes the case with investigations). If his uncle didn't find out until the 1990s where he worked, it may not have existed by then. Maybe even the roomates didn't know where he worked.

His family reported him missing in Oregon, but the report never reached the San Francisco police at the time so even it was known where he worked they never looked into it at the time as they didn't have the missing persons report. The fact his disappearance was never looked into locally at the time wasn't a good start to solving his case, that's for certain. If his uncle looked into his workplace in the 1990s, by then it may not have existed or or may have greatly changed. It seems like if his uncle knew where he worked he would have visited there in the 1990s ( as he did the hotel Farren was staying at) unless he felt unsafe doing so or something. There's no proof Farren's workplace was responsible for his disappearance, but it would certainly be interesting to know if he even arrived at work or mentioned going somewhere else afterwards or something.

Great post!

We don't even know if Farren's Uncle Richard knows or knew where he worked when he visited the hotel manager in the 1990's. @Ciriii57 and I have already noted the confusion about Farren "Visiting a gay man, who later died of AIDS." My fear is that several of these roommates may no longer be with us, if they died of AIDS themselves. From what I remember, people that got the virus, it was like "Walking pneumonia" back than, because it did not have an official name. Many died young back than, because there were no treatments. I think life expectancy was about 30 years. If Farren's Uncle knew were he worked, it was never published.

We need to find someone who meets the following criteria:

1.) Knew Farren.
2.) Was staying at the National Hotel at the time Farren was there.
3.) Knew where he worked?
4.) Farren's discussions, moods and actions, observed by people he knew while in San Francisco.
5.) Knew Farren's day and activities on April 26, 1980. The last phone call to family.
6.) How long Farren was in San Francisco?

Satch

 

[Ciriii57]

You know what, I'm gonna send another message to Sgt Rand and see if they ever established where he worked. He may think I'm a pain but so what, they may as well share what they know at this point.
I'm doubtful he'll know though, he already said the only thing he knows for sure is the date of last contact with family.
I would have thought it would be a crucial line of enquiry to see if he ever arrived at work that day and it could reveal the route he took ...but I'm not hopeful of ever finding out.

 

[Inverloch]

Great post!

We don't even know if Farren's Uncle Richard knows or knew where he worked when he visited the hotel manager in the 1990's. @Ciriii57 and I have already noted the confusion about Farren "Visiting a gay man, who later died of AIDS." My fear is that several of these roommates may no longer be with us, if they died of AIDS themselves. From what I remember, people that got the virus, it was like "Walking pneumonia" back than, because it did not have an official name. Many died young back than, because there were no treatments. I think life expectancy was about 30 years. If Farren's Uncle knew were he worked, it was never published.

We need to find someone who meets the following criteria:

1.) Knew Farren.
2.) Was staying at the National Hotel at the time Farren was there.
3.) Knew where he worked?
4.) Farren's discussions, moods and actions, observed by people he knew while in San Francisco.
5.) Knew Farren's day and activities on April 26, 1980. The last phone call to family.
6.) How long Farren was in San Francisco?

Satch

Reading this list is frustrating. Presumably, there would have been plenty of people who fit that description and knew the answers to many of those questions back in June 1980 when he was reported missing. Why weren't any of them interviewed then?

 

[Ciriii57]

Reading this list is frustrating. Presumably, there would have been plenty of people who fit that description and knew the answers to many of those questions back in June 1980 when he was reported missing. Why weren't any of them interviewed then?

Totally frustrating isn't it!
Basically Farren was reported missing in his home town (John Day ) in Oregon in June 1980. For reasons unknown, the San Francisco LE were never notified so no investigation was ever carried out until his uncle contacted them in 1990, they had no record of any reports or anything and by this time it was probably too late to find anyone who knew him. I think even now he is listed as missing from Oregon, when this is not the case. I don't think he has ever been reported missing to SF!

