Christopher H. Bridgeman, Jr.
Missing since 1963 from Thurston County, Washington
Classification: Missing
Vital Statistics
Distinguishing Characteristics: White male.
Circumstances of Disappearance
Bridgeman was last seen in a Thurston County, Washington motel in 1963.
He vanished after leaving his 6-year-old son alone during a custody visitation at a Martin Way motel.
Bridgeman's children thought their father had deserted them to pursue a career in country music.
But last year, a cousin the family hadn't seen in years called them with a disturbing theory: that Bridgeman's father, Christopher H. Bridgeman Sr., had killed his son and buried him in his basement. The theory gained a foothold when the missing man's driver's license turned up in Christopher Bridgeman Sr.'s belongings.
In 2004, the family started sifting through dirt and clearing debris from the old vacant home just outside of Olympia.
The grandfather, who has since died, built an extension to the basement about the time his son disappeared, which is why family members and investigators think the remains could be beneath the old house. After Bridgeman's daughter reported her belief to authorities, investigators with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office also came to the conclusion that her father probably met with foul play.
Some remember Christopher Bridgeman Sr., a self-proclaimed minister and builder, as having both charisma and a hot temper. He could change from one to the other in a flash, family members said.
The grandfather told family members that he took two weeks every year to travel to cities around the West Coast, looking for his son and filing missing persons reports. No one, including the sheriff's office, can confirm that a missing persons report ever was filed.
Investigators
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact: Thurston County Sheriff's Office Detective Louise Adams 360-786-5530
Source Information:
The Olympian 1/30/05
The Doe Network: Case File 1506DMWA
Link:
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1506dmwa.html