LA LA - Randy Doran, 22, New Orleans, 8 Apr 1978

[Coffee56]

MISSING
Missing Person / NamUs #MP76852Randy Stewart Doran, Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last ContactApril 18, 1978
Missing FromNew Orleans, Louisiana

Case Information

Demographics
Missing Age22 Years
Current Age65 Years
First Name Randy
Middle NameStewart
Last NameDoran
Nickname/Alias--

SexMale
Height5' 11" (71 Inches)
Weight160 lbs
Race / EthnicityWhite / Caucasian

Circumstances
Date of Last ContactApril 18, 1978
NamUs Case CreatedJanuary 4, 2021
Last Known Location Map
LocationNew Orleans, Louisiana
CountyOrleans Parish
Missing From Tribal LandNo
Primary Residence on Tribal LandUnknown
Circumstances of DisappearanceRandy Stewart Doran was last heard from in early April of 1978. Randy was known to hitchhike across the country; He was originally from California, but known to travel to Nevada and Florida. He was believed to have been working on a boat dock in New Orleans, Louisiana, just prior to his disappearance. Randy was an avid guitar player.
Physical Description
Hair ColorBrown
Head Hair DescriptionCollar length, wavy
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Descriptionnone known
Left Eye ColorBlue
Right Eye ColorBlue
Eye DescriptionRecords lists eye color as Hazel, Family described eye color as blue
Distinctive Physical Features
Item
Description
Scar/mark
Scar on upper lip.


Clothing and Accessories
No Information Entered
Additional Case Info

Transportation
No Information Entered
Transportation Notes
Randy hitchhiked from CA to FL to visit his grandmother briefly right before going to LA. As far as the family is aware, Randy did not have a car at the time, and he likely traveled by foot, public transportation, or by hitchhiking.

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

 

[MadMcGoo]

Randy Stewart Doran – The Charley Project

 

[Coffee56]

Reminds me of Sand Canyon John Doe. I’m not sure where he would have been for 15 yrs or why he didn’t contact family. Link in above post does list a possible connection to NV.

NV - NV - Wellington, WhtMale 574UMNV, 35-50, Off of Sand Canyon Road, Mar'92 - #2

 

[carbuff]

Long Beach John Doe has been suggested by @Alleykins. He fits all the stats except for being slightly older than the estimate.

1392UMCA
CA - CA - Long Beach, WhtMale 1392UMCA, 15-19, 'Paid' stamp on hand, Jun'78

I tried to scale Randy's photo but this one is too pixelated to enlarge much. I'll try another one later.

 

[Coffee56]

I ran Randy’s photo through Remini. As stated it was very pixelated. Here’s the result.

**PHOTO ENHANCED**

 

[carbuff]

Long Beach John Doe has been suggested by @Alleykins. He fits all the stats except for being slightly older than the estimate.

1392UMCA
CA - CA - Long Beach, WhtMale 1392UMCA, 15-19, 'Paid' stamp on hand, Jun'78

I tried to scale Randy's photo but this one is too pixelated to enlarge much. I'll try another one later.
View attachment 295893 View attachment 295894

With @Coffee56's enhanced photo:

 

[Valiant]

Is Calif a frequently used abbreviation? I’ve always used CA or spelled it out.

Calif was the official abbreviation for a period of time before the USPS instituted the two letter abbreviations in 1963.
The old style abbreviations like FLA and WVA remained popular even after the 1963 changes so I could see why someone of his age might still be using the old CALIF abbreviation during that time

 

[Coffee56]

Calif was the official abbreviation for a period of time before the USPS instituted the two letter abbreviations in 1963.
The old style abbreviations like FLA and WVA remained popular even after the 1963 changes so I could see why someone of his age might still be using the old CALIF abbreviation during that time

Thank you. Maybe that’s why I always want to use FLA.

 

[30Anne]

Long term lurker - just starting posting - supposed ages of Does can be misleading can they not. I think it looks a good match.