It's also really annoying/disappointing/suspicious that neither his roomates, nor the hotel manager or the mysterious gay man bothered to report him missing after he left all his stuff and failed to return!

I would love to find someone... anyone...who knew him from his SF days.

 

[Ciriii57]

Oh and guys, I am also going to contact all of the medical examiners in the Bay Area, not just SF and try and find out if there was ever any UIDs that weren't entered into NamUs from the time that match Farren. His broken wrists and appendix scar should help. I'm thinking that if SF didn't know about him then neither would anywhere else.
Notoriously the MEs dont respond but I'm hoping my email lands in some kind sympathetic souls inbox who'll look into it.

Will keep you all posted

 

[Ciriii57]

And.....Does anyone think it would be worth contacting any SF newspapers or online news (I'm thinking more local ones rather than big names) and seeing if they might potentially run his photo and a story, explaining why he was never looked for in SF etc.. possibly with a tie in to the many SF missing.
It might get seen by someone who actually remembers him!
I thought it might be worth a try, but do you think it would need to have the family's permission? I mean if not, I figure there's nothing to lose??
Would welcome your thoughts before I proceed.

 

[Mfleish]

Does anyone think it would be worth contacting any SF newspapers or online news

I think this would be a great idea! I've been hitting dead ends over here.
I sent the ME another email and haven't heard back. <modsnip>

 

[Satch]

Guys,

I agree! Let's just throw everything at the "Who knew or communicated with Farren Stanberry in San Francisco" from January-June of 1980" wall and see what sticks.

Satch

 

[Ciriii57]

Hey everyone,
Quick update. I emailed Sgt Rand with some follow up questions and also told him what info we had and what we plan to do. I also cheekily asked if it's possible to share any info from Farren's file...worth a shot right, he can only say no! No response yet.

I have also begun emailing coroners and medical examiners in the Bay Area and asking about possible UIDs that weren't entered into NamUs. (Inspired by @Mfleish) I gave them all Farren's info and asked if they wouldn't mind checking (I think the broken wrists and appendix scar should make it easy). I'm widening the search beyond SF because we didn't know where Farren was working and also his body may have been moved elsewhere.

I have found it really difficult to find contact info for them and also am a little confused by the differences between medical examiners,coroners and sheriff's who are also coroners but I'm getting there. So far I've only sent to Alameda County and Contra Costa County and heard back from Contra Costa that they have forwarded my message to the relevant person. So fingers crossed!

I'll continue tomorrow and of course...will let you all know anything I hear.

 

[Ciriii57]

Hey everyone,
Sgt Rand emailed me back:

The answer to 1 and 2 is I wish I had an answer. You are correct there is not much to go on from the original case file. Don’t worry about my toes I just want this case solved for the family that remains, and I am more than willing to share the information I have with you. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

I should explain. 1 and 2 he is referencing the questions I asked which were whether he knew the names of the roomates and whether he knew where Faren was working. As you can see, it's a no on both counts.
The reference to "toes" is because I said I hope he doesn't mind us treading on his toes but we know how busy he is and we have time to dedicate to this. I'm glad he is fine with it.
So it seems like Farren's file is basically empty...at this point we know about as much as he does but if any of you can think of anything important that we haven't asked then let me know.

Right now I have given myself a list of tasks and people to contact regarding Farren (MEs, hospitals, jails, friends and nes agencies) I am just trying to eliminate ALL avenues. To really make sure that no one found him and he just got lost in thr system as a UID.
But I still think the most important and best thing is to find someone....ANYONE who knew Farren in SF. I am realyl hopeful we will. God someone must remember him.

 

[summergirl1]

I recall this question was posted awhile back in the thread- was Farren's social security number ever run by LE to try to determine where he was last working? That becomes even more important of a question now that we know he supposedly disappeared after he left for work and never came back and we know that isn't known where he was working. That would be a good question to ask Sargeant Rand. I can't recall that he's been asked that.

Of course, it's possible LE doesn't even have Farren's SS number and I'm not sure if they could find it? I would think if they have it has been run in the years since he disappeared to see if there was ever any activity on it, as that's common in missing persons investigations, but did they look at it from around the time he disappeared? It could be of course, as has been mentioned I think, that it's always possible he was working off the books/under the table, but still. It's good Sargeant Rand is helpful and really wants to see this solved. It's obvious both him and Farren's uncle by marriage really tried to solve this in the past, and hit brickwalls. Some, perhaps many, cold cases languish due to uninvolved/busy and sometimes uninterested or unaware family and underfunded and busy LE but this one has been paid attention to, at least.

 

[Ciriii57]

was Farren's social security number ever run by LE to try to determine where he was last working?

Great question and I will ask him for you.

I recall that this had been checked and his social security number had never been used. But I don't know if these means NEVER or just since his disappearance so yes, it could give us his job at the time.

If anyone else has questions let me know so I'll put them in one message.

 

[Mfleish]

I sent a message to the Tenderloin Housing Clinic, I'm not sure if we did this already, but I know they're mentioned earlier in this thread. They were established in 1980 but didn't take over the National Hotel until 2016. The Associate Director told me she couldn't find any information on Farren or CH in the records they have available.

 

[Satch]

Sorry if this has been asked already,

But is the National Hotel still operational today? Or were residents re-located to the Dahlia Hotel, after the fire in that area in 2022:

Fire at San Francisco Tenderloin affordable housing apartments displaces 40 residents

A fire broke out at an SRO hotel in San Francisco's Tenderloin Wednesday morning, displacing 40 people.

www.ktvu.com

Google Searching the National Hotel is interesting! Yelp Reviews says it's closed, but Google Search gives a phone number, which I have included in the file below. My question is why would that phone number still be up, if the hotel is not active? To prevent a ton of people calling that number, I would suggest posting here after calling My idea is two fold:

1.) To find out if that number still goes to the National Hotel

2.) To get records of a Farren Stanberry "Who might have gone by Wade" who resided there in 1980.

Tip - To prevent everyone from calling the number and pestering them, have somebody post that they have called the number, and see what they say. Wait til someone does this by posting here before calling. Regardless, we are going to get the same or a similar answer.

Even if this leads to nowhere, we will never stop trying!

Satch

 

[Ciriii57]

But is the National Hotel still operational today?

The National Hotel became a Budget Inn (not sure on the date) and after that was taken over by the Tenderloin Housing Clinic to home homeless people. After the Fire in 2022 all the residents were relocated. The below image from google street view was taken in May 2022 which shows it all boarded up, the fire happened in June so it must have literally reopened for the homeless and then burned down.


The below link has a video of the fire for anyone interested:

US: 2-Alarm Fire Breaks Out At National Hotel In San Francisco, CA

A 2-alarm fire broke out at National Hotel on Market Street in San Francisco on Sunday evening. Firefighter battled the flame soon after they arrived at the site. The fire is now under-controlled, but not fully extinguished. There is no report on injuries at the moment. RESTRICTIONS AND...

www.newsflare.com

I can't find any information on what is happening there now but I would imagine the actual property is still owned by the Housing Clinic unless they have since sold it.

There are still alot of reviews and contact information online from when it was a Budget Inn, but when I just did a search on that phone number it came up as mostly the number for the Budget Inn. Interestingly it also gave me the below links:

SAN FRANCISCO, California Payphone Locations

Payphone Locator: Payphone Locations in SAN FRANCISCO, CA

www.payphone-project.com

This is a list of payphones and this number (415)-864-9343 comes up as "The Shirley Hotel" under the name "Vincent Kircher" which is in a completely different location! But it does still exist.

And the below (link is broken so here's a snippet) which is a report about bed bug infestation!!