 

[carbuff]

Long term lurker - just starting posting - supposed ages of Does can be misleading can they not. I think it looks a good match.

Good point.

 

[TheHauntedOne]

Has anyone considered him as a possible Kraft victim? The combination of his age, hitchhiking and being a Marine... Thoughts?

 

[Nate_Bro]

This John Doe has similarities. Could he have hitched all the way to Canada? The discrepancies in the eye color and hair color are known to not be 100%. Wonder if his dentals are available?

Canada's Missing | Case details

www.services.rcmp-grc.gc.ca

 

[Owutatangledweb]

Okay, I've been gone from this site too long, but I seem to recall a thread for a UID found with a guitar (I thought somewhere in Texas). I did a quick search and can't find it. I thought I'd point that out in case anyone else wants to give that a shot.

 

[victoriarobinson642]

Okay, I've been gone from this site too long, but I seem to recall a thread for a UID found with a guitar (I thought somewhere in Texas). I did a quick search and can't find it. I thought I'd point that out in case anyone else wants to give that a shot.

Mesquite John Doe (1977), who died the year prior to Randy's disappearance.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Find Randy Stewart Doran- Marine Vet Missing Since the Late 1970's

Find Randy Stewart Doran- Marine Vet Missing Since the Late 1970's. 622 likes · 1 talking about this. Randy Stewart Doran, an marine vet, has been missing since the late 1970's. He was last known to...

www.facebook.com

The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

By bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve cases.

www.namus.gov

<<Left Eye Color Blue
Right Eye Color Blue
Eye Description Records lists eye color as Hazel, Family described eye color as blue>>

 

[Pennysmom1]

Missing: Randy Doran | New Orleans, LA | Uncovered

Where is Randy Doran?

uncovered.com

Overview of Randy Doran​

Shockingly little information is known about Randy's disappearance.
Randy Doran was born on May 19, 1955, in Los Angeles, California. Randy loved to play guitar and write music. Randy also loved writing and making poetry, was good at math, and had been in the U.S. Marines before going down South. He was known for living a nomadic lifestyle. He loved traveling and enjoyed hitchhiking across the country.

Around the time of his disappearance, Randy had recently devoted himself to God, begun preaching to his friends, and carried a pocket Bible with him. He vowed to "make it big" and left California in March of 1978, deciding to hitchhike across the country to the South.

He landed in Florida to visit his grandmother, then went to New Orleans, where he possibly worked on the steamship "The President". He spoke to his aunt over the phone and said that he was working on a riverboat. His last communications with his family were via a postcard that was marked April 18th, 1978. It read: Dear Family: I'm doin fine, eatin, sleepin good. It's alright here. Made a couple friends. Still miss you all, especially Kevin, Grandma, Scotty, James, Mom, Sandy, Steve, and Grandma Rose. Love, Randy"

There was no further communication from Randy after this point, and family members were unable to get in touch with him. Family members admitted that he slipped through the cracks, and that law enforcement didn't try to help find him. Some suspect that he may have joined a nomadic "Jesus Cult" common in the 1970's because of his new appreciation for religion.

Unfortunately, after that postcard was received in 1978, there has been no substantial leads or media coverage about Randy's disappearance. His information was only recently entered into NAMUS.

 

[Pennysmom1]

Randy Stewart Doran – The Charley Project

Unique identifying characteristics:

• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, blue/hazel eyes. Doran has a scar on his upper lip, and extra vertebrae in his spine.
• 
• 
• 

Doran, circa 1978

 

[John/Jane Doe]

Randy Stewart Doran – The Charley Project

 

[Aurora90]

I have submitted this John Doe.

Stick found with body had written in ink, Randy with arrows both sides, Honor and Scott Hughes, California, Texas, Arizona, Tennessee

Cleveland Texas John Doe 1989

 

[Aurora90]

Your email was forwarded to the Missing Persons Detectives.

This is now being looked into.