I think that the hotel has changed hands so many times and that it is unlikely anyone has remained working there in the last 43 years. But if someone wants to try then sure!
<modsnip>

 

[KooshBall]

I have always thought this case was a suicide. I lived in the SF Bay Area for 20 years and I can tell you that people jumped off the Golden Gate, and were never found, all the time. I think that is part of the draw of it, a way to literally disappear forever.

LETHAL BEAUTY / No easy death: Suicide by bridge is gruesome, and death is almost certain. The fourth in a seven-part series on the Golden Gate Bridge barrier debate.

Every time a person jumps from the Golden Gate Bridge, his or her broken corpse is...

www.sfgate.com

WARNING: GRAPHIC
"The waters roil with the incoming and outgoing tides. A body can quickly drift to sea if no one knows the person jumped."

"For finding and retrieving bodies, time is of the essence. The sea reclaims bodies quickly. Fish eat them. Not just sharks, but little fish. They eat the eyes and other tender parts. As the body decays and opens up, all manner of sea creatures move in to feed. Eventually, the body comes apart.

A body floats because decay causes gases to form within its cavity. If that cavity is breached for any reason, the gas escapes and the body sinks.

And no one will ever know what happened."

 

[Satch]

I have always thought this case was a suicide. I lived in the SF Bay Area for 20 years and I can tell you that people jumped off the Golden Gate, and were never found, all the time. I think that is part of the draw of it, a way to literally disappear forever.

LETHAL BEAUTY / No easy death: Suicide by bridge is gruesome, and death is almost certain. The fourth in a seven-part series on the Golden Gate Bridge barrier debate.

Every time a person jumps from the Golden Gate Bridge, his or her broken corpse is...

www.sfgate.com

WARNING: GRAPHIC
"The waters roil with the incoming and outgoing tides. A body can quickly drift to sea if no one knows the person jumped."

"For finding and retrieving bodies, time is of the essence. The sea reclaims bodies quickly. Fish eat them. Not just sharks, but little fish. They eat the eyes and other tender parts. As the body decays and opens up, all manner of sea creatures move in to feed. Eventually, the body comes apart.

A body floats because decay causes gases to form within its cavity. If that cavity is breached for any reason, the gas escapes and the body sinks.

And no one will ever know what happened."

Sup? @KooshBall ?

What years were you in San Francisco? By any chance around the time Farren was there? Did you know about this case just through WS, or other sources? Yes, murder and suicide are our two top theories. If you put Farren killing himself above him being murdered, what drew you to that conclusion? We are fascinated by this case, and people's theories! Thank you for posting and joining Farren's forum!

Satch

 

[Ciriii57]

I have always thought this case was a suicide. I lived in the SF Bay Area for 20 years and I can tell you that people jumped off the Golden Gate, and were never found, all the time. I think that is part of the draw of it, a way to literally disappear forever.

LETHAL BEAUTY / No easy death: Suicide by bridge is gruesome, and death is almost certain. The fourth in a seven-part series on the Golden Gate Bridge barrier debate.

Every time a person jumps from the Golden Gate Bridge, his or her broken corpse is...

www.sfgate.com

WARNING: GRAPHIC
"The waters roil with the incoming and outgoing tides. A body can quickly drift to sea if no one knows the person jumped."

"For finding and retrieving bodies, time is of the essence. The sea reclaims bodies quickly. Fish eat them. Not just sharks, but little fish. They eat the eyes and other tender parts. As the body decays and opens up, all manner of sea creatures move in to feed. Eventually, the body comes apart.

A body floats because decay causes gases to form within its cavity. If that cavity is breached for any reason, the gas escapes and the body sinks.

And no one will ever know what happened."

Yes, it is of course sadly possible and we have to keep an open mind. We don't know what was going through his mind, but from what we know he didn't seem to have any major problems or to be despondent...in fact he seemed to be loving life. The investigating officer doesn't believe it was a suicide but that he was killed by someone.
I know I would like to eliminate every other possibility and see what we are left with.

You weren't in SF in the early 80's by any chance? Maybe you have some info/memories of this area of Market Street and what was around?